FAQs for Employees

MCtime is accessed through the web address www.montgomerycountymd.gov/mctime. Click on the ePortal link and log in using your regular County network id and password.
This is the same link that employees use to access their Oracle Employee Self- Service (ESS).
Click on the MCtime - Manager/Employee Access link.

How do I access MCtime from home?

You can access MCtime from home through www.montgomerycountymd.gov/mctime, just as you access MCtime from work. Click on the ePortal link and log in using your County log in information.
Click on the first link, MCtime - Manager/Employee Access.

Do I need to have certain software on my PC to access MCtime from work or at home?

No software other than a web browser is required. MCtime performs best with Internet Explorer version 5.5 or higher.

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Editing My Timecard

How do I record leave used for a full day?

Add a new row to your timecard by clicking on the arrow,
In the new row, click on the drop down arrow in the Pay Code cell and select the appropriate pay code for the leave used,
Input a full days' worth of hours (i.e., 8 hours) under the day you wish to record leave (ensure the hours are input in the new row), and
Delete the Hours Worked for the day in the row that reflects your scheduled hours.
SAVE your changes.

How do I record leave used for a partial day?

Add a new row to your timecard by clicking on the arrow.
In the new row, click on the drop down arrow in the Pay Code cell and select the appropriate pay code for the leave used,
Record the amount of leave used for the day. Make sure the hours are recorded in the new row that you added.
Reduce the Hours Worked for the day in the row that reflects your scheduled hours.
SAVE your changes.

How do I record overtime hours worked?

Simply increase your Hours Worked. If the overtime hours need to be charged to a different Cost Center and Fund or Project and Task Code and/or Reason Code, you'll need to record the additional Hours Worked in a new row.

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I'm unable to edit or update my timecard. What's wrong?

You likely can't edit your timecard because -
1. You've already approved your timecard,
2. Your supervisor has approved your timecard, or
3. Payroll has signed off on your timecard.
While viewing your timecard, check to see if it has been approved by yourself, a supervisor or by Payroll. If you have already approved your timecard and your supervisor has not approved it yet, you can remove your approval and edit your timecard. To remove your approval, click on the Remove Approval button. You should now be able to edit your timecard. You'll need to approve your timecard again once you complete the edits.
If a supervisor has approved your timecard and your timecard has NOT been signed off by Payroll, your supervisor will need to remove their approval and make the edits for you. Or, you can make the edits if you remove your approval as well. Once the edits are completed, you and the supervisor will need to approve the timecard again.
If your timecard has been signed off by Payroll, edits to the timecard can no longer be made by you or the supervisor. Changes to previous pay periods will need to be submitted via the Timecard Correction Request for Prior Pay Period Form . This form must be approved and submitted by a supervisor. The form may be faxed to the Payroll Office at 7-8843 or emailed to the Payroll mailbox [email protected].

Do I need to edit my timecard on a daily basis?

It is recommended you update your timecard on a daily basis to ensure your hours are recorded accurately.

Changes have been made to my timecard previously, but now I don't see them. What happened?

You must SAVE your changes to the timecard after you have performed one or more edits. Unfortunately, MCtime does not automatically save changes for you; therefore, you must click on the Save button before you navigate away from your timecard or log out of MCtime. Sometimes an employee will make a change in MCtime and before they get a chance to save the change, they'll get a phone call that lasts for more than 20 minutes or so. If you're idle or inactive in MCtime for more than 20 minutes and have not saved your changes, you will automatically be logged out of MCtime and your changes will be lost. We recommend that you save your changes often if you are making a lot of changes to your timecard.
Make sure that your edits were made in the correct time period (Current Pay Period vs. Previous Pay Period).
Make sure that you're viewing your timecard for the correct time period (Current Pay Period, Previous Pay Period, etc).

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Pay Codes in MCtime

How do I know which Pay Code to use?

If you're not sure which pay code to use, check with your supervisor or your department's MCtime subject matter expert (SME).
Refer to the Pay Code Description listing available on this website. The listing will provide you with more information on each pay code.

Is there a list of pay codes that includes a definition or description of each code?

Yes, refer to the Pay Code Description listing under the Resources tab on this website.

I tried to record leave (i.e., Annual, Sick, Comp Leave Used), but MCtime is telling me I don't have enough leave. What do I do?

MCtime will validate leave recorded in your timecard against your available leave balances and will not allow you to use leave that you don't have available. If you don't have sufficient leave, MCtime will prompt you to edit your timecard and record the hours using another appropriate leave type that may be available. If you don't have any leave available for the situation, Leave Without Pay and AWOL - Absense without Leave are also available. You'll want to check with your supervisor, however, before selecting one of these codes.

I recorded 9 hours (or 10 or 12 hours) for a Personal Day and I received an error message. What happened?

When an employee on an alternative work schedule (i.e. a compressed schedule or a 4/10 work schedule) uses a Personal Day and records the day as 9 or 10 hours used, the Personal Day balance displayed in MCtime after the use of the day is updated incorrectly. The incorrect balance will continue to display in MCtime until the next bi-weekly payroll is processed and the leave balances are correctly updated by the Oracle ERP system. Employees should ignore any error messages received and verify that they have used no more than their true number of eligible Personal Days that were available for year.
For more information on recording Personal Days in MCtime, refer to the Personal Days Usage in MCtime document available on this website.

How do I record hours worked that are eligible for callback pay?

Add a row in your timecard and select the pay code called Callback Pay
Record the number of hours that you are eligible for callback pay. Do not include these hours as Hours Worked.
Save your changes.

How do I record hours worked that are eligible for shift differential pay?

Record ALL of your hours worked for the day as Hours Worked.
Add a new row to your timecard and select the appropriate shift differential pay code (i.e. SD3 - Shift Diff 2p-1059p, SD4 - Shift Diff 11p-5a).
Record the number of regular hours worked that are eligible for shift differential pay. Shift differential pay must always be entered in addition to recording your hours worked
If overtime hours are worked on the day, another row may need to be added to record the shift differential pay that applies to the overtime hours worked (i.e. SO3 - Shift Diff OT 2pm-1059p or S04 - Shift Diff OT 11p-5a).
SAVE your changes.

Exception - Shift differential pay is automated for all DOT Transit Services Bus Operators and for all employees in the Police Department. Shift differential pay should not be entered directly into the timecard for these employees. These employees will see the calculated shift differential pay hours by viewing the totals in their timecard.

How do I record hours worked that are eligible for stand by pay?

Add a row in your timecard and choose the pay code called Stand By Pay.
Enter the appropriate number of hours eligible for stand by pay.
Save your changes.

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Transfers in MCtime

What is a Transfer in MCtime?

A "transfer" is performed in MCtime when you need to charge hours to a Cost Center and Fund or Project and Task Code that is different from your "home" Cost Center and Fund or Project and Task Code that you are assigned to in the Oracle ERP system.
Transfers are also performed by employees in some departments to add a Reason Code which defines why certain hours were worked. For example, FRS employee's enter Reason Codes that explain the reason overtime hours were worked.

What is an account code?

An account code represents a Cost Center and Fund or a combined Project and Task Code with Expenditure Org. All employees are assigned a home account code in Oracle ERP. Some employees are assigned to multiple account codes in Oracle ERP. Most employees are assigned a home Cost Center and Fund account; however, employees that are assigned to a capital improvement project (CIP) or Grant are typically assigned a home Project and Task Code along with an Expenditure Org. Your home account codes are not displayed in MCtime. Ask your supervisor or your department HR Liaison if you need to know what your home account code is in Oracle ERP.

How do I charge hours to a different Cost Center and Fund?

Click on the arrow in the timecard to add a new row. The new row will be added and it will automatically display the pay code called Hours Worked.
Click on the magnifying glass in the same row in the Transfer column.
The Transfer Selection box will open.
Inside the Transfer Selection box, search for the desired code. Search for the Cost Center-Fund by entering CC followed a space and then enter the cost center followed by an asterisk. For example, to search for Cost Center 32160 and Fund 001, enter CC 32160* . All cost center and funds that meet this search criteria will display. Select the appropriate cost center and fund combination.
Click OK to return to the timecard.
Upon returning to the timecard, you should see the new Cost Center and Fund combination displayed in the Transfer cell (i.e., //CC 32160-001////). Record the hours worked that should be charged to this code.
Decrease or delete the Hours Worked that are automatically charged to your "home" account code.
Click on the Save button to save the changes.
Click on the View Totals Summary link to view the timecard totals and verify that all hours are charged to the expected account codes.

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How do I charge time to a different Project or CIP Code?

Click on the arrow in the timecard to add a new row. The new row will be added and it will automatically display the pay code called Hours Worked.
Click on the magnifying glass in the same row in the Transfer column.
The Transfer Selection box will open.
Search and select the appropriate Project-Task codes.
- Inside the Transfer Selection box, search for the Project-Task code by entering PT followed by a space and then enter the Project Code followed by an asterisk. For example, to search for Project 0150701, enter PT 0150701* . All Project-Task codes that meet this search criteria will display.
- Select the appropriate Project-Task combination.
An Expenditure Org MUST be entered whenever a Project-Task code is entered. Search and select the appropriate Expenditure Org code.
- Inside the Transfer Selection box, search for the desired code. Search for the Expenditure Org by entering the code followed by an asterisk. For example, to search for Expenditure Org 32000, enter 32000* . The Expenditure Org should display.
- Select the appropriate Expenditure Org.
- Verify that both the Project-Task and Expenditure Org codes have been selected.
- Select OK to return to the timecard.
You should see new Project-Task and Expenditure Org codes in the Transfer cell (i.e., //PT 0150701-20C.01/32000///) in the timecard. Record the hours worked that should be charged to this code.
Decrease or delete the hours that are automatically charged to your "home" account code.
Click on the Save button to save the changes.
Click on the View Totals Summary link to view the timecard totals and verify that all hours are charged to the expected account codes.

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How do I charge time to a grant funded account code?

In MCtime, you charge hours to a grant funded account code in the same manner as you would if you charged hours to a Project-Task and Expenditure Org. Grants are set up as Projects and Tasks in Oracle ERP. Follow the instructions above for charging time to a different Project or CIP code. Remember, you will need to enter both a Project-Task AND Expenditure Org combination.

My hours are normally charged to a grant funded account code. How do I charge hours to a general fund account code?

Follow the instructions above for charging time to a different Cost Center and Fund.

I need to charge my overtime hours to a different Cost Center and Fund. How do I do that?

Click on the arrow in the timecard to add a new row. The new row will be added and it will automatically display the pay code called Hours Worked.
Enter the number of overtime hours worked in the new row. Do not change the Hours Worked pay code. Overtime hours worked are entered by using the Hours Worked pay code.
Click on the magnifying glass in the same row in the Transfer column.
The Transfer Selection box will open.
Search for the Cost Center-Fund by entering CC followed by a space and then enter the cost center followed by an asterisk. For example, to search for Cost Center 32160 and Fund 001, enter CC 32160* . All cost center and funds that meet this search criteria will display. Select the appropriate Cost Center and Fund combination.
Click OK to return to the timecard.
Upon returning to the timecard, you should see the new Cost Center and Fund combination displayed in the Transfer cell (i.e., //CC 32160-001////).
Click on the Save button to save the changes.
Click on the View Totals Summary link to view the timecard totals and verify that all hours are charged to the expected account codes.

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I worked overtime and I need to charge the hours to a Reason Code. How do I do that?

Click on the green arrow in the timecard to add a new row. The new row will be added and it will automatically display the pay code called Hours Worked.
Enter the number of overtime hours worked in the new row. Do not change the Hours Worked pay code. Overtime hours worked are entered by using the Hours Worked pay code.
Click on the magnifying glass in the same row in the Transfer column.
The Transfer Selection box will open.
Search for the Reason Code by clicking on the drop down arrow in the Reason Code box. Scroll thru the list to find the appropriate Reason Code.
Select the desired Reason Code.
Click OK to return to the timecard.
Upon returning to the timecard, you should see the Reason Code displayed in the Transfer cell (i.e., ////COR200//).
Click on the Save button to save the changes.
Click on the View Totals Summary link to view the timecard totals and verify that all hours are charged to the expected Reason Code.

The Cost Center-Fund or Project-Task codes that I need are not available for me to select. What do I do?

Contact your supervisor. Your supervisor should verify that you are trying to enter the correct codes.
Call the IT Help Desk at 240-777-2828 for additional guidance. A Help Desk ticket will be opened and routed to the appropriate functional or technical resource for resolution.

The Reason Code that I need is not available for me to select. What do I do?

Contact your supervisor. Your supervisor should verify that you are trying to enter the correct Reason Code.
Call the IT Help Desk at 240-777-2828 for additional guidance. A Help Desk ticket will be opened and routed to the appropriate functional or technical resource for resolution.

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Reviewing My Timecard

How do I know if what I've entered is correct?

Prior to approving your timecard for the pay period, review your timecard totals by clicking on the view Totals Summary link that appears above and below your timecard.
- If you're a regular, full-time employee (and you're not a Montgomery County firefighter), the Total Hrs Toward Schedule amount must be 80. You may not have accounted for your hours properly if this number is more or less than 80.
- Verify that any leave hours recorded are correct.
- If you worked hours that should be paid as overtime, verify that the correct overtime pay or comp leave earned is reflected. Notifiy your supervisor if a change in the form of payment (overtime pay to comp leave earned or vice versus) is requested.
- Verify that your shift differential hours, if applicable, are correct and were only recorded based on actual hours worked.
- Verify that multilingual pay was calculated by MCtime on your hours worked, if eligible.
- If a transfer was performed to charge hours to a different account code, verify that the correct codes were entered, i.e. Cost Center-Fund or Project-Task, Expenditure Org (if a Project-Task was entered) and/or Reason Code.

How can I verify that my hours have been charged to the proper account codes?

You can check to see what Cost Center-Fund or Project-Task codes (as well as Expenditure Org or Reason Codes) have been charged by reviewing your timecard totals that display when you click on the View Totals Summary link above your timecard. You can verify that any leave, all hours worked & hours transferred have been recorded properly and that MCtime has calculated the correct overtime or comp leave earned.
Ask you supervisor to verify that the codes you entered are correct.

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Approving (Signing) My Timecard

How do I approve or sign my timecard?

Open your timecard in MCtime for the desired pay period. Your timecard will always open up to the Current Pay Period. If you're approving the timecard after the end of the pay period (i.e. on Monday after the end of the pay period), you'll need to change the Time Period to the Previous Pay Period.
Click on the Approve button.

Once your timecard is approved, the Approve button will change to Remove Approval. If you need to remove your approval to make an edit to the timecard, you will need to click on the Remove Approval button.

What is the deadline for me to approve (sign) my own timecard?

Employees should approve their timecard prior to the close of business of their last day worked in the pay period. An email notification will be sent to any employee that has not approved their timecard as of 11am on the Monday morning following the close of the pay period. This email notification will be sent between 11am and noon and will remind you to approve your timecard as soon as possible.

I received an email notification reminding me to approve my timecard, but I already approved it. What should I do?

Verify that you have approved your timecard for the Previous Pay Period (vs. the Current Pay Period) and approve it if you have not done so already. You may still approve your timecard after receiving the notification.
For New Hires, the system displays a "partial" approval during the first pay period due to the actual hire date, typically Monday, occurring on a day other than the first day of the pay period (Sunday).

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What happens if I forget to approve my timecard?

If you are unable to approve your timecard, your supervisor may approve your timecard on your behalf. Payroll will process an employee's timecard without an employee approval as long as a supervisory approval has been performed.

What happens if I am unable to approve my timecard for the pay period?

Payroll will process an employee's timecard without an employee approval as long as a supervisory approval has been performed.

Can I approve my timecard before the end of the pay period?

Yes, we recommend that all employees approve their timecard prior to the end of their last day worked in the current pay period. Employees that have scheduled leave for the end of the pay period should record the leave in the timecard and approve their timecard on their last day on the job before their leave begins.

Can I approve my timecard in advance of the next pay period?

Yes, but generally this should be done only if you will be on leave for that period of time. It is not recommended that timecards be approved more than one pay period in advance.

What should I do if I need to make a change to my timecard after I've approved it?

As long as Payroll has not signed off on the timecard, you can remove your approval and make edits. Note, however, your supervisor must remove his/her approval first if they have already approved your timecard.

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What is the deadline for my manager to approve my timecard?

Managers should approve employee timecards no later than noon on the Tuesday following the close of the pay period.

What should I do if I need to make a change to my timecard after my manager has approved it?

First, your manager will need to remove his/her approval. You will then need to remove your approval from your timecard in order to edit it. After you edit your timecard, you and your supervisor will need to approve your timecard again.
Alternatively, your manager can remove their approval and make the change to your timecard for you. You will receive an email alert that a change was made to your timecard by the manager. Your manager will need to reapprove your timecard once the edit is made.

What happens if my manager is unable to approve my timecard?

Your manager will arrange for another manager to approve your timecard in their absence. If your timecard remains unapproved at the end of the pay period, Payroll will work with your department MCtime representatives to insure that your timecard is approved by a backup supervisor or manager.

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Schedules in MCtime

My schedule in MCtime is not correct. How can this be corrected?

Contact your supervisor. Your supervisor may submit a Schedule Change Request Form to correct your schedule in MCtime. If your schedule is incorrect, you should still edit your timecard so that it reflects what you actually worked in the pay period.

Who can submit a Schedule Change Request Form for me?

The Schedule Change Request form must be approved by your supervisor or your department's MCtime SME (Subject Matter Expert).

How do I edit my timecard for the current pay period if my schedule is incorrect?

You should edit your timecard so that it reflects what you actually worked. You should change the pre-populated hours and record what you really worked.
Contact your supervisor or your department's MCtime representative and ask them to submit the Schedule Change Request Form to correct your schedule for the next pay period.

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Overtime Hours in MCtime

How do I record overtime hours worked in MCtime?

Simply increase your Hours Worked for the day. You'll need to record the additional hours worked in a new row only if the hours need to be charged to a different Cost Center-Fund or Project-Task code with Expenditure Org and/or Reason Code.

MCtime calculated overtime pay but I want to receive comp leave earned instead. What do I do?

Your supervisor must make the change for you. Ask your supervisor to perform a Pay Code Move to change your overtime pay to comp leave earned. This change must be made before your supervisor approves your timecard for the pay period.

MCtime calculated compensatory leave earned but I want to receive overtime pay instead. What do I do?

Your supervisor must make the change for you. Ask your supervisor to perform a Pay Code Move to change your comp leave earned to overtime pay. This change must be made before your supervisor approves your timecard for the pay period.

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Multilingual Pay Differentials

If you are eligible for Multilingual Pay, and an unrepresented employee or represented by the MCGEO or IAFF bargaining unit agreement, MCtime will automatically calculate the differential based on both your regular hours worked and any excess hours that you work. The multilingual pay differential will automatically be added to your timecard totals and will not display in the body of your timecard. In the employee view, you must click on the Totals Summary link to view your Multilingual Pay Differential hours.

For employees represented by the FOP bargaining unit agreement, MCtime will automatically calculate the differential on your regular hours worked. Certified Officers will be paid overtime on the multilingual differential only for the use of the skill during hours subject to overtime pay. If the language is used and you are working in an overtime status, you must manually add the multilingual pay differential to your timecard by inserting a row for the overtime Multilingual Differential. The MO3 - Multlilingual OT Basic, the MO4 - Multilingual OT Advanced, or the MO7 - Multilingual OT Expert pay codes are used to manually record the overtime multilingual differential, pay when the language is used in overtime status.

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Leave (Accrual) Balances

What are accruals?

Leave balances are referred to as Accrual Balances in MCtime. The word leave balances and accrual balances are used interchangeably in all MCtime documentation.

When are the leave balances updated in MCtime?

Leave balances in MCtime are updated bi-weekly on the Monday morning prior to pay day (Friday), with the exception of MCGEO Sick Leave Bank, FMLA and PARENTAL leave which are updated nightly.

How do I view my leave balances?

After logging into MCtime, instead of clicking on My Timecard, click on My Reports.
Click on Accrual Balances and Projections
In the "As Of" box enter today's date
Click on View Report and your leave balances will be displayed. You can print this report if you like. All columns that display projected totals should be ignored.

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