Can a new Workday feature change an entire job? In the case of the System Admin Hub, it just might.
Because of its flexible setup and support for a wide range of use cases, Workday administration has been difficult to learn and impossible to master. It begins with navigation. Because tasks historically have been accessed via search, unless you know the right key word important configuration settings can be hard to find. For someone new to the role it is difficult to get an overview of the current settings and all the available options.
With every new release, there are more features and configuration settings to consider. Unless admins study the release notes, it is difficult to keep up with. Then add the unique decisions that implementers and admins make to align with the organization’s requirements.
2025R1 feature: System Admin Hub
With release 2025R1 Workday is introducing the “System Admin Hub” as a centralized location within the platform where admins can access all their most often used administrative tasks, settings, and content, essentially providing a single point of access to manage the system efficiently.
Like the other app hubs (such as project and expense hubs), this is primarily a navigation aid. It consists of a menu on the left-hand side that allows tasks and reports to appear in the main window. Some pages have specialized cards. But for the most part, the hub organizes previously existing tasks via logical groupings. The menu and tasks respect security, so that users only see what they have access to.
Key delivered content of the Workday system admin hub include:
- Overview: Config tracker, What’s New report
- Home: Cards, Settings
- Communications: Email notifications, Tenant Setup Notifications
- Navigation: Global Navigation, Hubs, Dashboards
- Tenant Setup System: Default Values, System Setup
- Global: Time Zones, Tenant Setup Global
- Forms: Custom Labels
- Assistant: Configure WD Assistant (requires ISA)
- Search: Tenant Setup Search, Search Sources
- Branding: Logo and Color
- Feature Opt-In: Maintain individual Feature Opt-Ins
How does a Workday Admin access the system admin hub
Once logged into Workday, administrators typically access the admin hub through a dedicated link or section within their user interface. You can find it in search bar under “System Admin | Report”.
Users can set the system admin hub as a global menu item to make it more accessible if their job requires it. To get access to the hub, user need to be part of the security domain “Set Up: Tenant Setup – Hub”.
How to get the most out of the System Admin Hub
Tip 1: Explore the new feature’s delivered content
The Workday delivered Hub brings the most important settings together in one comprehensive user experience. Many of the settings are not changed often and do not require day-to-day inspection. Having them at the fingertips allows admins to check them more often so that they stay updated.
The old way of navigating via the search bar took time and risked losing context. The hub allows instant access with one click and being still in context when the task is completed. This enables administrators to review the settings more easily.
Tip 2: Customize the Hub
While the delivered content is good, it may not apply to your organization’s needs or setup. It also is focused more on system settings than functional configurations (such as organization, BPs, ledgers, etc.)
This is where the hub configuration comes in. Customers can add an unlimited number of tasks and groupings to the hub. For example, there could be a section dedicated to the Financial Setup or one for Open Enrollment.
By setting up these sections, it will make onboarding new admins much easier. It will also improve the speed and accuracy of recurring config setups (such as acquisitions or period changes).
Tip 3: Tie the hub to your Ticket system
The hub configuration is not limited to just tasks and reports but could include external links and extend apps as well.
Most admin teams have a ticket system (such as Jira) where work is planned and prioritized. Including a link to relevant ticket reports and queues will reduce the efficiency for the admin team and increase process compliance.
Tip 4: Use it for Roadmap planning
One key feature of the admin hub is the integrated What’s new report. Staying on top with the latest updates and features becomes much easier when the report is easily accessible.
For roadmap planning, customers could even go one step further: By integrating the “What’s new” report into a Worksheet, they can maintain their evaluations and roadmap priorities alongside a refreshing list. This could improve the visibility significantly.
Overall, the system admin hub functionality is a big step forward in making admin work accessible to a larger group of users. It improves the admins efficiency, user experience and reduces risk. With the right guidance, this can become a game changer.
Where to start?
Teamup9 can work with your team to configure the system Admin Dashboard. Use our expertise to highlight the admin tasks that your team needs.
We can also review other Hubs and Dashboards to implement the ones that would provide maximum value for your organization. In addition, we develop custom dashboards and reporting that can meet your specific business needs; adding efficiencies and strengthening your reporting processes.
If you want to know more about how to empower your Workday Admins or optimize your organization for success, contact us at contact@teamup9.com
