Author: warric3

Workday Financials

Workday is more than a new system—it’s a new way of managing Clemson’s finances with greater transparency, consistency and flexibility. As we prepare to go live, it’s important to become comfortable with the language you’ll see when using Workday. Below are some key financial terms, grouped by theme, to help you navigate the system with confidence.

Foundational Terms

You’ve seen some of these before, but it may help to review them with a bit more context.

Foundation Data Model (FDM)

The FDM is the backbone of Workday Financials. Think of it as the system’s “chart of accounts”—a structure that organizes financial information using worktags. It ensures every transaction is coded consistently so reporting and analysis are clear and accurate.

Worktags

You’ve seen this term before if you’ve been keeping up with the Workday Words of the Week Series.  Workday’s structure is more flexible and intuitive. Where PeopleSoft used long strings of ChartField values, Workday uses worktags that can be mixed and matched to give transactions full financial meaning—making reporting, tracking, and analysis much easier. Worktags are labels used in Workday to tag financial transactions. Examples include Cost Center, Program, Fund or Project.

Organizational and Funding Elements

Cost Center

A cost center represents the organizational unit responsible for a financial transaction (such as a college, department, or administrative unit). Cost centers make it easier to see where spending is happening across Clemson.

Fund

A fund represents the source of money being used for a transaction. Examples include state appropriations, grants, student tuition, or restricted gifts. Funds help ensure money is spent according to donor, state, or federal requirements.

Gift

A gift is a special type of fund created when Clemson receives philanthropic donations. Each gift carries restrictions or purposes defined by the donor—such as scholarships, endowed professorships, or research support. Workday makes it easier to track these gifts and ensure they are used as intended.

Revenue and Expenses

Spend Category

Spend categories describe what is being purchased (e.g., office supplies, lab equipment, professional services). They replace object codes used in our current system and make financial reporting more streamlined.

Revenue Category

Revenue categories classify the type of income Clemson receives, such as tuition, research grants, athletic revenues or donations. They work hand-in-hand with ledger accounts to show where money is coming from and help with accurate budgeting and forecasting.

Accounting and Tracking

Ledger Account

Ledger accounts classify the type of transaction—such as revenue, expense, asset, or liability. They work alongside other worktags in the FDM to provide the full financial picture.

Journal

A journal is an entry used to record financial activity that isn’t tied directly to procurement or payroll. For example, moving funds between cost centers or adjusting balances would be recorded in a journal.

Operational Journal

An operational journal is a specific type of journal entry u That originates from operational events like supplier invoices, customer invoices and payroll.

Obligation

An obligation in Workday is a financial commitment that hasn’t yet been paid, such as an open purchase order or contract. Obligations help departments manage budgets by showing both actual spending and pending commitments.

Supplier Transactions

Supplier Invoice

This is the electronic version of a vendor bill. In Workday, invoices are matched to purchase orders and receipts before a payment is issued, helping to ensure accuracy and accountability.

Why These Terms Matter

Financial terms in Workday aren’t just jargon—they’re a part of how Clemson will track, manage, and report on every dollar. Learning these terms now will make it easier to understand budgets, monitor spending, and  pull the data you need to make informed decisions.

Stay tuned for more Workday Words of the Week as we continue building familiarity with the system before go-live.

From PeopleSoft to Workday: Key Financial Terms

As Clemson transitions from PeopleSoft to Workday, you’ll notice new terminology. While the words may be different, the concepts will feel familiar. Here’s a quick comparison to guide you:

Workday Term	What it Means	PeopleSoft Equivalent
Foundation Data Model (FDM)	The structure of Workday Financials that organizes all financial information using worktags.	Chart of Accounts
Worktags	Labels (like Cost Center, Program, Fund) used to code and track financial transactions.	ChartField Values
Cost Center	Represents the unit responsible for financial activity (college, department, office).	Department
Fund	Identifies the source of money (e.g., state appropriations, tuition, restricted gifts).	Fund Code
Gift	Tracks donor-restricted funds for specific purposes (scholarships, endowments, research).	Project
Spend Category	Classifies what is being purchased (office supplies, services, equipment).	Expense Account
Revenue Category	Classifies income (tuition, grants, donations, fees).	Revenue Account
Journal	Entry to record financial activity not tied directly to procurement or payroll.	Journal Entry
Operational Journal	A day-to-day journal for reallocations, corrections, or internal transfers.	Journal Entry (same function, less distinction)
Obligation	A financial commitment not yet paid (open PO, contract).	Encumbrance / Pre-Encumbrance
Supplier Invoice	Electronic vendor bill matched to POs and receipts.	Voucher / Invoice

Clemson’s transition to Workday  will bring a change to how expenses are managed, aiming to simplify, centralize and modernize the way faculty and staff handle business-related spending. In the new Workday environment, all expense-related tasks will be consolidated. While Concur will still handle travel bookings, every aspect of expense processing and reimbursement will now be managed directly within Workday.

One of Workday’s strengths is how it eliminates ambiguity and gives users visibility into every step. Employees can monitor the status of their spend authorizations (similar to a travel authorization, but can also be used for expenses other than travel) and expense reports in real time, seeing where items are in the approval process, whether anything is on hold, and what actions may be needed to move things forward. Approvers receive clear notifications, can provide feedback or comments, and have easy access to all related documentation within the system. This unified experience means employees can submit expenses, track their progress, and view approvals or pending items all in one location, accessible anytime and anywhere.

Nearly 300 employees participated in the October 2025 What’s Up With Workday session covering expenses. One attendee commented that “the merging of multiple systems is IDEAL”, when introduced to this organized and transparent approach to managing University business expenses. Throughout the entire session, there was an underlying theme from participants expressing gratitude “to moving forward with [a] consolidated system and greater transparency.”

Below is an outline of the topics covered during the session:

1. Introduction to Workday
   • Workday is a cloud-based ERP software system that unifies HR, finance and other operational data into one centralized platform.
2. Demo of Workday Features
   • Spend Authorizations: Employees create spend authorization tasks before any expenses occur, inputting estimates and justification as needed.
   • Expense Reports: Users can create a new report, copy a prior report, or link the report to an existing spend authorization where each expense line is itemized and must have matching documentation (receipts), work tags (for allocation), vendor information, and destinations.
   • Work Tags: Employees will use keywords or codes that categorize expenses by purpose, funding source, grants, or projects, essential for proper allocation and reporting.
   • Attachments: Users can upload supporting documents to spend authorizations and reports.
3. Transition Details
   • The go-live date for Workday at Clemson is July 1, 2026.
   • Training will be provided closer to the go-live date to ensure all
   • employees are confident in using the new system.

At the end of the session, participants voiced excitement around clear workflows, with options to approve, send back for edits, add approvers, or cancel requests. A recorded version of the Expenses session is available for those who could not make it, or wish to revisit the content.

The session concluded with reminders to follow the Workday@ Clemson website for updates, invite colleagues to upcoming sessions, and to submit questions and comments via email to Workday@Clemson.edu.

Questions Asked During the Session:

Question: Can I put multiple items (hotel, meals, etc.) on the same request?

Answer: Yes, multiple items can be included in one spend authorization or expense report.

Question: Will supervisors see all details, including comments?

Answer: Yes, all entered information (including justifications and comments) is visible to approvers.

Question: Can I designate a delegate to submit or approve expenses on my behalf?

Answer: Delegation options are still being finalized and details will be shared during training.

Question: What happens if my actual expense is higher than the authorization?

Answer: You can still submit the full amount for payment, but it will require extra approval.

Question: Do expense reports auto-populate when initiating an expense report?

Answer: You can create an expense report from a spend authorization, or you can create a stand-alone expense report. When you create an expense report from a spend authorization, the expense report populates the information from the initial spend authorization.

What’s Up Next?

Join us in November for an inside look into procurement! For a full list of all What’s Up With Workday topics, visit the What’s Up With Workday webpage.

Procurement in Plain Language

As Clemson transitions to Workday, one area that will see big improvements is procurement—how we buy goods and services for the University. Workday streamlines the procurement process, making it easier to request, approve and track purchases. To help you get familiar with the terminology you’ll see in Workday, here are some key words to know.

Supplier

Suppliers are the companies or individuals we buy goods or services from. In Workday, suppliers are managed within the system, making it easier to track orders, invoices and payments.

Requisition

A requisition is a request you submit in Workday when you want to purchase something, like lab supplies, office equipment or software. It’s the first step in the procurement process, and once approved, it becomes the basis for creating a purchase order.

Requisition Type

Requisition types identify the purpose or category of a requisition. They might separate things like goods vs. services, catalog vs. non-catalog, or standard vs. capital purchases. Choosing the right requisition type ensures the request routes correctly for approval and reporting.

Purchase Order (PO)

A purchase order is the official document sent to a supplier after a requisition is approved. Think of it as the “green light” to the vendor that Clemson intends to buy the goods or services.

Purchase Order Type

Purchase order types in Workday categorize different kinds of purchase orders. For example, they might distinguish between a standard purchase order (a one-time order), a blanket purchase order (used for ongoing goods or services within a set amount), or other specialized orders. The PO type helps track the nature of the purchase and how it will be managed.

Catalog Item

A catalog item is a product or service available through Workday’s online catalogs—like shopping on Amazon but within Clemson’s system. You can browse, add items to a cart, and create a requisition directly from the catalog.

Punchout

A punchout is a way to shop directly on a supplier’s website from inside Workday. When you select a punchout supplier (like Staples or Grainger), Workday temporarily “punches out” to their catalog. You can browse items, add them to your cart, and then return to Workday where your selections automatically create a requisition.

Non-Catalog Items

Non-catalog items are goods or services that are not listed in Workday’s supplier catalogs. If what you need isn’t in a punchout or catalog, you can enter the details (description, supplier, price,  quantity, etc.) manually, so a requisition can be created.

Spend Category

Spend categories classify what you’re buying (e.g., office supplies, lab equipment, professional services). They help Clemson track spending, manage budgets and report on purchasing trends.

Receipt

When goods or services arrive, you’ll confirm receipt of them in Workday =. This step helps ensure Clemson only pays for what was actually delivered.

Invoice

An invoice is a bill from a supplier for the goods or services provided. In Workday, invoices are matched with purchase orders and receipts to ensure everything lines up before payment is issued.

Why it Matters

Learning this terminology now will help you feel more comfortable to manage the procurement process in Workday. These words aren’t just “system language”—they reflect the new, streamlined way we’ll manage purchasing across campus.

Find out more during our What’s Up With Workday Sessions series. In November, we’ll be taking a look at Procurement in Workday. Our next Workday Words of the Week will focus on other Finance terms related to budgeting and accounting.

As Clemson prepares to launch Workday, one of the most visible changes employees will experience is how expenses are managed. From reimbursements and PCard transactions to budget tracking, Workday offers a unified, intuitive experience for managing many of Clemson’s expense processes.

We caught up with Marlo Raymark to discuss her first impressions of handling expenses in Workday. Marlo attended several Customer Confirmation Sessions where previews of how expenses would be managed were demonstrated in Workday; below she shares her first reactions to the new system.

Introduction

Q: Can you tell me a little about your current role and how you deal with expenses?

A: I’m the Business Officer for the College of Business. When it comes to expenses, my staff is responsible for ensuring proper documentation and adherence to university policies. I am part of the approval workflow, and I also monitor budgets to ensure that total expenses don’t exceed budget authority.

First Impressions and Experience

Q: From the demonstrations you’ve seen so far, what stood out to you about Workday Expenses?

A:   Workday provides a ‘one stop shop’ for processing expenses. Currently, based on the fund to be used or type of expense, a person needs to know which system to navigate through.  This creates confusion and inefficiencies in both processing and analysis.  Often, to answer a question, I must piece together data from all these different systems.  Workday has all the information in one place with easy, drillable features that provide all the data in one place.  Love it!

Q: Were there any features or steps in the process that felt especially user-friendly or clear?

A: Navigating through Workday is very user friendly and provides multiple ways to access the data. If you’re a person that likes to type a portion of a word, that’s all Workday needs. If you’re a person that likes drop down menus, Workday has you covered. You can ‘right click’ your way to an explanation even if it’s several layers deep.

Q: Compared to what you’ve experienced in our current system, what differences caught your attention?

A: The ease of use, the one stop shop, the ability to drill into layers of data, and the ease of keeping track of what step a particular transaction or ‘event’ is on.

Anticipated Benefits

Q: What aspects of Workday Expenses are you most looking forward to using in your day-to-day work?

A: I’m looking forward to making the data available to all the different stakeholders so that the Business Office isn’t a bottleneck to them. If an employee wants to see -the status of their reimbursement, they can find out with a quick click of their mouse. If a fiscal analyst needs to see if payment has been processed and sent to a vendor, it is easy enough. If a Chair is wondering where they stand as far as budget, they will be able to see in real time what their department expenditures are and even the detail, if they are interested.

Q: How do you think/hope Workday will make submitting or approving expenses easier for employees?

A: The system is streamlined and user friendly. Initiating transactions is intuitive with easy-to-follow instructions and questions that prompt the user through the process. Approval flow is built into the system, including notifications both in email and within the user’s home page. The entire process is transparent with the user being able to easily see where the transaction is in the process flow.  This allows for a great deal of synergy and efficiency.

Q: Are there any ways you see Workday helping reduce extra steps or paperwork?

A: The system is highly integrated with all the steps in one system. Workday allows for documentation to be stored and viewable right in the system. This will significantly reduce the need for paper to be stored in separate and disparate locations. Everything is right there.

Final Questions

Q: What is one thing you’re curious about as we move closer to go-live?

A: With everything in one place, I’m curious about the system’s performance.  I’ve been assured that Clemson isn’t the biggest institution or company to have implemented the software, and there haven’t been any concerns about system load and performance.* 

Q: Is there anything else you would like to share with people that haven’t had as much of a sneak peek into Workday yet?

A: I’ve had the opportunity to attend several workshops and sneak peeks. Each one makes me more excited. I’ve also had a great deal of training in the Reporting aspect of Workday, which delivers some dynamic opportunities for looking at data. The first time you’re in the system; you might be a bit timid but then it’s like a toddler who moves from walking to running then climbing.  It’s really fun because you’re not going to break anything, but there is so much to look at and play with!

^{*Editor’s Note: Workday is being used by very large organizations including the University of Washington (59,000+ employees), the University System of Maryland (54,000+ employees), and Ohio State University (47,000+ employees.) One of the largest organizations using Workday is Walmart (over 2 million employees.)}

Learn More

Workday@Clemson will give faculty and staff the tools to manage expenses more efficiently than ever before—combining simplicity, transparency, and real-time insights in one powerful system. If you would like to learn more about Expenses in Workday check out the recording of the October’s What’s Up With Workday Session.

Security in Workday: What You Need to Know

When most people hear the word security, they think about locks, keys, or passwords. In Workday, security has a slightly different meaning. It’s about who can see what information and who can take what actions in the system. Security in Workday is designed to make sure employees can access the tools they need, while protecting sensitive information and maintaining compliance.

For Clemson, security is especially important because Workday will be the single system for HR, finance, payroll, procurement, and more. That means the correct people need access to the correct information — and only that information. Because of this focus on securing information to protect people and the institution, your access may look very different in Workday than in PeopleSoft.  PeopleSoft tends to be a much more open system and the implementation of Workday along with its security functionality has provided an opportunity to rethink access to data for all functional areas.

Security Roles in Workday

In Workday, security is built around roles. Roles define what you can see and do in the system. Here are a few role types and roles you’ll hear about often:

Assignable Role

• Security roles are most often assigned to a position. Think of a position as a chair. Whoever sits in the chair (the faculty or staff member holding that position) gets the security roles attached to it. When someone leaves that chair for another job, the roles stay with the chair. The next person who fills the position automatically has the security they need to do their work.
• The person who moved on will then receive the security roles tied to their new chair (new position).
• Finally – a person or a position can have more than one security role in Workday.

“As Self” Roles

• There are several roles that are considered “As Self” roles, these include: Employee as Self, Contingent Worker as Self, Academic Affiliate as Self and Manager as Self.
• These “as self” security roles enable the self-service capabilities in Workday.  They are security roles that are applied automatically in Workday based on job attributes.  These roles enable individuals manage their own personal information, like updating your address, viewing your paystub or requesting time off, as well as submitting time, expense reports, etc.
• The Manager as Self role gives those who have individuals reporting to them access to information and tasks related to their direct reports. For example, managers can approve time-off requests, view team specific information, or start job changes for employees on their team.

Planned Workday Roles for Clemson

Below are some of the security roles currently being tested in Workday* and examples of tasks that can be completed by people in those roles (Note: The names and responsibilities of these roles are subject to change.)

Academic Dean/Vice President

• Review and approve recruiting, staffing and compensation transactions for college or unit.

Academic Faculty HR Analyst

• Support Academic Chairs and Deans with new and updates to academic appointments for the Academic unit.

Cost Center Manager

• Oversee cost center (a budget area within the university).
• View financial transactions and reports tied to their area, approve certain expenses.

Timekeeper

• Support managers with employee time entry, time off & leaves of absence
• Act as a liaison between college or department and centralized Time and Leave, and Payroll teams.

Expense Data Entry Specialist

• Verify procurement card transactions.

Sponsored Programs Analyst

• Oversee the administration and tracking of one or more grant awards.
• Approve selected grant-related actions, such as funding allocations or compliance reviews.

HR Liaison

• Initiate, review and support recruiting, staffing and compensation transactions.
• Act as a liaison between college or department and centralized HR teams.

Why This Matters

Security roles ensure that Workday data remains both useful and safe. You’ll only see the information you need, and you’ll have the right tools to do your job without being overloaded with data that doesn’t apply to you.

For most employees, your experience will center around the Employee as Self role or managers as the Manager as Self role. Other assignable roles (like Cost Center Manager, Timekeeper or HR Liaison) are only given when needed for specific job duties.

Your assigned security roles will also determine your specific training pathway.  We want to make sure you know exactly what you need when Workday goes live.  We’ll keep you updated on training early in 2026.

Looking Ahead

As we approach Workday Go-Live on July 1, 2026, you will receive more information regarding security roles. For now, know that Workday’s role-based security is there to protect information and keep your work streamlined.

In September, The Workday@Clemson Voice of Customer Team launched the first What’s Up With Workday session. The session was designed not only to offer an overview of the upcoming transition but also to showcase how Workday will streamline operations, enhance efficiency, minimize redundancy, and simplify everyday tasks. Attendees appreciated the session’s interactive structure, noting that the use of relatable, real-life scenarios made the information more engaging and relevant. Building on this positive response, future sessions will further emphasize demonstrations that mirror everyday experiences.

Nearly 300 employees participated in this inaugural event. The session covered the basics of Workday navigation and the Employee and Manager Self Service features, highlighted by a demonstration through the eyes of two fictional employees. One attendee commented that “Workday appears to be more user-friendly, streamlined, and could process info/tasks more quickly.” Throughout the entire session, there was an underlying theme from participants expressing excitement for all systems “being in one place to receive real time information.” Below is an outline of the topics covered during the session:

1. Introduction to Workday:
   • Workday is a cloud-based ERP software system that unifies
     HR, finance, and other operational data into one centralized
     platform.
2. Workday Features:
   • Employee Self-Service: Allows employees to manage personal
     information, time, benefits, and more within one system.
   • Manager Self -Service: Enables supervisors to manage their
     teams, approve time off, and complete performance
     evaluations.
   • Global Navigation and Search: Tools for navigating the system
     and finding tasks, reports, and people.
   • Customization: Users can customize their homepage and
     menu to fit their needs.
3. Transition Details:
   • The go-live date for Workday at Clemson is July 1, 2026.
   • Training will be provided closer to the go-live date to ensure all
     employees are confident in using the new system.

At the end of the session, participants voiced optimism and excitement for the transition, balanced by understandable nervousness about adapting to a new system. Recognizing attendee requests for better communication, we are committed to regular post-session updates that recap key points, answer additional questions, and share new resources

The session concluded with encouragement to follow the Workday@ Clemson website for updates, invite colleagues to upcoming sessions, and continue submitting questions or feedback via the feedback form.

Questions asked during the session:

Question: Where can we access the video recording for this session?

Answer: A video of the recording can be found here.

Question: Will there be training for Workday?

Answer: Yes, detailed training materials and sessions will be provided closer to the go-live date to ensure everyone is well prepared.

Question: Will Workday replace existing systems?

Answer: Yes, Workday will replace or impact several existing systems, more information about this will be covered closer to the go-live date. You can view the full list of primary systems impacted by the move to Workday—and those staying in place— on the Workday@Clemson Fast Facts website.

Question: Where can I find more information regarding Workday@Clemson?

Answer: The Workday@Clemson website is a great place to get information about the move to Workday. You can stay informed about Workday at Clemson by regularly reading the Workday@Clemson Blog, which features the Workday Words of the Week series to introduce key terms and concepts, and watch for updates in OurClemson, where articles will highlight project progress and share helpful tips. Also be on the lookout for the upcoming Workday Terminology Glossary, launching soon to help you quickly understand new terms

Question: Will there be a mobile app for Workday?

Answer: Yes, Workday has a mobile app, and there will be sessions and training on how to use it.

Join us in October for an inside look into expenses! For a full list of all What’s Up with Workday topics, visit the What’s Up With Workday webpage.

From Concur to Workday – Managing Expenses

In this installment of Workday Words of the Week we’re previewing some terms that are related to Expenses in Workday. It’s important to note that Concur will continue to be used for booking travel, but expense tracking and reimbursements will be done in Workday.  

Remember to continue using Concur for expense tracking and reimbursements until Workday goes live.    

1. Spend Authorization – An online form that is used to get approval for planned expenses—like travel—before you spend the money. It confirms the purpose, estimated cost, and that it’s within policy, so you can be reimbursed later. Once approved, the spend authorization becomes the basis for related expense reports when the actual costs are submitted for reimbursement or payment.
2. Expense Report –An online form used to request reimbursement for business expenses. It includes expense details (date, amount, type), required receipts, and worktags* so costs are charged correctly. Once submitted, it routes for approval and is processed for payment.
3. Spend Category – A label that tells the system what type of good or service you’re buying—like office supplies, airfare, meals, etc.—so expenses are coded, tracked and reported correctly. Spend categories help Workday know how to account for and report a purchase, regardless of the supplier or payment method.
4. Expense Item –An expense item is a more detailed entry within a spend category. Where a spend category tells you what type of expense it is, an expense item tells you what the actual purchase is. For example, a monitor is an expense item that falls within the spend category of IT equipment.
5. Payment Election – How you choose to receive reimbursements, when necessary (e.g., direct deposit). This is set up in Workday by entering your bank routing number and account number (which is secured) in the Payment Elections form.

Refresher from Workday Words of the Week 1

*Worktag –A label you attach to a transaction within Workday—like an expense, purchase or spend authorization—to identify and categorize it for budgeting, reporting and accounting. Instead of using long account codes, you pick plain-language tags (e.g., Cost Center, Project, Fund, Spend Category) so transactions can be tracked. For most transactions, at least one Worktag is required.

Find out more about expenses in Workday by attending What’s Up with Workday on October 15, 2025, or October 22, 2025.

Change can feel uncertain, especially when it involves something as big as the systems we rely on to do our jobs every day. That’s why we sat down with Andrew Olinger, Clemson’s assistant athletic director for business operations, to hear about his firsthand experience with Workday. Before joining Clemson, Andrew worked at The Ohio State University during their Workday implementation, giving him a unique perspective on what the transition really feels like and what benefits it can bring. 

Looking back, Andrew recalls that while his day-to-day work did not dramatically shift, the move to Workday immediately made many things easier. “All our HR and Finance data was now in one place; I could schedule reports, and there was more detailed information,” he explained. Moving from multiple systems to one unified platform for HR and Finance was a game-changer for efficiency. 

He also noticed improvements in the look and feel of the system. “Workday was a much cleaner look, and once I got more comfortable, I found it much easier to navigate,” Andrew said. Features like keyword search took the frustration out of finding what he needed, and simple tasks, such as updating personal information, became much more intuitive. 

The benefits weren’t limited to his desktop. With the Workday mobile app, Andrew found he could take care of quick items on the go. “It made it much easier because I could use my phone for simple tasks when not at my desk,” he shared. (Note: Exact capabilities available on mobile devices for Clemson has not been finalized.)

Workday made financial reporting much more efficient.  Andrew described automation and streamlining as two of the system’s biggest strengths. “The ability to schedule different reports or easily search for them saved an immense amount of time. And not having to go to different systems for Procurement, HR, and Finance made tasks simpler and limited the number of tabs on my computer!” 

Another standout improvement was transparency in processes. In Ohio State’s old systems, it was often unclear where something stood in an approval flow. With Workday, Andrew saw “greater visibility in where tasks were in the process” and found reporting tools that made it easier to track requests and expenses. 

His advice to colleagues is both practical and reassuring: “Embrace the new system and change.” Andrew is encouraged by Clemson’s approach to the implementation so far. He pointed to simplified communication, opportunities for feedback, and the chance to involve his team as positive takeaways from Clemson’s rollout. 

Overall, Andrew’s experience at Ohio State highlights what we can look forward to: a more intuitive, efficient, and accessible system that brings our work into one place. And with training and support along the way, the Clemson community won’t be navigating the change alone. 

Practical Guidance for Navigating Workday with Confidence

This week’s focus: To tie in with September’s What’s Up Workday session, we are exploring key Workday terms related to navigation and Employee Self-Service.

• Employee Self-Service (ESS) – ESS lets you take care of many HR and payroll tasks yourself—anytime, anywhere without the need for extra forms or emails.  From a computer or mobile device, you can:
  • View/update personal details (address, phone, emergency contacts, pronouns)
  • Manage pay and tax information (view paystubs, update direct deposit, change withholdings)
  • Track time and request time off
  • View benefits
  • Complete training and compliance tasks
  • Review job details (title, compensation, employee ID, hire date, service dates) history, and performance

• Application – An application is an icon on your Workday home page that organizes related tasks, reports, and tools for a specific area, like Pay, Absence, Benefits, or Time.

• Inbox – Your Inbox is the place for tasks, approvals, and reviews that require your action—keeping work moving forward. Examples include:
  • Approvals (time-off requests, expense reports).
  • Reviews (compensation changes, evaluations).
  • Tasks (onboarding forms, personal info updates).
  • To-dos (reminders that may involve actions outside Workday).

• Notifications  – Notifications are “FYI” alerts letting you know something happened or was completed—like a time-off request being approved. Unlike Inbox items, they don’t require action.

• Worker  – In Workday, all employees—including faculty, staff, and student workers—are referred to as Workers.

• Worker Profile – Your Worker Profile is a central, real-time record of your personal, job, and organizational details—such as contact info, job title, manager, location, work history, compensation, benefits, and time-off balances (visible details depend on your security access).

In summary, understanding these Workday terms will help you navigate the system with confidence and take full advantage of its self-service features. Whether you’re checking your pay, requesting time off, or completing a task in your Inbox, knowing where to go—and what each feature does—will make your Workday experience smoother and more efficient.

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Focusing on Business Processes: The Workday Work Horses

Last week, we introduced some foundational Workday terms. This week, we’re building on that knowledge by introducing one of the most important concepts in Workday: Business Processes. These are the behind-the-scenes steps that help Workday carry out tasks, like changing your address, approving time off, or making a purchase.

Before we dive into Business Processes, it is helpful to understand another term:

Functional Area – Think of a functional area as a category of related work.
Examples: Benefits, Compensation, Recruitment, Budget, Procurement, Expenses, etc. Each functional area includes certain processes, and the data needed to complete them.

Each functional area will have certain Business Processes (BPs). These are series of steps—such as reviews or approvals—that need to happen for a task to be completed in Workday.
Example: If you request time off, Workday automatically sends that request to the right person to approve it.

Most of the time, you’ll see business processes appear as tasks in your Workday Inbox, asking you to do something—approve, review, or complete a step.

When we talk about business processes, you may hear some of these key terms:

• Event – Another word for a business process in Workday.
  Examples: hiring event, name change event, benefits enrollment event.
• Initiation Step – The very first step in a process. This is when someone starts the process (“initiator”), and it moves forward to the next step—often an approval.
• Submit – Once you’ve entered the necessary details, you “submit” the process for approval, or directly to completion if no approval is needed.
• Approve – Many processes require approval. The approver reviews the request and clicks “approve” to move it forward.
• Send Back – If something isn’t right, the approver can send the process back to the initiator with comments on what to fix.
• Deny – An approver can deny the request entirely, which stops the process. To submit the process again, it must be restarted from scratch.
• Completion Step – The final step in the process, which makes the change official (like updating your address or budget).
• Error – If something is entered incorrectly or required data is missing, Workday will display an error message in red. Errors must be fixed before you can move forward.
• Alert – An alert, displayed in gold, warns you of something you might want to fix, but it won’t stop you from submitting the process.
• Rescind – In some cases, the person who started the process can take back the request, depending on where it is in the approval process.
• Business Process History – If you initiate or interact with a step in a business process, you can view the history and next steps in the process.  You can see who has completed what steps in a process and who is on deck for the steps that follow.

Why Business Processes Matter

Business processes are how Workday “gets the work done.” They replace paper forms, email chains and phone calls with an automated, trackable workflow. You’ll still have conversations about changes like hiring someone, adjusting pay, or approving expenses, but once the decision is made, Workday’s business processes make it happen quickly and efficiently.