Thanks to the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic that are still affecting more people than not, many companies have discovered the importance of speeding up their digital transformation process.
Because these circumstances have sometimes made life and business a little uncertain, customers have found a greater need for a Workday deployment methodology that allows them to implement a flexible, reliable, cloud-based system on their own terms.
Companies need functionality, and they need it fast. A faster deployment process and limited risk for delayed go-live dates are critical in a world where time is money, and the demand for reliable finance and HR systems is even greater. Workday Launch offers customers a more cost-effective and quicker way to deploy their new system and optimize their Workday investment.
This article explains the benefits of using Workday Launch and how you can accelerate your time to value by partnering with experts at Surety Systems.
What is Workday Launch?
Workday Launch is a preconfigured approach developed by assessing numerous past deployments, customer success, and challenges faced during implementation. It includes packages with the critical functionality customers need to set up a strong foundation in Workday, finding a way to get your system up and running in a shorter amount of time.
Understanding How Workday Launch Works
The Launch methodology uses a sort of “recipe book” that implementation partners follow to build your configuration. It’s designed with Workday best practices in mind and business processes for areas like benefits. In many cases, we’ve seen clients want to change some of those processes and workflows, which is completely fine as long as those changes are documented and configured correctly.
This methodology helps customers get up and running in a predictable timeframe that limits roadblocks. According to Workday, Launch has received a customer satisfaction rating of 95 percent, so you can rest easy knowing the solution has proven itself successful.
Benefits of Workday Launch
Not only does Workday Launch help companies go live with their new-and-improved HCM solutions, but it also helps them do so while staying on time and on budget. Here are just a few more highlights of the solution:
Popular, Feature-rich Packages
Workday Launch packages include the key functionality that customers routinely deploy. Need more than the basics? Not to worry! As your business evolves, it’s easy to expand your Workday system with add-ons or integrations later on down the road.
Preconfigured Magic
Using leading practice configurations defined in the packages, Workday Launch makes it easy to see the magic of your data in action and make more informed decisions during deployment.
Flexible Experience
Every company is different, so Workday Launch allows you to choose the add-ons, packages, and integration requirements that make sense for your organization. Even better, the deployment process is simplified to reduce cycles and resources.
Resources for Life After Launch
Workday Launch is intended to help businesses get their Workday system up and running on time, but they don’t stop there. Workday offers resources to help support you beyond go-live as your organization grows and changes over time.
These resources are here to help you modify your Workday system to meet the needs of your growing business, keep up with increasing numbers of new employees, expand functionality across modules, and so much more.
Ever-Changing Design
Initially designed with smaller customers in mind, Workday Launch helps simplify sales, contracting, and deployment processes so they can go live quickly. But, when it became clear that customers in large enterprises would also benefit from this structure, Workday expanded the offering to businesses in the US, with plans to add additional markets worldwide in the coming year.
Speed = Success
Throughout their Workday deployment process, customers are given a specific timeline to complete their pre-implementation checklists before their go-live date approaches, increasing their need to move quickly through these implementation checkpoints.
The need for projects to be flexible, cloud-based, and deployed quickly has become even more critical in our new normal. And if you’re looking for the fastest route to getting your company live on Workday, Launch is your answer.
Integration with HCM and Finance?
In addition to being an excellent option for HCM, Workday Launch can also be really useful for your Finance team, so long as you keep in mind that a pre-configured solution cannot serve every organization’s unique needs right out of the box.
While some of these problems are minor and can be easily fixed, others are more complicated and could be trouble post-go-live or even years later. To help you avoid these metaphorical potholes in the first place, we’ve included some tips and tricks to keep in mind during your Workday Launch rollout.
Reporting
Many organizations require additional reports that aren’t available with Workday Launch. The most common reports that will also need to be set up include:
- Automated reports of financial packet and opportunity for board reporting
- Income statement trend reports by month
- Reports that allow you to download actual costs and budget at the same time for month and year-to-date
- Actionable reports that simplify the process of keeping track of financial statements and paying bills on a monthly or quarterly basis
Security
When you’re dealing with financial data, setting up security correctly is key, and while Workday launch does a great job of getting you in the general ballpark of where your system needs to be, you will need to remember to customize the following yourself:
- Reporting security so that desired users can see their cost centers
- Building of standard work for FM security roles for core functions within and external to finance teams
Business Processes
Ensuring your business processes go smoothly is vital when it comes to making sure Workday is actually working for your Finance team. You’ll want to pay attention to the following during your Workday Launch rollout:
- Automation of month-end close processes
- Approval process for costs that belong to multiple departments
- Auto approval of recurring invoices where the invoice matches the expense
An Overview of the Workday Launch Process
When you team up with a partner like Surety Systems, our consultants will start by guiding you through the discovery process to understand your company’s needs. We personalize the implementation experience to help you meet your needs, your way, and on your own time. No guesswork, no costly mistakes, no extra headaches.
After you’ve outlined your needs, you’ll receive a preconfigured tenant based on information from the discovery process and some of our best practices. Your data will be preloaded into the tenant, giving you insights to help make decisions about your deployment. You can also expand or change the preconfigured prototype anytime to fit your organization’s specifications.
An experienced Workday Launch project manager can be your advocate in this process to manage expectations across the project team and ensure your implementation stays on track. From planning to configuration, testing, deployment, and everything in between, your implementation partner can be the key to a successful deployment that meets the needs of your employees and your organization as a whole.
How Surety Systems Can Increase the Speed of Workday Launch
If you think Workday Launch sounds speedy, bringing on an expert from our Workday consulting team will take things into overdrive. Our consultants deliver even faster deployments by helping with project management, tackling technical support, and supplying subject matter expertise.
Here are three more reasons to partner with Surety Systems for your Workday deployment.
1. Expertise in the Workday Launch Methodology
Our team of consultants understands the Workday Launch methodology and the best-practice deployment package that Workday offers new customers. Our consultants have what it takes to keep up with the demand of new Workday implementations and are committed to giving you the best customer experience possible.
With their combined experience in virtually all modules of Workday, our consultants have proven successful in managing the Workday technology as a whole and helping clients maximize their potential in their individual systems. They’re here so you can take a deep breath, knowing they have your back every step of the way.
2. Keeping Your Workday Project Plan on Track
Our client-side project managers can help with cross-functional alignment, change management, executive steering committee meetings, Workday launch communications, and much more. It’s essential to have someone you can rely on to manage these responsibilities for a successful Workday rollout.
Whether you need someone to lead you through the pre-implementation checkpoints or support you through your go-live date and beyond, our project managers can handle it. They’re here to add value to your Workday experience, guaranteeing that your company continues running smoothly and your employees stay satisfied even in the midst of your Workday deployment.
3. Navigating Common Mistakes of Workday Deployment
Our consultants have worked with clients dealing with configuration and data issues soon after deployment. While some of those issues can be easily fixed, larger problems can cause major data and compliance issues for your business. Knowing how to avoid these common mistakes before they happen can save you time, money, and headaches.
Getting Started with Our Team
A partner ecosystem that creates value for both sides is integral to our work at Surety Systems. We’re here to help you through the ins and outs of your Workday deployment AND be with you for support after your go-live date if you need us.
If you’re ready to get started with Workday Launch, our senior-level Workday consulting team is here to help with your implementation. Contact us today to learn more!
