Discovery Boards

Overview

Objectives

Define the benefits of using discovery boards.
Compare using dashboards to using discovery boards.
Understand the components of the discovery board workspace.
Explain how to find an optimal data source and data source filter.
Create a discovery board and visualization.

Benefits of Discovery Boards

Agility to quickly pivot and stay ahead of the curve.
Insight that answers operational questions.
Collaboration with teams.

Discovery Boards vs. Dashboards

The Discovery Board Workspace

Components of a Discovery Board Workspace

Components of the Discovery Board workspace include the following, as labeled in the image below:

The Discovery Board Workspace

Panel Selection
: Toggle between the Data Source, Builder, Filter, Configuration, and Formatting Panels.
Data Source Panel
: The data source for the viz displays a list of data source options and fields within those same data sources that you can use to analyze your data.
Note
: If you wish to change the data source, select the arrow icon next to the data source name. You can search for and select a new data source from the data source list.
Builder Panel
: Choose a viz type and build the viz by placing fields into compatible dimensions.
Filter Panel
: Displays filters for the selected viz and the entire sheet. Select the Add icon to define a filter.
Configuration Panel
: Configure how vizzes display data, such as managing the sort order of fields or overriding populated Drill By and Show Details values.
Formatting Panel
: Enables you to change the discovery board's color palette or override specific field value colors (not configurable with Matrix or Advanced Report type vizzes).
Discovery board title and description.
Field list
: Numeric and currency fields in the data source display all summarization fields underneath the field. Select the field to expand and view the summarization options.
Panel options
: Collapse or expand the panel display. In the Data Source panel, enable or disable the 'Show only curated data sources' toggle. In the Builder Panel, enable or disable the 'Show only curated fields' toggle.
Viz type options
: Choose a viz type such as Chart, Bar, Table, Donut, KPI, Waterfall, Heatmap, Scatterplot, and more.
Drop zones
: Drag and drop fields into available drop zones to render a visualization.
Dual or merge option
: Select a dual or merged Y-axis (Area Chart, Bar Chart, Chart, and Line Chart vizzes only).
Mark type
: Select a mark type (Chart viz only).
Sheet Controls
: Add a sheet or view a list of all sheets.
Sheets.
Visualization or viz.
Viz Related Actions
: Select an action from the menu such as Download as PNG or Download as CSV.
Share
: Share with individuals or groups and adjust sharing permission levels.
Undo and Redo buttons.
Control panel.

Workday Drive

Workday Drive, a tool within our Productivity Suite of products, is the home of all your collaborative documents in Workday, including workbooks, presentations, discovery boards, and media files. It can also house non-Workday files as authorized.

The Drive option from Logan McNeil's profile menu

You can access the Workday Drive by selecting the user's profile picture on the top-right corner of the Home page. The option for the Workday Drive appears as an option in the Profile menu.

The features of Workday Drive for users allow users to:

Create and upload items.
Organize files and folders.
Share with various permissions in context of Workday security.
Control permissions of individual files or folders (view, comment, and edit who has what permissions).

Tip

: Some users may experience a Web Socket Connection Failed error when trying to access Drive. This is typically due to a network or firewall configuration. Those that come across this error need to work with their local IT team to resolve the issue.

Planning Discovery Boards

Visualizations Defined

A visualization is a graphical or textual representation of certain fields selected from a data source. Visualizations might be charts, tables, or more. You would use visualizations to explore and analyze your data interactively.

Each visualization on a sheet can be:

Related
: Use same underlying data source and data source filter.
Unrelated
: Use different data source and data source filter.

The first step to creating a visualization on a discovery board is to select a data source. To display data in that visualization, drag and drop fields into the appropriate drop zones. Visualizations display inside panels (or boxes) in the workspace area of a Discovery Board sheet.

Visualization Configuration

To configure your visualizations, select the Edit button, as highlighted in the image below.

Edit button for a discovery board

Once you select Edit, the system provides you the option to:

Add visualizations to a sheet. (
Note
: Each sheet can display up to 10 visualizations.)
Change the viz type.
Change the data source, data source filter, or fields on a viz.
Format the dimensions (X-Axis, Y-Axis, Color, etc.) on a viz.
Apply a filter to your sheet or viz.
Create or edit a control.
Format a compatible visualization.
Edit the discovery board name.
Enter or edit the discovery board description.

Visualization Types

The visualization type determines the drop zones in the Builder Panel and how the data is visually displayed in the visualization. There are many types of visualizations available in Discovery Boards.

Workday provides several visualization types that enable you to decide how to explore and display the data. Some visualization types are compatible with custom reports, enabling you to export the visualization to either a Matrix or Advanced report. The system optimizes other visualization types for use in Discovery Boards only. You are not able to export these types to custom reports.

Matrix Report-Compatible

When you export a matrix report-compatible visualization type to a custom report, Workday creates a matrix report. The matrix report-compatible visualizations for Discovery Boards include:

Chart
Donut Chart
Pivot Table

Visualization Type	System Icon	Description
Chart		A chart display of summarized (aggregated) data grouped and filtered by the selected attribute fields. A chart in a discovery board has the following components: Attribute and summarization fields X-axis and y-axis placement Appearance encoding (e.g., color and size) Mark type (area, point, line, and bar)
Donut Chart		A circle divided into sectors with the center of the circle has a blank center (hole), thus looking like a donut. Each sector illustrates a percentage of the total. Donut chart visualizations show relative sizes at a glance. Show value data labels, percentage data labels, hide the total, space out the segments, or show leader lines on the viz. The human eye cannot easily distinguish between sectors that have similar sizes, especially if there are many small sectors (marks). Workday recommends using a donut chart visualization under these circumstances: You only have one summarization field to display in the visualization. All values are positive (no zero or negative values). The attribute values represent part of a whole. The number of attribute values is low, such as less than 10. You can sort and filter an attribute field to reduce the values displayed.
Pivot Table		Displays attribute and summarized data in a tabular format. Pivot tables have complex headers that are ideal for comparing multiple fields against one another. Pivot tables are similar to tables, with the added feature of adding grouping to rows and columns. Due to their detailed headers, pivot tables are useful for comparing data that contains subcategories so you can access several levels of detail in one place. You might want to create a pivot table if you want to display the raw data comprising the points on a chart visualization instead of a graphical one. You can resize column widths by selecting the left and right column borders. You can also select the pivot table's Related Actions and select Resize Column. You can select a summary field's Field Options and choose to display data as a percentage of a total.

Chart Visualization Mark Types

In a Chart visualization, Workday displays the data as a collection of marks. A mark is the visual representation of a metric value calculated for a group of input rows. The mark type controls the shape of data in a chart visualization and how the system will visually represent those data points. When you create a chart in a discovery board, you can select the mark type from the Marks menu. How Workday renders a particular chart depends on the mark type and placements of summarization and attribute fields in the drop zones.

The following table displays the different mark types you can use in a Chart visualization:

Mark Type	Description
Area	Displays each mark as an end point of a straight line. The system fills the space between the marks and the horizontal axis with a color. Common uses include: Display summarization data over time. Compare two or more quantities. To represent cumulative totals rather than individual totals. Illustrate how the member of an attribute contributes to an overall trend.
Bar	Displays each mark as a rectangular bar. The length of the bar is proportional to the value it represents.
Line	Displays each mark as an end point of a straight line. The straight line connects between the marks. You might use a line chart to visualize a trend in summarization data over time with the line drawn chronologically.
Point	Displays each mark as a dot. The system determines the dot's position by the values on the two axes (Cartesian coordinates).
Auto	The system selects the best mark type based on the fields in the drop zones.

You can adjust the size of Point mark types in the Chart and Scatterplot visualizations. To adjust the size based on the field value per mark, add a summarization field to the Size drop zone.

Select a Scatterplot visualization or a Chart viz with Point as the mark type.
Drag a summarization field from the field panel to the Size drop zone.

Advanced Report-Compatible

This Table visualization type exports to an advanced custom report. Its format is closest to a Comma-Separated Values (CSV) file or plain text format.

Visualization Type	System Icon	Description
Table		A table displays the data in a tabular, spreadsheet format. A table has attribute fields in the Columns drop zone only. Tables are optimal for granular, simple displays of data that have several attribute fields in it. You can resize column widths by selecting the left and right column borders. You can also select the table's Related Actions and select Resize Column.

Other Visualization Types

Workday optimizes the following visualization types for use in Discovery Boards. You will not be able to export these visualization types to custom reports:

Visualization Type	System Icon	Description
Area Chart		Area charts display metrics connected by line segments as a continuum, filling in the space between the lines with color. Similar to line charts, area charts typically display trends over time. Area charts provide more options for grouping the categories than chart visualizations.
Bar Chart		Bar charts display metrics for categories of data as either vertical or horizontal bars. Bar charts provide more options for grouping and orienting the categories than chart visualizations.
Heatmap		Heatmaps compare two attributes by a common metric (a summarization field). Heatmaps enable you to use color to define variations in the data.
KPI Chart		KPI charts display a measure and its progress toward a specified target. Use a KPI visualization on aggregated numeric or currency data. When you create or edit a KPI, you can display: The base measure. An optional comparison measure. An optional date (period comparison) measure. The variance (difference) between the base measure and the comparison measure. A visual cue that indicates the progress toward the target.
Line Chart		Line Charts display metrics connected by line segments as a continuum, typically as a trend over time.
Scatterplot		Scatterplots compare two metrics (summarization fields), grouped by a set of common attributes (color and size). Scatterplots show how a metric correlates to another metric. Example: You can use a scatterplot to show the relationship between population size and income.
Waterfall		Waterfalls display the incremental transitions of quantitative values that increase or decrease. Use a waterfall visualization to understand the progression of a specific value and its influence by positive and negative factors. For example, use a waterfall to display how headcount is influenced by hiring and terminations. By default, the first value in a waterfall displays as the starting value. You can choose to hide the start value and represent the first value as an increase or a decrease instead. By default, waterfalls display the total (the end value), which summarizes all values and calculates how all the increments affect the starting value. Optionally, you can hide the Total. You can display either numeric or currency metrics in a waterfall visualization. To create a waterfall visualization, place one or more summarization fields in the Measures drop zone. Workday displays the top field as the starting value and displays each field in order. The Dimensions field must be blank in order to use multiple measures in the Measures drop zone. You can include a dimension field, also known as an attribute field, instead of multiple measures to represent the same data. You can add a dimension if there is only one measure. You can only use one dimension in a waterfall viz.

KPI Setup Options

When you create or edit a KPI visualization, you can configure the following KPI-specific options:

The variance (difference) between the base measure and the comparison measure.
Note
: To display the variance, include a field in the Comparison Measure drop zone.
The variance (difference) between the metrics from a base time period and a comparison time period.
Note
: To display the variance, you must include a field in the Date drop zone.
A visual indicator showing progress toward the intended result.
Visual indicators use color and shape to indicate progress.
You can add rules that define when the current value is:
Expected
Warning
Critical

Follow these steps to configure a KPI visualization:

Select a KPI visualization.
Select the Configuration Panel icon.
In the Comparison Measure or Period Comparison section, define how to calculate the variance.
(Optional) Choose how to display the variance. You can display it as a numeric value, percentage, or none. For percentages, set the number of decimal places to display in the Decimal Precision field.
(Optional) Define the base and comparison periods for time period comparison using dynamic or static dates. To configure dynamic dates, select the Base Period or Comparison Period's Related Actions and enable or disable the Use Dynamic Dates toggle.
(Optional) From the Base Period or Comparison Period's Related Actions menu, enable or disable Show Date Ranges of Visualization toggle. This allows you to view or hide the date ranges for the base period and/or comparison period on the viz.
(Optional) Select the Indicators section, and add one or more rules that define progress toward the intended result.
Select which value to evaluate against in each rule, either the Base measure value or Percentage of target. For date values, select Base Measure Value, Variance as a Value, or Variance as a Percentage.
In the first rule, define the rule conditions by selecting the comparison operator, comparison value, and visual indicator to display.
(Optional) Select Add Rule to add another rule.
To change the order of rules, select the handle on the right side of a rule and drag the rule into the desired position.

Important

: Workday evaluates the rules in order, starting at the top. The visualization displays the indicator for the first matching rule.

Waterfall Setup Options

When you create or edit a Waterfall viz, you can configure how to display the data and labels the visualization.

You can create a Waterfall viz using either of these methods:

One field each in the Measures and Dimensions drop zones. Workday displays how the values of a dimension field incrementally increase or decrease the value of a measure field.
Example
: You can perform expense analysis by the categories defined in a single dimension field. You can change the sort order of the dimension field values.
Multiple fields in the Measures drop zone. Workday displays each field in order on the x-axis, using the top field as the starting value. You can change their order by changing the order of the fields in the Measures drop zone.

The method you use to create a Waterfall viz determines the viz options you can configure.

After selecting your fields and placing them in the appropriate drop zones, you can further configure your waterfall visualization. To do this, follow these steps:

Select the Waterfall visualization.

Select the Viz Options button.

Depending on the configuration of your Waterfall viz, the system displays the following options:

Option	Description
Show data labels	Display the data value as text above each incremental increase or decrease.
Display start label	In a waterfall viz, the system always shows the first value as the start value (represented in the viz legend). You can hide the start value and represent the first value as an increase or a decrease instead.
Hide total	Hide the total value, which displays the cumulative effect of all increments in the last bar using a separate color.
Sort Order	(Dimension drop zone only) Select how to sort the values from the field in the Dimensions drop zone. You can sort the data alphabetically, logically, or numerically in ascending or descending order.
Limit	(Dimension drop zone only) You can apply a limit on the number of field values displayed on the axis with the dimension field. Explore the Workday Community Administrator Guide for details on how to limit a viz to the top N values. Search for Limit Viz to the Top N Values.
Axis display names	Override the default names that display on the x-axis and y-axis of the viz.
Measure display names	Override the default display names for each field in the Measures drop zone. When the viz has multiple fields in the Measures drop zone, Workday uses these display names for the first measure and each incremental measure.
Label display name	Override the default display name for the total value (if included).

Tip

: Select the Reset to default option to reset an overridden display name.

Create a Discovery Board and Visualizations

Group Data by Color in a Viz

For some visualization types, you can add a field to the Color dimension to encode the marks so the groups are visually differentiated. Each group's color displays as a legend in the visualization. Most visualization types, such as Chart and Donut Chart, accept an attribute field in the Color dimension, which creates additional groupings. Heatmap visualizations accept a summarization field in the Color dimension.

Steps:

For Area Chart, Bar Chart, Chart, and Line Chart visualizations, select a visualization with at least one attribute field in the X-Axis drop zone.
For Donut Chart visualizations, select a visualization with a summarization field in the Angle drop zone.
Drag and drop a field in the Color drop zone.

Example

: In a Chart visualization, you can place the Hiring Source field in the x-axis and the Rating - Current field in the Color drop zone. The visualization groups workers by hiring source. Workday assigns a different color for each current rating, and defines each color in the legend below the viz, as shown in the image.

Filter the Data

Determine the value dynamically. You can then select a dynamic field on the Global business object to determine the value dynamically.
Apply the filter to a different level. For example, you can convert a visualization filter from the viz level to the sheet level by selecting Move to Sheet.
Create a control to make the filter visible in view mode.
Remove the filter from the discovery board.
Temporarily disable the filter. You might want to disable a filter to view the unfiltered data without removing the filter.

Area Chart
Bar Chart
Chart
Donut Chart
Heatmap
Line Chart
Scatterplot
Pivot Table

Dynamic Filters

Rather than specifying a static date or date range, you can dynamically determine a discovery board filter value. You can apply dynamic data in two places on a discovery board:

The viz or sheet's filter in the Filter Panel.
A data source prompt on the Data Source Panel.

Note

: The selected dynamic field must be on the Global business object. You cannot link dynamic filters to the Control panel.

To apply a dynamic filter:

Select the Related Actions (three vertical dots) next to the added filter or prompt.
Enable the 'Determine value dynamically' toggle.
Select a valid dynamic value.

The example comparison shows a sheet filter on a viz that analyzes hires by supervisory organization. When you disable the Determined Values Dynamically toggle (the default option), the returned data displays hires with a hire date after the static date of 01/01/2023. However, when you enable the Determine Values Dynamically toggle, the returned data displays hires with a hire date after the current date minus six months.

Curated Data Sources

Creating a custom report on the All Data Sources data source and filtering using the new field Is Valid for Data Discovery = Yes.
Accessing the
Maintain Data Source list for Discovery Boards
task and selecting Add Data Sources.

Curated Field Lists

Drill By and Show Details Fields

You can drill into or show details for visualizations. When you do this, the system will display the data in a pivot table or table.

Drill By and Show Details options for a visualization

Select Add to Sheet to add a visualization of the tabular data to a sheet. If the visualization you drill into or view details for includes a lookup date rollup calculated field, Workday disables the Add to Sheet option.

Reminder

: Each sheet can display up to 10 visualizations.

You can also select Create Report to create a custom report from a viz. However, keep in mind that Workday disables this option if the visualization you drill into or view details for includes a lookup date rollup calculated field. It will also disable the Create Report option if you do not have access to the Analytics Data: Report Fields and Values domain.

Finally, you can select the Download as CSV option to download your tabular data into a CSV format.

Sharing Discovery Boards

Sharing Visualization Insights

You can create a custom Report Writer report from a compatible visualization and share the report.
You can download the visualization image as a Portable Network Graphic (PNG) file and share the image.
You can download the visualization as a comma-separated values (CSV) file and share the file.

Download a Visualization Image

To download a visualization as an image, you must have permissions set up in Workday (System functional area) for the Discovery Boards: Create domain.

Once you select the visualization from your discovery board, select Download as PNG from the visualization's Related Actions menu, as shown in the image below.

When you download a visualization as a PNG image file, the system will save it to your local computer. The image file saves to the directory configured in your browser.

Download a Visualization as a Table

You can download discovery board visualizations as CSV files, making it easier to perform further analysis on your tabular data, as shown in the image.

The Download as CSV option is on the Related Actions menu for:

Drill By results.
Show Details results.
Matrix Report - Pivot Table.
Advanced Report - Table.

The example below shows a tabular view of the Show Details data results. From here, you can select the viz's Related Actions and download the table as a CSV file.

This feature is available to both viewers and editors of a discovery board.

You may want more control over how you secure access to discovery boards and the data within them. Workday allows you to enforce access restrictions for discovery boards to prevent users from downloading viz data as a CSV.

To prevent the Download as CSV viz menu option from displaying, create an access restriction for the users' security group using the

Create Access Restriction

task. When you define the access restriction, select either of these options in the Excludes Functionality prompt:

Export to PDF or Excel
Export to PDF or Excel (Except Payslips and W2s)

Discovery Board Worklets on the Home Page

Chapter Summary

With Discovery Boards, you can perform ad hoc visual analysis on data sources and change reporting outcomes on the spot by using the drag-and-drop interface.
Discovery Boards give Workday users the agility to quickly pivot and stay ahead of the curve, the data insight to answer operational questions, and the opportunity for collaboration with teams.
The data source you select for your Discovery Board determines what fields you can access.
You can update visualizations in a discovery board from the discovery board's workspace, which consists of the Data Source, Builder, Filter, and Formatting Panels.
Discovery boards have one or more sheets, and each sheet can display up to 10 visualizations.
A visualization is a graphical or textual representation of certain fields selected from a data source used to explore and analyze your data interactively.
The visualization type determines the drop zones in the Builder Panel and how the data is visually displayed in the visualization.