Where to find your username right now

Your Workday username is usually the email address your employer set up for you, or a shortened version of your name — something like jsmith or john.smith. The fastest way to find it is to look at any email your company sent you about Workday access, or to check the login page itself: many employers display a hint or recovery option that shows part of your username.

If you have access to your work email, search for messages from Workday, your HR department, or your IT help desk. These often arrive when your account is first created and include your username in the body or subject line. If your employer uses single sign-on (logging in through your company's main account system rather than Workday directly), your username there is the same one you use for Workday.

The second place to check is your company's employee handbook or onboarding documents. Many employers include login credentials or username formats in these materials, either in print or in a shared folder you can still access.

Key Takeaways

  • Your Workday username is usually your work email address or a variation like firstname.lastname or first initial plus last name.
  • Search your work email for messages from Workday, HR, or IT that arrived when your account was created — these typically contain your username.
  • If your company uses single sign-on, your Workday username is the same as the username you use to log into your company's main system.
  • Your HR department or IT help desk can confirm your username by verifying your identity through your employee ID or email address.

Asking your HR or IT department

If you cannot find your username in email or documents, contact your HR department or IT help desk directly. They have your account information on file and can tell you your username after they verify who you are. Be ready to provide your employee ID number, your full name, and your work email address.

Most companies handle this request the same day or within one business day. If you are locked out of email as well, you may need to call in person or visit an office to verify your identity, but this is rare. Many employers now allow password or username recovery through a phone number or personal email address you provided during onboarding.

What to do if you do not remember your password either

If you have found your username but cannot remember your password, use the "Forgot Password" link on the Workday login page. This will send a reset link to your work email address. Click the link, create a new password, and log in with your username and the new password.

If you cannot access your work email, tell your IT department that you need both a username reminder and a password reset. They can reset your password directly in Workday and send you temporary credentials to use on your first login. You will then be asked to create a new password of your own.

Understanding your company's username format

Different employers use different formats for Workday usernames. The most common are your full work email address (jsmith@company.com), your first and last name with a period (john.smith), your first initial and last name (jsmith), or a unique employee ID number your company assigned you. Some companies use a completely different system based on their internal naming conventions.

Once you know your format, you can often guess your username if you know how your company names other accounts. If your company email is john.smith@company.com, your Workday username is very likely john.smith. If you see other employees' email addresses or know how your company structures them, you can use that pattern to narrow down what yours might be.

Recovering your username from a past login

If you have logged into Workday before on a computer or phone you still use, your browser or device may have saved your username. On a computer, right-click the username field and select "Inspect" or "Inspect Element" to see if your browser has stored it. On most phones, tap and hold the username field to see if your device offers a saved username from your password manager or browser history.

If you use a password manager like 1Password, LastPass, or Dashlane, check there first — many people save their Workday login when they first set up the account. Open your password manager, search for "Workday" or your company name, and your username should appear alongside your password.

Preventing this from happening again

Once you have logged back in, write your username down in a find place or save it in your password manager. Many people store login information in a password manager like Bitwarden, 1Password, or the built-in password manager on their phone or computer. This way, you will not have to search for it again.

If your company allows it, you can also set up a recovery email address or phone number in your Workday account settings. This gives you another way to reset your password or recover your username without contacting HR every time you forget.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is my Workday username the same as my email address?

Usually, yes — most companies set your Workday username to match your work email address. However, some employers use a shortened version like firstname.lastname or first initial plus last name instead. Check your onboarding email or ask HR to confirm which format your company uses.

What if my company uses single sign-on?

If you log into Workday through your company's main account system (rather than entering a separate username and password), your Workday username is the same as the one you use for that main system. You do not have a separate Workday username in this case.

Can I change my Workday username?

In most cases, no — your Workday username is set by your employer and cannot be changed by you. If you need a different username, contact your HR or IT department to request a change. They will decide whether a change is possible based on your company's policies.

What if HR says they cannot find my account?

This usually means your account has not been created yet, or it was deactivated after you left the company. If you currently work there, ask HR to create a new Workday account for you. If you left the company, you will not be able to access Workday anymore.