Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
General Process
Q1: What is replacing Softdocs for purchasing?
A: Workday is replacing Softdocs. All purchasing transactions are now done through Workday.
Q2: What are the two main purchasing methods in Workday?
A:
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For purchases under $2,500, use a Supplier Invoice Request.
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For purchases over $2,500, you must create a Purchase Order (PO).
Q3: Do I still need to manually enter approvers?
A: No. Approvers are automatically routed based on your worktags and cost centers.
Workday Terminology
Q4: What are worktags?
A: Keywords used to identify and categorize financial transactions (e.g., cost center, spend category, location, grant).
Q5: What is a cost center?
A: It identifies a department or division and ties employees and budgets together for financial oversight.
Q6: What is a spend category?
A: It classifies what the expense is for, such as office supplies, travel, or promotional items.
Supplier-Related Questions
Q7: How do I check if a supplier is already in Workday?
A: Use the “View Supplier” task and enter part of the supplier’s name (not the full name) for best results.
Q8: What if my supplier is not listed in Workday?
A: You must submit a “Create Supplier Request” with the supplier’s name and contact info. A W-9 must be attached.
Q9: Can multiple departments use the same supplier?
A: Yes. Suppliers can be linked to different individuals and cost centers as needed.
Q10: What is the turnaround time for new supplier approval?
A: Not specified. You’ll be contacted with updates if the supplier is not in the system.
Creating Requests
Q11: What is needed for a Supplier Invoice Request (under $2,500)?
A:
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Supplier name
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Invoice date and amount
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Spend category
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Cost center
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Attachment (e.g., invoice or honorarium agreement)
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Internal memo (optional but helpful for approvers)
Q12: What if I don’t have an invoice?
A: Attach any documentation showing the amount due and purpose (e.g., speaker agreement for honoraria).
Q13: Can I use a supplier invoice request after a credit card purchase?
A: No. Credit card purchases must be reconciled through Expense Reports, not a supplier invoice request.
Purchase Orders (Over $2,500)
Q14: What’s the process for purchases over $2,500?
A:
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Create a Purchase Order (PO) in Workday.
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Wait for approval.
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Once goods/services are received, submit the invoice to the business office.
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Business office processes payment.
Q15: Can I copy a previous purchase order?
A: Yes, if available. You can search past POs and copy details to save time.
Q16: How do I handle payments by check or other methods?
A: The training system defaults to credit card. Confirm with the business office if alternative payment options (e.g., check) are needed.
Approval & Tracking
Q17: How can I check the status of a request?
A: Go to My Tasks > Archive, find the request, and click “Process” to see who needs to approve it and where it stands.
Q18: How long do approvers have to respond?
A: Typically, 2 business days before escalation.
Q19: Can a PO be returned for correction?
A: Yes. Approvers can use “Send Back” to return the request for edits. “Deny” will cancel it entirely.
Q20: Can I delete a draft purchase order?
A: You can cancel a PO, but there is no specific "delete" function. Use “Purchase Order History” to find and cancel it.
Special Scenarios
Q21: Can I split funding between multiple cost centers?
A: Yes. Use the “Splits” option during entry to assign percentages or amounts to different cost centers.
Q22: Do I need a separate supplier invoice request for each item?
A: It depends on whether items fall under the same spend category. Clarification from the business office is pending.
Q23: Is there a way to copy item lines when entering multiple entries?
A: No. Each line must be entered manually; Workday does not currently support copying line items.
Q24: What if I get an error about missing memos?
A: There are multiple memo fields—ensure you enter your memo in each one required until the error clears.
Here is your content converted into an FAQ format:
Additional FAQs from July 7 Purchasing Training
Q: What is the turnaround time for getting suppliers into the system after submitting a request?
A: It varies, but typically within a day or a few days.
Q: Can multiple departments, individuals, or budgets use the same supplier?
A: Yes, suppliers can be used across different departments and budgets.
Q: When should we use purchasing processes versus expensing processes?
A: Use purchasing for outside vendors or contractors. Use expensing for employee reimbursements or P-Card expense reporting.
Q: If an organization serves faculty, staff, and students, should we use Company CP01?
A: Yes, CP01 should be used for these cases. CP02 is only used for student payroll.
Q: If POs need to be paid by check, is that possible?
A: Absolutely. While credit cards are rarely used for POs, most are paid via check if the supplier is set up to accept checks.
Q: Do we leave shipping information blank when submitting for a service?
A: Yes, shipping fields can be left blank for service-related requests.
Q: Does Workday notify the supplier of the PO number?
A: No, Workday does not contact the supplier. You must print the PO to PDF and email it to the supplier yourself.
Q: Is there more information about tax categories and how to choose them?
A: Typically, this is not applicable and no additional information is required.
Q: Can we get a list of definitions for different worktags?
A: Yes, the Business Office is preparing a reference handbook for worktags.
Q: Will I only have access to my own cost center(s)? What if I’m splitting a bill with another area?
A: You can select any cost center. The request will be routed to each applicable cost center manager.
Q: Do I need to add a line for every item I order or can I group by spend category?
A: You can group by spend category, but more detail is always better.
Q: How do I edit a PO that I’ve saved for later?
A:
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Search “Purchase Order History”
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Next to the PO number, click “Related Actions”
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Hover over “Purchase Order”
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Click “Edit”
Q: If an approver sees an error in a PO, can they send it back to be edited?
A: Yes. Approvers can use “Send Back” to return the request for correction. A reason must be provided.
Q: Can I delete a draft PO so it no longer appears in my list?
A:
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Search “Purchase Order History”
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Next to the PO number, click “Related Actions”
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Hover over “Purchase Order”
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Click “Cancel”
Q: Is there a way to see the approval chain for my PO?
A: Yes. Approval order is:
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Cost Center Manager (≤$2,500)
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Cabinet Rep ($2,500.01–$5,000)
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Area VP ($5,000.01–$10,000)
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CFO ($10,000.01–$25,000)
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President ($25,000.01+)
To view the approval process for a PO:
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Search “Purchase Order History”
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Click on the relevant PO
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Select “Process History”