Prelude Services alternative

EasyPBJ vs Prelude Services: two ways to turn staffing data into PBJ XML.

Prelude’s PBJ solution is built on its enterprise reporting platform, with imports, CMS rule checks, XML generation, an archive, and 24/7 support. EasyPBJ covers the same filing steps with a published price, a free tier, and a sample you can try without an account.

EasyPBJ

$0 to $149

Free to prepare any quarter. Downloads free up to 25 employees; $149 per facility per quarter above that.

Prelude Services

Quote

No price on Prelude’s PBJ page.

Start free Try a sample filing

EasyPBJ and Prelude Services at a glance.

Prelude Services statements come from its own public pages, quoted where possible. We have not tested it hands-on.

Your questionEasyPBJPrelude Services

Published priceFree to prepare any quarter. Downloads free up to 25 employees; $149 per facility per quarter above that.Not published on Prelude’s PBJ page.

Getting startedCreate an account and start. The sample filing needs no account, and there is no sales call.Contact Prelude Services.

How staffing data gets inImport the CSV, TSV, XLSX, or XLS exports your payroll and agency already produce, then confirm each column mapping.Prelude says it “imports data from multiple sources,” such as employee and time and attendance records.

Review before exportEvery finding links to the source row behind it, and your review decisions are saved with the filing.Prelude says its validation “checks your created data set against CMS rules and specifications,” and you can revise before finalizing.

What you getCMS PBJ XML (4.10.0) with a review workbook and audit package.Produces the XML file for submission, archives submitted files, and offers analytics on them.

Submission to CMSYour authorized submitter uploads the file in iQIES and checks the CMS validation report.The page describes producing XML for submission to CMS. It does not say Prelude uploads for you.

What else it doesPBJ only. Not a scheduling, time clock, HR, or payroll system.Built on Prelude’s enterprise reporting solution, with training and 24/7 US-based support.

Which one fits your facility.

An honest split. Prelude Services does more than PBJ; EasyPBJ does PBJ only.

Prelude Services may fit better if

You want a vendor to train your team and answer the phone at any hour.
You already use other Prelude reporting services.
You want analytics across archived PBJ files from one reporting platform.

EasyPBJ fits better if

You want a published price, and a free tier for small quarters.
You want to try the whole workflow on a sample before signing up.
You want every PBJ hour tied back to its source row and your review decision.
Your facility has 25 or fewer employees in a quarter, so downloads are free.

Common questions.

Is EasyPBJ a Prelude Services alternative?

Yes, for preparing PBJ filings. Both import staffing data, check it, and produce PBJ XML for submission. EasyPBJ publishes its price and lets you try a sample filing without an account.

How much does Prelude PBJ cost?

Prelude’s PBJ page does not list a price. EasyPBJ is free to prepare any quarter, free to download up to 25 employees per facility per quarter, and $149 per facility per quarter above that.

Who uploads the PBJ file to CMS?

With EasyPBJ, your authorized submitter uploads the XML in iQIES and checks the CMS validation report. Prelude’s page describes producing XML for submission and does not say it uploads for you; confirm with Prelude.

Compare it with Prelude Services on your own terms.

Open the sample filing with example data, no account needed. When you are ready, prepare your own quarter free.