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Workday Review: Pros, Cons, Features, and Pricing

Workday is a workforce planning and financial management software that helps organizations manage and analyze their workforce data effectively. It best serves large enterprises in industries such as finance and healthcare, as well as HR and operations teams, where detailed analytics and integration are necessary. Workday offers comprehensive workforce insights to enhance decision-making.

In this article, I'll cover Workday's features, pros and cons, use cases, pricing, and FAQs so you can decide whether it aligns with your workforce planning needs.

Workday Evaluation Summary

Unified cloud financials with real-time reporting, automation, and scalability.
Rating
4.3 /5
Pricing
  • Pricing upon request
  • Free demo available

Why Trust Our Software Reviews

Workday Overview

In my opinion, Workday stands as a strong contender in the workforce planning and analysis software space, boasting robust features and user-friendly navigation. Its strategic planning capabilities and reliable service have earned it praise, though teams that require extensive customization may find its options lacking. It's a cost-effective solution, best suited for large enterprises needing extensive workforce insights. Overall, Workday's capabilities make it a strong choice for businesses aiming to enhance their workforce planning efforts.

How We Test & Score Tools

We’ve spent years building, refining, and improving our software testing and scoring system. The rubric is designed to capture the nuances of software selection and what makes a tool effective, focusing on critical aspects of the decision-making process.

Below, you can see exactly how our testing and scoring works across seven criteria. It allows us to provide an unbiased evaluation of the software based on core functionality, standout features, ease of use, onboarding, customer support, integrations, customer reviews, and value for money.

Core Functionality (25% of final scoring)

The starting point of our evaluation is always the core functionality of the tool. Does it have the basic features and functions that a user would expect to see? Are any of those core features locked to higher-tiered pricing plans? At its core, we expect a tool to stand up against the baseline capabilities of its competitors.

Standout Features (25% of final scoring)

Next, we evaluate uncommon standout features that go above and beyond the core functionality typically found in tools of its kind. A high score reflects specialized or unique features that make the product faster, more efficient, or offer additional value to the user.

We also evaluate how easy it is to integrate with other tools typically found in the tech stack to expand the functionality and utility of the software. Tools offering plentiful native integrations, 3rd party connections, and API access to build custom integrations score best.

Ease of Use (10% of final scoring)

We consider how quick and easy it is to execute the tasks defined in the core functionality using the tool. High scoring software is well designed, intuitive to use, offers mobile apps, provides templates, and makes relatively complex tasks seem simple.

Onboarding (10% of final scoring)

We know how important rapid team adoption is for a new platform, so we evaluate how easy it is to learn and use a tool with minimal training. We evaluate how quickly a team member can get set up and start using the tool with no experience. High scoring solutions indicate little or no support is required.

Customer Support (10% of final scoring)

We review how quick and easy it is to get unstuck and find help by phone, live chat, or knowledge base. Tools and companies that provide real-time support score best, while chatbots score worst.

Customer Reviews (10% of final scoring)

Beyond our own testing and evaluation, we consider the net promoter score from current and past customers. We review their likelihood, given the option, to choose the tool again for the core functionality. A high scoring software reflects a high net promoter score from current or past customers.

Value for Money (10% of final scoring)

Lastly, in consideration of all the other criteria, we review the average price of entry level plans against the core features and consider the value of the other evaluation criteria. Software that delivers more, for less, will score higher.

Core Features

Workforce Analytics: This feature helps you analyze workforce data to make informed decisions. It stands out for its easy-to-navigate dashboards that simplify complex data.

Talent Management: Workday's performance management capabilities allow you to handle employee development with ease. This feature supports goal-setting and tracking, enhancing your team's growth.

Payroll Management: You can process payroll efficiently with payroll modules and reliable automated calculations, saving your team time and effort and reducing errors.

Time Tracking: HR professionals can track employee hours accurately with an intuitive interface. This ensures compliance and provides clear visibility into team members' work hours.

Recruitment Management: Recruiters can streamline and automate their hiring processes with Workday's recruitment tools. These tools offer easy job posting and candidate tracking, improving the hiring workflow. 

Financial Management: Integrate financial data with workforce planning for better insights. This feature helps you align financial goals with workforce strategies.

Ease of Use

Workday is generally user-friendly, with an intuitive interface that eases navigation for your team. Its dashboard and analytics tools simplify complex data, helping you make informed decisions without hassle. However, the onboarding process can be lengthy, posing a challenge for some teams. Compared to other similar SaaS offerings, such as ADP and Oracle Fusion Cloud ERP, Workday's interface is well designed, but it may feel overwhelming initially. Once familiar, your team will find it efficient for managing workforce planning tasks.

Integrations

Workday integrates with Salesforce, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Workspace, Adobe Sign, ServiceNow, Okta, Zoom, and Box.

Workday also offers an API for custom integrations and connects with third-party integration tools to enhance its capabilities.

Workday Specs

  • 2-Factor Authentication
  • 360 Degree Feedback
  • API
  • Application Tracking
  • Attendance Tracking
  • Batch Permissions & Access
  • Compliance Tracking
  • Dashboard
  • Data Export
  • Data Import
  • Data Visualization
  • Employee Database
  • Employee Engagement
  • Employee Incentive Management
  • Employee Onboarding
  • Employee Training
  • Expense Tracking
  • External Integrations
  • Feedback Management
  • Multi-User
  • Notifications
  • Payroll
  • Performance Appraisal
  • Scheduling
  • Time Management
  • Timesheets
  • Travel Management
  • Vacation & Absence Calendar

Workday FAQs

Bradley Clifford
By Bradley Clifford

I have 15+ years of experience helping growth-stage companies build finance infrastructure, forecasting tools, and decision-support frameworks. I'm VP of Finance at Black & White Zebra, and previously Senior Director of Finance at Rewind, where I helped cut cash burn from $11M to $2M. I also spent 6 years at Stack Overflow, supporting growth from $20M to $100M through its $1.8B acquisition. I hold an FCCA designation and an MSc in Professional Accountancy.