Category: CU Engagement

Workday is designed to bring everyday tasks closer to the people who know them best. One of the most powerful ways it does this is through Manager Self-Service (MSS).

Manager Self-Service gives supervisors direct access to tools and processes that help them support their teams.

Instead of sending emails or filling out forms, managers can quickly view information, take action, and keep work moving.

What Can Managers Do with Manager Self-Service?

Here are a few common activities managers can handle directly in Workday:

• View Team Information including:
  • Job details
  • Performance evaluations
  • Organizational structure
• Approve Requests; quickly review and approve items like:
  • Time off requests
  • Expense reports
  • Spend authorizations
  • Time entry submissions
• Recruit and Hire; managers can enter and view details related to:
  • Open positions for their organization
  • Job requisitions for their open positions
  • Candidate resumes for their job requisitions
  • Interview results for their candidates
• Monitor Team Activity; Dashboards and reports help managers see:
  • Open tasks awaiting approval
  • Team time off calendars
  • Staffing and organizational data
• Support Employee Changes; managers can request or review actions inside the system such as:
  • Job changes or transfers
  • Compensation adjustments
  • Additional job assignments

Note: While these processes still require HR and leadership approvals like they do today, managers will have visibility to the status of their requests through the system.

Why It Matters

Manager Self-Service helps Clemson and related organization managers:

• Make faster decisions
• Reduce administrative delays
• Support employees more effectively
• Spend less time on paperwork and more time leading their teams

By putting these tools directly in the hands of managers, Workday helps streamline processes and keep work moving across campus.

Workday Tip

Check your Workday Inbox (My Tasks), Manager Insights Hub and My Team dashboard regularly. Many manager actions—approvals, reviews, and updates—start there.

The “What’s Up With Workday?” session in January 2026 provided a preview of Workday navigation and day-to-day task management, helping Clemson employees understand what to expect with Workday. The walkthrough familiarized attendees to the Workday homepage and applications, how to customize global navigation (e.g., bookmarking frequently used apps, tasks, and reports), and how to find what they need using Search, global navigation, and related actions, including a tour of the Worker Profile. Overall, the key message was that Workday is designed to be a “one-stop shop” where information is housed in one place, approvals and routing are automated through business processes, and employees and supervisors can take action directly in the system—supported by several powerful navigation tools.

During these sessions, the Workday training team demonstrated how “My Tasks” vs. “Notifications” work from both an employee and supervisor perspective, reinforcing the habit of checking these areas regularly to stay informed and keep work moving without delays. A short poll indicated many attendees had heard some “buzz” about Workday, while others were seeing it for the first time, 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:
   • Workday navigation essentials: Workday homepage layout & role-based experience (worklets, global navigation, and the application header that stays consistent across pages)
   • Global navigation menu customization: Viewing app categories, adding/removing items, pinning items, saving favorites, and switching between sidebar vs. header-style navigation
   • My Tasks & Notifications: Using “My Tasks” as the primary place to complete assigned work, and “Notifications” to stay informed of status updates
3. Transition Details:
   • Workday at Clemson will go-live in July 2026.
   • Training will be provided closer to the go-live date to ensure all employees are confident using the new system.

A recorded version of the Key Features session is available for those who were unable to attend or who wish to revisit the content.

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

The December 2025 “What’s Up With Workday?” session covered staff hiring. Workday streamlines staff hiring by carrying information seamlessly from recruiting through onboarding, eliminating redundant data entry and keeping all steps within one system. These connections provide greater visibility into each stage, allowing hiring managers to easily track progress and see who is responsible for moving candidates forward. Ultimately, the staff hiring process will enhance the onboarding experience for new employees and will equip managers with practical tools to support their hires, making the entire hiring process more efficient and transparent.

The demo in the session demonstrated the staff hiring process in Workday from start to finish. Specifically, it showed:

• how to create a job requisition for an unfilled position
• how to auto-populate and edit job details
• assignment of recruiters
• submission through approval steps
• how the position information flows seamlessly into subsequent stages.

The demonstration then shifted to the hiring manager’s perspective, showing how to review candidate applications, progress them through interview stages, extend offers, and ultimately finalize the hiring process, where Workday automatically creates the worker profile for the new hire. Over 150 participants followed along with most attendees’ feedback agreeing that the functionality demonstrated in this session will make their work easier.

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 Staff Hiring Features:
   • Creating a Job Requisition: Hiring managers initiate a job requisition in Workday to fill an open position. Key information, such as job details and required approvals, is entered and can be auto-filled or customized, as needed. The requisition routes through the appropriate approval steps before a recruiter posts the job.
   • Candidate Application Review: Once candidates apply, all application information appears in a consolidated candidate profile within Workday. Hiring managers can easily review candidate details and track their stage in the process directly from the recruiting dashboard.
   • Interview Coordination: Hiring managers (or designated team members with the right permissions) can coordinate and schedule interviews within Workday. After interviews, each interviewer receives a task to enter their evaluation ratings for the candidate directly in the system.
   • Making an Offer: When a candidate is selected, the hiring manager initiates a verbal offer, and upon acceptance, the recruiter triggers a background check in Workday. After clearing the check, the official offer letter is generated and finalized within the platform.
   • Hire Process: Following offer acceptance, the system prompts the candidate to enter personal identification information. Workday then notifies the HR liaison to complete the hire, auto-populating key data from previous steps for accuracy. After final approval, the candidate’s profile is converted into an employee (worker) profile automatically, reducing manual steps and streamlining access setup.
3. Transition Details:
   • Workday will go live in July 2026.
   • Training will be provided closer to the go-live date to ensure all employees are confident using the new system.
   • A recorded version of the Staff Hiring session is available for those who were unable to attend or who 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.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Question: What is the first step in the staff hiring process for Workday?

Answer: When Workday goes live, we still expect conversations about hiring and staffing to take place prior to initiating the process in the system.  Once those conversations take place and your ready to initiate the process, the first step is creating a job requisition The requisition enables posting of the job to the career site and collection of candidate applications, after which the hiring manager reviews applications and conducts interviews, all within Workday.

Question: Will new hires automatically get the access they need for their roles?

Answer: Yes, roles in Workday are tied to positions, so when a new hire is placed into a position, they automatically receive the correct access for that role as part of their onboarding process.

^{Note: For some roles within Workday, there may be required training prior to a security role being assigned.  At a minimum every new hire will receive access to Workday with employee-as-self role assigned.}

For a full list of upcoming sessions and links to recordings of past sessions visit the What’s Up With Workday webpage.  

This What’s Up With Workday session provided an insight into how procurement will be conducted in Workday. The session covered the steps to create requisitions, issue purchase orders, and create receipts and matching supplier invoices within the Workday platform. The session also discussed the use of procurement cards (P-Cards) for departmental purchases in Workday, highlighting how transactions are tracked and reported.

Workday will streamline the entire procurement process by automating the flow of information between requisitions, purchase orders, receipts, and invoices. With features like real-time status updates, automated approval routing, and integrated reporting, the system simplifies each step and makes tracking progress easier. This enhanced transparency and comprehensive documentation  promotes greater compliance and accuracy across all procurement activities.

During this session the training team demoed unified end-to-end process for purchasing, receiving, and paying for goods and services to the 217 participants. One attendee remarked that “I am excited about not having to remember codes for project numbers like you have to do in BuyWays,” expressing appreciation for Workday’s streamlined and transparent approach to procurement. 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 Procurement Features:
   • Creating a Requisition: Users can start a requisition in Workday with one search. Details such as Deliver To and Ship To Addresses, and accounting information autofill based on the attributes of the requestor (autofill values can be changed as needed).
   • Purchase Order Process: Once approved, your requisition is converted into a purchase order and sent to the supplier without extra steps.
   • Creating a Receipt: After receiving goods, simply record what you received in Workday, keeping everything connected to your purchase order.
   • Supplier Invoice: Invoices are matched and approved in Workday, with notifications to keep the payment process on track and transparent.
   • Procurement Card (P-Card) Overview: All P-Card purchases and approvals are tracked in Workday, aligning transactions with budgets and reporting needs.
3. Transition Details
   • Workday will go live in July 2026.
   • Training will be provided closer to the go-live date to ensure all employees are confident in using the new system.

A recorded version of the Procurement session is available for those who unable to attend or who 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.

Learn more about Procurement and Financials Terminology

• Workday Words of the Week 6 – Procurement – Workday@Clemson Updates
• Workday Words of the Week 7 – Financials – Workday@Clemson Updates  

Frequently Asked Questions:

Question: Where do I enter budget information?

Answer: Workday auto-fills budget information based on cost center/work tags. You can adjust or add information during the requisition process.

Question: Can I upload supporting documents?

Answer: Yes, documentation (like contracts) can be uploaded with your requisition.

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: Will there be a way to search for promotional vendors if you do not know who the contract vendors are?

Answer: In Workday you can search for Suppliers from the list of existing Suppliers in the system.

Question: Will a PO be required for a P-card purchase?

Answer: P-card purchasing in Workday will align with Clemson’s policies and state requirements for p-card purchases.

Join us in December for an inside look into Staff Hiring! For a full list of upcoming sessions and links to recordings of past sessions visit the What’s Up With Workday webpage.

As Clemson University prepares for its own Workday journey, we’re learning from those who’ve been there before. We sat down with Kimberly Spears-McNatt, Clemson’s Associate Vice President for Public Safety, who experienced a Workday implementation during her time at The Ohio State University. She shared her insights on what worked well, what surprised her most, and how the transition ultimately transformed the way her team worked.

Experience at Ohio State University

Q: Can you tell me a little about your role at Clemson?

A: Currently, I serve as the Associate Vice President for the Department of Public Safety at

Clemson University. Working with my team, we are responsible for safety and security which includes Police, Fire & EMS, Emergency Management and Tiger One.

Q: If different, what was your role at Ohio State?

A: I have proudly served in law enforcement for 30+ years and previously served as Chief of Police for The Ohio State University Police Division.

Q: What was the most significant change in your day-to-day work when Workday launched at Ohio State University?

A: January 2021, we transitioned to Workday. What really stood out were the Cost Centers, which helped with payroll, purchasing and budgeting. It eliminated a lot of redundancies when entering information. For example, once you enter your Cost Center’s information, everything else is basically auto populated*. Since our cost center was tied to the Police Division’s budget and financial reporting, it made it easier to track spending and how resources were allocated.

_{*Editor’s note: cost center and budget information is auto populated based on parameters built into the system; changes can be made if an expenditure does not align with the defaulted values.}

Q: How did Workday influence collaboration or communication within your team at Ohio State?

A: With the university having 40,000 plus faculty and staff members, Workday helped streamline communication. I was instantly able to see which items were pending with procurement and purchasing while eliminating the need to send follow-up emails or chase people down for updates. It also showed clear approval paths for each transaction, which made it easier to ask questions or follow the request from start to finish.

Looking Ahead to Clemson’s Workday Implementation

Q: How do you see Workday helping your department streamline some of the tasks you handle today?

A: Workday will help streamline the process for approving purchases across the Department of Public Safety. In addition, Workday will help my team monitor overtime costs.

Q: How do you think having everything in one system will impact your daily work or the way you support others?

A: It will help with efficiency by having everything in one system. My team will instantly see the status of approvals, leave requests, and transactions without sending e-mails or making follow-up calls.

Q: What benefits do you think faculty and staff will notice first once Workday is in place?

A: Workday allows individuals to monitor spending via cost centers and view budget impacts immediately, if they are responsible for multiple cost centers or areas.  

Reflections & Advice

Q: What lessons or best practices from the Ohio State implementation might be helpful as Clemson prepares for go-live?

A: Each department has its own structure, responsibilities, and workflows. Recognizing this, the Workday rollout will need trained staff available during and after the go live period to provide support.

Change can be challenging but hearing from someone who’s already been through it reminds us that it’s also an opportunity for growth and improvement. A big thanks to Kimberly for sharing her experience and perspective! Stay tuned for more stories from across the university as we move forward together on Clemson’s Workday journey.

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
   • Workday will go live in July 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.

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.

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:
   • Workday will go live in July 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.

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. 

^{Jenny Wirtz is Business Manager in the Honors College. She also serves as a Workday@Clemson Campus User Group Lead, representing the College of Veterinary Medicine, the Honors College and Undergraduate Learning.}

Reporting is one of the most important parts of moving to a new ERP system—after all, it’s how we turn data into information we can use. As we implement Workday@Clemson, we’re making sure reports are clear, consistent and easy to access.

To help make that happen, we’ve tapped Reporting Super Users to work alongside the University’s business intelligence (BI) team, led by Zack Flathmann, director of business intelligence. These experts are helping us get ready for Workday’s powerful reporting tools.

We caught up with one of them—Jenny Wirtz, Workday@Clemson Reporting Super User and Campus User Group Lead—to hear her take on what’s ahead.

Being a Reporting Super User

Q: Tell me about your experience as a Reporting Super User.

A:  As a reporting super user, I have been actively involved with the BI team. In the first stage of Workday reporting development, we worked with Deloitte to review standard reports and identify Clemson-specific business needs, and then map those needs to appropriate Workday business processes. Monthly update sessions and stages make sure we stay organize and continue forward progress.

As the next stage begins, Super Users are moving into advanced reporting training in either finance or HR, paired with hands-on learning labs. In these labs, we address real Clemson reporting needs by:

• Mapping them to an existing standard report in Workday,
• Modifying a Workday standard report, or
• Creating a custom report, if needed.

This hands-on involvement helps reduce anxiety by building confidence in the system and ensuring that critical reporting needs are addressed before go-live.

The Learning Experience

Q: What has your experience been like learning to run or build reports in Workday?

A: As of the end of August 2025, we have completed approximately 40 hours of Workday training and are scheduled for another 28 hours in the coming months. Training has included exposure to both standard and custom reports, giving us a solid foundation in how Workday reporting works.

Q: How would you describe the learning curve compared to current tools?

A: The learning curve is different, rather than harder, because Workday is designed around business processes and real-time reporting, rather than static data pulls like our current systems. Once you understand how Workday ties reporting to workflow, it becomes much more intuitive.

Report Focus Areas

Q: What types of reports has the team been focusing on first, and why?

A. The BI team has prioritized report development in three stages:

• Priority 1: Day-one critical reports to support major business processes
• Priority 2: Reports that enable key processes but are not immediately critical
• Priority 3: “Nice-to-have” reports that enhance functionality but are not essential at go-live

This staged approach ensures that mission-critical reports are ready first, and it has given me a clearer understanding of Workday’s reporting capabilities and how they align with Clemson’s operational needs.

Q: What happens if we need a new report after go-live?

A: All new report requests after Workday goes live will be routed for review and prioritization to ensure they align with business needs and maintain consistency across the University.”

The Future of Data Use at Clemson

Q: How has learning about Workday reporting changed your perspective on how the university will use data?

A: Workday reporting will transform how we interact with data. Instead of extracting messy raw data and manually manipulating it, Workday provides standardized and cleaner reporting with real-time dashboards, reducing the need for time-consuming manual processes.

What’s Exciting

Q: You’ve had more exposure than most to Workday at this point. What about this transition has you most excited?

A: Having had more exposure to Workday than many on campus, I am most excited about the fully cloud-based, all-in-one system that:

• Enhances the user experience,
• Provides real-time, self-service reporting, and
• Supports data-driven decision-making.

Workday will give Clemson a modern, integrated platform that simplifies reporting and provides greater transparency and efficiency across both financial and HR processes.