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Workday User Guide
Last Updated: 2026-03-13
Steps: Create a Dataset Using Workday Data

Steps: Create a Dataset Using Workday Data

Security:
Prism Datasets: Create
 domain in the Prism Analytics functional area.
Workday recommends that you use tables to ingest data into Prism Analytics instead of base datasets, to take advantage of the many performance and feature benefits.
You can create a base dataset using Workday data. You do this by creating a base dataset using an existing Workday custom report as the source for the dataset.
You configure how often the dataset gets new data from the report.
Workday retains only the fields with field types that datasets currently support.
If you're new to Workday, you don't have access to create or edit base datasets.
  1. Access the
    Data Catalog
     report.
  2. Select
    Create
    from Custom Report
    .
    Workday displays reports that meet the eligibility requirements for importing into Prism. See Concept: Creating Reports to Import into Tables and Datasets.
    On the
    Create Dataset Retrieval - Configure Report Retrieval
     task, you configure how to import the data from the custom report.
  3. Select a
    Custom Report
     that has the data you want to import into this dataset.
  4. In the
    Report Criteria
     table, select values for the report prompts, if applicable.
    Workday filters the report data with the specified values as the report runs and before importing the data into the dataset. As you complete this step, consider:
    Option Description
    Value Type
    This option affects how Workday determines the value for this field prompt:
    • Specify Value.
       Workday uses the same value that you specify here each time it runs the report to import data into the dataset.
    • Determine Value at Runtime.
       Workday uses the current value in a field you specify each time it runs the report to import data into the dataset.
    Value
    Workday uses the value or field you select here to filter the data in the report.
  5. (Optional) In the
    Environment Restrictions
     section, at the
    Restricted To
     prompt, select the environment in which you want to use the settings defined in the
    Transport
     section.
    If you leave this option empty, Workday applies the transport settings to each environment in which the dataset integration runs. When a dataset integration runs in a particular environment, such as Implementation or Production, the transport settings only work if the
    Restricted To
     option matches the current environment. When the current environment and the configured environment don’t match, the dataset integration fails and retrieves no data from the specified custom report. You might want to restrict the transport settings to a particular environment to avoid inadvertently transferring test data to a non-test endpoint.
    Example: You create the dataset in an Implementation environment and select Implementation in
    Restricted To
    . Later, you migrate this dataset to a Production environment and the next time the dataset integration runs, the integration fails. To ensure that the dataset integration runs successfully in the Production environment, edit the dataset integration details and either clear the
    Restricted To
     option or change it to Production.
  6. On the
    Create Dataset Retrieval - Schedule Request Type
     task, in
    Run Frequency
    , specify how often to import data from the custom report.
    If you're importing the data once in the future or on a schedule, specify the criteria for either on the
    Create Dataset Retrieval - Schedule Integration
     task.
    After the dataset is created, you can run the integration to bring in data to the dataset on an ad hoc basis. From the related actions menu of the
    View Dataset Details
     report, select
    Dataset
    Run Integration Now
    . You can't bring data into the same dataset at times that overlap with each other.
    An integration fails to bring in new data from the custom report when the report schema doesn't contain a field that currently exists in the dataset, and the removed field is used in a stage in the dataset. Example: If the dataset includes a Manage Fields stage and the integration brings in data that is missing a field in the dataset, the integration fails. That's because the Manage Fields stage works on every field in the dataset.
  7. Specify a unique name for the dataset.
    The dataset name is what displays in the Data Catalog. You can change the name when you create, edit, or copy the dataset.
  8. (Optional) Change the dataset API name. Workday automatically selects an API name based on the dataset name you enter, modifying it to make it meet the name requirements. You can’t change this name after you finish creating the dataset.
  9. (Optional) Create or edit 1 or more tags to organize the dataset in the Data Catalog.
  10. (Optional) Add a description to help others understand the data in this dataset. You can change the description when you edit the dataset.
  11. Select how you want to update the data in the dataset when it receives new data from an integration run.
    Option Description
    Replace
    Workday deletes the existing data in the dataset and replaces it with the data it imports from the custom report.
    Append
    Workday keeps the existing data in the dataset and adds to it the new data it imports from the custom report.
    Workday imports all data in the report during every integration run, resulting in duplicate data in the dataset. Select append mode for a custom report dataset when you want a snapshot of the custom report data to maintain history in the dataset for trending use cases.
    Ensure that you don’t change the
    Column Heading Override XML Alias
     values in the custom report definition. Workday uses these values to map fields from the custom report into the dataset.
  12. Click
    Save
    .
    Workday creates the dataset, but it has no data until Workday runs the report and then imports the data and fields from the report during the first integration run. Depending on when you scheduled the data to import, the dataset might be empty for some time. Workday also adds 2 fields that provide information about each integration run. See Reference: WPA_ Fields.
  13. (Optional) Change the name of your integration schedule. See Manage Dataset Integration Schedules
  14. Access the
    Data Catalog
     report, right-click the dataset you just created, and select
    Edit
    .
  15. You can add only some stage types to base datasets.
  16. You can add a Prism calculated field to any stage.

This content is not part of the Workday Administrator Guide.