Materials & SDS Overview
Material List Tab
Collection/Material
Collection (optional) is a way to organize your materials into sections
Material is a list of all materials, if a collection was created, they will list under their assigned section
Supplier Revision Date
Suppliers are required to provide an updated SDS if you purchase a new or replacement hazardous product after an update has occurred.
This date should be found in Section 16 near the end of the document under a heading like "Date of Preparation," "Date of Issue," or "Date of Last Revision"
Status - You will see the below status in this column
Never Expires
Reviewed in a green pill bubble, expiry date underneath
Coming Due in a Yellow pill bubble, expiry date underneath
Requires Review in a Red pill bubble, expiry date underneath
Blank, the material is not active
Relevant Locations
All locations
The name of the location assigned
The number of locations assigned
Blank - material is inactive
Vendors
The name of the vendor(s) associated with the material
Additional list options
Rearranging List Columns
You can customize the layout of your database grid to match your preferred workflow:
Press the column option button and select from here the columns to view, also uncheck columns to hide them.
If you want to save this view click the pin. Once you refresh the custom view will remain. Otherwise un-pined views will disappear after refreshing the window.
Columns can be rearranged by dragging them in the desired order, top = left and bottom = right.
Filtering Material Information
To isolate specific data types and narrow down a large chemical inventory, you can build multi-layered search filters:
Initiate the Filter: Locate and press the Add Filter option near the top of the list page.
Choose the Category: Select your initial target parameter from the filter type options on the right hand side of the screen.
Build Advanced Layers: You can add as many concurrent filter layers as your search requires. Click Continue to step back out to the main selection menu and stack additional criteria.
Deploy the Search: Once all your layers are mapped out, click Apply Filters to update your database view.
How to Create and Configure a New Material Record
Follow these steps to build out a comprehensive, compliant chemical profile complete with safety instructions, location mapping, and review intervals.
Step-by-Step Material Creation
Open the Materials & SDS component
Click the Add New button in the top right corner of the dashboard.
Choose Material from the dropdown options.
This action opens the Workplace Label Information Section where you will build your overview.
Fill Out Product & Safety Details
Complete the product tracking fields to ensure workers have immediate safety instructions:
Material (SDS) Name: Enter the exact name of the chemical or product.
Safe Handling Instructions & Details: Input specific handling guidelines or manufacturer details to promote safe workplace practices.
Those details will be included in the Workplace Label Download
Supplier Revision Date: Log the exact revision date printed on the manufacturer's sheet to track safety document currency.
Upload the SDS File
Locate the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) file section.
Upload your documentation.
⚠️ File Restriction: The only accepted file type for this component is a PDF.
Categorize & Automate Review Schedules
Add Collection (Optional): Click the dropdown to place this item into an organized category folder.
Select Classification: Tag the chemical with its official regulatory hazard class.
Select Admin Review Interval: Choose an automated tracking period from the dropdown (1 to 4 Years, or Never).
💡 System Tip
Reviewing your inventory regularly is crucial for maintaining compliant safety documentation. When a material SDS is approaching its scheduled review date, Workhub will flag it on your main list page with a gold Coming Due status bubble.
Add Notes & Visuals
Notes: Type out any internal instructions. These notes are completely visible and shared with workers on their dashboards.
Add a Material Thumbnail: Upload an image of the physical container. While optional, this is highly recommended to improve visual field recognition and clarity for workers.
Map Relevant Locations
Control which job sites or shops can see this material.
Option A: Select All Locations if the chemical is universally used across your company.
Option B: Choose Select Locations and click the plus (+) icon to open the site pop-up. Check the boxes for the specific locations that use the material, then click Add.
Commit Changes
Click Save! Your newly configured material profile will now populate directly on your main Material List page under its designated collection.
Add a Collection (Optional)
Used to group and organize your materials into scannable list sections.
What it does: Allows you to create distinct category folders (e.g., Shop Chemicals, Office Cleaners) so workers don't have to scroll through one massive, unorganized inventory screen.
Why it's optional: If you only manage a few materials, you can skip this step entirely; it is designed to help your inventory list look clean as your database grows.
How to Create a Collection
Click the Add New button in the top right corner and choose Collection.
Type in your collection Title and the Save button will highlight.
Once you have saved your collection it will populate on your main Material List tab.
Manage a Collection
You can add a specific material directly to a collection row, or manage its position:
Locate your collection row on your main Materials page.
On the far right side of the row, click the menu icon (three dots) to open a pop-up window.
Select from the following options:
Move up a row - Previous: Moves you to the row up your list.
Move down a row - Next: Moves you to the row down your list.
Add Material List: Opens the standard material creator window, but automatically pre-populates the collection field for you. Once saved, it displays directly under this collection folder.
Edit: Allows you to rename your collection title.
Delete: Removes the collection folder. Note: You cannot delete a collection if it still has materials assigned to it.
Assign an Existing Material to a Collection
If you have already created a material and want to move it inside a collection folder:
Click directly on the target Material row from your list.
Once the Material Overview screen opens, locate the Collection dropdown menu.
Click the dropdown arrow and select the collection folder you want the material to be housed under.
Save your changes.
How to Export and Download Your Material Inventory
Workhub provides tools to export your complete chemical inventory list for offline compliance audits, safety binders, or external reporting.
Choosing Your Download Format
Navigate to the main Material List page and click the Download button in the top right corner. Select from the following options based on your organizational needs:
PDF List: Generates a quick, readable list of your inventory.
Excel / Spreadsheet List: Generates a clean data file for sorting, filtering, and running chemical inventory counts.
ZIP Archive: Creates a comprehensive bulk package containing every single raw SDS PDF file stored in your library.
If the number of SDS's in your account is 100 or below, you will be able to directly download the ZIP file, otherwise your download will be requested, which means that you will not receive the file directly from Workhub. Once you request it, a download link will be sent to your email as shown below.
How to Process a Bulk ZIP Export
Because downloading entire libraries of PDF files requires significant processing power, the system handles ZIP exports in the background. Follow these critical steps to ensure a clean data pull:
Filter and Submit the Request
Open the download menu and select the Material Manual ZIP option.
Apply Filters: If your chemical database is extensive, you may be required to filter your data down to a maximum of 1,000 submissions before submitting the request.
Click Continue. A green confirmation indicator will instantly appear at the bottom of your screen to confirm the system has queued your archive request.
Wait for the Processing Window
Be Patient: Creating a large ZIP archive can take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours, depending entirely on your database size.
Avoid Duplicates: Do not click or resubmit duplicate export requests. Submitting multiple extractions creates system lag and slows down your queue.
Retrieve Your Data via Email Link
Email Notification: Once your files are packaged, Workhub will automatically send you an automated confirmation email. This email details your specific download date and safety data parameters.
🔒 Expiration & Security Restrictions: The download link is highly secure. It cannot be forwarded to third parties and requires active user validation. Additionally, the download link expires strictly after 72 hours. If you miss this window, you must re-queue your export.
Extract and Save the Archive
Open the automated notification email and click the blue validation button.
Log into your Workhub portal when prompted.
Once your password and account authorization are validated, click the arrow icon to download the archive file.
Click Only Once: Final ZIP file packages can range from several Megabytes to multiple Gigabytes in size. Tap the download icon once and wait for the file transfer to complete to prevent workspace connection lag.
How to Download and Print Workplace Labels
Once a material has been successfully created in the system, you can generate physical labels to place directly on chemical containers, spray bottles, or storage bins.
Step-by-Step Label Generation
Navigate to your Material List and click on the specific chemical record you need labels for.
Click the Download button located in the top right corner of the page.
Choose Your Dimensions: A pop-up window will appear displaying available formatting configurations. Select your preferred label size from the options provided.
Generate the File: Click Submit to process the layout.
Print and Deploy: Download the generated document to your device and print the formatted workplace labels using your local label printer.
How to Manage Your Material Vendor List
Use the Vendor List tab along the top of the screen to catalog suppliers, maintain emergency contact records, and link vendors directly to specific chemical materials.
What is a Vendor and Why is this List Useful?
A vendor is an external company or manufacturer that supplies chemical products and their corresponding Safety Data Sheets (SDS) to your organization.
Maintaining a centralized Vendor List inside Workhub is critical for your safety operations because it:
📞 Accelerates Emergency Response: Provides immediate access to supplier phone numbers and emails if an incident occurs and emergency personnel require immediate chemical manufacturing data.
📦 Streamlines Procurement: Keeps a clean record of who supplies which product, making it easy for facility managers to reorder materials.
🔄 Simplifies Compliance Audits: Allows administrators to quickly identify which vendors need to be contacted for updated documents when an SDS is approaching its three-year expiration date.
How to Add a New Vendor
Click on the blue Add Vendor tab to open the vendor configuration page.
Enter the Vendor Name (this field is required to save the profile).
Fill out the vendor's physical Address and Contact Information (phone and email).
Upload a Vendor Image: To help workers instantly recognize the supplier, upload a brand logo or image.
🖼️ Accepted file types: GIF, JPEG, JPG, PNG, or TIFF
How to Link Materials to a Vendor
Linking items maps your inventory directly to the supplier for seamless procurement and reordering.
Linking the Material through the Vendor List
⚠️ Important: You must save the new vendor profile first before you can bind products to it.
Once saved, locate the Materials section on the vendor profile.
Click the plus (+) icon on the right side of the section header to open a pop-up window.
Browse or search your comprehensive materials inventory list.
Check the box next to one or multiple materials, then click Add.
The selected items will now populate under the materials section of your Vendor Details.
Linking a Vendor from the Material List
Instead of opening the vendor directory, you can link a supplier directly from an individual chemical profile. This method is much faster if you are only assigning a single material.
Open the Product Profile: From your main Material List page, locate your target material and click to open its overview screen.
Access the Supplier Settings: Click on the Vendors tab located along the top row of the profile window.
Select Your Supplier: A pop-up window will appear displaying your company's vendor directory. Use the search bar or scroll through the list to find your supplier.
Save: Select the vendor and click the blue Save button.
Confirmation: A green checkmark indicator will pop up in the bottom right corner of your screen to confirm the vendor link was saved successfully.
Remove Materials
If an item was selected in error, or if your organization changes suppliers for a specific chemical:
Open the vendor profile.
Locate the product in the materials list section.
Click the red trash can icon next to the item.
(You can also click the arrow to revert the deletion before saving)
Save Vendor
Commit Changes
Once your contact details, logos, and product maps are configured, click Save Vendor in the top right corner to publish the profile to your directory.
How to Download and Print a Vendor List
Workhub provides tools to export your supplier directory for procurement tracking, quick-reference contact sheets, or offline backup records.
Step-by-Step Export Instructions
From the Vendor List tab at the top of the screen.
Click the Download button located in the top right corner of the page.
Choose Your Format: Select either Vendor List PDF or Vendor List Excel from the dropdown options.
Confirm Download: A "File downloaded" pop-up indicator will appear on your screen to confirm the file has processed successfully.
Open & Print: Click to open the downloaded file from your device browser to save or print your physical records.
System Settings & Global Review Intervals
The general settings screen allows you to establish organization-wide compliance schedules for your entire chemical inventory.
How to Configure Global Settings
Navigate to your Materials & SDS component and click the Settings tab.
Select how frequently an administrator must review or update a material profile. Workhub uses this default interval to flag aging documents automatically.
Choose your automated tracking period from the dropdown menu choices:
1 to 4 Years: Sets an automated countdown flag based on your selection.
Never: Bypasses automated review flags entirely.
⚠️ Critical Best Practice
We highly discourage selecting "Never" for your review interval. Reviewing your chemical inventory regularly is crucial for maintaining compliant safety documentation and meeting strict regulatory standards. Using an active interval (such as 3 years) ensures administrators are alerted well in advance when an SDS needs to be checked against the manufacturer's newest revisions.
Modifying Default Component Permissions
You can customize roles and user access rights specifically for the Materials & SDS component to match your team's operational hierarchy.
⚠️ Critical Impact Warning
Any changes you save to a Default Permission Type will immediately affect all Workers assigned to Positions mapped to that default setting. Use caution before removing access privileges
📖 Related Resource: For an in-depth look at managing privileges, please see the Workhub Position Permissions Guide.
At Workhub we value Human Connections, no bots or AI. All our Standard Plan users receive live interactions with a Customer Support Agent via Phone, Email, and Instant Chat.
Need Help?
As always, if you have any questions we are happy to help you out. You can click the orange question mark Help Chat button in the bottom left corner of your screen for chat support. You can also email our Support Centre at [email protected].
Finally, if you are a Standard Plan Subscriber, you can also call in for phone support. The number for our Support Centre is 1-888-668-6403.