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Administrator Guide
Last Updated: 2026-09-18
Create Org Models and Scenarios

Create Org Models and Scenarios

Configure the
Design Org Models
 business process. To create org models, ensure that you’re part of a security group assigned as org model owners on the
Shared Participation
 step.
To use custom calculations for workforce costs, ensure you configured the necessary calculated fields on the Headcount Plan Line Details business object.
Security:
  • Manage: Org Models
     domain in the Adaptive Planning for the Workforce functional area.
  • Participate: Org Models
     domain in the Adaptive Planning for the Workforce functional area.
  • Set Up: Org Model
     domain in the Adaptive Planning for the Workforce functional area.
  • Worker Data: All Positions
     in the Staffing functional area.
  • If you use custom organizations, ensure you have access on the domains that secure those organizations.
As an administrator or org model owner, you can use org design and scenario modeling to model organizational changes in a secure, sandbox environment. You can create multiple "what-if" scenarios to restructure hierarchies, move positions, and modify attributes without affecting your live HCM data until you’re ready to execute.
  1. Access the
    Org Models and Scenarios
     dashboard.
  2. Select
    Create
    .
  3. Create your org model:
    Option Description
    Name
    We display this name and the name of the individual scenarios on all
    My Task
     items.
    Effective Date
    We use this effective date to take a snapshot of the organizations that you want to include in your org model.
    Hierarchy Type
    Select the hierarchy type for your org model.
    Custom Organizations
     is available when the
    Use as Financial Worktag
     check box is selected for your custom organization types on the
    Maintain Organization Types
     report. SeeMaintain Organization Types.
    Top Level Org
    We only route
    My Tasks
     items to people assigned to org model participant roles in these organizations.
    Security Groups for Owners
    We automatically populate this field based on the security groups you configured on the
    Design Org Models
     business process.
    Cost Estimate By
    You can create and assign your own calculated field built on the Headcount Plan Line Details business object to represent the cost of workforce for each position.
    The selected calc field is applied by action type:
    • Positive for adds and edits.
    • 0 for closed positions.
    • Negative for TBR.
    Description
    (Optional) We only display this description on the main page of the
    Org Models and Scenarios
     dashboard.
    Reporting Currency
    We display metrics for your org model using this reporting currency.
    Fields
    Select the fields that you want collaborators to use when they create or edit organizations and positions on your org model.
    To add rows for more fields, you must have the security access to view that data. Use the
    Current User Has Access
     column to check before you create the org model.
    Custom organization org models require additional fields beyond the standard delivered fields.
    Example: When you create an org model using the custom organization Division, Division automatically becomes a required field. For the associated custom organization Data Type, enter a calculated field that returns the value of the custom organization on the position so that you can view position data on custom organizations.
  4. Select
    OK
    .
    We automatically navigate you to the
    View Org Model
     report for this new org model. You might need to wait for Workday to create the org model. To track this progress, use the
    Background Process
     tab.
    Until we finish creating the org model, we don’t:
    • Display or enable the
      Actions
       button for your model.
    • Display the
      Org Model
       section of the related actions menu for your model.
    • Send
      My Tasks
       items for your model to owners.
  5. We automatically send
    My Tasks
     items to all owners when we finish creating the org model.
  6. Select
    Org Models and Scenarios
     to return to the
    Org Models and Scenarios
     dashboard.
  7. (Optional) To set the minimum and maximum span of control for all scenarios in your model, and to set the maximum layers, select
    Org Model
     >
    Edit Guidelines
     from the related actions menu of your model:
    • Span of Control
      . Set this range to recommend the minimum and maximum number of direct reports.
    • Layers
      . Enter the recommended range of organization layers for the model.
  8. When you collaborate on the model and go outside these recommendations, we display warning hover text. We don’t restrict you from saving and proceeding.
  9. (Optional) To create additional scenarios in your org model, select
    Copy
     from the
    Actions
     menu of a scenario in your org model.
    We automatically share these scenarios with all existing owners and participants for this org model.
  10. (Optional) To access the visual org modeling interface that your collaborators use, select
    Launch
     from the
    Actions
     menu of a scenario in your model.