Procedures & Development (P&D) Branch

Direct Access Process Maps, User Guides, Tutorials and Webinar Recordings

Known Issues / Guide Updates

This is a running list of known issues and procedural highlights for the past few months. Items will be updated when resolved.

• 10 Nov:
  • Direct Access User Roles and Functions Self-Service User Guide updated.
• 06 Nov:
  • Approving or Denying IDT Drills SPO User Guide Updated.  Added known issue for Command User / Supervisor who is BOTH a Reservist and CG civilian employee.
• 05 Nov:
  • Career Sea Pay (CSP) SPO User Guide Updated. Added a procedure map covering Starting CSP for Mobile Units.
• 04 Nov:
  • PCS eResume Knowledge Base topic (CG Portal - CAC Logon) updated. New "Known Issue" reported - When completing a new PCS eRésumé do not open multiple instances of DA with additional PCS eRésumé windows. Going back and forth between multiple PCS eRésumé windows may result in unexpected behavior (Example: Duplicate choices) and data file corruption.
  • Honors & Awards User Guide updated.
• 02 Nov:
  • Submitting an Electronic Training Request (ETR) Command/TAS User) Guide updated.
  • Direct Access User Roles and Functions Self-Service User Guide updated.
  • Starting Special Duty Pay SPO User Guide updated.
  • Starting Assignment Pay SPO User Guide updated.
• 30 Oct:
  • Amend Active Duty Reserve Orders SPO User Guide updated. Added a procedure map for amending order that are already in an "En Route" status.
  • Rehire Direct Commission Officer (DCO) SPO Accession User Guide updated.
  • Career Sea Pay Premium SPO User Guide updated.
  • Added link to MyCG article - Military members: Here’s why your paycheck looks different

  • Member Weigh-In Data DA Knowledge Base topic (CG Portal Link-CAC Login Required) updated to reflect a recent system change which allows USCG personnel to enter weigh-in data for PHS officers detailed to the USCG.

    • PHS officers detailed to the USCG are required to meet CG weight standards.
    • Weight entries for these officers shall be entered by the USCG P&A Office or SPO.
    • Do not forward weigh-in data to CG-1122 for data entry.
• 29 Oct:
  • Cadet-Rehire SPO Accession User Guide updated.
• 28 Oct:
  • Honors and Awards User Guide updated.
• 27 Oct:
  • BAH/Dependency Verification Reports User Guide updated. Users must have P&A/SPO roles to run these reports.
  • Rehire Prior Service SPO Accession User Guide updated. 
• 23 Oct:
  • Payroll Tax Deferral Guide added. This guide provides information regarding the Payroll Tax Deferral announced in ALCOAST 329/20.
• 22 Oct:
  • View Member Drills Self-Service for Commands User Guide updated.
• 15 Oct:
  • Suspicious Amount-Net Pay Difference  Greater Than $500 (NP500 Report) SPO User Guide updated.
  • Entering a Member’s Weigh-In Data Command User Guide updated. It is no longer necessary to enter the data string in the remarks.
  • Distribution of Finalized DD Form 214 process updated. The implementation of electronic transmission of DD Form 214 data to the Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) is complete. The Veterans Administration, State Directors of Veterans Affairs, and the Department of Labor have access to DD Form 214 data. SPOs are not required to produce and distribute paper copies 3, 5, 6, 7, and 8. DMDC is the official distribution source of the Military Services authoritative and certified information for all periods of active duty that are completed on or after January 1, 2015.
  • Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS) Type-II SPO User Guide updated.
• 9 Oct:
  • In-Service Debts SPO User Guide updated. This guide provides the procedures for Identifying In-Service Debts, Determining the Remaining Balance for a Debt and Researching Multiple Debts for a Member.
• 8 Oct:
  • Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS) Type II SPO User Guide updated.
• 7 Oct:
  • Basic Housing Allowance (BAH) SPO User Guide updated.
  • Special Duty Pay (SDP) SPO User Guide updated.
  • Assignment Pay (AP) SPO User Guide updated. 
• 1 Oct:
  • BAH Dependency Data Verification - SPO Procedures User Guide added. This guide provides the procedures for a CGHRS user to verify a member’s BAH Dependency Data in Direct Access.
  • BAH Dependency Verification Reports User Guide added. This guide provides the procedures for running the BAH Dependency Verification Reports in Direct Access (DA).
  • BAH Dependency Data Verification Self-Serviced User Guide added. This guide provides the procedures for a member to verify their BAH Dependency Data in Direct Access.
• 24 Sep:
  • Pay Corrections Action Request SPO User Guide updated.
  • BAS Type II SPO User Guide added. This guide provides the SPO with a checklist and procedures for processing BAS II.
• 18 Sep:
  • ​Pay Calculations Results SPO User Guide updated. This guide provides the procedures for navigating and understanding Pay Calculation Results in Direct Access (DA). It also provides the procedures for identifying and navigating through an off-cycle pay calendar in DA. 
  • Understanding Reserve Pay Processing in Direct Access Guide updated. This guide provides Serving Personnel Offices (SPOs) with a broad understanding of how pay transactions are processed for Reserve Component members in Direct Access (DA).
  • Identifying In-Service debts SPO User Guide reviewed. This guide provides the procedures for Identifying In-Service Debts, Determining the Remaining Balance for a Debt and Researching Multiple Debts for a Member.
• 17 Sep:
  • Tax Withholdings SPO User Guide updated.
  • My Federal Tax Election Self-Service User Guide updated.
• 16 Sep:
  • My Reserve Drills Self-Service User Guide updated.
• 11 Sep:
  • Fiscal Year 2021 Career Sea Pay Tables posted.
• 10 Sep:
  • View My Payslip Self-Service User Guide updated.
• 9 Sep:
  • Rehire-Reserve SPO Accession User Guide updated. This guide provides the procedures for rehiring a member with prior Coast Guard Active Duty (AD) or Coast Guard Reserve service in Direct Access (DA).
• 8 Sep:
  • Career Sea Pay SPO User Guide updated.
• 4 Sep:
  • Direct Access User Roles and Functions Self-Service User Guide updated. This guide provides the procedures for requesting, recertifying, removing, and withdrawing User Roles and Functions in Direct Access (DA).
• 3 Sep:
  • BAH Dependency/Emergency Contact Information Form Print Procedure User Guide updated.
• 2 Sep:
  • Net Pay Amount Report user guide added.
• 21 Aug:
  • Viewing My Airport Terminal (Self Service Only), Accessing the Airport Terminal (Command User), and Viewing Separation Orders user guide updated.
• 30 Jul:
  • Retaining Beyond Normal Expiration of Enlistment SPO User Guide updated.
• 23 Jul:
  • ​Starting Responsibility Pay SPO User Guide updated.
  • Stopping Responsibility Pay SPO User Guide updated.
• 17 Jul:
  • Entering Member Weigh-In Data Command Self-Service User Guide updated.
• 08 Jul:
  • Career Sea Pay SPO User Guide updated
  • Career Sea Pay Premium SPO User Guide updated
  • ​Contract Data – Reenlistment SPO User Guide updated
  • Contract Data – Extensions & Re-extensions SPO User Guide updated

  • Beginning an Extension of Enlistment SPO User Guide updated

• 29 Jun:
  • Pay Corrections Action Request SPO User Guide updated.
• 18 Jun:
  • EES Enlisted Evaluation Report User Guide updated.
• 17 Jun:
  • Competencies User Guide updated. Users must not overtype any existing competency code in Direct Access. This can cause serious issues including members being removed from the advancement list due to ineligibility. See the procedure (in the guide) for Adding a Previously Granted Competency when adding a second or subsequent competency with the same code.
• 16 Jun:
  • EES Enlisted Evaluation Report Command User Guide updated. 
• 15 Jun:
  • Enlisted Supplemental Clothing Allowance SPO User Guide updated.
• 11 Jun:
  • Amending a Separation Order SPO User Guide updated.
• 09 Jun:
  • Non-Chargeable Absence User Guide updated
  • PCS Orders SPO User Guide updated.
• 03 Jun:
  • Active Duty Reserve Orders Processing SPO User Guide updated.
• 22 May:
  • View My Payslip Self-Service user guide updated.
• 12 May:
  • ​DA Browser Requirements & Helpful Tools User Guide updated. 
• 11 May:
  • Change My Federal & State Tax Information Retiree Self-Service User Guide updated.
  • Direct-Access Competency Dictionary Updated.
• 6 May:
  • ​Reserve Active Duty Orders Self-Service for Commands User Guide updated.
• 5 May:
  • Rehire-Prior Service SPO Accession User Guide updated.
  • Rehire-Direct Commission Officer (DCO) SPO User Guide updated.
  • ​Reserve-Rehire SPO Accession User Guide updated.
  • Rehire-Cadet SPO Accession User Guide updated.
• 29 April:
  • ​District (DXR) Reserve Orders Authorization User Guide updated. 
  • Combat Tax Exclusion (CTE) SPO User Guide updated.
  • Inactive Duty for Training (IDT) Subsistence Allowance User Guide updated.
• 24 April:
  • Inactive Duty for Training (IDT) Drills Self-Service for Members User Guide updated.
• 22 April:
  • Starting Hostile Fire Pay / Imminent Danger Pay SPO User Guide updated. ​Assistant Secretary of Defense Memo of 21 April 2020 provides a listing of re-designated imminent danger areas for purposes of payment of Imminent Danger Pay (IDP)
• 17 April:
  • Inactive Duty for Training (IDT) Drills Self-Service for Commands User Guide updated.
  • Inactive Duty for Training (IDT) Drills Self-Service for Members User Guide updated.
  • Chargeable Absence Requests User Guide updated. This guide provides the procedures for creating, submitting, viewing, and processing chargeable absence requests by a member, a proxy, a command user, and the SPO in Direct Access (DA).
  • Non-Chargeable Absence Requests User Guide updated. This guide provides the procedures for creating, submitting, viewing, and processing non-chargeable absence requests by a member, a proxy, a command user, and the SPO in Direct Access (DA).
• 15 April:
  • District (DXR) Reserve Orders Authorization User Guide updated. The process for adding Short-Term ADOS funding changed. 
• 10 April:
  • Rehire Member with Prior Service SPO User Guide updated. 
  • The PSC Military Record Section has transitioned from Public Folders to the Shared Mailbox platform and will no longer utilize the Public Folder functions in Outlook. The e-mail address is: HQS-SMB-CGPSC-BOPS-MR-SPOSupport@uscg.mil.All requests to have items entered into a member's record should be sent to the  new address.  Additionally, if anyone needs an official copy of the Official Military Personnel File (OMPF-formerly known as EIPDR) they should refer to the  webpage for up-to-date instructions at: https://www.dcms.uscg.mil/ompf.
• 08 April:
  • Airport Terminal & Viewing Separation Orders User Guide updated.
• 06 April:
  • New Federal Tax Withholding Screens. The April 2020 Direct-Access update included new data entry fields for federal income tax withholding (FITW). The data entry fields are based on the 2020 and later version of the IRS Form W-4 (Employee’s Withholding Certificate). Previous editions of the W-4 cannot be used as the data source for FITW. The following guides have been updated to reflect the new procedures:
    • Change Federal Tax Election Member Self-Service Guide
    • Change my Federal or State Tax Withholding Retiree Self-Service Guide.
    • Tax Withholdings Servicing Personnel Office Guide.
    • Understanding Job Data User Guide updated.
• 03 April:
  • Contract Data Reenlistments SPO User Guide updated.
  • Contract Data Extensions & Re-extensions SPO User Guide updated.
• 02 April:
  • State Tax Election Self-Service Guide updated.
• 30 March:
  • Digitally Signing a PDF (Electronic Signature) Guide added. This guide provides the procedures for digitally signing a PDF.
  • Digitally Signing Documents from Direct Access Guide added. This guide provides the procedures for digitally signing documents (orders, contracts, DD-214s, etc.) from Direct Access (DA). The user must have Adobe Acrobat DC to perform this task.
• 19 March:
  • Reviewing and Auditing Leave SPO User Guide added.This guide provides the procedures for reviewing leave and guidance on which leave reports are helpful in reviewing leave and how to access them through Direct Access (DA).
• 16 March:
  • Entering a Member’s Weigh-In Data​ Command User Guide updated.
• 13 March:
  • Change the Date of a Pending Contract SPO User Guide added. This guide provides a workaround for changing the Contract Begin Date of a contract that is in a Pending status.
• 11 March:
  • Viewing One Time Positive Input (OTPI) SPO User Guide updated.
• 10 March:
  • PCS Entitlements That Automatically Start/Stop SPO User Guide updated.   Noted, in the  BAH during PCS section, that TRACEN SPOs must manually start BAH-TR for their guaranteed "A" school students with no prior service when they PCS depart the TRACEN.
  • Entering BAH-Transit Rate for Accessions SPO User Guide updated.
• 09 March:
  • Starting Assignment Pay (AP) SPO User Guide updated.
• 13 February:
  • Entering Hardship Duty Pay Location SPO User Guide updated. When entering the amount enter numbers only, do not include the dollar ($) sign.
  • Entitlements that Auto Stop and Start during PCS SPO User Guide updated.
• 6 February:
  • Hire - SELRES / Depot (Cape May) Accession User Guide updated.
• 30 January:
  • ​Aviation Incentive Pay (AvIP) SPO User Guide updated.
• 27 January:
  • ​Direct Access User Roles and Functions Self-Service User Guide updated. This guide provides the procedures for requesting, recertifying, removing, and withdrawing User Roles and Functions in Direct Access (DA).
• 22 January:
  • ​Reserve IDT Subsistence Allowance User Guide updated.
• 14 January:
  • Honors & Awards User Guide updated.
  • Disciplinary Actions Report SPO Tutorial updated.
  • CG Department Run Report Self-Service for Commands Tutorial updated.
• 7 January:
  • Direct Access Browser Requirements User Guide updated. 
• 3 January:
  • Identifying In-Serve Debts SPO User Guide updated.