Frequently Asked Questions:

1. How long has BLAZE SSI been creating software for retirement plans?
2. Does BLAZE SSI offer a demo of the software? What is the cost?
3. How can I get more information about specific questions that I have?
4. What is the cost of BLAZE SSI software?
5. How long does it take to install BLAZE SSI software?
6. How is the BLAZE SSI software updated?
7. What maintenance service does BLAZE SSI provide?
8. Does BLAZE SSI provide a user Help Line?
9. Can I transfer data from my current pension software into BLAZE SSI?
10. Can I import data stored in another application's database?
11. Can I export data from BLAZE SSI software to other applications?
12. Why should I license from BLAZE SSI instead of another vendor?
13. What types of reports are created by BLAZE SSI software?
14. Do I need additional products to create pdf report output?
15. Does BLAZE SSI offer training for its software?
16. Can BLAZE SSI PC-based software run on a network?
17. What skills do you recommend for users of your PC-based systems?
18. How does BLAZE SSI communicate with its users?

1. How long has BLAZE SSI been creating software for retirement plans?
2005 marked our 25th anniversary.

2. Does BLAZE SSI offer a demo copy of the software? What is the cost?
BLAZE SSI offers no-cost evaluation versions of all of its systems. The evaluation version is the full system so you have the opportunity to see all the powerful features of the software. See more information on the Demo page of our website.

3. How can I get more information about specific questions that I have?
Call (732-223-5575), email or fax (732-223-6683) your questions to the BLAZE SSI marketing department. We will answer your questions in detail and get back to you with the information you need to make an informed decision about licensing BLAZE SSI software.

4. What is the cost of BLAZE SSI software?
BLAZE SSI software is provided to customers via a license agreement at a reasonable cost. Since users may select the configuration that's right for their office, the precise cost is not known until the systems and optional modules are selected and the number of end users is determined. License agreements are available for single or multiple users at one or more sites with significant discounts provided for multiple copies of the software, multiple user sites and for multi-year agreements. Call the BLAZE SSI Marketing Department for information about the actual cost for your company. You'll be happy to see that the cost is reasonable and competitive.

5. How long does it take to install BLAZE SSI software?
BLAZE SSI software is initially distributed on CD with easy to use on-screen installation instructions. The installation is quick and uses an industry standard installation tool. An Introductory Guide and a comprehensive Users' Manual, which may be printed, are provided in electronic format on the CD. The BLAZE SSI Help Line provides assistance via telephone for installation and initial system use.

6. How is the BLAZE SSI software updated?
BLAZE SSI continually reviews proposed and enacted legislation and industry publications and prepares the necessary updates to its software on an on-going basis. BLAZE SSI has a unique updating process that permits us to release government-mandated software modifications quickly, often much more quickly than our competitors.

Once the updates are completed and tested by BLAZE SSI, they are provided via email to users who are covered under active maintenance agreements. Users may apply updates received from BLAZE SSI on their own schedule in consecutive order.

All BLAZE SSI application systems utilize a simple menu-driven function to apply system updates. The system has safety features in place to assist the user; for example, the system will not allow the wrong updates to be applied or to be applied in the wrong order. When applying updates, the system will illustrate the update progress and the final results.

7. What maintenance service does BLAZE SSI provide?
BLAZE SSI offers on-going maintenance service and support for its software.  Annual maintenance service includes software updates required by legislative changes, general enhancements written to continually improve the software and unlimited access to the BLAZE SSI technical staff by telephone, fax or email.

8. Does BLAZE SSI provide a user Help Line?
BLAZE SSI provides Help Line customer support services to clients with active maintenance agreements on an unlimited basis. The expertise of the Help Line staff is available via phone, fax and email. The Help Line staff is well prepared to answer questions about how to use BLAZE SSI software licensed by the user. Through the Help Line staff, BLAZE SSI provides access to the application system specialists for more complex user questions. These specialists may be actuaries, pension analysts or data processing professionals.

Problems encountered by a user may be reported to the BLAZE Help Line at any time via phone, fax, or email. Users may bundle a question and associated data and system results using a system utility and transmit the information to the BLAZE SSI Help Line via email.

Depending upon the nature of the question and the completeness of information supplied by the user, the user's question can be handled quickly. The Help Line relies on the data related to the question to determine proper resolution.

BLAZE SSI maintains a User Report/Help Line database. User questions are logged into the system as soon as they are received and an acknowledgment of the user's question (with its BLAZE SSI-assigned tracking number) is sent automatically by the system. The status of any question may be found using the tracking number.

A resolution may be provided during the call or faxed or emailed back within a short time. When a question requires detailed analysis it is assigned to a specialist in the application area. Using the data submitted by the user, BLAZE SSI can reproduce the user-input parameters and resolve the issue. Our commitment is to provide a complete and accurate answer. Each caller receives a follow-up letter covering the call topics.

The BLAZE SSI Help Line is available via phone from 9AM to 5PM EST Monday through Friday. The Help Line email and fax lines are open 24 hours.

9. Can I transfer data from my current pension software into BLAZE SSI?
Yes. Since BLAZE SSI software uses a well-documented open database structure, it is possible to convert data from any other vendor's database to the BLAZE SSI database. Templates are available for some vendors' products. BLAZE SSI will assist a new user in determining the optimal method of data conversion.

10. Can I import data stored in another application's database?
Yes. Since BLAZE SSI software uses a well-documented open database structure, it is possible to import data from any database to the BLAZE SSI database.

The BLAZE SSI EBPII Valuation System includes a 'Recordkeeper Interface' that supports direct periodic import of values from certain popular 401(k) recordkeepers and asset managers.

BLAZE SSI Software supports insurance products. Insurance values may be imported into and exported from the other application.

11. Can I export data from BLAZE SSI software to other applications?
Yes. Since BLAZE SSI software uses a well-documented open database structure, it is possible to find relevant data and export it from the BLAZE SSI database to another database, spreadsheet program or ASCII file.

Values calculated by BLAZE SSI software may be used to update other applications, such as recordkeeping systems and insurance databases.

12. Why should I license from BLAZE SSI  instead of another vendor?
BLAZE SSI delivers excellent software and supports the software with knowledgeable service at a reasonable cost. We design software for the user who demands the best. We operate with the same management and ownership we have had since our inception and are committed to this industry and to our customers.

BLAZE SSI software supports all types of tax-qualified plan designs and automates all the functions needed by the plan administrator. The software is accurate, well documented, easy to use and offers flexible reporting. It is up-to-date with respect to government regulations, industry practice and technology.

BLAZE SSI service is quick and reliable. Our Help Line staff is exceptionally able to assist our customers.

13. What types of reports are created by BLAZE SSI software?
The reporting functions of BLAZE SSI software offer tremendous flexibility and are easy to use. The user-selected reports are created and combined into one pdf format file without the need to purchase additional software. Pdf formatted reports are small files that are easily printed, archived and shared over the web. More detailed information about reports is included on the Sample Reports page of the website.

14. Do I need additional products to create pdf report output?
No. BLAZE SSI software produces attractive pdf format reports without any additional software license needed. After the reports are created, the free Adobe Reader software may be used to read and print the reports.

15. Does BLAZE SSI offer training for its software?
Yes. See more information on the Training page of our website.

16. Can BLAZE SSI PC-based software run on a network?
BLAZE SSI PC-based software may be installed either on a LAN or WAN; or on an individual workstation at the user's option, provided the user has a BLAZE SSI multi-workstation license. The systems can operate in a Terminal Services or Citrix environment. The user/network administrator may decide whether to store only the data on the server or to install the entire system on the server. This decision depends mainly on the user's desired workflow. The system operates in a similar way under any of these options.

Databases and printers on the network can be shared by any licensed workstation.

17. What skills do you recommend for users of your PC-based systems?
User computer skills should include basic familiarity with how to use a personal computer. Generally speaking, if a user can use a word processing system, they can use BLAZE SSI software.

User pension skills should include a basic knowledge of the rules and regulations concerning the types of plans they will be designing or administering.

The system provides extensive context-sensitive help documentation that provides comprehensive guidance to users concerning both system operation and the specific technical details of all relevant government regulations. Users must have the necessary skills to access that help documentation as needed and to be able to reasonably understand the guidance that is provided.

New customers receive training credits for a one or two-day training session (depending upon the systems licensed). BLAZE SSI provides ongoing Help Line support to users and offers periodic seminars on new topics to keep users abreast of the latest developments. The BLAZE SSI weekly FAX'd Facts newsletter is provided to inform users about new and proposed regulations, new system features, upcoming meetings and industry practice.

18. How does BLAZE SSI communicate with its users?
BLAZE SSI promotes communication between the company and the users of BLAZE SSI systems in many ways. The BLAZE SSI FAX'd Facts; the unique, carefully detailed system release documents; the well-researched system and regulatory documentation; the Help Line Staff and their frequent user interaction; the classroom-based and Internet seminars and the BLAZE SSI 'KNOWLEDGE BASE' all assist our users in understanding the complex pension field. The BLAZE SSI staff is highly skilled and we share our expertise with our users.

The weekly newsletter published by BLAZE SSI called FAX'd Facts is a report of important items of interest. The FAX'd Facts helps users by highlighting important regulatory changes, explaining specific BLAZE SSI system notes, providing operating system tips, announcing meetings and other time sensitive information.

BLAZE SSI provides users with complete documentation of each system update. Few vendors release such detailed information.

Users compliment our in-depth system documentation. Since the documentation is always up-to-date and very thorough, it can assist our customers in training new employees and can help keep all users informed of current regulations. BLAZE SSI documentation is available on-line for viewing and printing.

The BLAZE SSI Help Line staff is well versed in the use of all BLAZE SSI systems. We are unique among software vendors in considering the Help Line to be a vital link between users and the company. Because of this commitment, our Help Line staff is highly knowledgeable and is an integral group of senior BLAZE SSI employees. A frequent communication our users receive is the Help Line follow-up letter, which is sent after any contact with the BLAZE SSI Help Line. These letters include the detail of the user's question and the Help Line's answer. Users appreciate these letters because they spell out the answer to the question in detail and they also help with similar questions in the future.