Workday application statuses explained: what each one means
In Workday Candidate Home, an application typically reads Submitted while it is in review, In Progress once it reaches a later active stage such as an interview, Completed when the employer has closed it, and Withdrew if you withdrew it. That mapping comes from one employer's published guide (the University of Wisconsin–Madison). Employers configure their own stages, so treat it as a typical pattern rather than a rule for every Workday site.
Where you see the status
Your status lives in your Candidate Home account. An employer's candidate FAQ says to review the "my applications" section in the candidate home in Workday, and that applicants get an immediate confirmation that the application was submitted plus an email confirmation. Workday's career-site documentation lists what an account shows: pending and completed tasks, draft and submitted applications and scheduled events, with red and green highlighted text to signal task and application statuses.
What each status usually means
The University of Wisconsin–Madison publishes a table of what candidates see for each stage of its process:
| Stage on the employer's side | What you see | Where it appears |
|---|---|---|
| Review | Submitted | Active tab |
| Any other active stage (interview, assessment, employment agreement) | In Progress | Active tab |
| Any decline or disposition reason except withdrawn | Completed | Inactive tab |
| Withdrawn | Withdrew | Inactive tab |
| Job requisition canceled, whatever the reason | Completed | Inactive tab |
| Job requisition frozen | The status you were in at the time | Active or Inactive tab |
Source: UW–Madison Human Resources, Candidate View by Job Application Status. Two things follow from it. Completed does not mean you got the job. It is what Candidate Home shows for any decline and also when the job itself is cancelled. And Submitted can stay put for a long time, because it covers the whole review stage.
Status, stage and step
The same page explains that, behind the scenes, an application has three parts: a status (Active or Inactive), a stage (for example Screen) and a step within the stage (for example Phone Screen). Updating the status and stage changes what you see in Candidate Home; the step does not. So a recruiter can move you from a resume screen to a phone screen and your page may not change at all.
Workday's training manual for recruiters lists the record statuses employers work with: Prospect, Active Candidate, Pre-Hire and Worker. A prospect becomes an active candidate by applying for a job. These are the recruiter's labels, not the ones in the table above.
Why you may hear nothing
The Wisconsin guide is blunt about it: changing a candidate's status, including removing them from consideration or closing the job, does not send them any kind of notification; the employer has to use Send Message to tell you. If an employer doesn't, the only sign is a changed label in Candidate Home. Check it, and check spam, before assuming nobody looked.
What to do with this
- Save the confirmation email; it is your proof of the application date.
- Check Candidate Home every week or two for a changed status and any tasks waiting for you.
- If you applied through a Workday site and the status hasn't moved after the posting's stated timeline, follow up with a person; see when to follow up after a job application.
- If a role sits on Submitted for months, it may be a stale listing.
How Applier fits in
We fill in and submit Workday applications for you and shows each one in your dashboard; employer emails such as verification codes go to the application mailbox Applier gives you. An application that can't be finished shows as Failed. See how Applier works and auto-apply to Workday jobs.
Related guides
- Do you need a Workday account to apply for a job?
- Workday application tips: save drafts, check autofill, keep proof
- When to follow up after a job application
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AWSFrequently asked questions
What does Submitted mean on a Workday application?
In one employer's published guide, Submitted is what candidates see while their application is in the Review stage. Other stages that are still active show as In Progress. Employers configure their own stages, so labels can differ.
Does Completed mean I was rejected?
Not necessarily. In that guide Completed appears for any decline or disposition reason other than withdrawn, and also when the job requisition is cancelled. It means the employer has closed the application, not that you were hired or rejected for a particular reason.
Will Workday email me when my status changes?
Not automatically. The same guide says changing a candidate's status, including removing them from consideration or closing the job, doesn't send any notification; the employer has to send a message separately. Check Candidate Home and your spam folder.
Sources
- Candidate View, by Job Application Status, UW–Madison Human Resources, 2025
- Career Sites, Workday Education, 2026
- Prospects and Candidates, Workday Education, 2026
- Workday Recruiting FAQs, University of Miami Human Resources, 2026