Category: Workday Words of the Week

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Understanding Workday: Building a Foundation of Knowledge

Workday is a powerful, cloud-based tool that will help Clemson manage payroll, time, budgets, expenses, and more. If the terminology seems overwhelming, you are not alone. Throughout the next year we’ll be posting Workday Words of the Week (about every 2 weeks) to help you build your Workday vocabulary.

Core Workday Terms for Everyday Users

1. Company – A company is an organization in Workday that represents a business entity within our Clemson enterprise. Companies that fall under the Clemson enterprise within Workday include but are not limited to:
   • Clemson University (CLEMU)
   • Clemson University Foundation (CUFDN)
   • Clemson Alumni Association (ALUMN)
2. Tenant – A Tenant is simply Clemson’s version of Workday. A tenant is where all your data lives. Users will access Clemson’s Workday tenant by visiting a specific URL. Most users will only use the “Production Tenant,” which is the live, real system. During the implementation, several temporary tenants are used including a Testing Tenant and Training Tenant. These will be decommissioned after go-live.
3. Foundation Data Model (FDM) – In Workday, the FDM is the core framework for how financial and organizational data is structured, organized, and connected across the system. The FDM will replace the complex 23-digit account string currently used in PeopleSoft system.  Find out more about the Foundation Data Model. The FDM impacts reporting, security, and workflow.
4. Worktag – A label you select within Workday to attach to a transaction—like an expense, purchase, or journal entry—to identify and categorize it for budgeting, reporting, and accounting. Instead of using long account codes, you pick plain-language tags so transactions can be tracked and reported on. For most transactions at least one Worktag is required. Some examples of Worktags include:
   • Funds:
     • FD001 Tuition and Fees
     • FD007 State Sponsored Research
   • Grants:
     • GR03545 2016509-Consortium for Nuclear Forensics
     • GR03540 2026385-Clemson University Battery Works
   • Gifts:
     • GF08706 CLEMU | Johnson Controls Operating Fund | GF04237
     • GF08709 CLEMU | Taco Bell Foundation Community Grant | GF04240
   • Projects:
     • PJ00316 CAMP | Lightsey Bridge 23B Structural Repair 
     • PJ00327 CAMP | Sirrine Hall, Room 270, Renovations
   • Spend Categories:
     • Registration Feeds
     • Office Supplies
5. Organizations – Organizations are a type of worktag! Workday groups data into organizations, or hierarchies.  There are three primary types of organizations.
   • Supervisory Organization – This is how Workday groups employees and managers. Think of it as your “team” or the people in your department.
   • Cost Center – For Clemson this most logically translates to “department” or business unit but is specifically used to organize financial data and transactions. Example of cost centers include:
     • CC0484 SCI | Chemistry,
     • CC0573 ATH | Football Athletic Training
     • CC0509 STUD | Dean of Students Office
     • CC0179 CAFLS | Dean’s Office
   • Academic Unit – In Workday academic colleges, departments, and other organizations within which individuals hold academic. This can get confused with Supervisory Organizations, as their membership is often similar, but the Academic Unit and Supervisory Organizations have different purposes.

Making Workday Work for You

Workday is designed to help you manage your work life with ease—from updating your info and requesting time off to reviewing your pay. Understanding these core terms is not just for HR, Financial staff, or managers; it empowers every users to make the most of the system. Stay on the lookout for a full glossary and more Workday Words of the Week in this blog and soon you will be speaking “Workday” like a pro.