Michelle Cerrato-Dominguez is determined to become a Workday Super User. The senior clinical program coordinator asked to be nominated last Spring to the initial Workday Super User Certification Program class, but another candidate was chosen from her work team. When nominations for the Fall 2019 class opened a few weeks ago, Cerrato-Dominguez asked again—and this time she was selected.
Determination and the desire to master Workday skills are among the key qualities required for Super Users.
"I was sent to every workshop when Workday rolled out so I know the basics, but I definitely want to be a Super User—it would really open up my world," said Cerrato-Dominguez, who attended the October 8 orientation together with 54 other candidates selected for the Fall 2019 program. She has 24 members on her work team. "And all the Workday questions come back to me," she said.
The fall 2019 program offers certification training again for both Procurement Data Entry Specialists (PDES) and Expense Data Entry Specialists (EDES). Future series will offer other Workday training tracks.
Anurag Sarin, associate vice president for the Enterprise Business Solutions (EBS) team, welcomed the new class.
"Workday Super Users are an important link to provide excellent services and support efficiency," Sarin told the group. "Everything we do has room for improvement, and through the program you have direct access to us – so let us know the features you need."
He noted that with the 45 graduates from the spring class, soon there could be close to 100 Super Users.
Sarin highlighted three key benefits of the program—education, engagement, and creating a community of Super Users – and also the opportunity for several graduates to attend Workday Rising 2020. Five graduates from the Fall program who were selected in a lottery attended Rising 2019 in mid-October in Orlando.
Cecil Roomes, IT Training manager, facilitated several group activities that prompted the Super Users to identify their goals for participation, both personal and professional. Many said they were highly motivated to meet new colleagues and learn together, and to help their workplace colleagues with Workday even while maintaining boundaries with their time.
Syra Dukharan, a secretary, and Frances Freire, a senior manager, both from the School of Communication and following the PDES track, attended the orientation.
"Our boss thought it would be good for the school for both of us to participate," said Freire, who has four years in her position. "We struggle with the reports—there's a big list, and we're not sure what a lot of them are."
Durkharan, who's been with the school for two and a half years, said she has a lot of responsibilities in Workday. "I know the basics, but there are some things that I don't know and want to learn."
Maria Ferraris, a project manager with Medical Pediatrics, was one of the nominating supervisors who attended the orientation. Her nominee Jezahel Ochoa was selected as a candidate and attended as well.
"We have clinics all over the county and two mobile pediatric units. Nurses order medical supplies, but Jeza orders all our equipment," Ferraris explained. "We have gifts, grants, and other revenue sources, and the procurement procedures are long with many disconnections in the process. We want one person who knows the process really well."
IT Training team member's facilitated a number of networking activities that asked the group to identify their goals for participation, both personal and professional. Many participants said they were highly motivated to meet new colleagues and learn together, and to help their workplace colleagues with Workday even while maintaining boundaries with their time.
Rachel Vital, IT Training manager and Super User Certification Program coordinator, closed the orientation by outlining expectations based on a rigorous training schedule that concludes in late January 2020 with a certification exam. Vital said lessons learned from the first class would improve this second cycle, and urged the group to stay in close touch with each other and to share ideas toward continuous improvement.
