You've Got Prism Analytics. Now What?

Congratulations! Your organisation has just acquired Workday Prism Analytics, a powerful tool designed to transform how you manage and analyse your data. But now that you have it, where do you begin?

Workday Prism Analytics is a powerful tool designed to enhance data management and reporting capabilities for businesses. For companies that have already implemented Prism but are unsure how to fully leverage its potential, building a comprehensive use case is crucial.

This article aims to guide you through understanding Prism’s capabilities and best practices, providing a structured approach to developing meaningful use cases. From experience with clients new to this topic, it’s a daunting task and they often don’t know where to start, so we’ve designed a step-by-step guide to help you set the foundation as you embark on this journey.

Prism's Capabilities

Prism Analytics offers robust functionalities, allowing for the integration of data from various external systems and files into Workday. Here are some of its key features:

• Data Integration: Prism can ingest data from attachments, Workday Custom Reports, SFTP files, or via REST API.
• Scheduled Refreshes: Data from Workday Custom Reports or SFTP files can be scheduled to refresh once in the future, on a recurring basis (daily, weekly, or monthly), or contingent upon the successful completion of another Prism process.
• Expression Language: Prism includes its own expression language, comprising various functions and operators for effective data manipulation.
• Seamless Reporting: External data can be blended with Workday’s internal data, enabling seamless reporting through Workday’s tools such as Discovery Boards, Worksheets, and the Alert Framework.
• Security: Prism ties into Workday’s unified security model, ensuring consistent and secure data handling.

Now that we have a better idea of the capabilities of Prism, let’s dive into the process of identifying and developing successful use cases.

Developing a Use Case

Decision support and analysis are the primary deliverables from Prism Analytics. By keeping this in mind, we’ve created a step-by-step guide to help you identify and develop use cases:

STEP 1. Evaluate External Systems

• Assessment: Begin by evaluating all external systems in use. Identify which data sets, when integrated with Workday data, can provide valuable insights and support decision-making processes.
• Integration Potential: Consider how these external data sources can be practically integrated using Prism’s capabilities, such as through REST API, SFTP files or Custom Reports.

STEP 2. Identify Key Metrics

• Organisational Metrics: Define the key metrics and data points used across your organisation. Understanding these metrics is crucial as they often highlight areas needing enhanced decision support.
• Additional Data Points: Identify additional data points that could provide further insight and improve decision-making. These data points should align with your business objectives and strategic goals.

STEP 3. Review Current Analysis Efforts

• Current Tools and Processes: Examine the current tools and processes used for data compilation and analysis. Identify processes that are complex, time-consuming, or error prone.
• Pain Points: Document the pain points and challenges faced in these processes. This will help in understanding how Prism can alleviate these issues through streamlined data integration and analysis.

STEP 4. Document Complex Analyses

• Detailed Documentation: Document the most complex analyses performed within your organisation. This includes understanding the data flow, transformation steps, and the final outputs.
• Prism Application: Determine how these complex analyses can be replicated, automated, or simplified using Prism’s features. Identify the specific Prism tools that can be utilised.

STEP 5. Map Out Data Flows

• Data Sources and Destinations: Clearly map out the data flows from external sources to Prism, and from Prism to Workday reporting tools. This mapping ensures clarity in data movement and helps in troubleshooting potential issues.
• Integration Points: Identify integration points where data from different sources will be combined. Ensure that these points align with your reporting and analysis needs.

STEP 6. Define Use Case Objectives

• Clear Objectives: Define clear and measurable objectives for each use case. Objectives should align with business goals and provide a clear understanding of what success looks like.
• Expected Outcomes: Outline the expected outcomes and benefits of implementing the use case. This helps in setting expectations and measuring the impact post-implementation.

STEP 7. Develop Prototypes and Pilots

• Prototyping: Develop prototypes for the identified use cases. This helps in visualising the end product and making necessary adjustments early in the process.
• Pilot Testing: Conduct pilot tests with a subset of users. Gather feedback and make iterative improvements to ensure the final implementation meets user needs and expectations.

STEP 8. Stakeholder Engagement

• Executive Sponsorship: Engage executive sponsors early in the process. Their support is crucial for driving adoption and securing necessary resources.
• User Training: Develop comprehensive training programs for end-users. Ensure they understand how to use the new reports and tools effectively.

STEP 9. Continuous Improvement

• Feedback Loops: Establish feedback loops to continuously gather input from users. Use this feedback to make ongoing improvements to the use cases.
• Adoption Metrics: Track adoption metrics and usage patterns. This helps in understanding the impact and identifying areas for further enhancement.

STEP 10. Scaling Use Cases

• Roadmap Development: Develop a roadmap for scaling use cases across the organisation. Prioritise use cases based on impact and feasibility.
• Resource Allocation: Ensure adequate resources are allocated for the scaling process. This includes both technical and human resources.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you can effectively identify, develop, and implement use cases for Workday Prism Analytics, unlocking its full potential and driving strategic decision-making across your organisation. Remember, the key to success lies in understanding your data requirements, mapping, and transforming data efficiently, and identifying which of Prism’s robust features should be used to develop detailed and actionable insights.

At VirtualResource, we're here to help you navigate every step of this journey. We offer a service to help you brainstorm and develop Prism use cases, as well as to upskill your future Prism Analytics team. Partner with us to unlock the full potential of your data and drive your business forward. Contact us today to get started!

This is the second article in our LinkedIn series on Prism Analytics. Next week (2 July 2024), we will be hosting our highly anticipated WEBINAR titled Showcasing the Art of the Possible with the Full Workday Analytics Suite. Don’t miss out! Register HERE to secure your spot.

by Teade Beltran , Reporting & Analytics Architect, VirtualResource