What is an employee census?

Do I have to use your template?

No. A payroll export with the same information works too. Our template puts the columns in the order carriers' quoting tools expect, and the spreadsheet version has drop-down lists so nobody has to remember what EC means.

Why is each column there?

Every column is there because a quote uses it. Some only matter for one kind of coverage, and those say so.

RowEvery row

A number for each line, so we can talk about a row without anyone's name. It replaces an employee ID, which we never want.1, 2, 3

RelationshipEvery row

Who each person is to the employee. Put each employee first and their covered family on the rows right below.Employee, Spouse/Partner, Child/Dependent

InitialsOptional

Optional. They help you and us match a row to a person on the phone. Never write a full name.JS

Date of birthEvery row

Age sets a small-group premium, person by person, so we need a date of birth for everyone who might be covered, children included.MM/DD/YYYY

GenderOptional

Optional. A few dental, life and disability quotes use it, and so do level-funded plans. Leave it blank if you'd rather.M, F

Home ZIPEvery row

Where each person lives tells us which doctors and hospitals are near them, and level-funded quotes ask for it.5 digits

Home stateOptional

Only if someone lives outside Colorado. It changes which networks work for them.CO, WY

Date of hireOptional

Decides who's eligible on the start date, and how a waiting period applies to new hires.MM/DD/YYYY

Hours per weekEmployee rows

Most carriers count 30 or more hours a week as full-time, and you choose who is eligible within the carrier's rules.40

Active/COBRAEmployee rows

Whether each employee is working now or on COBRA. Use COBRA for anyone on continuation coverage, including Colorado's state continuation.Active, COBRA

Work ZIPOptional

Only if this person works somewhere other than the company's main address. Group rates are set by where the business is, and we already have that from you.5 digits

Medical tierEmployee rows

The coverage each employee would take: EE is the employee alone, ES adds a spouse or partner, EC adds children, EF is the whole family. Use Waive if they'd turn it down, and Ineligible if they can't join.EE, ES, EC, EF, Waive, Ineligible

Medical waive reasonOptional

If someone waives, why. A waiver because of a spouse's group plan or Medicare usually doesn't count against you, so the reason can decide whether your group qualifies.Spouse's group plan, Other group plan, Medicare, Medicaid or CHP+, Individual plan, Other

Dental tierOptional

The same choices as medical, if you'd like a dental quote.EE, ES, EC, EF, Waive, Ineligible

Vision tierOptional

The same choices as medical, if you'd like a vision quote.EE, ES, EC, EF, Waive, Ineligible

Annual salaryOptional

Only for life and disability quotes, which pay a share of earnings. A yearly figure in whole dollars.whole dollars

ClassOptional

Only if benefits differ by group, such as owners and staff or full-time and part-time.Owners, Full-time

Job titleOptional

Only for life and disability. Some carriers price by the kind of work people do.Office manager

NotesOptional

Anything we should know about a row. Never health information.No health information

What do we never ask for?

If any of these are in your payroll export, delete those columns before you send it.

• Social Security numbers. If you enroll, the carrier collects them on its own application.
• Employee ID numbers. Colorado law counts an employer's ID number as identifying information, so the row number does that job instead.
• Full names. Initials are enough, and they're optional.
• Anything about anyone's health: conditions, medications, claims or pregnancies. Some plans ask medical questions later, and the carrier collects those directly from each person.

How do I send it?

1. 1. Upload it here

   The form below sends the file straight to Grove's encrypted storage. Only Grove's licensed advisors can open it.

2. 2. Have your team fill in a short survey

   Check the box on the form and one of our advisors will email you a link to a short secure survey. Your employees enter their own details and you don't build a spreadsheet at all.

3. 3. Bring it to the call

   If you'd rather walk through it together, bring what you have to your appointment and we'll fill in the gaps with you.

Please don't email a census. Email passes through other companies' servers and sits in inboxes we can't clear for you.