This article covers a variety of frequently asked questions that the AgentSync Support Team receives!
Click below to jump to the FAQ you're most interested in:
- How Does Billing with NIPR Work?
- Is There a Way to Cancel or Undo a License or Appointment Transaction Submitted Through AgentSync Manage?
- How Do I Close a Transaction in AgentSync Manage?
- Can I Enable State-Specific Background Questions?
- How To Look Up an Individual Producer's NPN in Manage
- How Can I Get In Touch with AgentSync Support?
- Can I Recover a Deleted Record?
- How to Resolve User and Agent Log In Issues
- What is a BENA and How Can I Find My Agency's BENA Number?
- What License Classes and Lines of Authority Does AgentSync Manage Support?
- Why do I get an error when appointing in FL?
How Does Billing with NIPR Work?
One of the most common questions we receive is how billing works for transactions in Manage. This section will walk through how billing is set up between NIPR and AgentSync as well as the how the various fees are paid.
What Type of Payments Do Customers Pay?
There are three types of payments that can be made when transacting: State Fees, NIPR Transaction Fees, and Appointment Renewal Fees. Here is an overview of how each works in Manage:
- State Fees: The state fees are billed through an Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) within Manage. Through the EFT, the payments are taken as a lump sum from the customer's banking information on file at the end of each business day. Once this is set up, so long as the banking information is accurate and funds are available, no additional action is needed on a recurring basis.
- NIPR Transaction Fees: The NIPR transaction fees are invoiced to customers monthly. NIPR will send customers this invoice directly - AgentSync is not involved in NIPR Transaction Fee payments. These invoices can be paid online with a credit card, online with an electric check, or a mail in check.
- Appointment Renewal Fees: At this time, AgentSync Manage does not support appointment renewals. Not all states use NIPR for appointment renewals. For the states that do use NIPR for appointment renewals, customers can review and pay the invoices for appointment renewals through subscriber services via NIPR.
For more information on subscriber services, see the Subscriber Services section of the NIPR FAQ page.
How is Billing Between NIPR and AgentSync Set Up?
During the implementation process, the AgentSync Delivery Team will walk through this process with you. They will ask you to set up an Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) and provide all of the information you will need to pay for transactions. Click here to view the full process!
How Much Do Customers Pay AgentSync to Process Transactions?
NOTHING! AgentSync does not charge an additional fee to customers for processing transactions. The cost is exactly as it is when processing through NIPR directly.
Is There a Way to Cancel or Undo a License or Appointment Transaction Submitted Through AgentSync Manage?
Although it is possible to remove a transaction record from your view by closing it, you cannot cancel or rescind the transaction. If a license, appointment and/or termination transaction was submitted by mistake, you will need to reach out to the individual state(s) DOIs directly for further assistance.
We have found that most states do tend to be fairly accommodating in cancellation/rescinding requests, but there is no guarantee that they can cancel or rescind a transaction application that has already been submitted.
How Do I Close a Transaction in AgentSync Manage?
Have you ever had a transaction that errored out that had to be resubmitted? If so, you most likely will need to close out the original, errored transaction to remove it from your view. To do this, follow the below steps:
Step 1: Navigate to the transaction that you wish to hide from your view. This is done slightly differently for license transactions vs. appointment/termination transactions:
- License Transactions
- Navigate to the Producer Detail record of the desired producer by typing the producer's name into the Global Search Bar
- Click the name of the producer with the label Producer Detail Record under the name
- Click Process Transactions on the Producer Detail record
- Once on the Process Transactions, click the section labeled NIPR Transactions if it does not automatically bring you there.
- Click the blue hyperlinked transaction that you would like to remove from your view labeled GT-XXXXXXXX
- Appointment/Termination Transactions
- Navigate to the Contact (individual agent) or Account (entity) record by typing the producer's name into the Global Search Bar
- Click the name of the producer with the label Contact or Account under the name
- Click Appoint for appointments or Terminate for terminations in the upper right corner of the record
- In the window that opens up, find the state, company and LOA you submitted the transaction for and scroll all the way to the right to the Submission Status field. Once there, click on the data listed in the Submission Status field.
Step 2: This will bring you to the NIPR Transaction record. Locate the Status section in the upper right-hand corner and click on the grey pencil icon
Step 3: Use the Status drop-down menu to change the status to Closed/Admin
Step 4: Click the Save button at the bottom of the page. The transaction will now be hidden from your view on the Producer Detail record (licenses) or Appoint/Terminate window (appointments/terminations) and all reports.
That's it! If you need to resubmit the transaction, you can now go back to the Producer Details or Contact/Account record to resubmit the transaction.
Please Note: Even if a submitted license, appointment or termination application is closed, this does not remove the charges - i.e. license application fee(s), nor does it cancel/rescind the transaction itself. This only results in transactions being removed from your Manage view and reporting.
Can I Enable State-Specific Background Questions?
The short answer is: YES! Your producers can either answer the state-specific background questions for every state/territory, or they can answer a selection of state-specific background questions based on their producer assignment. Follow the steps below to enable state-specific background settings in your Manage org:
Please Note: This process will make all state-specific background questions that are not listed on a Producer Assignment become optional for all producer's with a Producer Assignment. Please discuss this action internally before taking taking the below steps.
Step 1: Click the App Launcher 9-dotted square in the top left corner of your Manage screen.
Step 2: Type AgentSync Settings into the search bar and click the option listed under Items
Step 3: In the General Settings section, scroll down until you see the State-Specific Background Questions label
Step 4: Click the Circle Icon next to the State-Specific Background Questions label to enable this feature
AgentSync Tip: If the icon next to State-Specific Background Questions is a Green Flag, this feature is already enabled! To turn off State-Specific Background Questions, click the Green Flag.
You're done! To receive the benefit of this feature, you can now create Producer Assignments. Once created, only the states listed on the Producer Assignment will require the state-specific background questions to be answered. All other state-specific questions will be optional.
Not sure how to create a Producer Assignment? Click here to learn how!
How To Look Up an Individual Producer's NPN in Manage
AgentSync Manage built a tool called the NPN Lookup that can pull your producer's NPN from NIPR by using their first name, last name and social security number. The section walks through how to use the NPN Lookup tool.
Step 1: Navigate to the agent's Contact record by typing their name into the Global Search Bar at the top of your screen in Manage.
Is your contact not in Manage yet? Click here for instructions on adding new Contacts!
Step 2: Click on the name of the agent that has the label Contact underneath it
Step 3: On the Contact record, confirm that the agent's First Name, Last Name and Social Security Number are all correctly filled out
Step 4: Click the NPN Lookup button located in the top right corner of the Contact record. You may need to click the small down arrow to find the button
AgentSync Tip: Having trouble finding the NPN Lookup button? Reach out to support@agentsync.io for assistance.
Step 5: If the First Name, Last Name & SSN match what NIPR has on file, you will see a pop-up that shows the Agent's Name and the NPN Found
AgentSync Tip: Did the pop up say "NPN Not Found" or have the name of a different agent? This may be because of two reasons:
- The name provided does not match the information in the Producer Database (PDB). It could be because the name is misspelled or the agent has changed their name, and this change has not been updated in both Manage and NIPR.
- The SSN was incorrectly entered into Manage.
Step 6: Click Save NPN to Contact
The NPN will now populate in the NPN field and the record will automatically start the sync with NIPR.
How Can I Get In Touch with AgentSync Support?
Are you having trouble finding the answer to a question in the Help Center? No worries - the AgentSync Support team is here to help! All you need to do is email support@agentsync.io and a Support team representative will respond shortly.
We apologize that you were unable to find what you were looking for in our Help Center. Please let us know where we fell short by submitting a request here.
Can I Recover a Deleted Record?
This section walks through how to use the Recycle Bin feature in Salesforce to recover any agents, transactions, or records that have been deleted!
Step 1: Click the App Launcher 9-dot box in the top left corner of your Manage screen
Step 2: In the search bar, type Recycle Bin and click the Recycle Bin button listed under Items
Step 3: You will be brought to the My Recycle Bin list view. This will show every record that the logged in use has deleted
AgentSync Tip: If the record was deleted by another user, click the down arrow and change the list view to Org Recycle Bin to view everything that the org has deleted.
Step 4: Select the record(s) you wish to recover by checking the box next to the record name.
Step 5: Click Restore
That's it! The deleted record will now appear back in Manage! See a step-by-step walkthrough of this process here:
How to Resolve User and Agent Log In Issues
Are you experiencing log in issues? You are not alone. With the various Salesforce domains, we receive quite a few emails about log in issues. Before you reset your or your agent's password, here are some troubleshooting tips:
- Double Check Your Password: Because the password field is encrypted, the best first step is to try to log in again to ensure the password was entered correctly.
- Check the Domain of the Account: Most AgentSync accounts have a domain of "your company name-agentsync.lightning.force.com". For example, AgentSync's domain would be: agentsync.agentsync.lightning.force.com. Double check the domain to ensure you are not attempting to log into salesforce.com.
AgentSync Tip: If you are working in a Sandbox, the domain will be different than your main Production domain. You may need to check with a colleague or your initial email invitation to the Sandbox to confirm the domain.
- Check Your Username: Each user and agent is provided with a unique user name upon registration. The process of finding this username differs slightly:
- Your Username: This can be found in the initial email you received from AgentSync when setting up your account. Search your inbox for the email to confirm your username. If you cannot find the email, reach out to support@agentsync.io for assistance.
- Your Agent's Username: Navigate to the agent's Contact record. In the top right corner, click View Customer User. Scroll to find the Username field to find the agent's user name.
- Reset Password: Once all of the above measures have been taken, the next step is to reset your or the agent's password.
- Reset Your Password: Reach out to the AgentSync Support team at support@agentsync.io for to have an AgentSync representative initiate the password reset.
- Reset Your Agent's Password: Use the same steps as you would to find your agent's username. At the top of the page, click Reset Password. The agent will receive an email with a link to create a new password.
AgentSync Tip: Want to read the full article on resetting an agent's password? Click here to continue!
Did Your Agent Not Receive the Password Reset Email?
In addition to confirming the steps above (confirming domain, password & username), verify the email associated with the user is correct by selecting View Customer User on your agent's Contact record and checking the email. AgentSync Support can do this for you, if you find yourself locked out too!
Still having issues? Email your admin or support@agentsync.io for further assistance
What is a BENA and How Can I Find My Agency's BENA Number?
A Business Entity Name Approval (BENA) can cause some confusion for customers who are applying for entity licenses. This section walks through what a BENA is and how to get yours.
What is a BENA Number?
A business entity wishing to transact in California or Massachusetts must submit an application to get their name approved. This ensures that a proposed name does not interfere or is too similar to a name that is already approved. Additionally, this prevents the consumer from being misled (i.e. if a name shares too close of a resemblance to a name of another well-known company). When your Business Entity Name is approved, you will receive a confirmation number which you will be asked to provide when applying for new California or Massachusetts licenses.
When Do I Need to Know My Agency's BENA Number?
When applying for new agency licenses in California and/or Massachusetts, you may be asked to include your agency's BENA number. This is asked as a question in your Agency's producer detail record.
How Do I Request a BENA Number?
To request a BENA number, please check out the following links:
AgentSync Tip: It can be a bit challenging to get your BENA number in Massachusetts, so we recommending calling the one of the contacts listed on the Producer Licensing Staff Contacts list on the MA link above.
When Do I Fill Out the BENA Number on My Agency Producer Detail Record?
When completing your entity's Producer Detail Record, you will be prompted to answer a series of state-specific questions for your entity, including asking for your agency's BENA number. You can learn how to fill out your entity's Producer Detail Record and state-specific questions here.
What if the BENA Number Does Not Apply to Me?
Does your agency already hold an existing Massachusetts or California license? Feel free to leave the question asking for the BENA number blank!
What License Classes and Lines of Authority Does AgentSync Manage Support?
This section walks through which License Classes and Lines of Authority Categories that AgentSync Manage Supports. Before we get started, here are two key definitions that will be helpful:
- Line of Authority Categories: A Line of Authority (LOA) Category is an AgentSync specific concept. Since each state uses different LOA codes and LOA labels for the same product line, LOA Categories are used to identify the product line for each LOA code. This allows you to identify when a state includes a specific product line without knowing which LOA code or LOA label that each state uses. In other words, AgentSync does the heavy lifting for you when when figuring out the correct LOA code and label for licenses, appointments and terminations!
- Agent Types: An Agent Type is another AgentSync specific concept. Since states will use different license class codes and license labels for the same type of license, Agent Types are used to identify the type of license for each state license class. This allows you to identify when a license is a producer license vs. an adjuster license vs. a surplus license vs. a surety license without knowing the specific license class code and license label each state uses.
AgentSync Tip: AgentSync standardizes Agent Types to label certain lines of business (surety, surplus) that can be either a license class or line of authority. So when transacting, you do not need to remember which states use surplus as a license class or line of authority - by looking at the agent type, AgentSync will have the license labeled!
Agent Types that AgentSync Manage Supports
- Adjuster
- Producer
- Surety
- Surplus
LOA Categories that AgentSync Manage Supports
- Annuity
- Casualty
- Crop
- Health
- Life
- Personal Lines
- Property
- Surety
- Surplus
- Variable Annuity
- Variable Life
Why do I get an error when appointing in Florida?
This is a tricky one! Florida requires that you apply for an appointment for the state first and the county. When appointing with Florida, you will need to select a county option before submitting the appointment. Select none for non-resident and all for resident appointment. For residents who are physically selling a policy in a specific Florida county, you can appoint by county.
AgentSync Tip: Have more questions about appointing in Florida? Check out the FL state section of our compliance library.