Workday Consultant Interview

Can you describe a time when you assessed and improved workflows in a previous role? What specific changes did you implement?

I worked with a client who had a dual purchase requisition and PO approval process to simplify approvals by implementing purchase requisition approvals in compliance with signature authority and budget whereby an approved requisition resulted in a purchase order that did not require additional approvals before being sent to the supplier.

Your answer effectively addresses the question by providing a specific example of assessing and improving workflows related to purchase requisition and purchase order approvals. You highlight your role in simplifying the approval process while ensuring compliance with signature authority and budget constraints, which shows your understanding of the importance of both efficiency and governance.

However, to enhance your response, consider adding more context and details about the process you followed to assess the existing workflows. Including specific metrics or outcomes, such as time saved or increased compliance, would strengthen your answer. Additionally, explaining how you gathered feedback or involved stakeholders in the improvement process would demonstrate your collaborative approach and ability to handle change effectively.

Here's how you might modify your answer:

"In my previous role, I worked with a client to assess their dual purchase requisition and PO approval process, which was time-consuming and prone to bottlenecks. After mapping out the current workflows and identifying pain points through stakeholder interviews, I proposed a simplified system that aligned requisition approvals with the organization's signature authority and budget compliance. The new process allowed an approved requisition to automatically generate a purchase order without requiring additional approvals before being sent to the supplier. As a result, we reduced the approval time by 30%, enhanced compliance, and significantly improved overall efficiency in procurement."

Overall, I would rate your original answer a 3/5. It addresses the question but lacks depth and specifics that would make it more compelling and memorable.

How do you ensure that Workday implementations align with organizational needs and compliance standards?

When guiding a client through a Workday implementation, I first seek to understand their strategic goals for the solution as well as any compliance issues that need to be addressed when configuring the solution and/or designing workflows. When informing decisions regarding configuration, modifying business processes, workflow rules, I refer back to those strategic goals to ensure recommendations are aligned. A Workday implementation is a journey that does not conclude at the initial deployment; therefore, I approach implementation decisions with a lens of does this support NMHS' SASSS concept: simplify, automate, scale, support, sustain.

Your answer demonstrates a solid understanding of the Workday implementation process and shows that you prioritize alignment with organizational needs and compliance. You effectively convey the importance of understanding a client’s strategic goals and compliance issues, which is crucial for a successful implementation.

Evaluation:
1. Clarity of Goals: You emphasize the importance of aligning configuration and workflows with strategic goals. This is vital, as it ensures that the implementation addresses both operational needs and long-term objectives.

2. SASSS Concept: The reference to the SASSS concept (simplify, automate, scale, support, sustain) provides a structured framework to evaluate decisions during the implementation. This shows that you have a methodical approach and can leverage established principles to guide your work.

3. Continuous Improvement: You recognize that implementation is an ongoing process rather than a one-time event, indicating an awareness of the need for adaptability and ongoing support.

Areas for Improvement:
- Specific Examples: Incorporating a brief example from a past implementation could enhance your credibility and illustrate how your approach led to successful outcomes.
- Compliance Details: You could elaborate more on how you specifically address compliance issues, perhaps mentioning regulatory frameworks relevant to the client's industry.
- Collaboration and Stakeholder Engagement: Mentioning how you involve stakeholders and engage in continuous feedback throughout the process could strengthen your answer further.

Rating: 4/5

Overall, your answer is appropriate and covers key aspects of a Workday implementation specialist's role. With a bit more detail and examples, it could become even stronger.

Can you explain a complex Workday concept to someone who is not familiar with it?

Spend category is a foundational building block of Workday and a required element of every procurement transaction. Spend category in Workday is a blend of commodity code which identifies the goods/services being purchased and facilitates reporting of spend by category.

Your answer touches on an important concept in Workday, specifically regarding spend categories, which are indeed integral to procurement transactions. You've correctly identified spend category as a blend of commodity codes and a tool for reporting, which is a good start.

However, to enhance your response and make it clearer for someone unfamiliar with Workday, consider the following:

1. Define Key Terms: Briefly explain what a commodity code is and how it fits into the procurement process. This would provide context for someone without a background in procurement or Workday.

2. Simplify Language: Use simpler terms and avoid jargon. Instead of 'foundational building block,' you could say 'an important part' to make it more accessible.

3. Real-World Analogy: Incorporating a real-world analogy can help bridge the gap. For example, you might compare spend categories to organizing items in a grocery store, where similar items are grouped together for ease of shopping and tracking.

4. Highlight Benefits: Mention the benefits of using spend categories, such as improved budgeting, better visibility of spending trends, and more strategic sourcing.

5. Conclude with Impact: End with a sentence on how proper use of spend categories can enhance decision-making within an organization.

Here’s a revised version: "In Workday, a spend category is like a label that helps organizations categorize their purchases. It combines a commodity code, which identifies specific goods or services, and allows for organized reporting on spending by type. This helps organizations understand where their money is going, make better budgeting decisions, and find opportunities to save costs. Think of it like grouping similar items in a grocery store, which makes shopping and accounting easier."

Rating: 3/5. Your answer covers the basics, but it could benefit from additional context, simplification, and real-world relevance to be more effective for someone unfamiliar with Workday.