Skip to main content
Documentation
Documentation
Administrator Guide
Last Updated: 2026-08-07
Set Up Zero-Copy Data In with Databricks

Set Up Zero-Copy Data In with Databricks

Prerequisites

Task 1: Create a Zero-Copy Connection to Databricks

You can access Databricks table metadata without copying data by creating a zero-copy connection from Workday to your Databricks Iceberg catalog.
  1. In Workday, access the Prism Data Catalog report.
  2. Select
    + Create
     >
    Connection
    .
  3. In the
    Create Connection
     wizard, under
    Zero Copy Connectors
    , select the
    Databricks
     tile.
  4. Enter the connection details:
    Field
    Description
    Name
    The connection name must be unique in the Data Catalog. Example:
    Databricks_ZeroCopy_<first name><last initial>
    .
    Description
    (Optional) A brief description of the connection's purpose.
    Catalog URL
    The URL of the Databricks catalog. Format:
    Databricks_Warehouse_URL
    /api/2.1/unity-catalog/iceberg-rest.
    Catalog Name
    Databricks Catalog name.
    Authentication Type
    Select
    OAuth 2.0 with Token Exchange
    .
    Issuer
    Issuer identifier of the authorization server. Format:
    https://databricks.com/account/<account_id>/oidc/v1/token
    .
    Principal
    Service Principal from your Databricks system.
    Token Endpoint
    OAuth2 token endpoint URL from your external system. Format:
    Databricks_Warehouse_URL
    /oidc/v1/token.
    Scopes
    OAuth2 scopes from your Databricks system that define the level of access for the Principal.
  5. Save the connection but do
    not
     test it yet. Before you test the connection, you must complete the certificate setup in Databricks using the JWK certificate generated by Workday.
  6. On the
    View Connection Details
     page that displays, select
    Certificate
     >
    Download
     >
    JWK
    .
  7. Update Databricks with the JWK Certificate.
    1. Log in to your Databricks account console.
    2. Locate your service principal used for the Zero-Copy Data In connection.
    3. Update the federation policy of your service principal, adding the JWK certificate content from Workday to the "keys" list in the existing JWKS JSON.
    4. Save your changes.
  8. In Workday, on the
    View Connection Details
     page, select
    Test Connection
    .
    If the test fails, verify:
    • Catalog URL format.
    • Token endpoint URL.
    • Service principal identity and account values.
    • JWKS JSON federation policy configuration in Databricks.

Task 2: Create an External Catalog

An external catalog acts as a virtual window into your external data, allowing you to browse tables in real-time.
  1. Access the
    Data Catalog
     report.
  2. Select
    + Create
     >
    External Catalog
    .
  3. Enter the external catalog details:
    Field
    Description
    External Catalog Name
    Enter a descriptive name for your external catalog. Example:
    EA_Procurement_Catalog
     or
    EA_HR_External_Data
    .
    Connection
    Select the connection you just created.
    Namespace
    The exact namespace where the Iceberg connector tables reside. This information must match the Databricks system value exactly. Example:
    enterprise.finance.procurement
    .
    Description
    (Optional) The description of the external catalog.
  4. Click
    Save
    .
  5. Wait for the
    Success
     notification that the External Catalog was created.
  6. Select
    Back to Data Catalog
    .
  7. Select
    External Catalog
    , and validate that schema sync is successful on your External Catalog.
After you save the External Catalog, Workday automatically runs a
Schema Sync
 to:
  • Read the metadata of Iceberg tables in the specified Databricks namespace.
  • Register those tables as
    External Tables
     in Workday.
  • Make table structures visible in the Data Catalog
    without moving or copying data
    .
The duration of this sync depends on the number and complexity of tables in the namespace.

Task 3: Explore and Validate External Tables

Explore the external tables registered from the external partner and perform basic schema validation inside Workday.
  1. Locate the Databricks external tables.
    1. Access the
      Data Catalog
       report.
    2. In the left-hand menu, select
      External Tables
      .
    3. Click on the
      Refresh
       button.
    4. In the External Tables view, confirm that all Iceberg tables from the external partner are listed under the schema/namespace you selected during external catalog creation.
  2. Inspect an external table.
    1. Right-click or double-click the table name to open
      View External Table Details
      .
    2. On the details page, review:
      • Column names
      • Data types
      • Any available column statistics
      • Sample data preview (if present)
  3. Verify that:
    • Data types (Example: Numeric vs. string) align with the definitions in the external system.
    • Values appear as expected.