Workday Strategic Sourcing – Go-Live 1/29/26 & Various Trainings

Workday Strategic Sourcing Go-Live, 1/29/2026

Go-Live: Procurement Services is pleased to announce that Workday Strategic Sourcing (WSS) is live effective Thursday, January 29th, 2026. WSS provides a unified electronic platform for various procurement processes, including contract management, bidding events, and related requests. This new Workday system offers the following key benefits and features:

• Establish a standardized electronic intake process for various requests, including procurement contract reviews, waiver processes, and sourcing events.
• Provide transparent workflows with visibility into the status of procurements and contracts. Once a project or contract is routed for approval via automated workflows, the requester can quickly see where the request is in the approval process and which approvals are pending.
• Provide a centralized repository of procurement-related contract documents through role-based permissions for all new contracts, resulting in easier management.
• The ability to integrate contracts created within WSS with Workday core, streamlining the requisition process by ensuring the contract is tied to the payment and tracking spend against the contract.
• Other benefits include streamlined processes, reduced processing time, elimination of paper-based processes, a simplified user experience, and improved collaboration.

WSS Request Types: WSS must be utilized moving forward for the following requests. All of the former paper-based forms have been removed from the Procurement Services website as they are no longer applicable:

• Sourcing Event (Bid or RFP) Initiations for bidding processes managed by the Procurement Services Strategic Sourcing Team (replaces the Bid Initiations Forms)
• Delegated Waiver of Advertising or BOT Resolution Requests (replaces the Waiver of Advertising Form); and
• Procurement Contract Requests (replaces the CAS Form).

Job Aid: The WSS Stakeholder Job Aid posted on the Procurement Training Guides page outlines how to access WSS, the various intake requests from start to finish, and should be used as a reference point. The Job Aid can also be accessed directly in WSS on the Business Purchases page.

Procurement Trainings

Procurement Services has developed several new trainings that will be offered regularly. All of these trainings relate to WSS as intake processes occur within WSS:

• Workday Strategic Sourcing (WSS) – Provides an overview of the system layout, how to submit various requests (contract review, sourcing events / RFPs, or waivers of advertising and BOT requests), track approvals, and access all of their projects or contracts.
• Procurement Contract Process Overview – Provides a detailed overview of the Procurement Contract review process, including when a procurement contract is required, what to review before submitting a request, and the workflow through contract execution.
• Bidding Process Overview – Provides a detailed overview of the bidding processes from start to finish, including how to develop a Scope of Work that clearly defines all tasks, services, and deliverables a contractor must perform, which is essential to ensuring project goals are fulfilled.
• Delegated Waiver of Advertising Process Overview – Provides a detailed overview of the delegated waiver of advertising process, including the requirements and a step-by-step breakdown of the process.

You can register for these trainings at Finance’s ITDS Training Portal, as well as other trainings, including an overview of all Procurement Policies, a P-Card Training, a Supplier Create Overview, and a Procurement Lifecycle Training. We encourage you to register for training sessions to help ensure a smooth transition to using WSS and to learn more about the procurement processes. All training materials are located on our Procurement Training Guides page.

Non-Procurement CAS Form

All procurement-related contracts must be initiated within WSS. These requests were previously initiated through the CAS Form, which has historically been housed on our Forms & Information page. To avoid disruption, we have revised the CAS Form to a Non-Procurement Contract Approval Sheet that do not involve a procurement or purchase aspect, such as academic program and affiliation agreements, grant and research agreements, or fee-for-service agreements. This remains posted on the Forms & Information page.

Prior Announcement Reminders (Oct 2025 & After)

Creating an Effective Scope of Work

Procurement Services has developed a Scope of Work Guide which is posted on the Procurement Training Guides page, for public bids and other quote solicitations, which provides guidance on how to develop a Scope of Work (SOW) that clearly defines the all tasks, services, and deliverables a contractor must perform. This guide will help create a comprehensive and accurate SOW, which is essential to ensuring operational needs are met, deliverables or project goals are fulfilled on time, and contractor performance can be effectively monitored and enforced.

Questionnaire for Requisitions Worklet Process Improvement

Questionnaires are utilized within the requisition process to collect required contract information from requesters and must be completed to trigger the approval process. The questionnaire process has been modified to allow requesters to access the questionnaire within the requisition worklet (the same page where you create/start the requisition process), in addition to continuing to process it through your inbox. Previously, requesters had to leave the requisition worklet and process the questionnaire through the inbox. The Requisition Worklet Job Aid and Workday Procurement Life Cycle Job Aid have been updated to reflect this change. This information is listed on our website’s Procurement Training Guides page.

Procurement Card (P-Card) Request Process Now Within Workday

Requesting a P-Card has been automated within Workday through a defined workflow which provides visibility into the request process, effective today. Previously, P-Cards were requested through a manual form. The P-Card Request Job Aid has been created to provide guidance regarding this new process, and is listed on our website’s P-Card Program page.

“University Contracts (UNC#)” Requisition Type

The “University Contracts (UNC#)” requisition type must be selected for all requisitions with a Procurement Services assigned contract number, regardless of dollar value (except in the case of punch-out catalogs). “1 Quote” is often selected for smaller dollar value requisitions that are procured under a University Contract in error. Selecting the correct requisition type will lead to faster processing and help ensure that the University is receiving all goods or services in accordance with the terms and conditions of the contract being procured from. The Requisition Type Methodologies Guide provides additional guidance, and is listed on our websites Procurement Training Guides page.

UNC # 1453 – Office Supply Program Sustainable Items Soft Swap

The WB Mason Office Supplies punchout will now provide the requestor with the option to continue proceeding to checkout with the original item requested or to switch to a sustainable item offered through WB Mason. Requestors are not required to switch products but this was implemented to make requestors aware that a more sustainable product may be available for consideration. Please note that the price listed in the alternate item does not account for any reductions (or increases) in quantity and requestors should review carefully before proceeding. The WB Mason Job Aid contains additional information about this soft swap and is listed on our website’s Active Suppliers Contracts page.

UNC # 1629 – Hotel Services – Fairfield Executive Inn, Inc.

The University has awarded a contract to Fairfield Executive Inn that includes fixed rates for hotel rooms through July 14, 2030. This is a notice to help ensure that departments are aware that this is an option for the University’s use. Please find the Fairfield Executive Inn Job Aid for this contract, which is listed on our website’s Active Suppliers Contracts page.

UNC # 1591 – Digital Printing & Photocopying Punchout with KM Media Group LLC dba One Source Solutions

In conjunction with University Communications and Marketing, Procurement Services has implemented a punchout catalog for digital printing services within Workday, effective today. This punchout contains various flyer and newsletter templates in which departmental users can customize its content through the supplier’s website. The One Source Solutions Job Aid provides detailed instructions on procuring from this punchout, and is listed on our website’s Active Suppliers Contracts page.