Note: This is a printed version of https://isc.uw.edu/using-workday/accessing-workday. Please visit this page on the ISC website to ensure you're referencing the most current information.

ISC

Accessing Workday

Last updated Monday, July 3, 2023

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Using Duo 2FA With Workday

Two-factor authentication, or 2FA, adds a second layer of security when signing into systems that require a UW NetID. Normally, identity is verified with a password, but verifying with a second factor, such as a mobile phone, helps prevent anyone but the owner of an account from signing in, even if they know the password.

Because 2FA mitigates the risk of stolen passwords, it’s an effective response to current threats to UW systems and data, including employee information managed in Workday.

UW-IT has implemented Duo as the University’s 2FA solution.

Get Started

Duo is available to all faculty, staff, and student employees who sign in with a UW NetID to access systems protected by 2FA, such as Workday. Visit UW-IT’s Two-factor authentication page to get started using Duo.

Duo Eligibility for Former UW Employees
Former employees are eligible to enroll in Duo through the remainder of the year in which they left the University, plus three years afterward. For example, an employee who left the UW in November of 2020 will be eligible for Duo through the remainder of 2020, all of 2021, 2022, and 2023; after 2023, they are no longer eligible.

If you are outside of the Duo eligibility window, please refer to the Resources For Former Employees page for guidance.

Need Help?

Support for 2FA and Duo is provided by UW-IT. More details about 2FA are available at IT Connect, which includes a 2FA FAQ.

The UW-IT Service Center can be contacted at help@uw.edu or by phone at 206-221-5000.

Using the Workday Mobile App (Android/iOS)

  • The University does not provide technical support for the Workday Mobile app.

If you encounter issues using the Workday Mobile app, please use a supported web browser to access Workday instead.

In addition to technical support for the Workday Mobile app not being provided, please note that not all features of the mobile app are enabled or available for use/access at the University of Washington. Open/expand the below menu for more information.

Examples of what cannot be done at the UW using the Workday Mobile app include, and are not limited to:

  • For UW Medicine employees:
    • (excluding School of Medicine) Performance Evaluations – The functionality of the business processes was not tested or validated before the rollout of Workday Mobile. As a result, we strongly discourage the completion of Performance Evaluation tasks via Workday Mobile.
    • If you are part of the UW Medicine Supply Chain team and need help using Workday Mobile on the Zebra Mobile Device, please refer to the job aid on the UWM Supply Chain website.
  • Benefits enrollment and maintenance
  • Checking-in/Checking-out
  • Updating payment elections
  • Downloading or exporting documents, payslips, W-2s or other PDFs

Anti-Phishing Precautions

Phishing scams are commonly encountered, unfortunately. Here are a few important reminders to help keep you from becoming a victim of a well-crafted scam:

1. The most secure way to navigate to Workday is by using the “Sign in to Workday” link found at the top of this page (and every other page on the ISC website).
We suggest using this link when you need to access Workday, or if you are ever worried that you’ve received a phishing email disguised as an email from Workday. Any communication that arrives from Workday in your email inbox (eg, Outlook) will also always be found in your Workday Inbox or your Workday Notifications (use the Cloud icon).

2. You will always be asked to log into Workday with your UW NetID and password – if you’re not asked to log in using your UW credentials, do NOT trust that link.
If you followed a Workday link in an email you received, but the login screen for your UW NetID and password doesn’t appear, we recommend closing out of your web browser immediately. You can then log into Workday from the “Sign in to Workday” link to confirm the message as outlined above.

3. You will always be asked to log into Workday using two-factor authentication (Duo/2FA) – if you do not have to use your 2FA device to complete your sign in, do NOT trust that link.
Using 2FA is how you know your private information is secure. When accessing Workday, 2FA adds an extra layer of security by asking you to assert your identify a second time, using a method or channel (for example, a cell phone) to which the phisher/scammer does not have access. If you do not need to “approve” a “login request” using your designated 2FA device, we recommend closing out of your web browser immediately. You can then log into Workday from the “Sign in to Workday” link to confirm the message as outlined above.

If you are ever concerned about the authenticity of a message that appears to be from the ISC, please feel free to contact us to confirm we sent the email – we are happy to help!

Learn More
For UW recommendations about how to avoid phishing scams, visit the Office of the Chief Information Security Officer’s (CISO’s) Phishing page and Phishing Examples page.

Accessing Workday From an Off-Campus Location

We recommend the use of a UW-supported VPN solution, such as Husky OnNet, to securely connect to the UW network from remote locations (home, coffee shops, airports, etc). Visit UW-IT’s Husky OnNet page to get started.

Supported Web Browsers

You can access Workday using the latest versions of the following web browsers.

Web Browser Supported on Desktops/Laptops? Supported on Mobile Devices?*
Google Chrome Yes Yes*
Mozilla Firefox Yes No
Microsoft Edge Yes** No
Apple Safari Yes, MacOS only Yes*
Opera Browser Yes No

* A “Yes” in the Supported on Mobile Devices? column above means the browser can be used on a mobile device to access Workday. However, the ISC does not recommend accessing or transacting in Workday from a mobile web browser, as the end user experience is not optimal.

** Microsoft Edge Legacy, as well as running Edge in IE Mode, are not supported.

Please Note

The Workday mobile app is not currently supported at the UW.