Where to find payment elections in Workday
Payment elections in Workday live in your personal profile, not in a payroll or accounting section. Log in to Workday, click your profile icon (usually in the top right), and select Profile. From there, look for Pay, Payment Elections, or Direct Deposit — the exact label depends on what your employer has named it. Some companies call it Banking Information or Payment Method.
If you cannot find it in your profile, use Workday's search bar at the top of the screen. Type "payment elections" or "direct deposit" and Workday will show you the exact page. If nothing appears, your employer may not have enabled self-service payment changes — in that case, contact your payroll or HR department directly to request the change.
Key Takeaways
- Payment elections are found in your Workday profile under Pay or Direct Deposit, not in accounting or payroll sections.
- Changes you make usually take effect on the next pay cycle, but some employers enforce a one or two-cycle delay.
- You can split your paycheck across multiple bank accounts by adding secondary accounts as additional payment elections.
- If you remove your only bank account without adding a new one, Workday will typically default to a check or card payment method to avoid leaving you unpaid.
- Changes made close to a pay run may not process in time; check your company's payroll calendar before making edits.
Changing your primary bank account
To change where your paycheck goes, open your payment elections page and look for your current bank account. You will see fields for routing number, account number, and account type (checking or savings). Click Edit or a pencil icon next to the account details.
Enter your new bank's routing number and your account number. Workday will ask you to confirm the account type — almost all paychecks go to checking accounts, but some employees use savings accounts. After you save, Workday may require you to verify the account by depositing small test amounts (usually under one dollar) and having you confirm those amounts in Workday within a few days. This verification step protects both you and your employer from sending money to the wrong account.
The change takes effect on your next scheduled pay date, though some employers have a policy that changes made after a certain time on a given day will not process until the following pay cycle. Check your company's payroll calendar or ask HR if you are unsure whether your change will hit the next check or the one after.
Adding a second or third bank account
Workday lets you split your paycheck across multiple accounts. This is useful if you want to send a fixed amount to savings and the remainder to checking, or if you are moving money between banks gradually. Open your payment elections page and look for an Add Account or Add Payment Election button.
When you add a secondary account, you will specify how much of your paycheck goes there — either a dollar amount or a percentage. If you choose a percentage, Workday calculates it after taxes and deductions. If you choose a dollar amount, that amount is deducted first, and the rest goes to your primary account. The order matters: Workday processes accounts in the order you list them, so put your primary account first.
After you add the new account, you will go through the same verification process (small test deposits) before the split takes effect. This can add three to five business days to the timeline, so plan ahead if you need the split to start on a specific pay date.
Removing or disabling a payment method
If you want to stop using a bank account, open that account's details and click Delete, Remove, or a trash icon. Workday will ask you to confirm. If this is your only active payment method, Workday will warn you and may require you to add a replacement account before allowing the deletion.
If you do not add a replacement and try to remove your only account anyway, your employer's payroll system will usually default to issuing a physical check or loading your pay onto a company-issued debit card, depending on what your employer offers. This is a safety measure to ensure you still get paid. However, it is better to add a new account before removing the old one so you control where your money goes.
Timing and when changes take effect
Most employers process payroll on a set schedule — weekly, biweekly, or monthly. Changes you make to your payment elections usually take effect on the next pay cycle after you save them. However, if you make a change close to the payroll cutoff time, it may not process in time and will roll to the following pay period instead.
Check your company's payroll calendar in Workday or ask HR what time on what day the payroll cutoff is. If you are changing your payment method and need it to take effect on a specific check, make the change at least two business days before that pay date. If you miss the window, your old payment method will be used, and your next change will take effect on the following pay cycle.
What to do if your change does not go through
If you changed your payment elections but your paycheck still went to the old account, first check that you actually saved the change. Open your payment elections page again and confirm the new account is listed. If it is not there, the change did not save — try again, making sure to click the final Save or Confirm button.
If the new account is showing in Workday but your paycheck went to the old one anyway, the change likely missed the payroll cutoff. Your next paycheck should go to the new account. If two pay cycles pass and your money is still going to the old account, contact your HR or payroll department — there may be a system error or a hold on your account change that only they can clear.
If you entered the wrong routing or account number and money went to an incorrect account, contact your bank immediately. They can often reverse the deposit or redirect it. At the same time, correct the information in Workday and notify your payroll department so they know what happened and can monitor the next deposit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change my payment elections while I am on leave or out of the office?
Yes. Workday is accessible from anywhere you have internet access, and your change will process on schedule regardless of whether you are working. However, if you are on unpaid leave and have no paycheck coming, the change will simply wait until your next pay date. Make sure you have access to your new bank account before the change takes effect so you can verify the deposit arrives.
What happens if I enter the wrong account number?
Workday will send your paycheck to the account number you entered, even if it belongs to someone else or does not exist. If the account does not exist, your bank will reject the deposit and it will bounce back to your employer's payroll system, which usually results in a check being mailed to you instead. If the account belongs to someone else, that person will receive your money and you will need to contact your bank and payroll department to recover it. Always double-check the routing and account numbers before saving.
Can I change my payment elections on a mobile device?
Yes, Workday's mobile app includes payment elections. The steps are the same as on a desktop: open your profile, find Payment Elections or Direct Deposit, and edit your account information. However, entering long numbers like routing and account numbers is easier on a larger screen, so consider using a computer if you are making changes for the first time.
Do I need to notify my employer after I change my payment elections?
No. Once you save the change in Workday, your employer's payroll system picks it up automatically on the next pay run. You do not need to email HR or fill out a form. However, if you are changing banks and want to make sure the old account is closed, you may want to contact your old bank to confirm they will not hold the account open waiting for deposits.
What if my employer does not allow self-service payment changes?
Some smaller companies or older payroll setups do not give employees access to change payment elections themselves. If you cannot find the option in Workday, contact your HR or payroll department and ask them to make the change for you. They will need your new routing number, account number, and account type. Request a confirmation email once the change is made so you have a record of when it was submitted.