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Get the Report →Build Visualizations of Workday Data in Birst
Use CData drivers and the Birst Cloud Agent to build real-time visualizations of Workday data in Birst.
Birst is a cloud business intelligence (BI) tool and analytics platform that helps organizations quickly understand and optimize complex processes. When paired with the CData JDBC Driver for Workday, you can connect to live Workday data through the Birst Cloud Agent and build real-time visualizations. In this article, we walk you through, step-by-step, how to connect to Workday using the Cloud Agent and create dynamic reports in Birst.
With powerful data processing capabilities, the CData JDBC driver offers unmatched performance for live Workday data operations in Birst. When you issue complex SQL queries from Birst to Workday, the driver pushes supported SQL operations, like filters and aggregations, directly to Workday and utilizes the embedded SQL Engine to process unsupported operations client-side (often SQL functions and JOIN operations). With built-in dynamic metadata querying, the JDBC driver enables you to visualize and analyze Workday data using native Birst data types.
About Workday Data Integration
CData provides the easiest way to access and integrate live data from Workday. Customers use CData connectivity to:
- Access the tables and datasets you create in Prism Analytics Data Catalog, working with the native Workday data hub without compromising the fidelity of your Workday system.
- Access Workday Reports-as-a-Service to surface data from departmental datasets not available from Prism and datasets larger than Prism allows.
- Access base data objects with WQL, REST, or SOAP, getting more granular, detailed access but with the potential need for Workday admins or IT to help craft queries.
Users frequently integrate Workday with analytics tools such as Tableau, Power BI, and Excel, and leverage our tools to replicate Workday data to databases or data warehouses. Access is secured at the user level, based on the authenticated user's identity and role.
For more information on configuring Workday to work with CData, refer to our Knowledge Base articles: Comprehensive Workday Connectivity through Workday WQL and Reports-as-a-Service & Workday + CData: Connection & Integration Best Practices.
Getting Started
Configure a JDBC Connection to Workday Data in Birst
Before creating the Birst project, you will need to install the Birst Cloud Agent (in order to work with the installed JDBC Driver). Also, copy the JAR file for the JDBC Driver (and the LIC file, if it exists) to the /drivers/ directory in the installation location for the Cloud Agent.
With the driver and Cloud Agent installed, you are ready to begin.
- Create a new project in Birst.
- Name the connection (e.g. CDataWorkday).
- Choose Live Access.
- Select an agent.
- Set Database Type to Other.
- Set SQL Type to MSSQL
- Set the Connection string.
To connect to Workday, users need to find the Tenant and BaseURL and then select their API type.
Obtaining the BaseURL and Tenant
To obtain the BaseURL and Tenant properties, log into Workday and search for "View API Clients." On this screen, you'll find the Workday REST API Endpoint, a URL that includes both the BaseURL and Tenant.
The format of the REST API Endpoint is: https://domain.com/subdirectories/mycompany, where:
- https://domain.com/subdirectories/ is the BaseURL.
- mycompany (the portion of the url after the very last slash) is the Tenant.
Using ConnectionType to Select the API
The value you use for the ConnectionType property determines which Workday API you use. See our Community Article for more information on Workday connectivity options and best practices.
API ConnectionType Value WQL WQL Reports as a Service Reports REST REST SOAP SOAP
Authentication
Your method of authentication depends on which API you are using.
- WQL, Reports as a Service, REST: Use OAuth authentication.
- SOAP: Use Basic or OAuth authentication.
See the Help documentation for more information on configuring OAuth with Workday.
Built-in Connection String Designer
For assistance in constructing the JDBC URL, use the connection string designer built into the Workday JDBC Driver. Either double-click the JAR file or execute the jar file from the command-line.
java -jar cdata.jdbc.workday.jar
Fill in the connection properties and copy the connection string to the clipboard.
When you configure the JDBC URL, you may also want to set the Max Rows connection property. This will limit the number of rows returned, which is especially helpful for improving performance when designing reports and visualizations.
Below is a typical JDBC connection string for Workday:
jdbc:workday:User=myuser;Password=mypassword;Tenant=mycompany_gm1;BaseURL=https://wd3-impl-services1.workday.com;ConnectionType=WQL;InitiateOAuth=GETANDREFRESH
- Set the Driver Name: cdata.jdbc.workday.WorkdayDriver and click Save.
NOTE: Since authentication to Workday is managed from the connection string, you can leave Security Credentials blank.
Configure Workday Data Objects
Now that the connection is configured, we are ready to configure the schema for the dataset, choosing the tables, views, and columns we wish to visualize.
- Select the Schema (e.g. Workday).
- Click on Tables and/or Views to connect to those entities and click Apply.
- Select the Tables and Columns you want to access and click Done.
With the objects configured, you can perform any data preparation and discover any relationships in your data using the Pronto Prepare and Relate tools.
Build a Visualization
After you prepare your data and define relationships between the connected objects, you are ready to build your visualization.
- Select the Visualizer tool from the menu.
- Select Measures & Categories from your objects
- Select and configure the appropriate visualization for the Measure(s) you selected.
Using the CData JDBC Driver for Workday with the Cloud Agent and Birst, you can easily create robust visualizations and reports on Workday data. Download a free, 30-day trial and start building Birst visualizations today.