Stay ahead of every Workday release.
Workday releases twice a year, and every update brings new functionality, changed behaviour, and configuration decisions that affect how your organisation operates. Albida's Release Management service makes sure none of that catches you off guard.
Two releases a year. Compounding complexity.
Every Workday release carries hundreds of updates across the platform. Some are automatic. Others require decisions. Many interact with your existing configuration in ways that are not obvious until something breaks in production.
Most teams find out what a release means for them by absorbing its impact after the fact. That is the wrong order. Release management is about understanding the update before it arrives, so your organisation is in control of the change rather than responding to it.
What is at risk without a managed approach.
Configuration that worked before go-live behaves differently after an update. Business processes change without the right people being informed. Testing is rushed or skipped. New functionality goes unused because no one assessed it. The release window passes and your environment is further behind than it was.
- Unplanned disruption to live business processes.
- Missed opportunities from new platform functionality.
- Configuration drift that accumulates with every release.
- Testing cycles that are reactive and under-resourced.
- Governance gaps that surface at the worst moment.
A release is an opportunity. It should never feel like a risk.
Proactive, end-to-end release management.
We assess, test, communicate, and manage each Workday release on your behalf, so your team understands what is coming, what needs to change, and what new value is available to unlock.
Release impact assessment
A structured review of the release notes against your specific configuration, identifying what changes automatically, what requires a decision, and what new functionality is relevant to your organisation.
Structured testing and validation
Focused test cycles across your configuration to confirm existing processes behave as expected post-update, with issues identified and resolved before the release window closes.
Stakeholder communication
Clear, translated summaries of what the release means for different business functions, written for your stakeholders rather than your technical team.
Release governance and planning
A documented approach to release decisions, including which updates to adopt, which to defer, and how each change is tracked and signed off within your change management framework.
New functionality assessment
A practical view of what new features are worth exploring, scoped to your environment, with recommendations on adoption where the business case is clear.
Post-release review
A structured debrief after each release to confirm what landed as expected, capture any residual actions, and carry learnings into the next cycle.
A repeatable cycle across every release.
The same structured approach applied to each release window, so your team knows what to expect and when, every time.
Preview window
Workday publishes release notes. We assess the full update against your configuration and flag everything that needs attention.
Impact and planning
We document the decisions required, agree the testing scope, and communicate the release summary to the right stakeholders.
Testing and sign-off
Structured test cycles run against your environment in the preview tenant. Issues resolved, configuration confirmed, sign-off obtained.
Production and review
Release goes to production. We confirm everything landed as expected, capture residual actions, and carry learnings into the next cycle.
Any organisation that wants releases to be controlled, not survived.
Release management is relevant from the moment you go live. The organisations that benefit most are those where the internal HRIS team cannot comfortably absorb a structured release cycle on top of their existing workload.
- Teams where the HRIS function is stretched and release testing is reactive or inconsistent.
- Organisations that have absorbed releases without a formal process and want to reset.
- Environments where configuration drift has accumulated across previous release cycles.
- Teams that want to get more value from each release rather than just managing the risk.
- Organisations on a managed services arrangement looking to consolidate release management under one partner.
Platform expertise with a proactive, embedded approach.
We bring genuine depth across the Workday platform, combined with an approach that is proactive rather than reactive and embedded rather than at arm's length.
Deep platform knowledge
Our consultants understand the Workday platform across functional and technical areas. Release notes are only useful if you can translate them accurately into what they mean for your specific configuration.
Structured before the release window opens
We begin each cycle in the preview window, not when production has already changed. That lead time is what allows proper planning, stakeholder communication, and testing rather than reactive fire-fighting.
Part of your team, not a remote service desk
Release management works best when the people doing it understand your environment and your business. Our consultants operate as an extension of your HRIS function, not as an external provider processing tickets.
Common questions.
How often does Workday release updates?
Workday releases twice a year on a bi-annual cycle, typically in March and September. Each release is made available in a preview tenant first, giving organisations a window to assess and test before the update goes to production. The length of that preview window is what determines how much preparation time you have.
Do all Workday updates require action from us?
Not all. Some updates apply automatically without any configuration change. Others require you to opt in, make a decision, or adjust existing configuration to avoid unintended behaviour. The purpose of a release impact assessment is to separate the two clearly, so your team only acts on what genuinely requires attention.
Can Albida manage releases if we implemented Workday with a different partner?
Yes. Our release management service is available regardless of who delivered your original implementation. We work from your current configuration, not from our own implementation documentation, so the starting point is always your live environment.
Is release management part of Albida's AMS offering?
Release management is included within Albida's Application Managed Services and is also available as a standalone service for organisations that want structured release support without a broader managed services engagement. Speak to us about what best fits your situation.
How much internal resource does our team need to commit?
We aim to minimise the demand on your internal team. Impact assessments, testing planning, and stakeholder communications are led by Albida. We will need your team's input on business process decisions and final sign-off on testing outcomes, but the intent is to take the release management burden off your HRIS function, not add to it.
Other ways Albida supports your Workday environment.
Ready to take control of your Workday release cycle?
Tell us about your environment and we will scope a release management approach that fits your team and your release calendar.
