Leverage the Full Potential of Workday data with CData Sync
Workday is the enterprise standard for human capital management (HCM) systems and is the source of truth for HR, payroll, benefits, and time tracking data. Because of the critical data stored in Workday, comprehensive data integration is critical for analytics, planning, and compliance.
Most ETL/ELT tools provide connectivity to Workday; however, their connection is limited because it is only through Reports as a Service (RaaS). While RaaS is an effective method for querying curated reports, it is just one of several ways to access Workday data, and alone, it may not paint the full picture of your Workday data.
In this article, we review how the Workday connector for CData Sync delivers full connectivity when compared to other ETL/ELT tools' connectors.
Where other Workday connectors fall short
Other ETL platforms do provide valuable access to Workday; however, their connectivity is often a report-only integration that can miss access to valuable data. This limitation can mean:
Partial data visibility: Missing access to multiple Workday APIs, like WQL, REST, or SOAP, can leave possible gaps in your data because transactional, granular, and event-driven data isn’t available through RaaS-only connections.
Increased development overhead: A dependency on Workday RaaS means that Workday admins and IT teams need to spend valuable time updating and maintaining custom reports for your data pipeline as data needs adjust over time.
Limited flexibility: Relying on a single connection method can slow down the adoption of new use cases and require extra setup or block new use cases entirely if the data needs exceed what is currently available.
How the CData Sync Workday connector is different
The Workday connector from the CData Sync supports four connection types in a single, unified connector to enable full and versatile coverage of your Workday data:
- Workday Query Language (WQL) (default): High-performance querying of base Workday datasets and datasets published in Prism Data Catalog.
- Reports as a Service: Access prebuilt and custom reports created in Workday.
- REST API: Exposes Workday data as tables and views using the Workday REST API
- SOAP API: Exposes Workday data as views using the Workday SOAP API.
This versatility in your Workday connection ensures you can retrieve the right information using the most suitable access method. Whether you are querying datasets you create in Prism Analytics Data Catalog, custom reports via RaaS, or base data objects via the REST and SOAP APIs, you have the flexibility to pull the right data in the right way.
Connectivity comparison: CData Sync vs. other ETL tools
| Feature | CData Sync | Fivetran | Matillion | Snowflake Openflow | Databricks Lakeflow |
| RaaS Support | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| WQL Support | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | ❌ No | ❌ No | ❌ No |
| REST API | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | ❌ No | ❌ No |
| SOAP API | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | ❌ No |
| Prism Data Catalog | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | ❌ No | ❌ No | ❌ No |
The real-world benefits of CData connectors
The real benefit of your Workday integration is the tangible business outcome that the solution unlocks. The CData Workday connector not only offers broader connection options, but it also unlocks real-world advantages such as:
- Flexibility for a variety of use cases: Choose the connection type that fits your use case best, instead of being limited to a single connection method. This results in support for a wide variety of use cases without restructuring reports or exporting complex data from Workday.
- Optimized WQL performance: Take advantage of the built-in SQL Engine that is optimized to work with Workday WQL. CData Workday connections enable high-performance querying by pushing the complex WQL queries down to Workday for processing.
- Prism Data Catalog access: Published datasets defined within Workday Prism Analytics can be easily queried through WQL. This allows users to work with the native Workday data hub without compromising the fidelity of their Workday system.
- Future-ready Workday integration: Reduce the risk of disruptions or costly redevelopment if Workday evolves because CData supports multiple APIs and is always conducting proactive compatibility updates.
- Access to advanced analytics: With access to granular transactional data and the ability to combine data from different Workday connection types, your teams can utilize the most complete dataset when analyzing workforce, financial, and operational data.
Upgrade your Workday integration today
Reporting data in Workday is valuable, but it only gives organizations a part of the picture. If you need access to Workday data, get the whole picture, not just a piece. The Workday connector for CData Sync provides unmatched depth for your Workday integration, giving organizations comprehensive API support that translates to deeper analytics and a future-proof data strategy that grows with your needs.
Don’t let your Workday data stay trapped in a curated view; unlock the full potential of your Workday ETL/ELT data pipeline with CData Sync. Visit our CData Sync page to read more information and download a free trial today! As always, our world-class Support Team is ready to answer any questions you may have.