Locally designed financial software proving useful Published Feb. 19, 2014 By 2nd Lt. Justin Nichols 71st Flying Training Wing Public Affairs VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- Members of the budget office at Vance AFB have streamlined financial management for senior leaders with a desktop application of their own design. "The problem under the older system was getting financial information to the resource advisors, group commanders and the wing commander in the same format and in a timely manner," said Mircea Musca, a budget analyst with the 71st Comptroller Squadron. Maj. Dorinda Mazza, the 71st CPTS commander, and seven members of the budget office put their heads together and come up with a way to significantly streamline the process and solve the problem. The program they wrote, called FM Money Tree, was created over approximately six weeks and provides real-time budget answers to senior leaders at the click of a button. The program decreases the preparation time needed for budget-meeting presentation slides. It also reduces the preparation needed for senior leaders to view similar financial resource information. "It is estimated to save over two man-years of labor every year," said Holly Eckstein, budget officer in the 71st CPTS. "It compiles all the data in one place so every person that goes in and looks at the financial management information is looking at the same data." FM Money Tree is in use across the base and the feedback remains positive. Eckstein said that the 71st Operations Group is currently operating without a resource advisor and although the program doesn't replace the RA, it has proven very useful in their absence. For more information on FM Money Tree, contact the budget office at 580-213-7288.