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Administrator Guide
Last Updated: 2025-10-10
Steps: Create Headcount Plans for HCM

Steps: Create Headcount Plans for HCM

This headcount plan functionality is for HCM customers without a subscription to Planning. See Workday Community: Adaptive Planning Hub.
Enable the Headcount Plans (HCM) functional area and set up security.
You can create, maintain, and report on basic headcount plans in Workday as part of your HCM subscription. You can create headcount plans for any staffing model, and select different statistic types, such as cost of workforce. You can also establish the driving organization for your plan, such as cost center or supervisory organization, and set various dimensions and time frames. You can also import existing plan data from an external source using web services or use existing Workday reports to populate your plan.
  3. Add your plan data.
    You can import external data into your plan using the
    Import Headcount Plans
     web service. You can also export Workday report data, and then import the data back into your plan with this web service.
    If you use the web service, don't select the
    Generate Spreadsheet with Data
     check box when you generate your spreadsheet template.
  4. Update or change the imported plan data.
  5. Submit headcount plans for approval.
    Once the planners review the plan, the plan follows the business process you set up for your plan. Any planner or plan administrator that has access to the top plan hierarchy can submit a plan using the
    Submit Headcount Plans
     business process.
    When the approver:
    • Approves the plan: Plan changes to Available status. It's no longer available for edits in the
      Maintain Headcount Plans (HCM)
       task.
    • Denies the plan: Planners and plan administrators can make changes to the plan. Planners with submit privileges, can resubmit the plan for approval.
    Security:
    Headcount Plans (HCM)
     domain in the Headcount Plans (HCM) functional area.
  6. (Optional) Copy an existing plan.
    You can copy an existing plan to create a new plan that includes all plan lines from the original plan. The plan status for the new plan is in Draft.
    Security:
    Set Up: Headcount Plan (HCM)
     domain in the Headcount Plans (HCM) functional area.
  7. Report on your headcount plans.