Workday Application Status Meanings: Decode Every Status
What Workday application statuses really mean: Submitted, In Review, In Progress, Completed, No Longer Under Consideration and more, with what to do next for each.
By Onward ScoutPublished 2 min read
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Workday application status decoder
Pick the status you see in Workday and get what it usually means and what to do next. Each employer configures its own labels, so treat this as the common reading, not a guarantee.
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Workday application statuses are labels each employer configures, but they follow a pattern: "Submitted" means waiting for review, "In Progress" means an active stage such as an interview, and "Completed" usually means the process is over for you. Pick your status in the decoder above for its meaning and the next step.
What do the main Workday application statuses mean?
In short
Submitted: received, waiting or in early review. In review or under consideration: someone has looked, no decision yet. In progress: an active stage such as a screen or interview. Completed or not selected: usually declined or the job closed. Offer: an offer is being prepared.
Workday matters because so many large employers use it: Jobscan found over 40% of Fortune 500 companies use Workday to hire[Jobscan, 2026], more than any other system. If you apply to big companies, you will see these labels constantly.
Why does "Completed" usually mean you were not selected?
In short
Because of how many employers configure Workday: when a recruiter records a decline reason or cancels the job, the candidate often sees "Completed" rather than "Rejected". It means the process is complete for you, not that you completed it successfully.
The University of Wisconsin–Madison publishes how its own Workday setup displays to candidates. Its HR guide shows that any decline reason except withdrawal appears to the candidate as "Completed" on the Inactive tab[UW–Madison HR], while every active stage after review shows as "In Progress". Other employers vary, but this pattern is common, and it explains most of the confusion.
Why does your status not change for weeks?
In short
Early review often displays as "Submitted" the entire time, and many changes are not announced. Unless a recruiter writes to you, moving between internal steps can happen without any visible update or email.
The same guide warns its recruiters that no notification is sent when a candidate is removed from consideration or the job is closed[UW–Madison HR] unless someone uses the message feature. So a quiet portal is not a verdict. If it has been over a week and you have a named contact, use our follow-up calculator for job applications to time a short email.
What should you do after checking your status?
In short
Act on the few statuses that need action: complete assessments before the deadline, confirm interview slots, read offers carefully. For everything else, record the status in your tracker and keep applying. Checking the portal daily changes nothing.
We recommend one weekly review: open each portal, update your job application tracker, send any follow-ups that are due and close out anything marked "Completed" or "Not selected". Then spend the rest of the week on new applications, which is where offers actually come from.
Frequently asked questions
What does "Completed" mean on a Workday application?
Usually that the process has ended for you: in many Workday setups, any rejection reason or a canceled job shows to candidates as "Completed". Treat it as a no unless someone tells you otherwise.
Why has my Workday status said "Submitted" for weeks?
In many setups the early review stage displays as "Submitted" the whole time, so nothing visible changes until you move to an interview or are declined.
Does Workday email me when my status changes?
Not necessarily. Whether a status change triggers an email depends on how the employer set up Workday; at UW–Madison, for example, no message goes out when a candidate is declined or a job is canceled unless the recruiter sends one. Check Candidate Home and do not rely on email alone.
Can I apply to other jobs at the same company if one says "No longer under consideration"?
Yes. The decision applies to that posting. Apply to other roles that genuinely fit, and mention any contact you made during the first process.
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