Integrations In workday

What is “Integration” in Workday?

In Workday, integration means securely moving data into
Workday and out of Workday and orchestrating processes with
other systems (payroll vendors, benefits carriers, ATS/CRM,
identity/IT, finance tools, data lakes, etc.).
Workday provides a spectrum of tools—ranging from “no-
code” to “pro-code”—so you can pick the right level of
complexity and control.
Why it matters
 Keep Workday the system of record while downstream
apps stay synchronized
 Automate high-volume data exchanges
 Reduce manual uploads and transcription errors
 Meet compliance/security obligations for sensitive
HR/Finance data

The Workday Integration Landscape (tools at a glance)

 EIB (Enterprise Interface Builder): Low/no-code; ideal
for simple inbound spreadsheet/CSV loads and
straightforward outbound extracts (often from a
report/RaaS).
 Core Connectors / Cloud Connect: Delivered/templated
integrations for common categories (e.g., Benefits carriers,
Third-Party Payroll via PECI/PICOF). Reduces build time
with vendor-ready layouts.
 Workday Studio: Eclipse-based, pro-code tool for complex
logic, branching, chunking, orchestration, multiple
services/targets in one flow.
 Workday Web Services: SOAP and REST APIs for
programmatic access. Often used by middleware
(MuleSoft, Boomi, etc.) or custom apps.
  Reports as a Service (RaaS): Make an Advanced Report
callable as a web service; great outbound data source
(CSV/XML/JSON).
 Transport & Delivery: SFTP, HTTPS/HTTP, email
attachments; optional compression/encryption (zip/PGP);
scheduling & event triggers.

A Complete “Integrations” Syllabus (topics you should

cover)
1) Integration Fundamentals
 Integration patterns: inbound, outbound, bidirectional,
event-driven, scheduled, on-demand
 Choosing the right tool: EIB vs Core Connector vs Studio vs
direct APIs
 Typical HR/FIN use cases (hires & changes, org/position
sync, time & absence, payroll, benefits, identity
management, vendor feeds)
2) Security & Access
 Integration System User (ISU), integration security
groups, and domain security policies
 Least-privilege access and SoD considerations
 Secrets & credentials: user/password, SSH keys,
certificates, OAuth 2.0 (for REST where enabled)
  Data masking, PII handling, and auditability
3) Data Sources & Modeling
 Workday business objects and related objects (Worker,
Position, Organization, Compensation, etc.)
 Advanced Report design for outbound (fields, prompts,
filters, calculated fields)
 RaaS enablement and output formats (CSV/XML/JSON)
 Reference vs display values (codes vs descriptions),
effective dating, and time zones
4) EIB – Inbound (Hands-On)
 Picking the correct Put/Import web service operation
 Generating and using the Spreadsheet Template
 Accepting CSV/XLSX/XML, optional XSLT transform to
required XML
 Retrieval Method: File pickup from SFTP vs manual
attachment
 Validation and error handling via Integration Events
 Idempotency strategies (re-runs without duplicates)
5) EIB – Outbound (Hands-On)
 Building a RaaS report as the Get Data source
 Binding report prompts to EIB parameters
  Delivery Method: File naming conventions & date tokens,
delivery via SFTP/HTTP/email
 Optional transforms (XSLT/CSV shaping)
 Scheduling, monitoring, and notifications
6) Core Connectors & Cloud Connect
 When to use connectors vs “from scratch”
 Cloud Connect for Benefits (carrier files & eligibility
events)
 Third-Party Payroll options (e.g., PECI for change-based
outbound, legacy PICOF)
 Vendor layout management, versioning, and testing with
carriers/payrolls
7) Workday Studio (Pro-Code)
 Components: steps, subflows, mappers,
splitters/aggregators, chunking large files
 Orchestrations: multi-system calls, retries, conditional
branching, enrichment
 Transformations: XSLT, XPath, CSV/XML/JSON handling,
attachments
 Event-driven designs (reacting to BP events) vs scheduled
pulls
8) APIs & Middleware
  SOAP (WSDL/XSD) vs REST resources
 Auth patterns: Basic/WS-Security (SOAP) and OAuth 2.0
(REST)
 Pagination, change queries, and performance
considerations
 Patterns with iPaaS (MuleSoft, Boomi, Workato, Azure, etc.)
9) Transports, Formats, and Security Hardening
 SFTP directory structure, inbound vs outbound folders
 Compression & PGP encryption, key rotation, and endpoint
allowlists
 File integrity checks, checksums, row counts
10) Scheduling, Monitoring, & Support
 Workday schedules, calendars, and time zones
 Integration Events: tracking input, transformed,
response; reprocessing
 Alerts/notifications, dashboards, SLAs, and run books
 Operational metrics (success rate, volume, latency)
11) Testing & Environments
 Unit → SIT → UAT → Prod flow
 Test data strategy (effective dates, future-dated changes)
  Negative testing (security denials, invalid codes, out-of-
sequence changes)
 Migrating integration configs between tenants; version
control and Activate Pending Integration Changes
12) Governance & Best Practices
 Naming conventions, documentation standards, and
interface catalog
 Backward compatibility for downstream consumers
 Change management with business stakeholders
 Decommissioning legacy feeds; sunset plans

Step-By-Step Playbooks (quick recipes you’ll use often)

A) Outbound employee extract to an SFTP (daily)
1. Advanced Report → include Worker/Org/Comp fields;
add prompts if needed.
2. Enable RaaS; set default CSV.
3. Create EIB (Outbound) → Get Data: Report (select your
RaaS).
4. Deliver: SFTP host/dir; filename like
Workers_{yyyyMMdd}.csv; optional zip/PGP.
5. Test Run → review Integration Event → fix data/security.
 6. Schedule at business-approved time; set failure
notifications.
B) Inbound one-time payments from payroll (monthly)
1. Create EIB (Inbound) → choose Put_One-Time_Payment
service.
2. Generate Spreadsheet Template → share with payroll;
explain codes vs labels.
3. Receive filled file → Run EIB and attach or fetch from SFTP.
4. Check Integration Event errors (worker not found,
earning code, dates).
5. Re-run with corrected file → document process for
operations.
C) Cloud Connect for Benefits (vendor feed)
1. Confirm vendor package and required fields/frequency.
2. Deploy Cloud Connect package → align mapping to vendor
layout.
3. Configure eligibility/event triggers; add any custom fields
via calculated fields/reporting.
4. Test with vendor test harness → validate
enrollments/coverage tiers.
5. Move to production, monitor first two cycles closely.
Best-Practice Nuggets
 Start with security: most failures are missing domain
permissions for the ISU.
 Prefer codes over descriptions (earning codes,
country/currency codes, etc.).
 Keep transforms simple: shape data in the
report/template first; use XSLT only when necessary.
 Small test files first: 1–2 rows to validate rules and BP
routing.
 Time zones & effective dates: align schedule cutoffs with
payroll/benefit cycles.
 Operationalize: add alerts, a run book, and a documented
rollback plan (e.g., reverse payments, rescind events).

Quick Glossary
 EIB: Lightweight integration builder for simple
inbound/outbound.
 RaaS: Reports as a Service (call a report via web service).
 Core/Cloud Connect: Delivered mappings/flows for
common vendors/categories.
 Studio: Full-featured orchestration tool.
  PECI/PICOF: Workday→Payroll change-based feeds (PECI
is the newer approach).
 ISU: Integration System User used to run integrations
securely.
 Integration Event: The run log (inputs, transforms,
outputs, errors).

Steps to Create an Inbound EIB (load data into Workday)

Example: Uploading employee contact information updates.
1. Login to Workday
o Go to the Workday Home Page.
2. Create Integration System
o Search for “Create EIB”.
o Enter:
 Name (e.g., Inbound_Employee_Update).
 Type: Inbound.
3. Choose Web Service
o Select the Web Service Operation that matches your
data (e.g., Put_Worker for worker data, Change_Job for
job changes).
 4. Configure Template / Data Source
o Download the Excel/CSV template generated by
Workday for that service.
o Fill in the data you want to load (example: new phone
numbers, addresses).
5. Upload File
o Go to the EIB.
o Select Upload Data File (CSV/Excel/XML as required).
6. Run EIB
o Submit the EIB to load data into Workday.
7. Monitor & Validate
o Check the Integration Event status.
o Validate the updates in Worker Profiles or Reports.

🔹 Steps to Create an Outbound EIB (extract data from

Workday)
Example: Sending Payroll data to a vendor.
1. Create Integration System
o Search for “Create EIB”.
o Enter:
  Name (e.g., Outbound_Payroll_File).
 Type: Outbound.
2. Choose Data Source
o Select from:
 Custom Report (most common).
 Workday Web Service.
o Example: Use a custom report listing employee payroll
details.
3. Add Transformation (optional)
o If the receiving system (like ADP, bank, vendor) needs
a specific format, add XSLT or text formatting rules.
4. Choose Delivery
o Decide how to send the file:
 SFTP (most common, secure).
 Email (testing only).
 Workday Attachment (manual download).
5. Run EIB
o Test-run the EIB.
o Check if the output file matches vendor/system
requirements.
 6. Schedule (optional)
o If this file should run regularly (e.g., payroll every
Friday), create a Schedule Integration task.
7. Monitor & Validate
o Check the Integration Event for success/failure.
o Confirm delivery (e.g., check SFTP server, verify
vendor received file).

🔹 Summary
 Inbound EIB = Load data into Workday (via templates →
upload → run).
 Outbound EIB = Extract data from Workday (via
report/service → transform → deliver).

🔷 What Is a Custom Object in Workday?

In Workday, a Custom Object is officially known as a Custom
Business Object (CBO). It's a way for organizations to extend
the standard Workday data model to store additional data
specific to their business needs — without modifying standard
Workday-delivered objects.

🔹 Why Use a Custom Object in Workday?

  To store data that Workday doesn’t natively support.
 To track custom attributes related to employees,
positions, organizations, etc.
 To extend the functionality of Workday while maintaining
upgrade safety.
 Used in reports, condition rules, integrations, and
business processes.

🔷 Types of Custom Objects

Type Description
Standalone Independent object not directly related to
CBO another Workday object.
Created in relation to an existing Workday
Related CBO
Business Object (e.g., Worker, Job Profile).
One instance of the CBO per instance of the
One-to-One
related object.
Multiple instances of the CBO can be attached to
One-to-Many
a single instance of the related object.

🔹 Example Scenarios
Scenario Custom Object
Tracking employee certifications Related CBO on Worker
Scenario Custom Object
object
Storing external training data Standalone CBO
Related CBO on Job
Custom fields for job requisitions
Requisition
Managing company assets (e.g., Standalone or related CBO
laptops) on Worker

🔷 Key Components of a Custom Business Object

Component Description
Custom data attributes (text, number, date,
Fields
boolean, picklist, etc.)
Security Domain Controls who can view or edit the data
Business Object Whether it's standalone or related to
Type another Workday object
Integration Can be exposed via Workday Web Services
Support (WWS) for integrations
Reporting Fully reportable using Workday Report
Support Writer
You can create calculated fields on CBOs like
Calculated Fields
any other object
🔷 How to Create a Custom Object in Workday (High-Level
Steps)
1. Search for: Create Custom Object
2. Enter basic information:
o Name
o Description
o Related object (if applicable)
3. Choose object type:
o Standalone, One-to-One, or One-to-Many
4. Add custom fields:
o Text, Number, Date, Picklists, etc.
5. Configure security settings:
o Domain security and field-level permissions
6. Activate the object
7. Optional:
o Add the CBO to business processes, reports, or
integrations.
⚠️Note: Once activated, you cannot delete a CBO, only
inactivate it. So plan carefully.
🔷 Limitations / Considerations
Area Notes
Avoid excessive use of One-to-Many CBOs in
Performance
high-volume objects (e.g., Worker).
You must configure domain security to access
Security
or modify CBO data.
Data If you're using CBOs for historical data, bulk
Migration loading may be required via EIB or integrations.
CBOs are versioned and upgrade-safe, but
Maintenance
overuse can increase system complexity.
CBOs can be reported on, but require Report
Reporting
Writer familiarity.

🔷 Real-World Use Cases

Use Case CBO Type Related Object
Track uniform sizes for
One-to-One Worker
employees
Store internal project codes
One-to-One Position
for positions
One-to-
Store travel preferences Worker
Many
Maintain product knowledge One-to- Worker
Use Case CBO Type Related Object
certifications Many
Track remote work None or Worker via
Standalone
equipment related field

🟡 Summary
Feature Description
Custom Business
A way to store custom data in Workday
Object (CBO)
Custom fields, security, integrations,
Supports
reporting
Types Standalone, One-to-One, One-to-Many
Employee tracking, extensions to Job
Use Cases
Requisition, Position, Worker, etc.
Reporting Fully supported in Report Writer
Controlled via domain and field-level
Security
permissions

If you're working in Workday Studio, EIB, or Report Writer,

you can also access and manipulate CBO data through
integrations and calculated fields.
🔹 1. EIB (Enterprise Interface Builder)
Definition:
 EIB is a Workday tool for integration.
 It allows import/export of data between Workday and
external systems using Excel/CSV/XML.
 Designed for non-technical users (point-and-click,
template-based).
Types:
 Inbound EIB → Load data into Workday (e.g., load new
hires, job changes, compensation updates).
 Outbound EIB → Extract data from Workday (e.g., payroll
data, employee details) and send to external system.
Example:
 Uploading Employee Certifications (stored in a Custom
Object) via Inbound EIB.
 Exporting Active Employees Report via Outbound EIB to
share with Payroll Vendor.

🔹 2. Custom Object
Definition:
 Used to extend Workday standard objects with
additional fields that are not delivered by Workday.
  Can be used in transactions, reports, integrations
(EIB/web services).
Example:
 Create a Custom Object → Employee Travel Info attached to
Worker.
o Fields: Passport Number, Frequent Flyer ID, Travel
Insurance Expiry Date.
 Now this object can be:
o Populated via Inbound EIB.
o Extracted in a Custom Report.
o Exposed in Web Services for external system
consumption.

🔹 3. Reports in Workday
Definition:
 Reports are used to view, analyze, and extract data in
Workday.
 Can be delivered (Workday Standard Reports) or custom-
built (Calculated Fields, Custom Reports).
 Reports can also be integration sources (used in EIB or
Web Services).
Example:
  Create a Custom Report on Worker → show Worker Name,
Department, and Custom Object field (e.g., Blood Group).
 This report can then be:
o Exported to Excel by HR.
o Used as a data source for an Outbound EIB.
o Exposed as a Web Service endpoint.

🔹 4. Web Services in Workday

Definition:
 Workday provides SOAP & REST web services to interact
programmatically with its data.
 Every Workday Business Object (Worker, Position, Custom
Object, etc.) has a Web Service API endpoint.
 Allows external systems to pull or push data in real-time.
Types:
 SOAP Web Services (WSDL-based, used in integrations).
 REST APIs (simpler, widely used for reporting and mobile
apps).
Example:
 An external Travel Portal wants to read Employee Travel
Info stored in Workday (a Custom Object).
  The Custom Object fields can be retrieved via Workday
Web Services.

🔗 How They Work Together

Here’s how these four connect in a real integration flow:
1. Custom Object created → Employee Visa Details (Visa
Number, Country, Expiry).
2. Inbound EIB → HR uploads visa records into Workday
using Excel template.
3. Custom Report → Built to show Worker → Visa Details
(standard + custom fields).
4. Outbound EIB → Sends the Custom Report to a 3rd-party
Compliance System weekly.
5. Web Service → The same system can also call Workday’s
Web Service to get real-time Visa expiry details.

🔹 Example Scenarios
Scenario 1: Payroll Integration
 Custom Object: Employee Bank Details (multiple
accounts).
 Inbound EIB: HR uploads new/changed bank details.
 Custom Report: Active employees with bank details.
  Outbound EIB: Sends this report to payroll vendor weekly.
 Web Service: Payroll vendor queries Workday in real time
for last-minute bank detail changes.

Scenario 2: Compliance Tracking

 Custom Object: Employee Certifications.
 Inbound EIB: Employees upload certifications via HR
team bulk upload.
 Custom Report: All certifications with expiry dates < 30
days.
 Outbound EIB: Sends to Compliance Officer’s email.
 Web Service: External Compliance System queries
Workday for certification details anytime.

✅ In short:
 Custom Object = Stores additional fields.
 Report = Extracts data (standard + custom).
 EIB = Moves bulk data in/out of Workday.
 Web Services = Real-time system-to-system integration.