Purpose of Time and Effort Distribution Reports

  • They are federally mandated and a method of tracking cost sharing.
  • Departments in which there is any grant activity and Departments in which any cost sharing takes place have to report cost sharing.
  • All employees with a 61123 – 61130 account code paid from an OSP grant are reported on the T&E report.
  • Undergrads and hourly staff are not reported.
  • Additional Compensation is not included.

Required Operating Software & Steps to Install

  • Type: https://helene.msu.montana.edu/te/. The T&E login screen should appear.
  • Select Computer Setup and follow the instructions to create a Time & Effort desktop icon.
  • Enter data in appropriate fields (All percentages must sum to 100%). Reports are done by percentages or by corresponding dollar amounts.

Payroll/Database Updates

The Time and Effort Distribution Report is compiled from the main payroll each month. T&E Reports represent effort (work completed) in that month. (e.g., August T&E is for August effort that is paid in September). The remainder of the payroll month (Sept.) allows for corrections and adjustment and the supplemental payroll to post. During the first week of the following month, the Time and Effort database is updated (e.g., August T&E Report is available the first week in October). When effort reported on the T&E report does not agree with the payroll records, a payroll correction can be processed to align the T&E report and payroll report. If a payroll correction is submitted for a pay period after the T&E report is in the system, a manual correction to the T&E is required.

Time & Effort Data Entry

The left side of the data entry screen will list the employees paid from OSP funds. The right side of the data entry screen will list the employees not paid from OSP funds. Below the employees paid from OSP funds, each employee will be shown with the amount of their salary, the source of funds, and the percentage paid from that source. The percentage of effort will be entered in the yellow cells and must total 100%. If you need to report cost sharing for an employee not paid from OSP funds, you select the employee from the right side. This will bring their salary on to the screen, and then you can enter the percentages.

Important Notes: If an individual was not paid from a grant but spends time (effort) working on a grant, the department should enter the grant number and the percentage of time the person actually worked on that grant on the T&E Report. These entries verify cost-sharing (match) commitments made by the University.

Year End Certification

When directed by the OSP Office, an Annual Certification of Effort Distribution reflecting fiscal year cumulative totals will be printed from the T&E home page by the Departments to be verified and signed by the department heads. The report will then be mailed to OSP.

updated October 2016