UW Research

Workday Finance for Principal Investigators

On July 6, 2023, the UW switched from a nearly 50-year-old finance system to a new one – Workday Finance. With this transition came a great deal of change. This page provides important information to help Principal Investigators (PIs) continue to navigate the transition.

Contents

Updated March 25, 2025

Accessing Workday

Workday roles determine what information you can access and tasks you can complete in Workday. PIs are assigned one or both of the following roles:

  • Principal Investigator (Grants) Role: PIs with active awards are automatically assigned the Workday role Principal Investigator (Grants), which simply means that you have the authority to see and approve spending on your awards.
  • Grant Manager Role: Some PIs who do not have administrative support also receive the Grant Manager role and should expect additional training. If this applies to you, check with your unit administrator to make sure you have had the Grant Manager role assigned to you.

Based on your role(s), you will receive access to Workday training courses.

Award Systems

SAGE

  • Award Setup: SAGE is used for award setup and modification, and provides transparency into key award information.

Workday Finance

Award Portal

  • Award Portal: In addition to SAGE and MyResearch, Award Portal assists with grant management and communications tasks with GCA. ​Training materials and resources are available on GCA’s Award Portal webpage.

Employee Compensation Compliance (ECC)

For a comprehensive list of tools provided by the Office of Research, visit review Research Administration Tools.

For more information on reporting tools, review the What tools and resources are available for award data and reporting? FAQ

New & Notable Resources

Escalating Problems & Getting Help

Troubleshooting

When you encounter problems with Workday Finance, or other integrated systems, please refer to the following guidance:

  • Report issues using the UW Connect Finance Portal. The problem reports will go to your School/College Shared Environment. 
  • Check with your unit to make sure there are no approvals pending (e.g. for invoices) or corrections needed to Award Setup and Modification Requests. Reminder: Principal Investigators (PIs) are required to approve subrecipient invoices on a bi-monthly basis using Workday.
  • Refer to SAGE Features & Prioritized Issues and GCA Known Issues. The problem you are facing may have a workaround or fix in the works. 

Urgent Requests 

If you experience delays in getting the support you need, or for other pressing matters, refer to central office urgent request processes:

Escalation Process

If your project is at risk of losing funding, collaborators, or vendors, refer to the “How do I escalate an urgent sponsored research problem?” FAQ for a step-by-step escalation process.