Where to find and update your bank account information
You change your bank account in Workday through the same place you'd view it: your worker profile. Log in to Workday, then go to the Me icon (usually in the top right corner), select Profile, and look for the Bank Accounts section. From there you can add a new account, edit an existing one, or remove one you no longer use.
The exact path varies slightly depending on whether your employer customized their Workday setup, but the Me menu is standard across all Workday instances. If you can't find the Bank Accounts section in your profile, your company may have restricted access to that feature—contact your HR or payroll team to ask whether you can change it yourself or whether they need to do it for you.
You'll need your new bank's routing number and your account number to complete the change. Have those details ready before you start. Most banks print both on the bottom left of a check, or you can find them by logging into your bank's website or calling the bank directly.
Key Takeaways
- Bank account changes in Workday are made through your worker profile under the Me menu, not through payroll or HR portals.
- You will need your new bank's routing number and your account number before you start the process.
- Some employers restrict employee access to bank account changes and require HR or payroll to make the update instead.
- Changes typically take effect on the next scheduled pay run, though some employers delay them by one or two pay cycles for verification.
- Workday does not process the change when ready—your employer's payroll system has to confirm it before money routes to the new account.
The steps to add or change a bank account
Once you're in the Bank Accounts section of your profile, click Add to create a new account entry. You'll see fields for account type (checking or savings), bank name, routing number, and account number. Fill in each field exactly as it appears on your bank documents—even a single digit wrong will cause the deposit to fail or be rejected.
If you're replacing an existing account rather than adding a second one, you can edit the current entry directly. Click the pencil or edit icon next to the account you want to change, update the routing and account numbers, and save. Do not delete the old account until you've confirmed the new one is working, because if something goes wrong with the new account, you'll need the old one as a backup.
After you save, Workday will show the account as pending or inactive until your employer's payroll team verifies it. This verification step is a security measure—it prevents someone from changing your account to their own and stealing your paycheck. The verification usually happens within one to three business days, though some employers are slower.
When the change takes effect and what to watch for
Your new bank account will not receive a deposit on the very next payday. Most employers wait until the pay cycle after the change is verified, which means if you update your account on a Tuesday and payday is Thursday, that Thursday's deposit still goes to your old account. The new account typically receives its first deposit on the following pay cycle.
Some employers add an extra waiting period for security—they may hold the change for one full pay cycle after verification before routing money to it. This is not a Workday rule; it's a choice your employer makes. If you need to know the exact timing, ask your payroll department when you make the change.
Watch your old bank account for the final deposit, and watch your new account for the first one. If a deposit lands in the wrong place or doesn't arrive at all, contact payroll when ready rather than waiting for the next pay cycle. A routing or account number error can send your money to the wrong bank entirely, and the longer you wait to report it, the harder it is to recover.
Adding a second bank account for split deposits
Workday allows you to split your paycheck between two accounts—for example, sending 80 percent to checking and 20 percent to savings. To set this up, add both accounts in your Bank Accounts section, then specify the amount or percentage that should go to each one.
The process is the same as adding a single account: go to your profile, add the second account with its routing and account number, and set the split. You can choose to split by a fixed dollar amount (like $500 to savings, the rest to checking) or by percentage. Workday calculates the split after taxes and deductions, so the amounts you specify come from your net pay, not your gross.
If you later want to remove one account from the split, you can edit the setup to send 100 percent to one account instead. Again, do not delete the account from your profile until you've confirmed the new split is working correctly on a payday.
What happens if you make a mistake
If you enter the wrong routing number or account number, Workday will not catch it before you save. The error only surfaces when your employer's payroll system tries to process the deposit. At that point, the bank will reject the deposit as invalid, and your money will bounce back to your employer's account.
When a deposit bounces, your employer has to reissue it—usually by check or by correcting the account information and trying the deposit again. This can take several days, and you may face a delay in receiving your pay. To avoid this, double-check both numbers against your bank documents or your bank's website before you save the change in Workday.
If a deposit does bounce, contact your payroll department when ready. They can tell you whether the money is being reissued and when you should expect to receive it. Do not assume the deposit will arrive on its own; follow up until you have confirmation that the corrected deposit has been processed.
Removing an old bank account safely
Once you've confirmed that your new account is receiving deposits correctly, you can delete the old account from your Workday profile. Wait at least two full pay cycles after the first deposit hits the new account before you remove the old one. This gives you a window to catch any problems without losing access to the old account information.
To delete an account, go to your Bank Accounts section, find the account you want to remove, and click the delete or trash icon. Workday will ask you to confirm. After you confirm, the account is removed from your profile, though your employer's payroll system may keep a record of it for audit purposes.
Do not close the old bank account itself until you're certain no more deposits will go there. Some employers process payroll in batches, and a delayed deposit could still land in the old account even after you've removed it from Workday. Once you've seen several pay cycles go to the new account with no activity in the old one, it's safe to close the old account with your bank.
If your employer won't let you change it yourself
Some companies restrict employee access to bank account changes for security or compliance reasons. If you log into Workday and the Bank Accounts section is grayed out or missing, your employer requires HR or payroll to make the change for you.
Contact your HR department or payroll team and ask them to update your bank account. Provide them with your new bank's routing number and your account number. They'll make the change in Workday on your behalf, and the same verification and timing rules explore—the change will take effect on a future pay cycle, not when ready.
Ask them when the change will take effect so you know which payday to watch. If your employer is slow to process the request, follow up a few days before payday to make sure it's been completed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change my bank account the day before payday?
You can make the change in Workday at any time, but it will not affect the next payday. Most employers process payroll two to five days before the deposit date, so a change made the day before payday is too late for that cycle. The new account will receive money on the following pay cycle instead.
What if I enter the wrong account number and the deposit bounces?
Your employer will be notified that the deposit failed. Contact payroll when ready to report the error and ask them to correct it. They can reissue the deposit to the correct account, though this usually takes several business days. Do not wait for the next payday; follow up until you have confirmation the corrected deposit has been sent.
Can I have my paycheck split between three accounts?
Workday supports split deposits, but the number of accounts you can split between depends on your employer's setup. Most allow two accounts; some allow three or more. Check your Bank Accounts section to see how many you can add, or ask payroll what their limit is.
Do I need to tell my employer when I change my bank account?
No. Changing your account in Workday is sufficient; your employer's payroll system will see the change automatically. You do not need to notify HR or payroll separately unless your company requires them to make the change for you instead of allowing self-service updates.
How long does it take for a bank account change to go into effect?
Workday processes the change when ready, but your employer's payroll system has to verify it before routing money to it. Verification usually takes one to three business days. After that, the new account receives money on the next scheduled pay cycle, which could be one to two weeks away depending on your pay frequency.