Workday, the new human resources/payroll system, has been online for more than three months now and offers the university continuous improvement and functionality.
Liz Hokanson, BYU-Idaho's change & communication manager, says the new system is a valuable tool for the university that will only get better as time goes on.
Hokanson says, for the most part, the new system has been widely embraced by faculty and staff.
Depending on an employee's job description, his or her involvement with Workday varies. Steve Dennis, dean of the Department of Education and Human Development, said it's much easier from a faculty perspective. Other positions may require more time to foster familiarity.
"Like any new tool, there is a learning curve," said Ron Vallejo, course support coordinator. "Be patient. It's a great system."
Workday has played a large role in how Vallejo works with his student employees.
"We have used Workday to better utilize the student leadership model," Vallejo said. "It empowers students and gives them more accountability."
New Workday features, paired with the student leadership model have drastically cut the time it takes to approve time cards for Vallejo.
Vallejo calls it a "huge upgrade" compared to the old system, and Hokanson says improvement continues to be the goal for Workday.
"Our first goal in the transition was to make sure people got paid," Hokanson said, "now we want to help departments utilize the additional functionality of Workday."
The BYU-Idaho Human Resources and Payroll Office is working to find ways it can enhance the usability of the system, and continues to be a resource for employees seeking help or training.
"The next step for us is to learn more about the reporting functions and how to make data driven decisions," Dennis said.
BYU-Idaho has been supported through this transition by the new software's organization. According to Hokanson, Workday, Inc. is committed to improvement and making sure its customer's needs are met.
"Workday allows us to adapt to the needs of an evolving university," Vallejo said. "It allows us to grow and develop."
Workday replaced the legacy I-Series system, which the university used for more than 20 years.