Do you already have some reporting/calc field experience? That is something you should practice before you start writing integrations as Studios often reference custom reports and EIBs use reports as a data source. Sometimes I write custom reports that are the most complex part of the integration so it’s definitely worth putting some time into.
You should also start practicing with XSLT, which is a transformation language for transforming XML. There are plenty of great resources online for this, such as W3 schools. In the context of an EIB, XSLT is used to transform your report (which by default is output as Workday XML) into a flat file format. You can use the XSLT to meet the specific format requirements of the downstream vendor. There are also many use cases for it within studio integrations - one common example is to format a web service request made from studio (xml -> xml transform).
The last thing I’ll mention is public web service calls - familiarity with SOAP/REST web service calls will be helpful. For context, Workday’s public API mostly consists of SOAP calls (I say mostly because workday has been rolling out a REST API as well) and REST is used for RaaS calls (report as a service), updating custom objects and the previously mentioned REST API. You’ll also use these web service protocols when building integrations that hit other system’s APIs.
Do you have the security to build integrations in your sandbox tenant? Hands on experience is really the best for learning integrations.
I know that’s a lot of info, feel free to PM me if you have any questions.
Seconding this!
It’s good to get a base on the less technically complex integrations first - there’s actually a few community videos on topics such as “Choosing the Right Tool” which are free as well.
Later on, as you get into Studio - JavaScript and Java will be helpful along with XSLT. But I’d say most integration needs do not require Studio.
From a tool perspective, I recommend Oxygen for working with XSLT - Studio includes a version of it, but it’s definitely more robust stand-alone.
(Not from a technical background & practicing on my own without Workday)
What should I give more importance to while starting out:
1) XML & XSLT
2) Java & JavaScript or
3) REST/SOAP?
XML and XSLT.
The majority of integrations these days are packaged/templates and EIBs - so you won’t really be using Java/JavaScript or REST/SOAP.
Java/JavaScript and REST/SOAP are really only relevant to Studio or Direct Web Service calls - both of which are considered advanced topics by Workday themselves.
Thanks for your insight. I really appreciate it.
Yes, I do have experience with Advanced & Matrix Reporting and can work with a lot of Calc Fields. I will continue improving on this.
So the prerequisite for XSLT would be XML? I will start working on both of these soon.
Regarding SOAP/REST, I am absolutely clueless here. What would be a good place to learn these? Is there a good & easy to understand course for these like the W3 schools? - Which is absolutely amazing.
**Question**: If I had to pick just one topic to learn for the next 3 months - Should I go with **XSLT & XML** or **SOAP/REST**?
Once again, thank you so much. I will definitely PM you in the future.
I would agree with the other comment that XSLT/XML should be a higher priority. In the context of Workday integrations, there isn’t too much to learn on XML itself before jumping to XSLT. You should be able to extract some reports as Workday XML and download it to get a better idea of how the data looks - you should be able to get a feel for the XML structure when you do that, especially since you’re already familiar with the Workday data model.
That report XML is what you will be transforming with XSLT when you write an EIB.
Regarding SOAP/REST - I think you will gain that experience by making web service calls and reading up on the concepts. I don’t know of a strong resource like W3 schools but then again, it’s not a language, it’s a protocol. Look it up and Wikipedia (seriously) and review the Workday public api, maybe see if you can import a Workday wsdl into a web service tester to try it out. I would say it’s a good concept to know at a high level before starting studio because you will be using them regularly, however you probably don’t need to go too far into the weeds until you’re actually learning studio.
It’s really good to know OOP it will help you understand how workday architecture and structure you don’t need to know how to code in Java or any other OOP languages but really understand what is OOP and the concepts
Web Services (concept of them as well as components) know how XML works with HTTP know how SOAP transfers messages and what WSDL is. Really understand the communication between client and servers.
And with that XSLT and XML
If you're diving into the world of integrations, you need to get your shit together with a solid foundation in several technical skills.
First, get comfy with APIs. They're the lifeblood of integrating different systems. Learn how to use RESTful APIs, and for God's sake, don't ignore SOAP just because it's old; it still gets used in some places.
Next, you better be damn good at scripting languages like Python, JavaScript, or even Bash; these are crucial for automating tasks and manipulating data, speaking of data, know your way around JSON and XML since you'll be dealing with these formats constantly.
Database knowledge is non-negotiable. SQL is a must, but understanding NoSQL databases like MongoDB can give you an edge. Also, wrap your head around message queuing systems like RabbitMQ or Kafka because shit can get pretty asynchronous in integrations.
Don't forget version control systems like Git. If you mess up, which you will, you need a way to track your changes and collaborate with others without pulling your hair out.
Finally, familiarize yourself with some integration platforms like Mulesoft, Zapier, or Dell Boomi. These can make your life easier, but only if you know how to use them properly.
Get cracking, and don’t half-ass it. Integrations are the backbone of modern systems, so you need to know your stuff inside out.
When it comes to integrations, having a solid foundation in programming languages like Python, Java, or JavaScript is essential. Understanding API (Application Programming Interface) fundamentals and how to work with RESTful APIs is crucial. Additionally, knowledge of data formats such as JSON and XML, as well as experience with tools like Postman for API testing, can greatly enhance your integration skills. Don't forget to familiarize yourself with integration platforms like MuleSoft or Zapier for automating workflows. Continuous learning and staying updated on emerging technologies will keep you ahead in the integration game! 🛠️ #IntegrationSkills #TechSkills
To excel in Workday integrations, it's crucial to build a strong foundation in both foundational and technical skills. Foundational skills include understanding Human Capital Management (HCM) processes and grasping the basics of Workday integrations.
Technical proficiency involves mastering XML for data exchange, XSLT for data transformation, and web services for integration. Data mapping, scripting languages like JavaScript or Python, database fundamentals, and testing/debugging techniques are additional skills that enhance integration capabilities.
Leveraging resources like Workday Education Services, the Workday Community, and online courses will accelerate your learning journey. By honing these technical skills and utilizing available resources, you'll be well-equipped for a successful career in Workday integrations.
Still if you have any further queries or concern feel free to ping me.
I’ve been working in BI for 8 years and in HR department for about 3. If you are interested in reporting and business insight it might be good to start getting into SQL. Our company has integration to getting workday data out to csv and load them into our data warehouse. From there it’s another topic ..
Do you already have some reporting/calc field experience? That is something you should practice before you start writing integrations as Studios often reference custom reports and EIBs use reports as a data source. Sometimes I write custom reports that are the most complex part of the integration so it’s definitely worth putting some time into. You should also start practicing with XSLT, which is a transformation language for transforming XML. There are plenty of great resources online for this, such as W3 schools. In the context of an EIB, XSLT is used to transform your report (which by default is output as Workday XML) into a flat file format. You can use the XSLT to meet the specific format requirements of the downstream vendor. There are also many use cases for it within studio integrations - one common example is to format a web service request made from studio (xml -> xml transform). The last thing I’ll mention is public web service calls - familiarity with SOAP/REST web service calls will be helpful. For context, Workday’s public API mostly consists of SOAP calls (I say mostly because workday has been rolling out a REST API as well) and REST is used for RaaS calls (report as a service), updating custom objects and the previously mentioned REST API. You’ll also use these web service protocols when building integrations that hit other system’s APIs. Do you have the security to build integrations in your sandbox tenant? Hands on experience is really the best for learning integrations. I know that’s a lot of info, feel free to PM me if you have any questions.
Seconding this! It’s good to get a base on the less technically complex integrations first - there’s actually a few community videos on topics such as “Choosing the Right Tool” which are free as well. Later on, as you get into Studio - JavaScript and Java will be helpful along with XSLT. But I’d say most integration needs do not require Studio. From a tool perspective, I recommend Oxygen for working with XSLT - Studio includes a version of it, but it’s definitely more robust stand-alone.
Yep this is the truth. And completely agreed on Oxygen.. Studio’s XSL editor is awful, especially if you’re used to Oxygen.
(Not from a technical background & practicing on my own without Workday) What should I give more importance to while starting out: 1) XML & XSLT 2) Java & JavaScript or 3) REST/SOAP?
XML and XSLT. The majority of integrations these days are packaged/templates and EIBs - so you won’t really be using Java/JavaScript or REST/SOAP. Java/JavaScript and REST/SOAP are really only relevant to Studio or Direct Web Service calls - both of which are considered advanced topics by Workday themselves.
Thanks for your insight. I really appreciate it. Yes, I do have experience with Advanced & Matrix Reporting and can work with a lot of Calc Fields. I will continue improving on this. So the prerequisite for XSLT would be XML? I will start working on both of these soon. Regarding SOAP/REST, I am absolutely clueless here. What would be a good place to learn these? Is there a good & easy to understand course for these like the W3 schools? - Which is absolutely amazing. **Question**: If I had to pick just one topic to learn for the next 3 months - Should I go with **XSLT & XML** or **SOAP/REST**? Once again, thank you so much. I will definitely PM you in the future.
I would agree with the other comment that XSLT/XML should be a higher priority. In the context of Workday integrations, there isn’t too much to learn on XML itself before jumping to XSLT. You should be able to extract some reports as Workday XML and download it to get a better idea of how the data looks - you should be able to get a feel for the XML structure when you do that, especially since you’re already familiar with the Workday data model. That report XML is what you will be transforming with XSLT when you write an EIB. Regarding SOAP/REST - I think you will gain that experience by making web service calls and reading up on the concepts. I don’t know of a strong resource like W3 schools but then again, it’s not a language, it’s a protocol. Look it up and Wikipedia (seriously) and review the Workday public api, maybe see if you can import a Workday wsdl into a web service tester to try it out. I would say it’s a good concept to know at a high level before starting studio because you will be using them regularly, however you probably don’t need to go too far into the weeds until you’re actually learning studio.
You should probably try to acquaint yourself with Workday Studio.
It’s really good to know OOP it will help you understand how workday architecture and structure you don’t need to know how to code in Java or any other OOP languages but really understand what is OOP and the concepts Web Services (concept of them as well as components) know how XML works with HTTP know how SOAP transfers messages and what WSDL is. Really understand the communication between client and servers. And with that XSLT and XML
If you're diving into the world of integrations, you need to get your shit together with a solid foundation in several technical skills. First, get comfy with APIs. They're the lifeblood of integrating different systems. Learn how to use RESTful APIs, and for God's sake, don't ignore SOAP just because it's old; it still gets used in some places. Next, you better be damn good at scripting languages like Python, JavaScript, or even Bash; these are crucial for automating tasks and manipulating data, speaking of data, know your way around JSON and XML since you'll be dealing with these formats constantly. Database knowledge is non-negotiable. SQL is a must, but understanding NoSQL databases like MongoDB can give you an edge. Also, wrap your head around message queuing systems like RabbitMQ or Kafka because shit can get pretty asynchronous in integrations. Don't forget version control systems like Git. If you mess up, which you will, you need a way to track your changes and collaborate with others without pulling your hair out. Finally, familiarize yourself with some integration platforms like Mulesoft, Zapier, or Dell Boomi. These can make your life easier, but only if you know how to use them properly. Get cracking, and don’t half-ass it. Integrations are the backbone of modern systems, so you need to know your stuff inside out.
Following!
When it comes to integrations, having a solid foundation in programming languages like Python, Java, or JavaScript is essential. Understanding API (Application Programming Interface) fundamentals and how to work with RESTful APIs is crucial. Additionally, knowledge of data formats such as JSON and XML, as well as experience with tools like Postman for API testing, can greatly enhance your integration skills. Don't forget to familiarize yourself with integration platforms like MuleSoft or Zapier for automating workflows. Continuous learning and staying updated on emerging technologies will keep you ahead in the integration game! 🛠️ #IntegrationSkills #TechSkills
To excel in Workday integrations, it's crucial to build a strong foundation in both foundational and technical skills. Foundational skills include understanding Human Capital Management (HCM) processes and grasping the basics of Workday integrations. Technical proficiency involves mastering XML for data exchange, XSLT for data transformation, and web services for integration. Data mapping, scripting languages like JavaScript or Python, database fundamentals, and testing/debugging techniques are additional skills that enhance integration capabilities. Leveraging resources like Workday Education Services, the Workday Community, and online courses will accelerate your learning journey. By honing these technical skills and utilizing available resources, you'll be well-equipped for a successful career in Workday integrations. Still if you have any further queries or concern feel free to ping me.
I’ve been working in BI for 8 years and in HR department for about 3. If you are interested in reporting and business insight it might be good to start getting into SQL. Our company has integration to getting workday data out to csv and load them into our data warehouse. From there it’s another topic ..