eTrac Overview
What is eTrac?
eTrac is the USC Employee Online Services system. It is comprised of
various internal system Web modules, services, or "Processes," USC Employees may use to access and manage
their personnel, payroll and benefits records.
Who can use eTrac?
All active USC employees have full access to eTrac, unless you choose to decline access.
If you have terminated your employment or retired with USC recently, you will have limited access
to eTrac to allow you to gather your pay information until the next IRS tax filing
date. That is, if you have terminated your employment today, your full etrac access will automatically change to
restricted access until April 15 of the next year, at which point, all etrac access will be disabled.
Restricted terminated access allows you to gather your W2 information and to update your address.
If you are in the Payroll system but not as an employee or if you are on disability, talk to your Home Department Coordinator about access to eTrac.
What is a "Web Process"?
To users on this system, a "Web Process" is simply a series
of Web pages that carry out a specific task or service, such as
viewing your payroll record, requesting a duplicate form printout,
etc. To "start/exit" or "work within" a
Web process or module means operating within the confines of the
web pages for that specific task you want to perform.
When you "exit" a Web Process, you are canceling and will lose all changes you made within the confines of the web pages for that "Process" and you will return to the eTrac Main Menu.
How secure is eTrac?
All the same security protocols installed to protect your records in our internal systems are
in place for eTrac in addition to other measures added for the Web transaction. All actions are
logged, and you will receive email confirmations for all transactions.
However, data is only as secure as the people who access them.
This system contains sensitive information that should not be shared with unauthorized persons.
That's why it's extremely important not to give out your PIN information to others, and remember to always log off and
close your web browser when you leave eTrac.
For more information on security measures in place for eTrac, see
Security Information.
Getting Started & Logging In
What do I need to get started?
First, you need to have a valid email address. All transactions submitted to the system generate a confirmation notice
that is sent to the email address you specify when you set up an eTrac PIN. You should have been assigned
a USC email address with your USC computer account upon your employment. For more information about your USC computer account, check with
ITS.
For computer requirements, you can use the latest web browsers on any computer. The browser
must be java-enabled and javascript-enabled. For specific AIS recommended
computer and browser specifications, see
AIS Web Browsers Help.
How do I access eTrac?
All active employees have access to eTrac. All you need to do is set up an initial PIN which serves as your password for logging into the system.
Then log on at http://www.usc.edu/etrac/.
If you are in the Payroll system but not as an employee or if you are on disability, talk to your Home Department Coordinator to request access.
What if I forget my PIN?
If you forget your PIN, just set up a new one. You can do this at any time as long as the system has not disabled your access.
You may also change your PIN at any time from within the eTrac system.
Using eTrac
How do I use eTrac?
When you log into eTrac, you will see the eTrac menu page. Select a menu feature. When you select an item from the menu, you are starting a specific module or "Web Process". Everything done in each Web process is contained within itself. If you exit out of a Web process without making the final submission, you will lose all your changes and will have to start over. For detailed instructions on how to enter different types of information on the system, refer to the eTrac Data Entry Guidelines.
What happened to my browser's buttons? Where is the [BACK] button?
The eTrac system has loaded itself into a new browser window configured with no browser buttons to
prevent people from using the [BACK] button. Since using the browser's [Back] and/or [Forward]
buttons does not send a request to the system to refresh data, the information you would see might be
inaccurate. All the navigational tools you need are available via the icon links and process buttons located on each page within the system.
I'm lost! How do I navigate through the menus?
If you are having a problem finding where you are located within
the system menus, click on the "Home Menu" located at the lower left
corner of the page to return to the Main Menu. Be aware, however, that when you return to the Main Menu without
making a final submission on what you were doing, you are canceling the transaction and you will have to start over.
How can I get help with a specific Web Process?
You can get more information on a particular Web Process
by clicking on the "Help" icon on the navigation bar located at the bottom of
the page for that Process.
How do I know I submitted something correctly?
Every time you successfully submit a transaction on eTrac, it will inform you on the web page and the system will send you a confirmation email message. Save a copy of this message page and the email as proof that you corrected submitted your transaction. If you don't receive a confirmation email, that means you did not complete the process and did not make that final submission to the system.
Should I always log off and close the browser when I'm done?
Yes. Properly logging off clears your logon session from the system
and helps to prevent others from accessing your records if you happen to leave
your computer while it is on. And be sure to close your browser too.
Problems & Errors
It says I don't have access. What do I do?
If you previously had access but after a series of unsuccessful attempts to either log in or to authenticate your identity when setting up a PIN, the system automatically disables your access to prevent the possibility of unauthorized access to your payroll information. Contact your Home Department Coordinator to reset your access.
If you are a new employee or if you have returned to active status recently, contact your Home Department Coordinator to check on your eTrac access status.
What is this error message on the screen?
An error message displayed in red on the process web page means that you
entered somethign incorrectly or you missed a required piece of information.
To continue, follow any instructions given to you in the red message.
If you see a error message on a blank white background, a system error has occurred.
Often times this is a one-time error, such as when you remain logged onto eTrac without any activity
for a long period of time, the system will automatically log you out. So when you attempt to do something
that has remained on the screen, this timed-out message appears.
However, if the problem persists, please make a copy of the entire error message and
report the problem to etrac@fismaster.usc.edu.
What is this timed out message I keep getting?
If your login remains inactive for a certain amount of time, the system will "time out" and
automatically log you out. If you later try to navigate through the system,
the "timed-out message" will inform you that you need to
log back onto the system. This is to prevent prying eyes
from viewing your online work if you, for example, happen to be
away from your computer. If you will be away from your computer, you should log off the system first.
Why is the data on the page not updated or looks funny?
Most likely, you are navigating the Web process pages with the browser's [Back] and/or [Forward]
buttons, which does not send any information to the system. That's why you should always use the
navigation buttons and links located on the web pages to move through the system.
Try reloading/refreshing the page to load the page again. If that doesn't bring up the correct data,
you will have to log off the system and log back in.