MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. -- Timecards for most Department of Defense civilians at Maxwell and Gunter will soon go electronic, thanks to a new system developed by the 554th Electronic Systems Group.

The electronic Management Tracking System is a new digital way of tracking civilian timecards, as opposed to the current system that requires hardcopy timecards and manual data input by a timekeeper (an additional duty in most cases).

"This is a user-friendly system that will eliminate time-consuming paperwork," said Joe Johnson, chief of financial management analysis for Headquarters Air University.

Air Force civilians will be responsible for inputting their own time and attendance on electronic timesheets that will be validated electronically by supervisors.

The electronic Management Tracking System, or eMTS, was initially implemented in 2002 to merge the capabilities of the time and attendance system and the Earned Value Management System. The current version of eMTS was released this month and automates civilian leave and overtime.

The advantages of eMTS are twofold: it provides a single point of entry for full-time, part-time, leave, holiday, overtime, compensatory time, and more civilian time and attendance; and it eliminates the need for employees to produce a paper timesheet for submission to the timekeepers, according to Ron Morgan of Headquarters 554th ELSG. "Another advantage is that it is Common Access Card-based authentication - there are no passwords to remember."

Certified timekeepers underwent training for eMTS Thursday, and all civilians will have access to self-training on the internal "M drive," under the "Budget" folder.

"The No. 1 saving is that there is no longer an additional duty to input time," Mr. Johnson said. "It also avoids last minute rush to get in timecards and provides supervisors access to leave accountability."