Adding a bank account to Workday takes five to ten minutes and requires your routing number, account number, and account type
The Workday app lets you link a bank account so your employer can deposit your paycheck directly, or so you can move money between accounts within the app if your company uses Workday's payment features. The process is the same whether you are setting up direct deposit for the first time or adding a second account: you enter your bank details, Workday verifies them, and the account appears in your list within one to two business days.
You will need your routing number (a nine-digit code that identifies your bank), your account number (usually eight to twelve digits), and to know whether the account is checking or savings. If you do not have these details, your bank statement or online banking portal will show them. Some banks also print them on the back of your debit card.
Key Takeaways
- Open the Workday app, go to the Pay or Banking section, and select Add Bank Account to enter your routing number, account number, and account type.
- Workday will verify your account by depositing two small test amounts (usually under one dollar each) within one to two business days.
- You must confirm the test deposit amounts in the app before the account becomes active for payroll or transfers.
- If verification fails, check that your routing and account numbers are correct, and contact your bank if the account is new or recently closed.
- You can add multiple accounts and choose which one receives your paycheck or where money is sent when you request a transfer.
Step-by-step: entering your bank details in Workday
Open the Workday app and log in with your username and password. Tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) and look for a section labeled Pay, Banking, or Account Settings — the exact name depends on what your employer has set up. Select Add Bank Account or Link Account.
Enter your bank's routing number in the first field. This is the nine-digit code that identifies your specific bank. If you are unsure, search "[your bank name] routing number" online, or log into your bank's website and look under account details or settings.
Enter your account number in the second field. This is the unique number for your specific account at that bank. Do not include hyphens or spaces — type only the digits. Then select whether the account is Checking or Savings. Tap Save or Confirm. Workday will show you a summary of the details you entered. Review them carefully before proceeding, because entering the wrong number means the verification will fail.
How Workday verifies your account with test deposits
After you submit your bank details, Workday sends two small test deposits to your account — usually between 1 and 99 cents each. These deposits appear in your bank account within one to two business days. The amounts are random and different each time, which is how Workday confirms you actually own the account.
Once the deposits land in your account, go back to the Workday app and look for a prompt to verify the amounts. You will see a field asking you to enter the two deposit amounts. Type them exactly as they appear in your bank statement or online banking portal. If both amounts match, Workday marks the account as verified and it becomes active immediately.
If you do not see the verification prompt after two business days, check your bank statement to confirm the deposits arrived. Sometimes they appear under a generic description like "Workday Inc" or "WD Test Deposit". If the deposits are there, return to the Workday app and look for a Verify Account or Confirm Deposits button. If the deposits never arrived, see the troubleshooting section below.
What to do if verification fails or takes longer than expected
If you entered the wrong routing or account number, the test deposits will bounce back to Workday and never reach your bank. Workday will notify you that verification failed. Delete the account from the app and start over with the correct numbers. Double-check your routing number against your bank's official website, not a search result, because scam sites sometimes rank high in search results.
If your account is brand new (less than a few days old), some banks do not accept test deposits right away. Wait three to five business days after opening the account, then try adding it to Workday again. If your account was recently closed, you cannot use it — add a different account instead.
If you have entered the correct numbers and waited two business days but the deposits have not appeared, contact your bank's customer service and ask whether they are blocking small deposits from Workday. Some banks flag unfamiliar transfers as suspicious. Your bank can whitelist Workday's account so future deposits go through. After your bank clears the block, you can try adding the account to Workday again.
Managing multiple bank accounts in Workday
You can add as many bank accounts as you want to Workday. Each one goes through the same verification process. Once verified, all your accounts appear in a list in the app, and you can choose which one receives your paycheck or where money goes when you request a transfer.
If you want to change which account gets your paycheck, open the Pay or Direct Deposit section and select the account you prefer. The change usually takes effect on your next pay cycle. If you want to remove an account, find it in your account list and select Delete or Remove. Workday will ask you to confirm. Deleted accounts cannot receive deposits, but you can add them back later by going through verification again.
Security and what Workday does with your bank information
Workday encrypts your routing and account numbers and stores them on secure servers. Your employer's payroll team can see that you have linked an account, but they cannot see your full account number — Workday shows only the last four digits. When Workday sends money to your account, it uses the routing and account numbers you provided, the same way a paper check would.
Never share your routing or account number with anyone except through the official Workday app or your bank's website. If someone asks for these numbers via email, text, or phone, it is a scam. Workday and your employer will never ask for this information outside the app.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take for my account to be ready for direct deposit?
Once you enter your bank details, Workday sends test deposits within a few hours. Those deposits reach your bank within one to two business days. After you confirm the amounts in the app, the account is active immediately. The whole process usually takes two to three business days from start to finish.
Can I add an account at a different bank than the one my paycheck currently goes to?
Yes. You can add as many accounts as you want, even at different banks. When you set up direct deposit or request a transfer, you choose which account receives the money. This is useful if you want to split your paycheck between two accounts or move money to a savings account at a different bank.
What if I entered my account number wrong and the test deposits failed?
Delete the account from Workday and add it again with the correct number. Make sure you are copying the account number from your bank statement or online banking portal, not from memory. Once you enter the correct number, Workday will send new test deposits within a few hours.
Do I need to add my bank account if my employer already has my direct deposit information?
It depends on your employer's setup. Some companies use Workday only for viewing pay stubs and do not need you to link an account in the app. Others require you to link an account in Workday to receive direct deposit. Check with your payroll or HR team if you are unsure whether you need to add your account to the app.
Can I use a savings account instead of a checking account for direct deposit?
Yes. When you add your account to Workday, you select whether it is Checking or Savings. Both types work for direct deposit. Some employers or banks have limits on how many direct deposits a savings account can receive per month, so check with your bank if you plan to split your paycheck between multiple accounts.