Workday Improvements

Workday went live with its first-generation in January 2021. The goal of the implementation was to make “One University.”  During the implementation, process design relied on what was known. Now that the functional business offices and the EBS teams understand the system, it is time to make the processes easier and more focused on a frictionless user journey. Lastly the university and medical center are changing vendors for better economical and services for employees, supplies, research, and services.

Key Contacts: Jeff Allen, Lynne Sanbe

What strategic pillars does it support? 

  • Research  
  • Operational Excellence & Innovation

Why is it important? 

Frictionless user journey will be the primary goal for the EBS team this year. Finance, supply chain, research, human resources, payroll, integration services, and user security have committed to adopting new Workday functionality that has the user experience as top of mind. Additionally, communication will occur in the form of web announcements and road shows as new processes get rolled out, with a business owner and the EBS Sr. Director will happen as appropriate, with the following committees: Associate Deans for Curriculum, Associate Deans for Research, and Senior Business Officers. 

  1. New processes that will be worked on this year: the ability for a retiree and terminated employee to receive their W-2s electronically, legal sex of “X”in Workday, improved graduate associate and rehire lecture employment application, streamlined relocation process, position control process, end to end retiree life insurance, internal order billing, and wire payment improvements. 
  2. New research focused process improvements on effort certification and award management and setup 
  3. EBS will be testing and piloting Workday Assistant which is platform wide and built-in AI to help users’ way find their way through Workday processing. 
  4. Workday provided user experience features: model my pay, benefits and pay hub, jobs hub, and supply chain requisition improvements. 
  5. New vendor implementations: I-9 process for the medical center, supply chain vendors, claims management vendor, dependent eligibility, workers compensation third-party administrator, and a new System-wide affordable care act vendor and many more. 
  6. Medical Center data warehouse copy- impacts the Data Integrations Team 
  7. Major year support and enhancements for open enrollment and fiscal and calendar year end activities.

Who will benefit? 

Faculty, researchers, retirees, staff, terminated staff, students

What is the timeline? 

Fall 2023 - December 2024 

Who are our partners and sponsors? 

Partners: Medical Center Finance and Supply Chain, University Finance, Payroll and Supply Chain, Office of Sponsored Programs, Identity and Access Management, Human Resources, Data Integrations Team, Student Technology Services Team within SEM

How will success be measured? 

  • # of process steps reduction 
  • move DocuSign HR process to Workday approval 
  • eliminate outside form for wire payments 
  • Workday Assistant is chargeable or not 
  • increased compliance processes 
  • eliminate HR internal tool retiree life insurance 
  • effort certification report usage 
  • terminated employees and retirees can access W2s electronically 
  • # security conflicts reduced 
Research and Innovation icons highlighted within IT Pillars Supported graphic