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Workday Financial Management Guide

Complete guide to Workday Financial Management for NZ/AU enterprises, covering core financials, procurement, project management, and local compliance requirements.

10 min read
2,100 words
Updated 2026-02-25

Workday Financials Overview#

Workday Financial Management provides a modern, unified financial platform designed to work seamlessly with Workday HCM. This guide covers capabilities relevant to NZ/AU organisations.

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Core Financial Capabilities#

General Ledger#

Multi-Book Accounting: Maintain multiple accounting books for different reporting requirements.

Key Features: - Flexible chart of accounts - Multi-currency support - Intercompany accounting - Consolidations

Procurement#

Source-to-Pay: Complete procurement lifecycle management.

Features: - Requisitioning - Purchase orders - Supplier management - Contract management - Invoice processing

Expenses#

Expense Management: Streamlined employee expense processing.

Features: - Mobile expense capture - Policy enforcement - Approval workflows - Corporate card integration

Projects#

Project Management: Track costs and revenue by project.

Features: - Project budgeting - Time and expense tracking - Revenue recognition - Project billing

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NZ/AU Compliance#

GST Management#

New Zealand GST: 15% GST configuration with appropriate reporting.

Australian GST: Support for GST-free and input-taxed supplies.

Tax Reporting#

NZ IRD Reporting: Integration capabilities with Inland Revenue.

AU ATO Reporting: Support for Business Activity Statements.

Accounting Standards#

NZ IFRS: Full support for New Zealand equivalents to IFRS.

AASB: Australian Accounting Standards Board requirements supported.

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Integration with HCM#

The primary advantage of Workday Financials is seamless integration with HCM:

Workforce Costs: Automatic posting of payroll costs to projects and cost centres.

Vendor Payments: Unified supplier and worker payment processing.

Expense Management: Employee expenses linked to HR records.

Project Resourcing: View employee availability for project staffing.

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Implementation Considerations#

Timeline#

Financials-only: 6-9 months

HCM + Financials: 12-18 months (integrated implementation)

Key Decisions#

  1. Chart of Accounts: Design for reporting flexibility.
  1. Multi-Company Structure: Define legal entity structure early.
  1. Integration Strategy: Identify all financial integrations.
  1. Reporting Requirements: Define critical financial reports.

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When to Choose Workday Financials#

Strong Fit#

  • Already using or implementing Workday HCM
  • Services organisations with project accounting needs
  • Companies wanting unified HCM and financials
  • Organisations prioritising user experience

Consider Alternatives#

  • Manufacturing with complex cost accounting
  • Distribution with advanced inventory needs
  • Retail with POS integration requirements
  • Organisations with extensive customisation needs

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Monday Morning Action Plan#

  1. Document Financial Requirements: List all critical financial processes.
  1. Map Integrations: Identify all systems that connect to financials.
  1. Review Chart of Accounts: Assess current structure for migration.
  1. Define Reporting Needs: List essential financial reports.
  1. Assess HCM Integration: If using Workday HCM, plan for unified implementation.