Get ready for year-end benefit distribution

When planning to distribute employee benefits at the turn of the year, make it a habit to set aside a moment in both December and January to plan the benefit distribution schedule for the upcoming year.

Get ready for year-End Benefit Distribution

Planning to distribute employee benefits around the turn of the year? Set aside a moment in December or January to prepare your benefit distribution schedule for the upcoming year.

Benefit distribution works a bit differently in Smartum Saldo and Smartum Plus, so be sure to consider the unique features of your system when creating your schedule. If you’re unsure which system you’re using, check this guide (only in Finnish).

Key points to plan before the benefit period begins

Regardless of the system in use, it’s a good idea to address the following:

• What benefits will you provide to employees, and how will they be budgeted?
• How will the benefits be distributed throughout the year?

You can distribute benefits once or multiple times during the year. It’s also worth reviewing and possibly updating your company’s policy for employees who start mid-year or those whose employment ends during the upcoming year. Learn more about the four key decisions for benefit distributors here (blog post only in Finnish).

Maximize value by distributing the full year’s benefits

Whenever possible, we recommend allocating the entire annual benefit amount at once. This ensures employees get the most value from their benefits. For instance, a full year’s allocation can better cover costs like seasonal gym or commuting passes, giving employees the best bang for their buck.

Tax limits for employee benefits

You can order benefits for a single benefit period within the tax limits defined for employee benefits. Read more about tax-free limits for employer benefits in 2025.

Ordering benefits in Smartum Plus when the benefit period ends at year-end

December

• Create and save a draft of your 2025 benefits in Smartum Plus.

January

1. Remove old employees and add new ones, either manually or by uploading a CSV file.
2. Confirm the order.

Once the order is confirmed, the benefits will be available for employees to use.

Note:

• If you’re a Smartum Plus prepayment customer, you’ll receive an invoice within an hour (via email) or by the next business day. Be sure to pay the invoice promptly to avoid interruptions in benefit usage! Payments typically reflect in Smartum’s system within 1–2 business days.
• For postpayment customers, the new benefits will remain valid until
  December 31, 2025. For prepayment customers, they’re valid for 12 months from the order confirmation date.

You can check your billing type and customer-specific pricing here.

This is the easiest and most straightforward method to place an order. However, if you want to use groups or confirm the order before the end of 2024, check out the detailed Smartum Plus ordering instructions here.

Year-end benefit ordering in Smartum Saldo

A quick overview of the Smartum Saldo ordering process:

1. Create a New order
2. Define the benefit package for the upcoming year (or offer alternative packages for employees to choose from).
3. Allow employees to register. Be sure to provide enough time for everyone who wants to participate in the next benefit period.
4. Once you’ve approved the registrations and confirmed the order, you’ll receive the invoice:
   • Email invoice within one hour
   • E-invoice on the next business day

Benefits are made available to employees at 6 PM on the day Smartum records your payment (typically 1–2 business days after payment).

Important: Plan your timeline carefully, especially if you need the invoice to be issued in 2024 for accounting purposes.

For detailed instructions on Smartum Saldo orders:

How do I order additional benefits in the Smartum Saldo service?

When Smartum benefits are available to employees?