Deltek’s WorkBook 14.0 launch focused on AI-driven intelligence through Dela, stronger system security and performance and improvements to the overall user experience. Deltek Product Director Mike McLean described the release as “the beginning of a smarter, more intuitive platform — one that helps teams move faster, reduce manual work, and operate with greater confidence.”
We’ve reviewed the latest release in detail, exploring the key features and benefits, as well as potential watch-outs, giving you a practical view of what’s new, what’s changed and what these updates could mean for your agency.
But not every feature should simply be switched on. Some updates need careful configuration, some may affect existing ways of working, and others are best introduced alongside process changes or team training. Get in touch with Tangram today and we can help support you in your system upgrades at hello@bytangram.com.
1. Creditor Invoices and ICR: a strong feature, but only if your vendor data is clean
WorkBook v14 introduces improved invoice automation for Creditor Invoices through Intelligent Character Recognition (ICR). The feature is designed to read invoice information and help populate creditor invoice details automatically, reducing the amount of manual entry required by finance teams. When the system can recognise the creditor and match the invoice to the right vendor record, it can significantly speed up the creditor invoice process.
In our testing, this was one of the stronger features in the release. Where vendor records were well maintained, ICR worked well around 80% of the time and helped reduce repetitive finance admin.
However, there is an important limitation. The feature relies heavily on being able to recognise a registered business number, ABN, VAT number, or equivalent identifier. If WorkBook cannot identify that information, it may not populate the invoice correctly. If it cannot identify the creditor, it cannot suggest the creditor.
It is also worth noting that the AI does not appear to “learn” in the way some users may expect. If supplier data is missing, inconsistent, or incomplete, the feature will not simply improve itself over time.
How it can impact agencies
For agencies with clean, complete vendor data, this could be a real time-saver. Finance teams may see a noticeable reduction in manual invoice entry, especially for regular suppliers where business registration details are already stored correctly in WorkBook.
That said, agencies should not treat this as a plug-and-play automation tool. If your creditor records are incomplete, particularly if business registration numbers, ABNs, or VAT numbers are not stored, the feature may expose data quality issues before it delivers value.
There are also still areas that need checking. Tax treatment, such as GST/VAT, should still be reviewed, and we found limitations around foreign currency invoices. The system was not always reliable in distinguishing between currencies such as Singapore dollars, US dollars, and Australian dollars.
To find out how you can enable this new feature in Tangram’s Knowledge Base guide or get in touch with our consultants to help support you.
2. Scheduling Assistant: useful for a first draft, but not yet intelligent scheduling
Scheduling Assistant, allows users to generate a high-level project schedule based on briefing information entered by the user. The idea is that users can describe the type of work they need to schedule, and WorkBook will suggest a timeline or structure for the project. This can be useful when creating a quick first draft of a schedule, particularly for work that is less familiar or does not already have a standard template.
However, in its current form, the feature feels closer to a smart template than a fully intelligent scheduling tool. It does not automatically bring in resources, it does not populate hours in the way many teams might expect, and it does not appear to assess capacity.
That means it can help suggest how a project could be structured, but it does not yet solve the more complex operational challenges around scheduling, resource availability, or workload management.
How it can impact agencies
For agencies creating quick client-facing timelines, especially for new types of work or projects that do not follow a standard delivery model, the Scheduling Assistant could be helpful. It gives teams a starting point and may save time when building an initial project plan.
But expectations need to be managed. This is not yet a tool that will solve scheduling issues, manage capacity, or make resource decisions. Traditional WorkBook templates can already hold resources on tasks, whereas the AI-generated schedule still requires users to manually add people.
Our view is that this is a promising first iteration, but we would like to see future versions bring in resource logic, capacity awareness, and more practical scheduling intelligence.
To find out how you can enable this new feature in Tangram’s Knowledge Base guide or get in touch with our consultants to help support you.
3. Multiple Scrum Board configurations: a practical win for operations teams
WorkBook v14 introduces the ability to create multiple Scrum Board configurations. This means agencies can now set up different scrum boards with different statuses, rather than relying on a single shared configuration. For example, a development team could have one board structure, while a studio team could have another.
This gives teams more flexibility in how scrum boards are configured and allows WorkBook to better reflect the different workflows used across departments.
How it can impact agencies
This is a practical and useful improvement for agencies with multiple teams using scrum in different ways. Being able to configure separate boards makes the scrum functionality more flexible and more realistic for multi-disciplinary agencies.
4. Security and API keys
v14 includes improvements around API keys, supporting better security and more flexible connectivity between WorkBook and external systems. For agencies using integrations, API key management is an important part of keeping connected systems secure and controlled. This update supports Deltek’s ongoing focus on improving security, system performance, and integration capability.
How it can impact agencies
This is not necessarily a feature that everyday users will notice, but it matters for agencies with connected finance, reporting, BI, data warehouse, or operational tools.
Stronger API key management gives teams better control over how external systems connect to WorkBook. It also supports better governance, particularly for agencies with multiple integrations or more complex technical environments.
For agencies taking security and integration seriously, this is a welcome enhancement. It is less about changing day-to-day workflows and more about improving the underlying platform maturity.
5. Traceability and UX improvements
v14 also includes smaller traceability and UX improvements that make it easier to understand how information has moved through the system. One useful example is quote-to-invoice traceability. When a quote is copied to an invoice, WorkBook now shows which quote or quotes were copied into that invoice. This is a small enhancement, but it gives users more visibility over where invoice information has come from.
How it can impact agencies
For finance, project management, and client service teams, better traceability can make day-to-day work easier and reduce confusion. This update supports better auditability, clearer billing history, and more confidence when checking invoice data.
In Summary
WorkBook v14 is a meaningful release, but it is not one where every feature is equally mature.
The strongest immediate value is likely to come from Creditor Invoice automation, provided your vendor data is clean and complete. Multiple Scrum Board configurations are also a practical improvement for agencies with different teams using scrum in different ways. The API and traceability updates are sensible steps forward for security, integration, and auditability.
AI Scheduling is the area where expectations need the most management. It is useful as a starting point, but it is not yet a true scheduling intelligence tool. It does not solve capacity planning, resourcing, or hour allocation, and agencies should treat it more like an assisted template than a fully developed scheduling engine.
Overall, v14 is a step in the right direction. But as with many WorkBook updates, the real value depends on how well your system is configured, how clean your data is, and how clearly your teams understand what the new tools can, and cannot, do. Tangram is here to help your agency navigate these changes and understand which updates are most relevant to your team. To find out more, get in touch at hello@bytangram.com
