UHR Workday Tip of the Month - Service dates, sent-back tasks, absence requests and more

This month, we are sharing several helpful Workday tips designed to make navigating common processes easier and help keep your records up to date. We encourage you to take a few minutes to review these tips and learn how small actions can help improve efficiency, accuracy, and the overall Workday experience for everyone.

Topics covered include:

• Understanding Service Dates
• Reviewing Comments on Sent-Back Tasks
• Absence Requests for employees with multiple jobs and managers
• Best practices for Dispositioning Candidates and Managing Job Requisitions

Service Dates

Workday uses several different dates in both the Service Dates section and on the Employee Summary menu. Each date or length of time has a specific meaning.

Time in Position – This is the length of time the employee has been in the current position only. Position numbers (the letter/number combination) can change with promotions, demotions, and other job change actions. Time in previous positions will not be included here. 

Time in Job Profile – This is the length of time the employee has been in the current Job Profile (the JPxxxx). Job profiles can change with job changes, promotions, demotions, and other types of job change actions. Time in previous job profiles will not be included here. 

Length of Service – This time is calculated from the W&M Continuous Service Date to the current date (or to the employee’s date of termination if no longer working at the university).

Hire Date – This date automatically populates from the most recent hire. This date does not change when an employee moves from one job to another. This date will change if an employee separates from the university and is then rehired later through recruitment; in this scenario, the Hire Date would then update to the NEW hire date.

Original Hire Date – This is the date an employee first worked for the university. Regardless of whether someone is a student employee, graduate employee, staff, faculty, or has had a break in service (left and then returned), the original hire date is the date an employee first worked for the university.

W&M Continuous Service Date – This represents the start of continuous service to the university as a full-time salaried, benefited employee OR as a wage-continuing employee.

W&M Cumulative Service Date – This is a calculated date which represents cumulative university service. Includes time for all jobs, except for temporary hourly, seasonal hourly and student employment. This date is used for university service awards that celebrates wage continuing, Classified, Operational, and Professional employees.

State Continuous Service Date – This date is applicable to salaried, benefited employees only and represents the start of continuous benefit-eligible state service, regardless of agency.

Check the comments when a task is sent back

When a Workday task is sent back to you, be sure to read the comments before taking action.

Comments provide important guidance about:

• Why the task was returned
• What information needs to be corrected or updated
• Any additional instructions needed to complete the task successfully

If your task has been sent back, scroll down to the Comments section and review the details carefully before resubmitting. Taking a moment to read the comments can help prevent delays and ensure your task is completed correctly the next time.

Remember: The Comments field contains valuable information that can help you resolve issues quickly and keep your business processes moving smoothly.

Absence requests for employees with multiple jobs

Did you know if you hold more than one job, your absence request will be sent to the managers of your additional positions for approval.

This is normal Workday functionality and has been in place since Workday was first implemented. Because an absence can affect responsibilities across multiple jobs, each applicable manager may receive a notification to review the request.

Only the manager responsible for the position associated with the absence request needs to take action. Once that manager completes the approval task, it will automatically be removed from the inboxes of any other managers who received it.

Primary Recruiters: Keep your job requisitions up to date

Please take a few minutes to review your open job requisitions using the Manage Job Requisitions report and ensure all candidates are moved to the appropriate status in the recruiting process.

Timely candidate dispositioning helps:

• Keep recruiting records accurate
• Improve visibility into hiring progress
• Ensure candidates receive timely communication
• Maintain a positive candidate experience

Tip: If a candidate is no longer being considered for a position, update their disposition as soon as possible. Regularly reviewing and dispositioning candidates helps keep your requisitions current and supports an efficient hiring process.