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Administrator Guide
Last Updated: 2026-03-13
Steps: Set Up Candidate Skills Match

Steps: Set Up Candidate Skills Match

You might need to take additional steps to enable this feature based on your organization's subscription service agreement. Your organization is either on the Main Service Agreement (MSA) or the Universal Main Service Agreement (UMSA). To determine your organization's subscription service agreement:
  1. Select your profile avatar on Workday Community.
  2. Select
    Profile
    .
  3. On your profile page, select your organization's name, which is beneath your name and next to your job title.
  4. View your
    Subscription Service Agreement
     value.
If the value is:
  • UMSA
    , the feature is automatically available. You can skip the
    Enable Innovation Services Feature and AI Data Contributions for MSA Customers
     step. For more information on Machine Learning data contributions, see Concept: Workday AI for Universal Main Subscription Agreement Customers.
  • MSA
    , you must enable this feature through Innovation Services using the
    Enable Innovation Services Feature and AI Data Contributions for MSA Customers
    step.
Note: UMSA customers don't have Innovation Services tasks and reports in their tenants as these are for MSA customers only. UMSA customers can ignore all information regarding Innovation Services.
You can configure your tenant to review candidate job applications and assign a Skills Match Score based on the similarity of skills between the job application and job requisition. You can also configure the candidate grid on the job requisition to display the Skills Match Score and score details for each job application. Recruiters might use this machine learning-powered analysis of candidates’ applications to improve the efficiency of the application review process.
Workday continues to monitor and periodically test the Candidate Skills Match feature to proactively identify impermissible bias in light of the evolving nature of machine learning tools. To uphold our commitment to ethical AI, Workday reserves the right to change the Candidate Skills Match feature and accompanying functionality (e.g., match details functionality). Where reasonably possible, Workday will provide advance notice of such changes to customers.
Customers are responsible for understanding and complying with any legal obligations arising from their use of Candidate Skills Match, including any assessment, testing, or documentation that may be required under anti-discrimination laws. Customers should consult with their legal counsel to determine whether their configuration and use of Candidate Skills Match satisfies their organization’s compliance requirements.
  2. You might need to take additional steps to enable this feature depending on your organization's subscription service agreement. For more information, see this Community article.
    On the
    Innovation Services Opt-In
     task, select the
    HCM ML Features and Third Party Connectors GA
     service on the
    Available Services
     tab in the
    HCM
     category.
  3. Access the
    Edit Tenant Setup - Machine Learning
     task.
    Select the region in which Workday hosts data used for improvement and personalization of machine learning and analytics functionality.
    Security:
    Set Up: Tenant Setup - Machine Learning
     in the System functional area.
  4. Edit Domain Security Policies.
    Configure these domains in the Recruiting functional area:
    • Candidate Data: Candidate Skills Match
    • Candidate Skills Match Details Lookup
  5. Activate Pending Security Policy Changes.
  6. Access the
    Edit Tenant Setup - Recruiting
     task.
    Use the
    Candidate Skills Match Location Exclusion
     and
    Candidate Skills Match Location Hierarchy Exclusion
     prompts to select which locations to exclude from Candidate Skills Match.
  7. Configure the candidate list grid on job requisitions to display skills match scores.
    From the
    Grid Configuration
     prompt on the
    Edit Grid Configuration
     task, select
    Default Candidate List Grid
     or a custom grid used on the job requisition. On the
    Individual Columns
     grid, add these fields that are on the
    Job Application
     business object.
    • Skills Match Score Details
    • (Optional)
      Skills Match Score
    • (Optional)
      Skills Matched
    • (Optional)
      Skills Not Found
A background process automatically begins scoring all active job applications on open job requisitions.
If you exclude a location after Workday calculated a skills match score for a candidate application, the score will still be available. You can use the
Maintain Candidate List Assignment
 task to create a condition that hides these scores for excluded locations or location hierarchies.
Access the
Innovation Services Summary
 report (secured to the
Manage: Innovation Services
 and
View: Innovation Services
 domains) to view service opt-in status and last-modified information, and to access the service descriptions on Workday Community.
Create a custom report with these fields on the Job Application business object to assess Candidate Skills Match data:
  • Skills Match Score Details
  • Skills Match Score
  • Skills Matched
  • Skills Not Found