I had a chance to catch up with the Workday team Friday as they roll out their "Spring" release. Lots of functional growth in the product. A calculation engine which facilitates a move into US payroll processing (Europe to follow) and other extensions to the core HR functionality. Several HR benefits network partners. But more interestingly eProcurement, expense tracking, and resource management capability.
The point they kept emphasizing was these features are aimed at white collar, service industry workers. So resource management may eventually support plant and building assets, but for now is much more oriented towards physical and economic tracking of laptops, mobile phones and other knowledge worker assets.
So SAP and Oracle will not have to worry about Workday any time soon in blue collar verticals. And neither should Ariba or Concur with their deeper best-of-breed eProcurement and travel and expense management capabilities.
But then again - they should worry about a vendor which has 75% of its employees in R&D and services and is just building product momentum.
