Workday Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Tool Reviews

“Easy online access to paystubs”

Pros

One thing I really appreciate is being able to access my pay stubs online so easily.

Cons

I wish the information refreshed faster because it doesn't update as quickly as I'd like.

“pretty ideal for global operations”

Pros

It is a cloud-based, very configurable and well-suited for supporting global operations.

Cons

In my experience it functions as an in-house system that I have to administer myself, requires a sizable team to keep it running and forces a major upgrade roughly every six months.

“clean interface”

Pros

Feels simple to navigate and it's really solid for tracking information across the system. The user interface is very clean and genuinely simple which makes daily use less of a hassle.

Cons

Adding new data from my side can be kind of tiring. It often turns into a repetitive loop where I submit the information, it gets saved and then I have to go through the same process again and save it once more.

“Strong goal tracking”

Pros

No more stressing about changes in verbatim communication, it keeps each set of agreed goals documented and approved. I can plan and set my goals for every financial year which makes it much easier to stay on top of what's expected before year-end. The platform also lets me lock in goals with clear metrics and timelines so everything stays measurable. Also, it supports downward feedback, meaning I can share feedback with colleagues and even senior team members when needed. I can also track my leave days directly in the system so I'm not trying to remember everything or keep extra records. Overall, it feels like a full employee companion for me.

Cons

Faced some slow responsiveness but aside from that, it's been a very solid tool.

“Positive transition without lengthy manuals”

Pros

After we moved from a mix of different workforce management systems to Workday, we noticed that far more people are using it for Time Off, Performance reviews, Payroll and general HR tasks. It's really user friendly as folks can pick it up and use it without wading through lengthy procedure manuals or operational guides. Honestly that made it one of the most welcoming and positive transitions we've had with any HR system to date.

Cons

I run into missing navigation buttons on certain pages. For example, when I check my remaining Time Off, there's no option or control to return directly to the Time Off home screen which forces me to navigate elsewhere to get back.

“Easy request submission to the employer”

Pros

I like being able to submit requests to my employer

Cons

Sometimes I find it difficult to navigate employment information

“training access is pretty easy”

Pros

The software makes it easy to locate training and tutorial materials when I am uploading work files. I visit the site at least once every week to record my hours and to check whether any training has been assigned to me.

Cons

Sometimes I struggle to locate certain items if colleagues don't show me where they are. I often end up unsure what keywords to use or how to search for the specific document or training I am trying to find.

“feature rich but complex approval pipeline”

Pros

Overall I love how many features the software packs in. it really covers nearly every need a user might have.

Cons

What bothers me is how compelx some actions are such as senior administrators cannot directly make changes so whenever they return a task to the origin it must re-enter a long approval pipeline, often passing through multiple levels all over again. Because of those repeated approval steps, getting approvals can drag on for a very long time which I find extremely frustrating.

“App is great”

Pros

There are plenty of ways to navigate to different apps. It feels comprehensive but still genuinely friendly and it's also set up in a way that makes HCM changes and ongoing management simple.

Cons

Occasionally things feel a bit redundant but the upcoming updates are meant to address that... especially with improved search features and more consistent keywords and terminology.

“New users learn it pretty easily”

Pros

I find the app's user-friendliness makes it much easier for someone new to pick up, learn fast and navigate around it comfortably.

Cons

Honestly I cannot think of any real problems as the app gives me a quick overview of the company's structure and it rarely, if ever, fails.

“works well”

Pros

I really enjoy being able to pull up my paystubs and my W-2s without any hassle. The paystub breakdowns are clear and simple to review and when something looks off, I can usually spot mistakes quickly. Also, it is where I manage my benefits, everything from retirement accounts to handling and monitoring my medical benefits. I also appreciate how convenient it is to update my bank information and split my paycheck across multiple banks based on the amounts I choose.

Cons

Right now, I'm happy with everything I've used in it. Between paystubs, benefits and the W-2/electronic forms, there hasn't been anything negative in my day to day use. The only improvement I'd ask for is integrating scheduling directly into it, instead of needing a separate website or app.

“quick time entry with copying”

Pros

Love having an option to enter my worked hours quickly. The quick add feature copies my time from a previous week and then all I have to do is double check the entries and submit them. It saves a lot of time compared to typing everything from scratch.

Cons

If your weekly schedule changes and you work different hours each day, the quick add option won't fit your situation. It only lets you reuse the same hours from a previous week or apply the same time across every day in the week so you end up needing to enter your hours manually instead.

“Cloud-based and comes with wide features”

Pros

As someone who uses it, I can say Workday is a cloud-based HCM platform that I rely on for a range of HR and employee management duties. I find it easy to use, accessible from anywhere and it has a user friendly interface. It also offers a wide set of features that support many HR functions.

Cons

Unfortunately, I have found Workday to be costly and fairly limited in access. To get hands-on practice with it, I had to be part of a company that's partnered with Workday. otherwise I couldn't gain access or use it for training.

“best-in-class HCM platform”

Pros

Stands out as the top HCM software worldwide. There really isn't anything that comes close in terms of a core HCM platform. You can debate how strong individual modules are, payroll is a common one people argue about but overall, no other product competes. Anyone claiming otherwise either hasn't worked with it properly or isn't familiar with what they're talking about. If someone complains about usability, that's usually a sign they're not getting help from a strong Solutions Architect. To implement and maintain it successfully, I strongly believe you need at least one experienced, high-caliber Solutions Architect. It's also not a cheap tool so you have to fully take advantage of what the platform offers. When you use its advanced features properly, you can optimize your HR department effectively.

Cons

As it has become more popular, their customer support quality seems to have dropped. Unless you're a large enterprise client (think Google, Facebook, Adobe, though even those can still feel under supported at times), support doesn't always meet expectations. I've heard it described like getting the keys to a fancy new Ferrari but nobody actually shows you how to start the car. Also, having a Workday employee or "SME" involved doesn't automatically guarantee expertise some people can be way less knowledgeable than the customer and that's frustrating. I've personally had to untangle confusing, overly complex implementations after the fact even when I was still fairly new. That approach doesn't set up a good start to any customer relationship. With a widely adopted product, it's always possible for a newer, better solution to overtake it and it feels vulnerable on this front someone could potentially exploit those weaknesses.

“Usable but less polished”

Pros

It is usable and fairly easy to navigate and it connects smoothly with our other internal systems.

Cons

My team used to rely on a homegrown tool that had awful UX and looked like an old Commodore terminal. This one is much nicer visually but after all the hype I expected a modern, more polished finish. I am also finding that saving and submitting information isn't as user friendly as I assumed it would be.

“Mobile app with a meal break option”

Pros

I am really glad the software comes with a mobile app! I also appreciate that there's a 'meal' choice when I clock out so I can tell breaks apart from actually clocking out.

Cons

The notification feature frustrates me. Mostly because it hasn't worked at all so far. I enabled alerts on my phone to remind me to clock out but I still haven't received any notifications.

“Navigation is surprisingly easy once started”

Pros

Once I start using it, I find navigation surprisingly easy.

Cons

I find the vocabulary too specialized which occasionally causes difficulty.

“top-tier product”

Pros

This feels like one of the strongest human capital management systems around right now. Once you learn it, it genuinely opens doors to a wider range of job opportunities across different roles. Even if you're new to the tool and it initially feels overwhelming, the learning curve becomes manageable after completing a training course and putting in about a month of hands on practice. The HCM side is also a key foundation because it connects to other modules like Security and Business Process Architecture.

Cons

There's no getting around the price, it is expensive and it's mostly used by large enterprises. Smaller or mid-sized companies are much less likely to adopt it which can limit where you'll find similar setups when you change jobs. Training itself costs a lot as well and the format isn't one-on-one, it's delivered as a group course. Support can be highly technical but fixes sometimes take time and there's no live chat option. Among all the areas, Learning has been the part my company struggles with the most.

“has everything, interface hides information”

Pros

I like that Workday HCM bundles HR and human capital management into a single platform. My colleagues and I can quickly pull up everything we need such as payroll, benefits, time off, performance evaluations and more all in one place.

Cons

Honestly I am not a fan of the interface as it can be difficult to move around and often hides information instead of showing it clearly. Also I frequently have to run reports just to surface certain data and on several occasions links have led to nothing or dead ends.

“Clean layout and easy navigation throughout”

Pros

The clean layout and how easy it is to move around is something I like about it.

Cons

Sometimes I find there aren't enough ways to view or interpret the information on screen.