How Workday Spend Management Makes Time Entry Easy in Freshdesk

Introduction

Managing agent time entries effectively is one of the biggest challenges for organizations that rely on customer support teams. Many businesses face difficulties with manual time tracking, inconsistent billable and non-billable hour logging, and delayed reporting. These issues can lead to errors in payroll, inaccurate project cost allocation, and a lack of visibility into agent productivity.

This is where Workday Spend Management for Freshdesk comes in.
It is a serverless, SDK-based application that connects Workday and Freshdesk, allowing agents to create, update, and delete time entries seamlessly from within Freshdesk.

This integration supports manual time logging by simplifying the process, improving accuracy, and helping your team manage entries efficiently while staying focused on delivering excellent customer support.

In this blog, we will explore what Workday Spend Management is, how it works, its key benefits, limitations, best practices, and why it is essential for modern businesses. You will also learn how it enhances productivity, simplifies time entry management, and ensures accurate billing.

🧭 What Is Workday Spend Management for Freshdesk?

Workday Spend Management for Freshdesk is a custom SDK application designed to enhance time tracking and management for support agents.
Unlike Freshdesk’s native timer module, this app provides a dedicated interface to manage time entries with full control.

🔑 Key Features of the App

View, create, update, and delete time entries for selected agents.
Billable and non-billable flags to track hours accurately.
Comment field for task-specific notes.
Automatic TimeEntryCode calculation based on the billable/non-billable flags.
Integration with Workday for real-time data synchronization.
Serverless architecture, enabling scalability without additional infrastructure.

Primary Benefit:
By using this app, businesses can eliminate manual errors, streamline time tracking, and improve reporting accuracy, which directly impacts payroll, project cost allocation, and overall operational efficiency.

⚙️ How Workday Spend Management for Freshdesk Works

The installation and workflow of the Workday Spend Management app are designed for simplicity and efficiency. Both admins and agents benefit from its intuitive interface and seamless integration.

🧩 Installation Steps for Admins

Authenticate Freshdesk Account: Enter the Freshdesk account subdomain and API key.
Connect Workday: Provide a valid Workday access token for API authentication.
Select Agents: Determine which agents are authorized to manage time entries.
Sync Data: Click the sync button to complete setup and start using the app.

Once installed, agents can access the app in Freshdesk. They can search or select an agent and fetch time entries for a particular month. This centralizes time management, reducing reliance on manual processes.

👩‍💻 Agent Workflow

Agents can only edit or create time entries for the current month; past month entries are locked to maintain historical accuracy.
Available fields include agent name, billable/non-billable status, time spent (in hours), and comments.
Every entry triggers a Workday API call, ensuring proper record linkage.

This workflow enhances overall productivity and operational efficiency by allowing agents to focus on what matters most — delivering exceptional customer experiences.

🚀 Why Workday Spend Management Is Crucial for Your Business

Adopting Workday Spend Management for Freshdesk delivers measurable benefits for businesses, especially those with large support teams.

1. Streamlined Time Entry Management

Manual logging often leads to mistakes and missed entries. With this integration, every time entry is automatically linked to Workday, ensuring accuracy and reliability.
Accurate time tracking improves reporting, reduces payroll errors, and ensures proper allocation of project resources.

2. Increased Agent Productivity

Agents no longer need to switch between multiple systems or remember project codes. By centralizing time entry within Freshdesk, agents save time and focus on high-value tasks, improving overall productivity.

3. Accurate Billing and Cost Allocation

With billable and non-billable hours clearly defined, businesses can generate precise client invoices, monitor project budgets, and ensure proper cost tracking.
This feature is essential for consulting firms, agencies, or support teams working on client-specific projects.

4. Reduced Errors Through Automation

The app automates repetitive tasks, including fetching TimeEntryCode and associating entries with Workday. This reduces human error, eliminates duplicate entries, and guarantees consistent data management.

5. Flexibility and Scalability

Being serverless, the app can scale effortlessly to accommodate growing teams and higher transaction volumes. Admins can request an increase in API limits to handle large datasets, ensuring uninterrupted operations.

⚠️ Technical Limitations and Considerations

While this app provides powerful capabilities, it’s important to understand its limitations:

The default Freshdesk timer module remains active; only entries through the SDK app update Workday.
Rate limit: 50 API calls per minute (admins can request an increase).
Does not handle Workday validations or mandatory fields automatically. Testing in a sandbox environment is recommended.
Time entries created via the app remain non-submitted in Workday until manually submitted if required.
Changes made directly in Workday are not synced back to Freshdesk.

Awareness of these limitations allows businesses to plan proper usage and avoid operational disruptions.

👥 Benefits for Internal Teams

Adopting Workday Spend Management for Freshdesk positively impacts all stakeholders:

Admins: Easy installation, permission control, and synchronization capabilities.
Agents: Reduced manual work, accurate logging, and access to a unified interface.
Managers: Reliable reporting, audit-friendly data, and accurate cost analysis.

By streamlining time entry management, the app allows teams to focus on delivering exceptional customer support instead of spending time on administrative tasks.

💡 Implementation Best Practices

To maximize adoption and efficiency, follow these best practices:

Train Internal Agents: Educate agents on using the custom app instead of the native timer module.
Monitor API Usage: Track API calls to prevent service interruptions.
Test Validations in Sandbox: Ensure Workday-specific validations are compatible before full deployment.
Document Processes: Provide guides and FAQs to streamline adoption and minimize errors.
Encourage Adoption: Promote the benefits internally to ensure agents consistently use the app.

🌐 Why Workday?

Workday is a leading platform for Finance and HR, offering organizations powerful tools to manage employees, streamline workflows, and track time efficiently.

From Saasly’s perspective, integrating with Workday ensures seamless operations, enhanced productivity for agents, and reliable insights into workforce management.

Learn more about its features and why businesses choose Workday here.

🏁 Conclusion

Workday Spend Management for Freshdesk is an essential tool for organizations that want accurate time tracking, improved agent productivity, and reliable billing records.

By integrating Workday with Freshdesk through a custom SDK app, businesses can:

✅ Automate repetitive time-tracking tasks, allowing agents to focus on more valuable customer interactions.
⚡ Eliminate data silos by syncing time entries directly between Freshdesk and Workday for real-time visibility.
📊 Gain actionable insights through unified dashboards that display time utilization, billing accuracy, and team performance.
🔒 Enhance data accuracy and security by centralizing time records in one verified system.
🧩 Customize workflows according to business needs—control who can create, update, or delete time entries.
🕒 Ensure compliance with organizational policies by restricting backdated or unauthorized time edits.

Whether your team is managing billable hours, client projects, or internal tasks, this integration provides a reliable, scalable, and user-friendly solution for modern businesses.

📣 Call to Action (CTA)

Ready to streamline time entry management for your team?
Adopt Workday Spend Management for Freshdesk today and empower your agents with an automated, efficient, and accurate time tracking solution.

👉 Contact us to get started

❓ FAQs

1. Can agents edit past month time entries?
No, entries for past months are locked to maintain historical data accuracy.

2. How many API calls does the app support per minute?
The app supports 50 API calls per minute, with the option for admins to request increases.

3. Will time entries created via the app sync back to Freshdesk?
No, only Workday entries are updated; the native Freshdesk timer remains unaffected.

4. Does the app handle Workday validations automatically?
No, testing in a sandbox environment is recommended for validation checks.

5. Is a Workday access token required?
Yes, a valid Workday access token is mandatory for API authentication.

6. Can multiple agents use the app simultaneously?
Yes, the app supports multiple agents, but API call limits should be monitored to avoid errors.

7. Does the app require any additional infrastructure?
No, it is serverless and scales automatically with your team’s usage.

8. How are TimeEntryCodes calculated?
TimeEntryCodes are automatically derived based on the billable or non-billable flag, reducing manual input errors.