CHESS Partners with Kainos to Strengthen Workday Testing, Compliance, & Audit Readiness
Recently, the Collaborative for Higher Education Shared Services (CHESS) partnered with Kainos to enhance the reliability, compliance, and scalability of its Workday environment. Through this strategic collaboration, CHESS implemented Kainos Smart, an automated testing and auditing solution endorsed by Workday, to support continued growth and innovation across its shared services platform.
Since launching Workday in January 2023, CHESS has steadily expanded its use of the platform across Enterprise Resource Planning (Human Resources and Finance). As the organization’s Workday footprint has grown, so too has the complexity of system updates, configurations, and compliance requirements. To address these challenges, CHESS sought a solution that would streamline testing, improve audit readiness, and support long-term scalability.
Kainos Smart is enabling CHESS to automate testing across multiple Workday modules, significantly reducing manual effort while increasing test coverage and accuracy. By automating routine testing activities, CHESS has ensured system reliability and consistency as new features and updates are introduced. The solution also provides proactive monitoring of compliance and security risks, helping CHESS identify and address potential issues earlier in the process.
In addition to testing, Kainos Smart plays a key role in strengthening CHESS’s internal auditing capabilities. The platform enhances auditing efficiency across business processes, enabling more proactive compliance monitoring and improving overall audit readiness. This approach supports stronger internal controls while reducing the operational burden traditionally associated with manual audits.
“This partnership has marked a significant step forward in our digital transformation journey,” said Michael Chavez-Kerr, Senior Director of CHESS Enterprise Systems & Services. “By leveraging Kainos Smart, we’ve not only improved operational efficiency, but we are also strengthening our ability to deliver secure, compliant, and innovative services to our member colleges.”
The implementation of Kainos Smart spans key functional areas, including HR, Payroll, Financials, Security, and Talent & Performance, with minimal disruption to day-to-day operations. Designed to scale alongside CHESS’s evolving needs, the solution will also support future Workday modules and products, including Workday Student, as CHESS continues to expand its shared services model.
By partnering with Kainos, CHESS is reinforcing its commitment to modern technology, operational excellence, and continuous improvement—ensuring its member colleges to benefit from a secure, compliant, and resilient Workday environment now and in the future.