Discover
Inventory source systems, plan types, file formats, data flows, roles and operating constraints, including peak periods to avoid. Discovery is where feasibility for your source systems is established.
FOR TPA OWNERS AND OPERATIONS LEADS
A 401(k) recordkeeper software migration protocol with validation gates
The biggest worry about new software is usually the move, not the software. Years of participant census data, balances and compliance history have to arrive intact. KinetiPlan's proposed 401(k) recordkeeper software migration protocol, the Parallel Validation Gates framework, maps every incoming file, validates it against plan provisions and keeps your existing system running until agreed tolerances are met. Nothing cuts over until the gates pass, and the approach is agreed with each TPA before any data moves.
THE PROBLEM
Why TPAs put off a platform change.
A TPA's legacy system holds more than current balances. It holds hire dates that drive eligibility, entry dates, source-level contribution history, vesting service and the record of past testing and corrections. If a conversion drops a source code or shifts a date format, the error may not show until the next test fails or a participant questions a balance.
So the risk is real, and the usual answer is to delay. A protocol does not remove the risk, but it makes it visible and measurable: each step has a defined output, each output is checked against an agreed standard, and the old system stays in place until the new one has proven it matches.
THE FRAMEWORK
Parallel Validation Gates, a 401(k) recordkeeper software migration protocol
These gates match the stage-gate method on our migration and adoption page. Each gate has an owner and exit criteria agreed per engagement.
Map
Document field mapping, transformations, legacy code translations, exceptions and who owns each decision. The mapping becomes a signed reference, not tribal knowledge.
Rehearse
Run repeatable test conversions into a non-production workspace and capture every unresolved difference. Rehearsals repeat until differences are explained or fixed.
Parallel validate
Run both systems side by side and compare critical totals, sample records, calculations and outputs. Day-to-day work continues in the existing system throughout.
Approve
Proceed only when acceptance criteria and the fallback plan are signed off by the people who own them. Approval can cover one plan group at a time.
Fallback
A written plan for returning to the legacy system if a gate fails after approval, agreed before any cutover is scheduled.
MAPPING HISTORICAL FILES
Transferring census data from legacy TPA platforms
Transferring census data between legacy TPA platforms fails most often on meaning, not format. A column called "status" or "source" can mean different things in two systems. The proposed mapping step makes each translation explicit and reviewable.
| Element | What is mapped | Example check |
|---|---|---|
| Fields | Each legacy column to a KinetiPlan field, with transformation rules and required or optional status. | Every required field populated, or listed as an exception with an owner. |
| Legacy codes | Plan, division, location and other codes translated to the target values. | No unmapped codes remain after a rehearsal run. |
| Dates | Birth, hire, termination, rehire and entry dates, with format and missing-value rules. | No impossible sequences, such as termination before hire. |
| Money sources | Deferral, Roth, match, profit sharing and other sources mapped one to one. | Totals by source agree between systems. |
| Statuses | Active, terminated, retired, deceased and other statuses translated consistently. | Participant counts by status agree between systems. |
The pilot build's census validation tool shows the kind of row-level checks involved.
VALIDATING AGAINST THE PLAN
Checking data against plan document provisions.
Clean data can still be wrong for the plan. The proposed approach checks converted records against each plan's provisions and against census rules, with qualified staff reviewing results.
Eligibility and entry dates
Recalculate eligibility and entry dates from converted hire dates and the plan's rules, then compare with the legacy values. The eligibility and entry date checker illustrates the logic.
Match formula
Recompute employer match from converted deferrals and compensation using the documented formula, and compare with recorded match by period.
Vesting
Check converted vesting service and schedules against the plan document for a sample of participants, including terminated participants with balances.
Census rules
Apply census checks such as duplicate identifiers, missing compensation and out-of-range values. In the pilot build, payroll intake already validates files against the plan census and plan rules and sends failures to an exception queue for human review.
ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA
Agreed before any data is loaded.
Examples of criteria a TPA and KinetiPlan might agree. The actual measures and tolerances are set per engagement.
| Criterion | Example measure |
|---|---|
| Record counts | Plans, participants and records by status match the source. |
| Balance totals | Balances by plan, source and participant agree within the agreed tolerance. |
| Contribution totals | Contributions by period and source agree with the legacy system and payroll records. |
| Transaction coverage | The agreed history window is present, with no gaps in periods or transaction types. |
| Exception closure | Every difference found in rehearsal is resolved or accepted in writing. |
| Report parity | Selected reports and test outputs match between systems for the same period. |
| Sign-off | Named owners approve each gate, including the fallback plan. |
RUNNING IN PARALLEL
Your existing system stays live.
- Day-to-day processing continues in the legacy system during rehearsal and parallel validation.
- The same period is processed in both systems and the outputs are compared against the acceptance criteria.
- Cutover is scheduled outside your peak season and only after approval, one plan group at a time if preferred.
- If a gate fails, the fallback plan applies: the legacy system remains the system of record while differences are fixed and the gate is rerun.
Not ready to move everything? An administration-first path keeps your recordkeeper in place, subject to feasibility. See 401(k) recordkeeping software for TPAs.
WHERE THE PRODUCT STANDS
A proposed approach, agreed per engagement.
KinetiPlan is a pilot build running on synthetic demo data. It is not generally available and holds no certifications. The Parallel Validation Gates framework is KinetiPlan's proposed migration approach, not a promise that every source system or migration scenario is supported. Feasibility is established in discovery, and gates, tolerances and the fallback plan are agreed with each TPA. There are no live payroll or custodian connections today. Converted data and calculations should be reviewed by qualified staff before production use.
RELATED TOOLS AND GUIDES
Keep exploring.
Capacity and planning
Migration and integration
FAQ
Questions about migrating to KinetiPlan
What is the Parallel Validation Gates framework?
It is KinetiPlan's proposed migration approach in five gates: Discover, Map, Rehearse, Parallel validate and Approve. Each gate has exit criteria agreed with the TPA, and nothing cuts over until the gates pass.
Does our current system have to go offline during migration?
The approach is designed so your existing system stays live and remains the system of record during rehearsal and parallel validation. Cutover happens only after approval, and timing is agreed with you.
Is every legacy TPA platform supported?
No such promise is made. Feasibility for your source systems and file formats is established during discovery, before any commitment to migrate.
How is converted data checked against our plan documents?
The proposed approach recalculates items such as eligibility, entry dates, employer match and vesting from converted data using each plan's provisions, compares them with legacy values and routes differences to qualified staff for review.
What happens if a gate fails?
The agreed fallback plan applies. The legacy system remains the system of record while differences are fixed, and the gate is rerun before moving forward.
This page describes a proposed implementation approach and is not legal, tax, investment or ERISA advice.
MIGRATION DISCOVERY
Map your migration before you commit.
Tell us about your current system, plan count and history window, and we will outline what discovery, mapping and parallel validation would involve for your practice.