Adobe Workfront is a robust work management platform, but like any system, it has its challenges. Whether you are just starting or expanding Workfront across multiple departments, you may encounter some common obstacles. The good news is that most of these issues can be resolved with the right approach.
Here’s a rundown of the most frequent Workfront challenges and some practical ways to overcome them.
Adoption & User Resistance
The Challenge:
It’s a reality that some team members are resistant to change. Whether they are attached to spreadsheets or feeling overwhelmed by new tools, adoption can be challenging.
The Fix:
Provide clear, role-based onboarding and ongoing training. Tailor it to how they’ll use Workfront.
- Use dashboards and reports to show users how Workfront makes their lives easier (less email, fewer status meetings).
- Introduce features like Workfront Proof to streamline reviews and approvals. It’s a game-changer for creative teams.
Poor System Configuration & Governance
The Challenge:
Without a clear structure, Workfront can become chaotic. As projects increase, naming conventions become inconsistent, leading to confusion about who has access to what. Additionally, users may create items without a full understanding of the system.
The Fix:
- Establish a solid governance model: roles, permissions, naming standards, and processes.
- Use project templates to drive consistency across teams.
- Audit your instance regularly. Look at portfolios, users, and templates to keep everything clean and aligned.
- Lock down the permissions and access levels so that users only have access to what is necessary for their job
Difficulty with Custom Reporting
The Challenge:
Out-of-the-box reports are great—until you need something more specific. Then it gets tricky, especially with text mode and advanced filters.
The Fix:
- Learn the basics of Workfront’s Text Mode to unlock powerful custom views, filters, and groupings.
- Check out Adobe Experience League for helpful examples and reporting guidance.
Notification Overload
The Challenge:
Workfront notifications can pile up fast. Too many alerts = inbox fatigue = people ignoring important updates.
The Fix:
- Customize notification settings by user role so teams only get what they need.
- Encourage users to rely on dashboards and widgets, not just email.
- Train your team to check Workfront directly instead of waiting for pings.
Integration Headaches
The Challenge:
Connecting Workfront with tools like Jira or Salesforce can get technical—and overwhelming.
The Fix:
- Use Workfront Fusion to automate workflows and manage integrations with less manual work.
- Map Workfront objects carefully to match external systems (this saves major headaches later).
- For custom needs, check out Adobe’s API Explorer for developer-friendly support.
Resource Management Challenges
The Challenge:
If you’re unsure who’s doing what, or if some people are overloaded while others are underutilized, Workfront can help—but only if set up right.
The Fix:
- Use the Resource Planner to see availability and assignments at a glance.
- Set up resource pools for flexible staffing across teams.
- Implement capacity-based planning to align assignments with realistic bandwidth.
Keeping Workfront Clean & Organized
The Challenge:
Old projects, duplicate tasks, and cluttered dashboards can drag everything down—and confuse users.
The Fix:
- Create clear archiving guidelines for complete or stale projects.
- Use Fusion to automate cleanup tasks and remove clutter at scale.
- Stick to consistent naming conventions and use metadata to make searching easier.
Final Thoughts
No platform is perfect, and Workfront is no exception. But with the right planning, governance, and user support, you can turn common challenges into opportunities to improve your workflows, increase adoption, and get more value out of your investment.
Leave a Reply