Concept: Selecting a Data Source
The data source you select for a report determines what fields you can access and is the
largest factor in report performance.
For optimal report performance, select the data source that returns the fewest business object
instances that you need. Example: Use the
My Direct Reports
data
source instead of filtering the All Active Workers
data source by
manager.Questions to Consider
Question | Considerations |
|---|---|
What fields do you need? | List all the fields you want the report to display. If you don't know the business
object that contains these fields, use the Workday-delivered
Report Fields report to look up the
fields. |
What business object should you report on? | Select the business object that contains the majority of the fields you
want as the primary business object for the report. Then, you can use the
Business Object Details report to find a data
source.You can also run the Workday-delivered Data
Sources report and filter by Category to help you
find a data source. |
Who needs access to this report? | Ensure that the target audience of the report has access to the data
source and fields you use. |
Where will the report run? | Reports that run as worklets on a dashboard time out after 30 seconds,
so it's important to consider performance when you select a data source. For
scheduled reports or reports you run in the background, report performance
isn't as important. |
Data Source Characteristics
If you know the business object that you want to report on, consider these data source
characteristics.
Characteristic | Description | Examples |
|---|---|---|
Indexed | Returns large volumes of data efficiently. Whenever a report needs
to run fast, such as in a worklet, use an indexed data
source. |
|
Filtered | Includes built-in filters that limit the number of instances the data
source returns. If an indexed data source doesn't meet your requirements,
use a filtered standard data source. |
|
Focused | Returns only the instances for a specific security group. If you want to report on a
small set of business object instances, use a focused data
source. |
|
Data Sources with Built-In Filters
Instead of creating your own filter in the report definition, use the faster built-in data
source filters whenever possible. Example: Use the
Workers by Role
filter on
the Workers for HCM Reporting
data source.Data Sources with the (Do Not Use) Label
Don't use data sources that have the (Do Not Use) label. Example:
Job Applications,
Prospects and Referrals (Do Not Use)
. Workday retires data sources
with the (Do Not Use) label, sometimes because there's a new and better data source.
You can search for replacements for retired data sources in the What's
New in Workday
report.