Welcome to Workday

How We Got Here

Xavier’s Future Technology Roadmap Initiative

Xavier University’s Technology Roadmap Initiative was developed within the framework of the Sustaining Excellence Program, with the goal of creating a strategic plan to address the university's technology needs over the next 10 to 20 years. This initiative aims to adopt a forward-thinking technology strategy that will enhance operational efficiency, improve user functionality, and provide a seamless experience across the institution. It will also adhere to best practices for more effective process management.

To lead this effort, an evaluation team was formed to assess Xavier’s current technology landscape. The team carefully examined existing challenges, stakeholder needs, and developed key objectives, ultimately outlining the goals needed to implement a comprehensive, cloud-based Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system.

Key Requirements for the New ERP System

The evaluation team identified several key requirements for the new ERP system, including:

  • Improved workflow automation to reduce manual errors and enhance operational efficiency.

  • Enhanced reporting capabilities to support more effective and informed strategic planning.

  • Greater scalability to accommodate the institution’s future growth.

  • Implementation of a new General Ledger (G/L) structure to improve financial reporting and management.

  • Comprehensive and ongoing training for all staff to ensure full adoption and proficiency.

  • Elimination of auxiliary applications to streamline the university’s technology footprint and reduce redundancies.

Next Steps

The evaluation team began reviewing Xavier's current ERP system, Ellucian/Banner, which had served the university for over 20 years. As part of Xavier’s contract with Ellucian, the university recognized that a transition to a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform was mandated by 2028. With this deadline in mind and a thorough understanding of the challenges the current campus faced, the team began exploring various ERP options. The primary objective was to select a solution that would provide a seamless experience across Xavier University while aligning with best practices for more effective process management.

In 2024, two software vendors in the higher education market offered fully operational, cloud-based ERP solutions: Ellucian/Banner and Workday. To make an informed decision, each vendor conducted multiple demonstrations for cross-sectional campus groups. After a thorough evaluation, Workday was selected as the preferred solution to guide Xavier’s future.

Implementation

To ensure a smooth transition to Workday, Xavier partnered with Avaap, a trusted leader in Workday implementations with specialized expertise in higher education. Avaap’s experience and proven track record in change management, will guide Xavier through this transformative process, benefiting faculty, staff, and students alike.

The implementation process began in the Fall of 2024, with a timeline for the Workday Platform (Human Resources and Finance) to be operational by December 2025. The Workday Student system is scheduled to go live in Fall 2027.