Skip to main content
Documentation
Documentation
Administrator Guide
Last Updated: 2026-03-13
Concept: Key Resources for Exploring Workday’s Reporting Structure

Concept: Key Resources for Exploring Workday’s Reporting Structure

To explore data dictionary in your tenant, you can run these standard reports directly from the Workday search bar.

Data Sources Report

The
Data Sources
report provides a comprehensive list of all Workday-delivered data sources within your tenant. The report's output details the PBO for each data source and describes any pre-applied, built-in filters.
Run this report to get a list of all available data sources in your tenant. The results show the primary business object for each data source and any built-in filters. You can use this report to find the starting point for your custom report.
When choosing between a data source that points to a parent object versus a child object, Workday recommends that you:
  • Start wide if you need a bird's eye view or a consolidated list of different types of records.
    Example: Instead of running 3 separate reports for
    New Hires
    ,
    Promotions
    , and
    Resignations
    , you start with the
    Action
    Event object. This wide view enables you to see every type of movement across the entire organization in 1 consolidated list.
  • Start narrow if you need specific fields that only exist for that type. Example: If you want to report on probation periods, the field exists on the Employee object, but not on the Contingent Workers object. It’s easier to start directly on the Employee child object rather than the Worker object that’s the parent object to both Employee and Contingent Worker.

Business Object Details Report

The Business Object Details report maps the connections to and from a specific business object. You can use this report to understand the relationships between business objects and how they’re linked.
  • The
    Fields
    tab displays details of fields associated with the business object and inherited from their parent business objects.
  • The
    Related Business Objects
     tab displays links between business objects according to these groups:
    • Links to Related Business Objects
       section displays the related business objects (RBOs) that are downstream from the starting object and that you can pull fields from when creating reports. You can use this section when you want to build reports and pull relevant data. Use this section to see exactly where you can go from your starting point.
      If your report's data source is based on the Worker object, the To side shows you all the related objects you can pull fields from that are available on the
      Fields
       tab.
    • Links From Related Business Objects
       section displays the RBOs that are upstream of your starting object. You can use this section to understand the context of how a particular object is used throughout Workday and the potential impacts of changes you make to that object.
      The From side is excellent for impact analysis and discovery. If you are planning to make a change related to a specific country, you could use the From list to understand which other parts of the system (workers, suppliers, etc.) might be affected. It also helps you understand the context of how a particular object is used throughout Workday.
      Use this table as a quick reference for navigating the
      Related Business Objects
       tab. It highlights the key differences between Inbound and Outbound connections so you can find the right data faster.
      Perspective
      Outbound Connections (The "To Side")
      Inbound Connections (The "From Side)
      Data Flow
      Outbound: Moves from your starting object to its details
      Inbound: Moves from other objects in the system toward yours.
      Analogy
      Downstream
      Upstream
      Key Question
      What information belongs to this object?
      What other objects point to this one?
      Main Objective
      Used to build reports and pull in data.
      Impact analysis and understanding relationships.
  • The
    Data Sources
     tab displays these types of sources for your report:
    • Direct Data Sources
       lists data sources that are built specifically on this business object. Use the sources in this section when you want to report on all instances of the object and need the standard set of fields defined for it.
    • More General Data Sources
      : lists sources that belong to a parent object higher in the hierarchy. Use the sources in this section when you need a broader set of data or when direct data sources aren’t available.
    • More Specific Data Sources
       lists sources that belong to child objects lower in the hierarchy. Use the sources in this section when you need to report on details that are unique to specific objects.
    Workday doesn’t display the
    Data Sources
     tab for a business object when there aren’t any data sources that use the object as the primary business object. Instead:
    • Start from a different starting point, such as RBO to access that data.
    • Review the
      Related Business Objects
       tab and review the
      From
       section. This section shows other objects that have your current object as an attribute, allowing you to drill down into your data from a different report.
  • The
    Reports
    tab displays standard and custom reports built on the business object. Workday doesn’t display this tab when there aren’t reports available on the business object.

Report Fields Report

The
Report Fields
 report displays the data available for a specific report field or all report fields. You can run this report to obtain a comprehensive list of all fields, which includes both Workday-delivered fields and any custom calculated fields.
You can use
Data Sources
,
Business Object Details
, and
Report Fields
 reports as your primary tool to map the Workday data structure and build accurate, deep-dive reports.

Report Fields and Values Report

The
Report Fields and Values
 report displays all the fields and field values associated with a specific instance, such as a single employee.
To access this report, select
Reporting > Report Fields and Values
from the related actions menu of an instance.
Use this quick guide to select the right report based on the question you are trying to answer.
Objective
Use this Report
Key Benefit
Find a starting point
Data Sources
 report
Identifies the best records to bring into your report.
Map data connections
Business Object Details
 report
See how objects are linked across your tenant.
Search for a field
Report Fields
 report
Find exact names for a field and technical definitions.
See live data
Report Fields and Values
 report
Verify the actual data stored in a specific record.