Bursar Update - 15th Aug 2025

We have filled 4,715 training session seats on Workday so far.  We typically have in person sessions from Tuesday to Thursday and training via Zoom, on Mondays and Fridays.  The physical numbers of people attending the in-person training has fallen significantly recently so from Tuesday next week, we will redirect that resource to provide a physical presence at the entrance of six of our large buildings being:  

1. Health Sciences
2. Science
3. Agriculture
4. Newman
5. Engineering and
6. Business

The Workday Support desk in these buildings will operate from Tuesday 19th August for three days a week (Tuesday to Thursday) from 10.30am to 4pm.  We will continue to deliver training online via Zoom on Mondays and Fridays.   In addition, in September we are offering a number of targeted bespoke refresher training/Q&A at a College/Institute/Unit level. Please contact (opens in a new window)michael.sorocrowe@ucd.ie to discuss this option for your area. 
 
There remains a lot of confusion on the three tier system approval system, and we have prepared a simple guide -  (opens in a new window)Workday Approval Document which explains what different tier approvers, PIs and general staff can and cannot do.  I recommend you read this if you are a PI, cost centre manager or approver in any guise.    

As communicated earlier in the week, we had to take down the cost centre report as it was failing – sorry about that.  It is now ready for use again and can be accessed by following the steps in our  (opens in a new window)cost centre reporting step guide. If you have any questions in relation to the numbers appearing on your cost centre report, please liaise with your relevant finance manager.

For the first time since we have gone live, the number of outstanding queries (tickets) has decreased – albeit by only a small amount to 838. The 'Technology' cases are being reduced quickly reflecting the additional resources brought in last week.

Helen/Sharon and I are continuing to visit any School/Unit that requests a visit, with aim of listening to the problems you are encountering, resolving some of them on the spot and taking the remainder away to be resolved.  These sessions remain very valuable to us.  While it is frustrating for all to be dealing with these issues - and apologies again to everyone dealing with these problems - it is the nature of such a large system implementation.  The good news is that I have not encountered any insurmountable problem and I remain optimistic that the vast bulk of these problems will be resolved by October.  From then on, we will be very much in an indefinite ‘continuous improvement’ phase where we use the modern world class platform to make Workday best meet our needs.      

Thanks,

David