PIPS, E-Finance now the norm for financial needs

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Alex Martinez
  • 39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
Permanent changes in duty station travel vouchers and other finance service documents are now online, conveniently located together.

The new PCS In-Processing System and E-Finance Web site, dubbed the E-Finance Workspace, was implemented April 1 Air Force-wide.

"PIPS and E-Finance is a very useful site," said Senior Airman Chadd Smith, a 39th Comptroller Squadron customer service technician. "It flows well, and allows people to file their PCS vouchers from start to finish."

The intuitive PIPS program allows users to go at their own pace, and eliminates time wasted on answering questions that do not apply to them specifically. Step-by-step, users answer questions on their travels, and have the option of uploading or faxing important documents and receipts.

"The system really saves time," Airman Smith said. "If people fill out as much as they can on the forms, it helps speed the process, and allows us to better help them."

Once a voucher is complete, it is digitally packaged and sent to the user's finance office, processed locally, and sent to the Air Force Financial Service Center at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D.

The system also eases base transitions by eliminating the need for a finance overview at the newcomer's brief. In fact, the finance portion of the briefing was eliminated altogether.

"The new process is nice because it allows newcomers to take care of their finances on their own time," said Susan Bowen, an Airman & Family Readiness Center community readiness technician. "People don't have to wait around. It cuts the day in half."

Before the system, the finance office would have to conduct a three-hour brief that walked newcomers through the PCS voucher and other finance documents.

Airman Smith said one of the best features of the system is the convenience. Users can file a voucher or other finance documents from any computer with internet access or from the finance office if assistance is needed.

"Customers needing help with PIPS or E-Finance can come in anytime during normal duty hours," said Master Sgt. Eva Rodgers, the 39th CPTS flight chief. "We also have a computer in our customer service area that customers can log on to and use with the assistance of our technicians."

Other electronic finance documents are available on the E-Finance side of the workspace, including changes to one's state of legal residence, emergency pay and allowances, basic allowance for housing, basic allowance for subsistence, family separation allowance and advance pay.

Use of the Web site is now mandatory for active-duty Air Force members. Some documents still need to be turned into the finance office in-person, and will need to be filled out on the workspace.

Both systems serve active-duty military and can be found at the following URL: https://efinanceworkspace.wpafb.af.mil/.

For more information on PIPS and E-Finance, call the finance office at 676-8114, or e-mail a question to 39CPTS.financialservices@incirlik.com.