Understanding Security Roles
Security roles in Workday determine what information employees can access and what actions they can perform, such as submitting, reviewing, or approving transactions.
Roles are assigned to positions based on their responsibilities and the organizations they support. This helps ensure employees have the access they need to do their work while protecting sensitive University information.
How Do Security Roles Work?
All employees are assigned the Employee as Self security role, which allows them to complete tasks such as entering time and requesting time off. Managers also receive the Manager as Self role, providing access to functions needed to support their employees.
Additional security roles may be assigned based on a position’s responsibilities and departmental needs.
Unlike PeopleSoft, Workday security roles are assigned to positions rather than job titles or individual employees. This means access remains with the position and does not transfer with an employee if they move to a different position or organization within the University.
A position may have multiple security roles depending on its responsibilities. Security role assignments should be reviewed whenever staffing changes occur or a position’s responsibilities change to ensure access remains appropriate.
View-Only and Action Roles
Workday security roles generally fall into two categories:
View-Only Roles
Allow employees to view information, access dashboards, and run reports without initiating or approving transactions. Employees with view-only access cannot initiate, approve, or otherwise take action on transactions.
Action Roles
Allow employees to perform tasks such as initiating, reviewing, or approving transactions. Most action roles also include access to reports and information needed to support organizational activities.
This distinction means employees do not need approval access simply to view information.
Initiators and Approvers
Many Workday business processes involve different responsibilities:
- Initiators start transactions, such as purchase requisitions, expense reports, or personnel actions.
- Approvers review transactions to ensure they are accurate, appropriate, and comply with University policies before they move forward.
A position may have both initiating and approving responsibilities depending on its assigned security roles.
Preparing for the Transition
Workday security differs significantly from PeopleSoft’s chartfield-based access. As departments prepare for the transition, they should:
- Review current access and responsibilities within their departments.
- Identify which positions need to initiate or approve transactions.
- Determine who needs view-only access for reporting, inquiries, and data analysis.
- Look for opportunities to simplify existing access assignments.
- Consider how staffing changes or changes in responsibilities may affect security role assignments.
Looking Ahead
The Workday at URI team will begin discussing security roles with departments this fall.
Taking time now to review how work is performed will help ensure employees receive appropriate security roles, participate in relevant training, and have the access and resources they need when Workday goes live.