A tailored course, built for your situation
Automating ACA Compliance and State Reporting Workflows
Implementation-grade mastery of Affordable Care Act reporting for business and technology leads
$199 one-time
30-day money-back guarantee
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12 modules. 12 chapters per module. 144 chapters total.
12 modules, each with 12 chapters (144 chapters total), text-based, plus downloadable templates and a hand-built implementation playbook delivered alongside course access.
Annual ACA reporting that burns 80+ hours on manual reconciliation across systems
The situation this course is for
HR, payroll, and benefits teams face mounting pressure to produce accurate Form 1094-C and 1095-C filings across multiple states, often pulling together data from siloed systems just weeks before deadlines. Last-minute fixes, mismatched enrollee records, and inconsistent offer-of-coverage coding create rework cycles that strain cross-functional teams and expose organizations to penalties. The pain isn't policy, it's the operationalization of compliance at scale.
Who this is for
Business operations, compliance, and technology leaders responsible for benefits administration, payroll integration, or regulatory reporting in mid-to-large employers
Who this is not for
Legal counsel focused on ACA statute interpretation, individual tax filers, small businesses with under 25 employees using simplified reporting
What you walk away with
- Reduce ACA reporting cycle time from weeks to hours
- Design system-to-system data flows that prevent manual rework
- Validate offer of coverage coding across 12+ employment categories
- Automate reconciliation between payroll, HRIS, and health plan feeds
- Produce regulator-ready state and federal filings with audit trails
The 12 modules (with all 144 chapters)
Module 1. Mapping ACA reporting obligations to internal data sources
Align IRS Form 1094-C requirements with HRIS, payroll, and benefits enrollment systems
12 chapters in this module
- Understanding the 1094-C transmittal form and its data dependencies
- Identifying which systems hold offer of coverage data
- Matching employee eligibility rules to enrollment records
- Tracing full-time status determinations across measurement periods
- Integrating variable hour employee tracking into reporting workflows
- Validating employer shared responsibility provisions at data source level
- Documenting data ownership across HR, payroll, and benefits teams
- Creating a cross-system data dictionary for ACA reporting
- Assessing data latency between payroll runs and reporting deadlines
- Flagging common gaps in new hire onboarding data
- Using safe harbor rules to simplify offer coding
- Building a master employee status tracker for reporting periods
Module 2. Designing automated data collection from payroll systems
Extract accurate employee and coverage data from ADP, Workday, and in-house payroll engines
12 chapters in this module
- Configuring payroll exports to capture monthly measurement data
- Mapping ACA full-time status flags to standard payroll outputs
- Extracting monthly hours worked for variable hour employees
- Capturing offer of coverage details by plan type and location
- Validating affordability safe harbor application in payroll data
- Handling mid-year enrollment changes in coverage records
- Syncing COBRA continuation periods with reporting timelines
- Filtering seasonal and part-time workers from active reporting sets
- Using ETL logic to transform payroll data into IRS-ready formats
- Testing data integrity across multiple pay cycles
- Automating exception alerts for missing or mismatched records
- Documenting data lineage for auditor review
Module 3. Validating employee eligibility across measurement and stability periods
Ensure accurate full-time determinations using look-back, monthly, and initial measurement methods
12 chapters in this module
- Applying the standard measurement period to hourly workers
- Calculating full-time status using the 130-hour monthly threshold
- Using the look-back measurement method for variable hour staff
- Setting up initial measurement periods for new hires
- Extending stability periods based on classification outcomes
- Handling breaks in service and rehires in eligibility tracking
- Adjusting for leave of absence periods in hours calculations
- Validating overtime and PTO hours inclusion in monthly totals
- Using administrative periods to finalize reporting status
- Aligning enrollment opportunities with measurement cycle outcomes
- Auditing eligibility decisions across multiple job classifications
- Generating exception reports for borderline full-time employees
Module 4. Standardizing offer of coverage coding across plan types
Apply correct IRS codes (1A, 2Z) based on plan affordability, minimum value, and employee class
12 chapters in this module
- Understanding IRS code 1A for self-insured plans with MV and ALE
- Assigning code 1C for insured plans meeting affordability safe harbors
- Differentiating between 1E and 1F for union and multiemployer plans
- Using code 1H for no offer of coverage with valid reason
- Applying code 2A, 2Z for secondary offers and spouse-only plans
- Validating affordability using W-2, rate, and FLP safe harbors
- Matching employee classes to correct offer types
- Handling mid-year offer changes due to life events
- Documenting non-offers based on waiting periods or opt-outs
- Reconciling offer codes across multiple states and locations
- Avoiding common mismatches between plan design and IRS coding
- Building a validation checklist for quarterly offer audits
Module 5. Automating reconciliation between HRIS, payroll, and benefits systems
Close data gaps between human resources, payroll, and health plan enrollment platforms
12 chapters in this module
- Identifying common data mismatches in employee identifiers
- Aligning job codes and work locations across systems
- Matching hire and termination dates for accurate reporting windows
- Reconciling FTE counts between payroll and HRIS monthly snapshots
- Validating dependent enrollment data against payroll records
- Using SSN and DOB matching to resolve duplicate records
- Automating discrepancy alerts for manual follow-up
- Integrating benefits enrollment platforms with HRIS feeds
- Testing cross-system sync during open enrollment periods
- Handling paper enrollments in digital-only workflows
- Creating a single source of truth for ACA reporting
- Generating reconciliation reports for compliance audits
Module 6. Building error-resistant Form 1095-C preparation workflows
Generate accurate employee-specific forms with embedded validation rules
12 chapters in this module
- Structuring Part I data from employer and employee identifiers
- Populating Part II with monthly offer and affordability details
- Completing Part III for self-insured coverage enrollment
- Validating employee ZIP codes and coverage start dates
- Handling multi-state employees with different plan offerings
- Applying corrections for terminated or rehired employees
- Using conditional logic to suppress unnecessary form fields
- Generating draft forms for manager review cycles
- Incorporating employee self-service updates into form data
- Testing form accuracy across 10+ employee archetypes
- Flagging outlier cases for legal or HR review
- Exporting final forms to secure storage with audit trails
Module 7. Validating affordability using W-2, rate, and FLP safe harbors
Apply the correct safe harbor method and document compliance
12 chapters in this module
- Understanding the W-2 wages safe harbor threshold
- Calculating rate-based affordability for hourly and salaried staff
- Applying the federal poverty level safe harbor to low-income roles
- Matching safe harbor elections to employee classifications
- Documenting safe harbor selection in internal policies
- Testing affordability across different geographic locations
- Handling pay changes mid-year in affordability calculations
- Validating safe harbor application in multi-state operations
- Avoiding common errors in wage and rate data sourcing
- Reconciling safe harbor elections with payroll system flags
- Preparing auditor-ready safe harbor documentation
- Updating safe harbor elections during plan renewals
Module 8. Preparing IRS Form 1094-C transmittal and summary data
Compile transmittal forms with accurate totals, codes, and contact information
12 chapters in this module
- Completing Lines 14, 16 for total employees, offers, and covered individuals
- Populating Part III with health plan details and MEC codes
- Validating aggregate ALE group reporting status
- Entering authorized representative contact information
- Matching 1094-C to total number of 1095-Cs filed
- Using software to auto-calculate required totals
- Testing transmittal form against IRS validation rules
- Handling corrections for prior year filings
- Documenting data sources for each transmittal field
- Generating internal sign-off checklists for transmittal review
- Exporting XML files for ACA Information Returns filing
- Tracking submission confirmations from IRS AIR system
Module 9. Filing electronically through IRS AIR and state portals
Submit ACA data to federal and state systems with error prevention
12 chapters in this module
- Registering for IRS AIR system access and obtaining TCC
- Setting up employer and preparer accounts in AIR
- Validating XML file structure before submission
- Testing e-file submissions in IRS sandbox environment
- Handling AIR system error codes and rejections
- Tracking submission status and acceptance confirmations
- Meeting state-specific ACA reporting deadlines and formats
- Filing with California DE 6, New Jersey NJ-1094-C, and other state portals
- Managing multi-state employer filings in centralized workflows
- Scheduling staggered submissions to avoid system timeouts
- Archiving submission receipts and error logs
- Documenting e-file processes for auditor review
Module 10. Designing audit-proof documentation and internal controls
Build defensible records that withstand IRS and state regulator review
12 chapters in this module
- Creating a master ACA compliance policy document
- Documenting data collection and validation procedures
- Maintaining logs of system changes affecting reporting
- Retaining employee-level records for minimum 3-year period
- Storing completed Forms 1094-C and 1095-C securely
- Preparing auditor walkthroughs of data flows
- Mapping internal controls to key reporting risks
- Conducting quarterly self-audits of sample employee records
- Updating documentation for plan or system changes
- Training HR and payroll staff on record retention rules
- Using version control for policy and procedure updates
- Generating internal audit trail reports from source systems
Module 11. Scaling ACA compliance for mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures
Integrate new entities into reporting frameworks without rework
12 chapters in this module
- Assessing acquired employer ACA status and ALE determination
- Integrating new payroll systems into existing reporting workflows
- Harmonizing offer of coverage coding across legacy systems
- Applying consistent measurement periods post-close
- Handling overlapping enrollment and measurement cycles
- Updating transmittal forms to reflect new ALE group structure
- Filing for transitional year with split reporting periods
- Documenting integration decisions for auditor review
- Training acquired teams on central reporting standards
- Validating data accuracy during first joint filing cycle
- Managing dual-system reporting during transition phases
- Retiring legacy processes with audit-ready closure records
Module 12. Optimizing year-over-year reporting with continuous improvement
Turn ACA compliance into a repeatable, low-effort annual cycle
12 chapters in this module
- Conducting post-filing retrospectives with HR and payroll leads
- Identifying top sources of manual rework and errors
- Prioritizing system improvements for next cycle
- Updating data mappings based on audit findings
- Automating validation checks for next year’s filings
- Scheduling early testing with IRS AIR sandbox
- Aligning ACA workflows with open enrollment planning
- Training new team members using documented playbooks
- Benchmarking cycle time and effort year over year
- Integrating ACA checks into HR system change management
- Sharing process improvements with executive stakeholders
- Locking down reporting workflows 60 days before deadline
How this maps to your situation
- Year-end reporting
- Multi-state compliance
- Payroll integration
- Audit preparation
Before vs. after
Before
Manual reconciliation across HRIS, payroll, and benefits systems, last-minute fixes, inconsistent offer coding, and audit exposure
After
Automated data flows, validated offer coding, regulator-ready filings, and an 80+ hour annual process reduced to a 6-hour validation cycle
What's included with your purchase
- 12 modules with 12 chapters each (144 chapters)
- Downloadable templates and worked examples for every module
- Hand-built implementation playbook delivered alongside course access
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Delivery and format
- Course and learning environment access provisioned within 24 hours of purchase
- Hand-built implementation playbook delivered alongside course access
Format: Text-based modules and chapters in the Art of Service learning environment, plus downloadable templates and worked examples for every chapter, plus the hand-built implementation playbook delivered alongside course access.
Time investment: 90 minutes per week for 12 weeks, or binge-accessible for weekend deep dives
If nothing changes
Organizations that rely on manual ACA reporting face increased risk of IRS penalties, state-level fines, employee complaints, and audit remediation costs that scale with headcount and geographic footprint.
How this compares to the alternatives
Generic HR webinars cover surface-level policy. This course delivers implementation-grade workflows used by Fortune 500 benefits operations teams to automate reporting with zero last-minute fire drills.
Frequently asked
Is this course focused on legal interpretation of the ACA?
No. This course focuses on operational execution , how to collect, validate, and file accurate ACA data across systems, not legal opinion on statute.
How is the course structured?
12 modules, each containing 12 chapters (144 chapters total).
Will this help with state-specific reporting like California DE 6?
Yes. Module 9 covers IRS AIR and major state portals including California, New Jersey, and Massachusetts.
$199 one-time. 90 minutes per week for 12 weeks, or binge-accessible for weekend deep dives.
Within 24 hours your account in the learning environment is provisioned and the tailored implementation playbook is delivered alongside it.
30-day money-back guarantee·
144 chapters·
Hand-built playbook included·
Account access within 24 hours