Sponsored Programs Services saves time with new automated email invoice integration

Sponsored Programs Services (SPS) and Modernization are working together to improve invoicing processes for grants.

On June 14, we launched a new integration that automatically generates emails with attached invoices to eligible sponsors, greatly reducing administrative burden for SPS staff.

This new integration aims to address a cumbersome, time-consuming process requiring SPS staff to manually generate, send, and record email invoices to sponsors on a one-by-one basis, using multiple systems.

SPS estimates that a single manual email to a sponsor takes a staff member between 3 and 10 minutes to create and send and document. Since December 2022, SPS has manually created and sent 1817 invoices to 337 email-eligible sponsors—that’s over 180 hours spent managing emails alone.

With the implementation of this new integration, invoice emails will now be automatically generated and sent daily to eligible sponsors, saving an estimated 15-50 hours of time per month for SPS staff members. This allows them more time to focus on key grants management tasks including compliance, fiscal analysis, and supporting departmental grants management personnel.  

The integration also provides SPS an increased ability to keep track of emails sent to sponsors, greater control over how and when emails are delivered, as well as the ability to access distribution information quickly and easily using Workday.

SPS has the ability to use the integration to generate automated emails for any sponsor eligible for email. While 337 sponsors are currently eligible to receive invoices using the integration, SPS expects the number to grow as they continue to collect email information.

SPS and Modernization are looking forward to their continued collaboration to improve grants management processes at WSU.

Questions? Reach out at the Workday Service Desk.