How to use Workday Adaptive Planning
Our consultants have put together these resources to help you make the most of Workday Adaptive Planning (Adaptive Insights). Find quick tips, in-depth tutorials and articles here.
For the Workday Adaptive Planning user:
2-minute how-to videos and other resources
Workday Adaptive Planning Health Check service
If you already have a Workday Adaptive Planning instance: Does it perform slowly or have poor user uptake, models that are no longer fit-for-purpose, or limited reporting capability? Do you and your team lack knowledge on how to use the solution, and want to know what more can be done?
QMetrix provides a Workday Adaptive Planning Health Check service where we review your instance and propose steps to optimise your instance so it continues to deliver value for your organisation.
Web Reports – Reporting and Analysis
How to create calculations in reports
There are 3 different types of calculations available to users in web reporting: Subtotal, Difference and Custom. This video discusses the differences between these calculations and provide common examples of where they work best.
How to build a Prior Month Year to Date (YTD) report
Relative dates allow reports to update the time period dynamically, rather than relying on user input. This video utilises relative dates to drive a Prior Month Year to Date report.
How to build a rolling 12 month forecast report
A common business requirement is to be able to see a forecast for the next 12 months. This video steps you through how to set up a rolling 12 month forecast report using relative periods in web reporting.
How to use filters and parameters in reports
One of the first questions you ask when building a report is “Who is the audience?” This audience will usually dictate the report in some way or another. But what happens when you want to target more than one audience with a report?
The use of parameters provide end users with control of how they want to specifically view the report by prompting the user to select an element. This video discusses the concept of Filters vs Parameters and how to use them in web reporting.
Conditional formatting with traffic lights in reports
We commonly get asked by clients how to incorporate a traffic light system in reports to indicate any Positive, Negative or Neutral values.
This video introduces the concept of conditional formatting and discusses how to incorporate icons/traffic lights with a calculation within web reporting.
How to repeat reports
Users often maintain multiple versions of the same report – often for different audiences. This can become a challenge when updates are required as multiple versions need to be managed.
Repeating reports allow you to create one report with a repeating element, so that a new report is created for each variable. This video demonstrates how Repeating Reports can be applied in web reporting.
How to build a Prior Month Year to Date (YTD) report
Relative dates allow reports to update the time period dynamically, rather than relying on user input. This video utilises relative dates to drive a Prior Month Year to Date report.
How to format reports
Good formatting adds a level of professionalism and sophistication to reporting suites. This video discusses tips on how to transform your report with a variety of formatting techniques.
OfficeConnect – Reporting and Analysis
How to group elements in OfficeConnect
Grouping elements in OfficeConnect allow elements to dynamically reflect changes made to the model in the report. When the grouping feature has been applied, any changes to the account such as new additions, removals or even a re-order of accounts will be reflected in the report.
This video demonstrates how to set a report up with the grouping feature, as well as how to update an existing report.
How to use filters in OfficeConnect
One of the first questions you ask when building a report is “Who is the audience?” This audience will usually dictate the report in some way or another. But what happens when you want to target more than one audience with a report?
The use of filters in OfficeConnect provide end users with control of how they want to specifically view the report by having a set of elements available to select from the reporting pane. This video demonstrates how to set up filters in OfficeConnect.
How to Find and Replace elements in OfficeConnect
We often get asked “I have spent hours building a report in OfficeConnect, but I’m afraid the requirements have changed. Do I need to start again? How can I change the report to reference a different version?” This video addresses these queries by demonstrating how to find and replace elements in OfficeConnect.
How to clear data with OfficeConnect
Updating OfficeConnect reports can be troublesome if the elements have not been cleared correctly. This video demonstrates the different ways to erase data, as well as the default “clear data upon save” behaviour.
Expanding and collapsing elements in OfficeConnect
The explore property in OfficeConnect has undergone some changes and updates. This video includes a walk through of how to expand, collapse, Keep and Remove, and explore values in OfficeConnect.
How to repeat reports in OfficeConnect
Users often maintain multiple versions of the same report, often for different audiences. This can become a challenge when updates are required as multiple versions need to be managed.
Repeating reports allow you to create one report with a repeating element, so that a new report is created for each variable. The following video demonstrates how Repeating Reports can be applied in OfficeConnect.
How to set up relative dates in OfficeConnect
Relative dates allow users to update monthly reports dynamically. This video explains relative dates in detail and describes the best ways to set up an OfficeConnect report to support relative dates.
How to set up absolute dates in OfficeConnect
Absolute dates are often required for reporting, particularly when viewing a 12 month forecast. In situations like this you don’t want the periods to change each time the report date is changed. This video steps you through how to set your report up for absolute dates.
How to copy/paste and move a report in OfficeConnect
A common issue users run into when trying to copy and paste elements in an OfficeConnect report is that all the OfficeConnect elements become disabled. Watch this video to learn the difference between Microsoft Excel copy and paste and OfficeConnect copy and paste.
How to use labels in OfficeConnect
Labels can be used in OfficeConnect reports to help the end user get a better understanding of what the report is trying to do, what filters have been applied and what time period is being displayed. This video demonstrates how to add and remove labels to an OfficeConnect report.
How to override and append elements in OfficeConnect
This video compares the different override options in OfficeConnect. When trying to apply an element to a row, column or cell that already has an element applied, a pop-up menu appears asking whether you want to replace, append or cancel.
This video demonstrates the difference between these options and when they should be used.
Dashboards
Conditional formatting in dashboards
Conditional formatting is an excellent way to highlight favourable or unfavourable trends in visualisations. This video walks you through how to build a basic column chart that compares Budget and Forecast for FY2021.
How to create a waterfall chart in dashboards
Waterfall charts are a great way to visualise movements between two components. This video demonstrates how to create a waterfall chart to see the movements between Budget and Forecast Revenue.
How to use context filters
A common concern users have with dashboards is that they can’t fit as much information as they would like on a small canvas. This video demonstrates how to use context filters to optimise your dashboard and take it to the next level.
Creating a Geo Map in Dashboards – Part 1
Geo Maps are a great feature to help you visualise your data, and spot important trends and new opportunities for your business.
Creating a Geo Map in Dashboards – Part 2
| Following on from our first Geo Maps episode, the following video shows you how to set up a basic Geo Map on Dashboard after the custom properties for dimensions are set up. |
Models and more
Display Options on Standard Sheet
This video demos the features available within display options, specifically on a standard sheet. The three different tabs within display options (time, version comparison, and sparklines) are explored and demonstrated on the sheet.
Version comparison in standard sheets
We often recommend you review Prior Year Actuals and Budgets when planning for future years. This video walks you through this process and demonstrates how to add a specific version to a planning sheet for comparison.
How to create an attribute
This video demonstrates how to create attributes to enhance reporting capabilities. When attributes are used, accounts, levels and/or dimensions can be “tagged” with an attribute value. These values can be used to group the data and allows users to filter and view their reports based on these categories.
Forecast Versions for reporting (Part 1)
This video demonstrates how to create a forecast version. This is the first episode of a 3-part series which will walk you through how to best use forecast versions for reporting.
Forecast Versions for reporting (Part 2)
How do you create an additional forecast version for comparison? In this video we show you how. This is the second episode of a 3-part series discussing best practices when creating forecast versions for reporting.
Forecast Versions for reporting (Part 3)
What are virtual versions? How will using virtual versions for forecasts enhance your reporting? In this video we answer those questions. It is the final episode of a 3-part series which walk you through how to best use forecast versions for reporting.
Productivity tips
Once you have familiarised yourself with Workday Adaptive Planning, you can start to incorporate keyboard shortcuts and customise your experience to increase productivity. The following tips will help you navigate the interface more efficiently.
How to incorporate multi-select filtering
We often get questions on whether it’s possible to select multiple dimension values in filter. The answer to that is YES. In this episode, we will explore how to incorporate multi-select filtering across OfficeConnect, Web Reports and Dashboards in Workday Adaptive Planning.
Creating global user groups
Global Users groups are a great feature in Workday Adaptive Planning. By applying user groups, you can easily share reports or dashboards with a designated group of users, control version access and restrict access to groups of users.
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More resources
In-depth tutorials, articles and the latest Workday Adaptive Planning
(Adaptive Insights) release information, by the QMetrix team
Workday Adaptive Planning Release Notes 2024: Feature Enhancements Review
Get the latest updates as our consultants share the highlights of each new release of Workday Adaptive Planning (Adaptive Insights).
How to set up driver-based planning in Workday Adaptive Planning
Driver-based planning focuses on identifying an organisation’s key factors that drive success, then modelling business performance based on those key drivers. Here, we walk through how to do end-to-end driver-based planning in Workday Adaptive Planning.
How to maintain and update OfficeConnect reports
Learn key elements of building reports in OfficeConnect including workbook properties, applying elements, copy and paste, and find and replace.
Alternate calendars and Contra accounts in Workday Adaptive Planning 2022 R2
The latest 2022R2 release has delivered many improvements. Here, we showcase the more complex enhancements, namely Alternate Calendars and Contra Accounts.
How to create virtual versions in Workday Adaptive Planning
We demonstrate multiple use cases of Virtual Versions in Workday Adaptive Planning and how to set these up for optimal reporting.
How to Create Modelled Sheets in Workday Adaptive Planning
Modelled sheets are tabular style sheets which let you perform data entry to drive calculations. Learn how to create a modelled sheet in Workday Adaptive Planning.
How to Create Custom Accounts and Formulas in Workday Adaptive Planning
Creating your own formulas is an important step you can take to better analyse the data in your Workday Adaptive Planning model. In this article we show you how to create custom accounts and formulas.
Workday Adaptive Planning Features: Explore Cell, Required Columns on Modelled Sheets, and Erase Data functionality
We explore three features from the Workday Adaptive Planning 2021R2 release in detail: Explore Cell, Required Columns on Modelled Sheets, and Erase Data functionality
What have QMetrix clients achieved with Workday Adaptive Planning?
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