Accounting worktags are centrally managed and cannot be created or updated directly by end users. However, units may request new accounting worktags or request changes to existing ones to support their reporting needs.
Before Requesting a New Worktag
To avoid duplication and ensure alignment with financial reporting, first review existing worktags to see if one already meets your needs.
You can explore existing worktags in two ways:
- Use the Workday Extract FDM Reports
These reports provide the most current list of worktag values directly from Workday. See the Workday FDM Worktag Value Reports section for the available reports.
- Search the FDM Knowledge Articles
The Knowledge Articles include additional context such as worktag definitions, purpose, and Ledger Account mappings. These can help you understand the intent behind a worktag and whether it aligns with your use case.
How to Search Effectively
See the Exploring, Designing, and Managing Worktag Hierarchies in Workday Knowledge Article for guidance on how to search effectively.
Spend Category Considerations
Spend Category worktags have attributes that determine which business processes they support (e.g., supplier invoice, procurement card, expense reports, etc.).
If a Spend Category already exists but doesn't support your intended process:
- Submit a ticket via the UW Connect FDM Request Form
- The University Controller’s Office – FDM Governance team will review whether the attributes can be updated or whether a new version should be created (e.g., if the Spend Category should be taxable vs non-taxable)
Requesting a New Accounting Worktag
If no existing worktag meets your needs:
- Submit a ticket using the Foundation Data Model (FDM) Data Element Management Request form
- The ticket will be routed to the local Shared Environment team to review the request for local consistency.
- Validated requests are routed to the University Controller’s Office – FDM Governance Team for final approval, gathering additional review from relevant departments, and Workday configuration.
Modifying and Inactivating Accounting Worktags
Requests to modify or inactivate an existing accounting worktag follow the same ticketed process as creating a new one, with multiple layers of review and approval. Because accounting worktags are used across the entire University, a proposed change may impact other units. In some cases, a modification may be denied, or a new worktag may need to be created instead. Similarly, inactivation may not be possible if the worktag is still in use elsewhere.
If a worktag remains active but is no longer needed locally, units can simply stop using it, it will no longer appear in local reports once activity ceases.