Workday Student: Feedback from our community

Following the success of Launch 1 in October 2023 and Launch 2 in February 2024, the IRP Student team created an online form to gather faculty and staff feedback about Workday Student. The form was launched on March 14, 2024.  

The most stated improvement from Classic SIS to Workday Student is Workday’s cleaner and more accessible user interface, new features for business tasks and faster performance.  The biggest challenge in the new system is navigating new and different functionalities. 

What is working well with the system? 

Some respondents appreciated the modern and refreshed platform, where specific applications and tabs are easier to find and basic search functions are more accessible. Participants reported that the new features in the platform worked well to complete business tasks. One participant also said, “applying a Waitlist Capacity to course sections is definitely an improvement over waitlists being represented as their own independent course sections.” 

Some respondents pointed to stronger reporting capabilities and automatic class standing assignments as improved functionalities in the new system. Others noted it is convenient to view individual student profiles. 

Challenges in the new system 

As with any new system, people experience challenges.  One of the most common comments in this regard was adjusting to the new user interface and differences in system functionalities between Workday Student and Classic SIS. For example, some registration activities, like looking up courses or creating course schedules, are quite different. Some Academic Advisors also mentioned challenges with differences between the customizability of Academic Progress Reports compared to the previous Degree Navigator functionality. 

Getting Support 

Some respondents expressed that despite challenges, they appreciate the support from the IRP Student team. One participant noted, “The dedicated support provided by the IRP Student team handling my current tickets and providing additional context to processes that we have not yet received training on, allowed us to review, align, and adjust current procedures.” 

The implementation of a ticket submission system and live registration support has greatly helped resolve inquiries and support student-facing staff during the transition. 

Moving forward 

As the UBC community continues to adopt  Workday Student, the IRP student team is actively monitoring, evaluating, and – where possible - responding to feedback. In addition to ongoing troubleshooting support, the team continues to provide training to student-facing faculty and staff, Workday user guides, and other resources to continue to increase knowledge and skills. 

To leave your feedback around Workday Student, visit this page. You will also be entered to win a $50 Amazon gift card.