Workday Adaptive Planning

Unlocking Workday Adaptive Planning’s Power with its APIs

November 5, 2025 by Rob Gordy

In our previous posts, What is an API and Using APIs with Postman, we introduced the basics of APIs and covered the popular API testing tool Postman. Now that you have a solid grasp of APIs, let’s dive into Workday Adaptive Planning’s APIs and explore their capabilities.

Adaptive’s APIs: XML and JSON

Workday Adaptive Planning provides two APIs for its users: an XML-based API and a JSON-based API. While both APIs allow you to interact with Adaptive, the XML-based API provides more functionality than the JSON-based API. Workday’s documentation outlines the various endpoints that are available for both the XML-based API and the JSON-based API.

Both of the APIs use version control to introduce, modify and deprecate functionality. This means that certain endpoints may be available when using one API version (eg: version 30), but may not be available when using a different API version (eg: version 40). Workday provides a changelog of the APIs to help keep track of these updates.

Pitfalls and Benefits

While working with Adaptive’s APIs offers many benefits, it also comes with some pitfalls:

Character Encoding: The XML-based API expects all data used in the API to be encoded for XML. This means that some characters, like the greater-than, less-than, quote and ampersand characters, need to be edited for Adaptive to properly understand the requests you are making.
Incomplete Functionality: While Adaptive’s APIs cover a large portion of the functionality available within the platform, there are several use cases that the API does not currently support. One example of that is reporting, which currently does not have any support.

However, there are several benefits to using Adaptive’s APIs. Some great use cases include:

Extending Functionality: Code values, like the ones associated with Adaptive’s Levels and Adaptive’s Accounts, can be edited within Adaptive’s website, but Adaptive does not support changing codes en masse. Fortunately, this can be accomplished via Adaptive’s APIs. For example, the code values for Adaptive’s Levels can be done by using the updateLevels endpoint.
Integrating with Third-Party Systems: Adaptive provides several ways to view and export data via Sheets, reporting, and OfficeConnect (amongst other functionality). However, many of those features require user interaction which can be a challenge when integrating Adaptive’s data into 3rd party systems. Luckily, Adaptive’s APIs provide a way to integrate its data with external systems. By using the exportData endpoint, you can pull data from Adaptive into third-party applications or services.

Simple API Call in Postman

To demonstrate how to use the exportVersions endpoint, follow these steps:

1. Open Postman and create a new request.
2. Enter the URL “https://api.adaptiveplanning.com/api/v40” and select the “POST” method.
3. Select the “Body” tab then change the data type to “raw” and set the data type to “XML” then enter the following XML payload (and change the credentials to match your Adaptive’s account credentials):

4. View the results, which should be all Versions that your Adaptive account has access to.

Next Steps

Continue to explore Adaptive’s documentation and APIs using Postman while thinking of use cases where the APIs could be leveraged. In the next post, we will provide some additional tools to help assist in using Adaptive’s APIs.

Revelwood is more than just a Platinum Workday Adaptive Planning partner — we’re a trusted advisor to the Office of Finance. With 30 years of experience and award-winning expertise, we bring together powerful software, proven best practices and pre-built, ready-to-deploy solutions that accelerate time to value. Our team doesn’t just implement technology — we help finance teams transform the way they plan, analyze and make decisions. Discover how Revelwood can help you get the most out of Workday Adaptive Planning — and achieve results that matter.

Protecting Project Margins: Why Real-Time Financial Planning Is the New Competitive Advantage in Construction

October 30, 2025 by Revelwood

Thin margins, volatile prices, and unpredictable schedules — financial planning in construction continues to be a balancing act between efficiency and uncertainty. As construction organizations finalize their 2026 budgets, the industry is navigating:

Material cost volatility eroding profit even after contracts are signed
Labor scarcity and wage inflation tightening bid competitiveness
Variance blind spots that lead to late discovery of overruns
Disconnected spreadsheets delaying insights when they matter most

In a market that moves this fast, waiting weeks to spot overruns is no longer sustainable.

From Reactive to Proactive: Agile FP&A for Construction

Real-time project cost visibility has become a strategic necessity. That’s why leading construction and homebuilding companies are turning to Workday Adaptive Planning — a more dynamic approach to project revenue forecasting, job cost tracking, and scenario modeling.

With Adaptive Planning, finance and project leaders can:

Automatically update Estimate at Completion (EAC)
Quickly assess margin impact from labor and material pricing changes
Model resource capacity amid market uncertainty
React faster to change orders with real-time what-if analysis
Integrate operational metrics with finance for better project decisions

You’re not just reacting to overruns — you’re preventing them.

What Success Looks Like: Berks Homes

Berks Homes, a rapidly growing homebuilder in Eastern Pennsylvania, needed a scalable financial planning solution that united finance and operations.

Before Workday Adaptive Planning:

Reports required manual data pulls from multiple systems
Up to 15 hours of effort per reporting cycle
No real-time cash flow visibility

After implementing with Revelwood:

Reporting time dropped to just 4 hours
Forecast accuracy improved
Leadership gained the insights needed to support growth

“Revelwood was the perfect partner for us… They shared their knowledge with us, leaving us in great shape to use Workday Adaptive Planning on our own.”
— Joe Campbell, Controller, Berks Homes

This is what smarter planning unlocks.

Ready for 2026 Planning Season?

Join Revelwood and Workday for a 45-minute session designed for finance leaders in construction to explore:

Managing material volatility and labor cost uncertainty
Improving cost allocation for equipment and shared resources
Preventing budget overruns with real-time project insights
Rolling forecasts and scenario planning for better bid decisions

November 18, 2025 | 1:00pm EDT

Featuring:
Dino Daddona – VP of Financial Transformation, Revelwood
Dave Miersch – Workday Adaptive Planning Practice Leader, Revelwood

Reserve your spot and stay ahead of 2026 planning pressures.

Register Here!

Using APIs with Postman: A Powerful Tool for APIs

October 29, 2025 by Rob Gordy

In our first blog post, we introduced the basics of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) and explored their benefits in automating tasks, streamlining processes and gaining insights into financial data. As a Workday Adaptive Planning user, you’re likely eager to start using APIs to enhance your workflow. One powerful tool that can help you achieve this is Postman.

What is Postman?

Postman is a popular API testing tool that allows developers and non-technical users alike to send, test, and debug HTTP requests. It provides a user-friendly interface for building, sending, and receiving data between APIs, making it an essential tool for anyone working with APIs.

Why is Postman useful?

Postman is incredibly useful for several reasons:

Easy API testing: Postman allows you to easily send and receive data between APIs, without requiring extensive programming knowledge.
Visual interface: The Postman interface provides a visual representation of your requests, making it easy to understand the flow of data.
Support for multiple protocols: Postman supports both HTTP and HTTPS protocols, allowing you to test APIs from various sources.
Collaboration features: Postman enables team collaboration, allowing multiple users to work on API projects simultaneously.

In what scenarios is Postman used?

Postman is widely used in various scenarios, including:

API development: Postman helps developers build and test APIs before deploying them to production.
Quality assurance: Postman is used to ensure that APIs are working correctly by sending test requests and verifying responses.
Business integration: Postman enables business users to integrate third-party services with their own systems, without requiring extensive technical expertise.
Documentation: Postman can provide example API calls, API responses, and additional information that is helpful in understanding how specific APIs work.

How to download and install Postman

Downloading and installing Postman is straightforward:

1. Visit the Postman’s download page on its website (https://www.postman.com/downloads/) and click on the button that should match your operating system.

2. The remaining steps may differ depending on your operating system. For non-Windows devices, follow the appropriate installation process for your operating system. Windows installations can continue by running the Postman executable file that was downloaded in the above step.

3. Postman will open and will allow you to create a free Postman account, log into an existing Postman account, or use Postman without an account. Using Postman without an account will restrict functionality within the application. A Postman account can be created and/or logged into at a later time. To continue without an account, select “Continue without an account” then click “Open Lightweight API Client.”

Basic navigation of some of Postman’s features

Once installed, let’s explore some basic features in Postman:

Requests: Requests are individual API calls that can be sent using Postman’s visual interface.
Headers: Headers are used to configure various settings, such as authentication or content type.
Body: The body contains data associated with the request, like when submitting forms.
Response: The response area of Postman contains information relating to what was received from the API call, including the response body, response headers, status code, and duration of the request.

There are several other features available in Postman, but the majority of them require a free Postman account. Some those essential features include:

Collections: Collections are groups of related requests that can be saved and reused. You can create new collections or import existing ones from other users.
Environment variables: Environment variables allow you to store sensitive information (e.g., username/password, API keys, etc.) securely and reuse them across multiple requests.
Workspaces: Workspaces group collections, environment variables, and other items into a single area.

Next Steps

Knowing what an API is and how to use an API through Postman are key first steps in using any system’s API. In the next post, we will leverage the topics mentioned so far by diving into Workday Adaptive Planning’s APIs.

Introduction to APIs: A Primer for Business Users

October 22, 2025 by Rob Gordy

As business users of Workday Adaptive Planning, we are constantly looking for ways to automate tasks, streamline processes, and gain insights into our financial data. One powerful tool that can help achieve these goals is the use of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). In this series, we will explore the basics of APIs, introduce a popular API testing tool called Postman and then dive deep into Workday Adaptive Planning’s APIs.

What is an API?

An API is essentially a set of rules that allow different software systems to communicate with each other. It acts as a messenger between applications, allowing them to exchange data in a standardized way. Think of it like sending a letter: just as you need to write the correct address on the envelope and follow the postal service’s rules, APIs provide a common language for applications to understand each other.

What are APIs used for?

APIs are incredibly versatile and have numerous use cases. Some common scenarios include:

Automating data import/export between systems
Integrating third-party services (e.g., payment gateways, social media platforms)
Building custom workflows and business logic
Enhancing user experiences with dynamic content and features

What makes APIs helpful?

APIs offer several benefits to businesses. They enable us to:

Reduce manual data entry and processing time
Increase data accuracy and consistency
Improve scalability and flexibility in our systems
Enhance collaboration and integration between different teams and departments

Common components of a Request

When making an API request, several key pieces of information are typically required. Let’s break them down:

URL: The Uniform Resource Locator (URL) is the address of the API endpoint. Majority of Adaptive’s APIs use a single URL, but some of Adaptive’s APIs and many other APIs utilize URLs as different API endpoints.
- Common components of a URL (e.g., https://www.example.com/v1/users?filter=posted>20251015&sort=journal_id):
  - Schema (https://)
  - Subdomain (www.)
  - Domain (example.com)
  - Path (/v1/users)
  - Parameters (?filter=posted_date>20251015&sort=journal_id)
Headers: Headers are key-value pairs that provide additional context about the request. They can include things like authentication credentials, content type, and accept language. Adaptive’s APIs typically do not require request headers.
Body: The body of the request contains the actual data being sent to the API. This can be in various formats (e.g., JSON, XML) depending on the API’s requirements. Adaptive’s APIs typically require an XML body.

Common components of a Response

When an API returns data, it typically provides a response that includes:

Status Code: An HTTP status code that indicates the outcome of the request (e.g., 200 OK, 404 Not Found)
Headers: Similar to requests, headers provide additional context about the response.
Body: The body contains the actual data returned by the API. Adaptive’s APIs typically return an XML body.

Common Headers

Some common headers you’ll encounter when working with APIs include:

Authorization: Provides authentication credentials
Content-Type: Specifies the format of the request body (e.g., application/json)
Accept: Indicates the preferred response format (e.g., application/xml)

Common HTTP Status Codes

APIs return specific status codes to indicate the outcome of a request. Here are some common ones:

200 OK: Request successful
400 Bad Request: Invalid request syntax
404 Not Found: Requested resource not found

Next Steps

Having an understanding of the basics of an API is critical to using APIs. The next post in this series will introduce Postman, which will leverage the basics of an API outlined in this post.

Using Dashboards for Planning

October 15, 2025 by Julia Seelin

Typically, dashboards are known for their ability to house charts and graphs that are dynamic in which version they look at, the time, and the Levels. However, dashboards can be used for planning purposes because of the ability to drop existing sheets on and edit them live on the dashboard.

You have the functionality to add Cube, Modeled, and Standard sheets side by side and edit them as if you were in the Sheets tab. In the sheet itself, you can enter at any level and save your changes. From there you are able to see the changes to the financials that are reflected in other charts and graphs on the dashboard.

Adaptive gives you the ability to have multiple tabs. You can create different pages for each area of the budget process making the dashboard a one-stop-shop for all your planning needs.

Importing Transactions

October 8, 2025 by Julia Seelin

Manually uploading transactions into Workday Adaptive Planning is a useful method for adding data outside of automated integrations. Here are the steps you need to take to do this:

Step 1: Edit the columns that will appear in your transaction report by navigating to Model Management > Transactions.

Step 2: You can add various text or dimension columns that will be displayed when you drill into transactions.

Step 3: After you add the necessary columns, you are ready to upload transactions.

Step 4: To get the correct import template, you go to the Import Data section under Integration. Before you select “Download template.” you want to make sure you have the transaction option selected as seen below.

Step 5: Once that is selected, you can import transactions.

Step 6: You will be prompted to map any unmapped accounts, levels or dimensions.

Step 7: The last screen you will see before importing is an option to “Delete Existing Transactions.” This will delete all transactions in Adaptive, even the ones outside the level you are importing too.

You may need to do multiple imports, because there is a limit on how many Adaptive will take in one upload file.

How to Use the Audit Trail feature in Web Reporting

October 1, 2025 by Sarah Hildenbrand

Audit Trail Search in Workday Adaptive Planning is a feature that logs every change made within the instance. This includes updates to data, setting, and user interactions. It captures detailed information such as:

Who made the change?
What changes were made?
When did the changes occur?

By maintaining a historical log of these changes, Audit Trail Search provides transparency and control over financial data, which is especially important when generating reports for audits, compliance checks, or internal assessments.

Here’s how to use Audit Trail Search.

1. Add Permission Set and Make sure the versions you want for it has it checked:

Log into Instance -> Administration -> Permission Sets -> Decide which permission set with users you want to have access -> Check the box for “System Audit Access” in permission set.

Go to Model Management -> Select Versions -> Click on Version to check box “Audit Trail.”

2. Have users make changes to the instance/budget/data updates.

3. Create Audit Trail Search in Reporting:

Go to Reports -> Select “Audit Trail Search” ->Select “Version”, “Levels”, and time range:

OR → Select “Switch to Advanced Search” in top right corner:

->Fill out all sections and option to choose specific accounts/more details.

4.Click “Search Audit Trail”

Best Practices for Using Audit Trail Search in Reporting

1. Regular Monitoring: Make it a habit to regularly monitor and review the Audit Trail Search logs. This proactive approach can help identify potential issues early, preventing larger problems down the line.

2. Use Access Rule Control: To prevent unauthorized modifications, leverage Adaptive Planning’s Permission Sets, User Assigned Levels, and Access Rules to restrict who can access certain financial data or make changes to your planning models. Audit Trail Search will help you track any unauthorized activities or mistakes that may have occurred.

3. Train Team Members: Ensure that all users are trained on the importance of the Audit Trail feature. Understanding the value of keeping accurate logs will motivate employees to provide detailed explanations for changes, ensuring the logs are as informative and useful as possible.

The Audit Trail Search in Adaptive Planning is an indispensable tool for organizations seeking to improve the accuracy, transparency, and accountability of their financial reporting. By providing a clear, searchable log of all changes within the system, it empowers auditors, financial planners, and business leaders to produce more reliable reports, perform faster audits, and meet compliance requirements with ease.

Read more Workday Adaptive Planning Tips & Tricks:

Cumulative Translation Adjustment Accounts

Workday Adaptive Planning Tips & Tricks: Virtual Version – Report Toggling

Add Additional Years to your Time Strata

Cumulative Translation Adjustment Accounts

September 24, 2025 by Revelwood

If your company has international operations, Workday Adaptive Planning provides you an easy to set up feature to track gains and losses from translating foreign currencies. Rather than having to create a calculated account with a formula, Adaptive makes it easy with just a click of a button to calculate the Cumulative Translation Adjustment.

Step 1: Navigate to Modeling and then Currencies

Step 2: Check the Enable Cumulative Translation Adjustment (CTA) box

This page allows you to add, edit, or delete any currencies that you will need in your Adaptive instance. Additionally, it allows you to choose the exchange rate type. Once you check the Cumulative Translation Adjustment box, it will give you an option to edit the CTA account details

Step 3: Edit CTA Account Details (Optional)

The edit page will allow you to change several different settings such as account name, roll-up, balance type, account attributes, and decimal places

Evaluated Formula

Above is the formula that is being evaluated for the Cumulative Translation Adjustment account. This formula could not be altered in any way.

Workday Adaptive Planning Tips & Tricks: Virtual Version – Report Toggling

September 17, 2025 by Michelle Song

Virtual versions are used mainly for constant currency reporting in Workday Adaptive Planning. However, there’s a hidden advantage of virtual versions that most customers don’t know! It is updating version selection in reports/dashboards.

For example, say you have many reports that reference the forecast version and the version changes from time to time because you might have a new forecast version every month. Instead of updating it manually for each of the reports, you can use Virtual Version to update the selection once and it will automatically update all the reports.

In this screenshot, I have a virtual version that’s called Current Forecast. It’s referencing the most recent forecast version.

Then, instead of using the Forecast 1+11 version in reports, I used this Current Forecast virtual version for all my reports. See below.

When the next forecast is ready and I need to change all my reports to Forecast 2+10, I will update the selection in the Virtual Version setup and all the reports will refresh with the Forecast 2+10 data.

Workday Adaptive Planning

Adaptive’s APIs: XML and JSON

Pitfalls and Benefits

Simple API Call in Postman

Next Steps

Read more Workday Adaptive Planning Tips & Tricks:

From Reactive to Proactive: Agile FP&A for Construction

What Success Looks Like: Berks Homes

Ready for 2026 Planning Season?

What is Postman?

Why is Postman useful?

In what scenarios is Postman used?

How to download and install Postman

Basic navigation of some of Postman’s features

Next Steps

Read more Workday Adaptive Planning Tips & Tricks:

What is an API?

What are APIs used for?

What makes APIs helpful?

Common components of a Request

Common components of a Response

Common Headers

Common HTTP Status Codes

Next Steps

Read more Workday Adaptive Planning Tips & Tricks:

Read more Workday Adaptive Planning Tips & Tricks:

Read more Workday Adaptive Planning Tips & Tricks:

Best Practices for Using Audit Trail Search in Reporting

Step 1: Navigate to Modeling and then Currencies

Step 2: Check the Enable Cumulative Translation Adjustment (CTA) box

Step 3: Edit CTA Account Details (Optional)

Read more Workday Adaptive Planning Tips & Tricks:

Read more Workday Adaptive Planning Tips & Tricks:

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