Create and Edit Custom Object Definitions

Security: Custom Object Management
domain in the System functional area.

You can extend Workday business objects by creating custom object definitions based on the business object and adding custom fields.

Access the

Create Custom Object

Edit Custom Object

task.

As you complete the task, consider:

Option	Description
Custom Object Name	To avoid errors when you generate an Enterprise Interface Builder (EIB) template for the custom object, don't use special characters.
Effective Dated	To edit custom object data for a Workday object while a business process is in progress, base the custom object on an Effective Dated Workday object. All effective-dated custom objects share the same set of effective dates. When you update any effective-dated custom object, Workday copies the data for all effective-dated custom objects from the previous effective date to the new effective date. To avoid obsolete or missing data when you update custom objects out of sequence, add or update custom objects in ascending effective-date order.
Business Object Filter	When you create a custom object for a custom organization, select a custom organization type from the Business Object Filter prompt. The Business Object Filter prompt is only available when you select a Custom Organization . When you create the custom object, it's available to all custom organizations of the same type. You can't reassign the custom object to a different custom organization type after you create it. Custom field limits apply across all custom organizations, not to each custom organization type.

As you complete the

General Settings

section, consider:

Option	Description
Web Service Alias	You can only edit this field on a draft custom object. You can't change the web service alias after you activate the custom object definition.
Allow Multiple Instances per Object?	You can only edit this field on a draft custom object. You can't change this setting after you activate the custom object definition.

As you complete the

Field Definitions

section, consider:

Option	Description
Field Label	Workday uses the Field Label as the report field name when you use this custom field in custom reports or calculated fields.
Field Type	Workday can share custom field types across all custom objects. You can only edit the field type on a draft custom field. You can't change the field type after you activate the custom field.
Validations	You can't change whether a custom field is a required field after you activate it. Custom fields used as a reference ID require a value whether or not you make the field required. Workday recommends that custom fields that you use as reference IDs be required fields. When the Field Type is Custom List or Custom Instance Reference , you can select Multi-Instance or Single-Instance . By default, custom list fields are single-select, unless you select Multi-Instance .
Display Order	When multiple custom fields have the same Display Order , Workday uses the Field Label to determine the order.
Proposed New Fields	You can add additional fields. Use caution before you add required fields when you have either: Existing data for an effective-dated custom object. More than 1 effective-dated custom object definition for the business object. Workday stores data for all custom objects on the same snapshot. When a new effective-dated snapshot is created, Workday copies data from the previous snapshot as a starting point. You can't save the new snapshot when the new required field is empty on the new snapshot. Workday strongly recommends that you mass update existing custom data to populate a value in the new required field. When you're editing an active custom object, Workday saves the Proposed New Fields , but doesn’t activate them until you complete the task.
Removed (Inactive) Fields	When you remove a custom field: Workday appends the Do Not Use label to the custom field. Workday retains custom data, but you can't edit it. You can't select the custom field in calculated fields, report fields, condition rules, and integrations. You can restore a removed field if it doesn't exceed the custom field limit for the business object.

As you complete the

Details

section, consider:

Option	Description
Category	Select categories for custom reports and calculated fields.
Authorized Usage	Workday enables you to restrict the areas where the custom field displays. Example: If you select Integrations , the custom field is only visible in integrations.
Prompts	Only available when you have a field type of Custom Instance Reference .

(Optional) Add

Permissions

for custom object security domains.

To select a custom domain, it must have an active security policy with at least 1 security group defined.

As you complete the activation, consider:

Option	Description
Display Value	Available when you select Allow Multiple Instances per Object . Enter the custom field that you want to display when you specify this custom object as a field in a custom report. You can't remove the custom field that you select as the Display Value .
Reference ID	When you select Allow Multiple Instances per Object , select a Date , Integer , or Text type custom field to represent the key for each instance of custom data in the multiple-instance custom object. To display multiple-instance custom objects in the EIB prompt, define a Reference ID before activating the custom object. The custom field must have a unique value for each instance of the Workday object so that it’s identifiable in custom reporting and REST API updates. When you set a custom field as the Reference ID for a multiple-instance custom object, Workday makes that field required. Workday recommends that you select a required custom field because you can't change this validation after you activate the custom object. You can't: Use the Custom Paragraph Text field type for a Reference ID . Add or change the Reference ID after you activate the custom object. Remove the custom field that you select as the Reference ID .
Help Text for Custom Object Edit	Enter help text to display on the Edit Additional Data task.