Pension Status
This section explains some of the underlying principles behind pension status codes and describes how status codes can be set up to carry out background actions as benefits are taken.
A central concept of the Pensions module is that of pension status codes. Every member must have a pension status code recorded against each of their membership periods. The status code describes the point that the membership period has reached and are used to control the way your Pensions module operates. This is done by setting up valid pension status movements. A status history is also built up for a membership period showing the various stages through which the membership has passed.
Each status code is related to a status group. Status groups are set up in the PENSTG narrative category. They provide categories for grouping status codes.
Against each valid status movement, actions can be defined. You can close the membership period and close membership of the scheme. A ‘benefits taken update’ carried out at the Select Calculation Results For Update screen automatically carries out the status change as well as the actions associated with it.
Note: You can also alter the pension status of a membership period manually using Maintain Status Details.
To make a benefit calculation, the calculation type must
be recorded against at least one of the valid status movements. Click 
here for an example.
When you process the benefits calculation quotation through to actual payments via a ‘benefits taken update’, only those destination statuses are available which have the calculation type used, recorded against them. Similarly, if you set up calculation options against status movements, when you come to carry out a ‘benefits taken update’, only those statuses are available that have the selected option recorded against them.
Another important facility associated with movements of pension status codes is that CA forms can be generated automatically. A list of CA forms you require is recorded against either a calculation type or a calculation option. When a ‘benefits taken update’ is run, these forms are produced and held ready for printing at any convenient time.
However, if you carry out manual alterations of pension status codes, remember that any associated actions you want to execute must also be carried out manually.