April 28, 2026 – Workday Update & Training Information
by Jenn Haas and Patricia Langer
Dear Faculty and Staff,
As our current Banner system retires, Macalester is transitioning to Workday throughout summer 2026. This new platform will streamline HR, payroll, and financial processes for faculty, staff, and eventually students.
What is Changing and When
Today, tasks like viewing pay information, updating personal details, submitting requests, and approving changes often happen across multiple systems. But throughout the summer, Macalester will use Workday to:
- Hire staff – Starting June 15
- Hire student employees – Starting June 15
- Submit time worked (applies to nonexempt staff only) – Starting June 14
- Complete business tasks like submitting expenses (Pcard and out-of-pocket) and supplier (vendor) invoices – Starting July 1
- View payslips
- Nonexempt employees – Starting July 2
- Exempt employees – Starting July 31
- Annual goals and performance review (applies to staff only) – Starting this August
- Benefits Open Enrollment – Starting this November
What is Staying the Same
For now, some tasks will continue to be managed outside of Workday. Some examples include:
- Faculty leaves of absence (LoAs) and sabbatical applications will continue to be managed by the Provost’s Office.
- Cashiering & Student Accounts will not be managed in Workday at this time
- Petty cash requests and wire transfers.
- Journal entries will still be submitted via email to Accounting, though a new Excel template will be introduced.
- Departments submitting vendor invoices in bulk will work directly with Business Services.
Training and Resources
Adopting a new system comes with an adjustment period. It’s normal if things feel unfamiliar at first, and no one is expected to be an expert on day one. Learning something new can be frustrating at times, and that’s okay. Support will be available, and you won’t be navigating this change alone.
To help everyone feel confident using Workday, a variety of training opportunities and resources will be available. Please watch for invitations to live sessions, self-paced materials like job aids, and in the fall, eLearning modules. Taking time to participate in training will make a meaningful difference—attending short sessions now can save time and frustration later.
Here are the currently scheduled events you can sign up for:
- Workday Sneak Peek, May 5 & 6 (Study Days) – RSVP to attend
- Spring Bloom, May 18-22 – Visit the Workday training page for sessions descriptions and schedule. Sign up opens the week of April 27.
System “Freezes” and New Key Dates
In transition to Workday, you may notice that certain activities—like hiring and job posting—are temporarily paused. These planned “freezes” allow us to prepare and move unchanging data into the new system. Some dates have changed from what was previously communicated to accommodate campus needs and align to pay periods. Updated information can be found on the Workday project website’s Calendar and Timeline page and separate communications will be sent to hiring managers and student employee supervisors with new details.
As we approach our summer of many firsts, we encourage you to visit the Workday project website for regular updates. If you have questions, please reach out to the Workday project team at [email protected].
Thank you for your continued attention and support as we make this transition together.