How to Complete and Import the Mod Advisor Excel Template

Mod Advisor allows users to import policy, payroll, and claim data using a structured Excel template. This template can be generated directly from Mod Advisor, or it may be created by exporting a bureau worksheet and refining the data in Excel. Users are not required to create an Account or Mod File before downloading the template, although doing so makes the process easier.

This article explains the minimum required fields for each sheet, how Mod Advisor maps the data, how full and partial imports work, and common import errors users may encounter.

Understanding the Excel Template

The Mod Advisor import template contains three primary tabs:

• Policy
• Payroll
• Claims

Mod Advisor will import any tab that:

• Exists in the file
• Is spelled exactly as “Policy”, “Payroll”, or “Claims”
• Contains at least the minimum required fields

If a tab is missing, Mod Advisor skips that portion of the import. If a tab exists but is renamed or missing required fields, Mod Advisor generates an error file.

Minimum Required Fields by Tab

Fields marked as required must be present for a successful import. Any field displayed in red on the import error log indicates Mod Advisor expected a value but did not find one.

Policy Tab — Required Fields

Mod Advisor uses the Policy tab to create the policy period structure. The following fields must be present:

• Policy Effective Date
• Policy Expiration Date
• Policy Number
• State Abbreviation or State Name

All other Policy fields are optional.

Payroll Tab — Required Fields

Payroll is used to assign payroll to class codes and to calculate expected losses. Required fields:

• Policy Effective Date
• Policy Expiration Date
• Policy Number
• State Abbreviation or State Name
• Payroll Code
• Payroll Amount

All other Payroll fields are optional.

Claims Tab — Required Fields

Claims are used to calculate actual losses and mod impact. Required fields:

• Policy Effective Date
• Policy Expiration Date
• Policy Number
• State Abbreviation or State Name
• Injury Code or Injury Type
• Total Incurred Loss Amount

All other Claims fields are optional.

How Full Three-Tab Imports Work

When importing the full template (Policy, Payroll, and Claims), Mod Advisor:

1. Reads the Policy tab first
2. Creates policy period records automatically if they do not already exist
3. Maps Payroll rows to the correct policy period using the Policy Number and policy dates
4. Maps Claims rows to the correct policy period using the Policy Number and Date of Injury

If the policy period exists in Mod Advisor already, the imported rows attach to that record. If it does not exist, Mod Advisor creates the policy period automatically.

Importing Individual Tabs

Users may import only one tab at a time as long as:

• The tab name is correct (Policy, Payroll, Claims)
• The required fields for that tab are included
• Policy Number and Dates align with existing or new policy periods

Common use cases include:

• Importing a bureau worksheet to prefill policy periods, then exporting the Excel template and updating only the Claims tab
• Importing updated Payroll for a single policy year
• Importing a corrected Policy tab without touching claim history

Mod Advisor will process whatever valid tabs are present and ignore missing ones.

How Mod Advisor Maps Data

Mod Advisor uses three key identifiers to map data to policy periods:

• Policy Effective Date
• Policy Expiration Date
• Policy Number

Mapping rules:

• If the dates match an existing policy period in Mod Advisor, the rows attach to that period
• If no matching policy exists, Mod Advisor creates a new policy period automatically
• If dates do not match any valid range, the row fails import
• Claims must fall within the matching policy period based on Date of Injury

For state matching:

• Preferred: State Abbreviation
• Secondary: State Name
• If both are missing, the row fails import

Recommended Best Practices

• Always use the Mod Advisor export template rather than building your own
• Do not rename the tab names “Policy”, “Payroll”, or “Claims”
• Use consistent date formatting (mm/dd/yyyy recommended)
• Ensure Policy Number is consistent across all tabs
• Avoid blank rows in the dataset
• Remove duplicate rows before import
• If importing only the Claims tab, ensure policy dates and numbers still map correctly

Troubleshooting Import Errors

If Mod Advisor encounters an error, it generates an Excel file listing the issues. In the error log, fields highlighted in red indicate missing or invalid required data. Common problems include:

• Missing required fields
• Renamed tab names
• Dates outside any policy period
• Missing or inconsistent Policy Number
• Missing state information
• Missing Injury Type or Injury Code
• Missing Payroll Code or Payroll Amount
• Incorrect or inconsistent date formats
• Claims that fall outside policy effective/expiration dates

Users should correct the errors in Excel and re-import the file.

Summary

Mod Advisor is flexible and supports importing the full three-tab template or individual tabs. Successful import requires that required fields are present, tab names remain unchanged, policy numbers and dates align, and errors identified in the import log are corrected. Once the required data is present, Mod Advisor automatically creates policy periods, attaches payroll and claims correctly, and calculates a valid mod value.