Workday Inbox Filter FAQs

This page is dedicated to answering common filtering questions. After the launch of Workday Finance, it became increasingly important to use filters to sort and manage our Workday inboxes. Using filters helps users act on the relevant transactions that need their attention.

On This Page...

1. How do I filter for ProCard transactions?
2. How to create/edit/delete/set a default Workday inbox filter?
3. How to create a Workday inbox filter for a specific security role?
   1. Need help setting up a Workday filter for inbox items awaiting action from you as a specific security role (e.g., Cost Center Manager, Time, and Absence Approver, etc.)?
4. How to create a Workday inbox filter for sent back transactions?
5. How to filter Workday emails that come through your email inbox?

How do I filter for ProCard transactions?

For ProCard filtering, please refer to 'ProCard Approvals in Workday'.

How to create/edit/delete/set a default Workday inbox filter?

Use the UW's Workday guidance, keep in mind to delete a filter you follow the same instructions as editing, but you select Delete. 

How to create a Workday inbox filter for a specific security role? Need help setting up a Workday filter for inbox items awaiting action from you as a specific security role (e.g., Cost Center Manager, Time, and Absence Approver, etc.)?

Here are the steps you can follow to set up a filter that will help capture those awaiting actions in your inbox:

1. Type in the Workday search bar Create My Tasks Filter
2. Description: [Name of your filter]
3. Under View Definition, select For All Business Processes (If you have certain business processes you would like to filter, you can select 'Business Process Type(s)' and enter them in)
4. (+) Condition, and input the following values:   
   1. And/Or: And
   2. Source External Field: Workflow Step Security Group
   3. Relational Operator: any in the selection list
   4. Comparison Type: Value specified in this filter
   5. Comparison Value: [Insert security role you want to filter for] 
      • e.g., Cost Center Manager, Time, and Absence Approver, etc.

Below is a visual for how the 'Conditions' should be set up.

AST recommends creating one filter for EACH security role you are assigned so that you can organize your inbox tasks into categories.  

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For example, Mary Doe is a manager who approves employee timesheets, verify Form I-9s for her unit, and approves transactions for XYZ cost center. To organize her Workday inbox better, she has created three inbox filters for each security role using the 'security role filter' guidance: 

1. Timesheet approvals (Time and Absence Approver) 
2. Form I-9s (I-9 Coordinator) 
3. Cost Center Approvals (Cost Center Manager)  

By creating an inbox filter for each security role, Mary can sort her Workday inbox tasks into filter "folders" that she can check periodically, rather than digging through her Workday inbox for tasks awaiting her action.  

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Note: This filter will only work for any security roles that you have been assigned. Additionally, this filter is meant to set the foundation of a security role inbox filter -- you can refine this filter further to capture specific business processes based on your needs. 

Alternatively, you can check out the Workday inbox filter reference guide (UW NetID login required for UW Connect and Bridge platform) for step-by-step instructions on how to manage your inbox based on your assigned security roles. We recommend folks refer to Scenario 1 and 2.

How to create a Workday inbox filter for sent back transactions?

Here are the steps you can follow to set up a filter that will help capture transactions that you initiated, but were sent back to your Workday inbox for corrections:

1. Type in the Workday search bar Create My Tasks Filter
2. Description: Sent Backs
3. Under View Definition, select For All Business Processes
4. (+) Condition, and input the following values:   
   1. And/Or: And
   2. Source External Field: Sent Back or Withdrawn
   3. Relational Operator: is not blank
   4. Comparison Type: Value specified in this filter
5. Add (+) a second Condition, and input the following values:
   1. And/Or: And
   2. Source External Field: Initiating Worker 
   3. Relational Operator: exact match with the selection list
   4. Comparison Type: Value specified in this filter
   5. Comparison Value: [Your name as listed in Workday]

Below is a visual for how the 'Conditions' should be set up.

How to filter Workday emails that come through your email inbox? 

To set any filter as the default for your email inbox, use this method:  

1. Log into Workday, select Profile icon on the top right of your screen and select on My Account > Change Preferences    
2. Scroll all the way down to Workflow Preferences. For Default Inbox Filter, select the Workday inbox filter you want to apply to your email inbox too. 
3. Select an inbox filter you have created, or a different filter if you would like, then select OK.