SFTP Workday Integration—Why & How To Do It

Managing HR and financial data securely is a monumental challenge for modern enterprises.

The volume of data processed and the need for accuracy and privacy increase the complexity of data management.

Workday is a popular business management platform across a range of industries, and integrating Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) with Workday brings a reliable solution to these looming challenges. 

This post will detail how SFTP Workday integration enhances data security and management efficiency. SFTP ensures encrypted data transfers, while managed SFTP can bring a number of added efficiency features.

By adopting SFTP Workday integration with a managed cloud SFTP solution like SFTP To Go, organizations can secure their data transfers within and outside their systems, automate data handling processes, and maintain compliance with international security standards. 

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1: The need for SFTP in Workday environments

Data vulnerabilities

Workday focuses on business management with an emphasis on HR and Finance operations. Business HR and Finance operations involve highly sensitive data. The concerns with managing this kind of data include:

• Unauthorized access: Sensitive information may be accessed by unauthorized individuals.
• Data breaches: These can occur due to external attacks or internal shortcomings.
• Compliance risks: Non-compliance with regulations like GDPR and HIPAA can lead to penalties.
• Data corruption and loss: Incorrect handling during transfers can result in corrupted or lost data.
• Interception during transfer: Data sent over unsecured networks may be intercepted.

These vulnerabilities call for added security measures for enterprise data management to and from the Workday environment.

SFTP solution scenario

Imagine you run a global healthcare enterprise that uses Workday to manage its HR (e.g.UKG, Ceridian, ADP Compliance Solutions, Smart Square) and patient financial (e.g.Vizient, GHX, Flywire, BillingPlatform) data.

You face mounting data security and HIPAA compliance challenges, especially when transmitting sensitive information to external partners.

• SFTP integration benefits. Your enterprise adopts SFTP for all its data transfer needs:
  • Encrypted transfers: All data sent via SFTP is encrypted, significantly reducing the risk of data interception.
  • Authentication and access controls: SFTP provides strong authentication mechanisms, so only authorized personnel can access or transmit data.
  • Compliance with data protection laws: The security of SFTP helps your company adhere to international data protection regulations, avoiding potential fines.
  • Reliable data handling: The risk of data corruption during transfers is minimized by the stability and reliability of SFTP connections.

Specific use cases:

1. Employee data management: Securely sending employee details for payroll processing to external systems like UKG or ADP without fear of interception or unauthorized access.
2. Patient financial data handling: Safely transferring patient billing data to and from financial platforms like Flywire or BillingPlatform, ensuring data integrity and confidentiality.
3. Inter-hospital data sharing: Using SFTP to share sensitive patient and operational data between different hospital locations, enhancing collaboration while maintaining compliance with healthcare regulations.

By integrating SFTP, your company enhances its security framework for data transfers, aiding compliance and improving overall data integrity within Workday environments. The Workday SFTP integration has even more benefits, however, when you opt for a managed SFTP transfer and storage solution like SFTP To Go.

2: How SFTP To Go enhances workday capabilities

SFTP To Go features

SFTP To Go brings a wealth of features that can boost security and efficiency in data management within your Workday environment. 

Designed to meet stringent global standards like GDPR and HIPAA, this MFT and storage solution will safeguard sensitive data in transit and at rest, helping you maintain legal compliance across your HR and financial data management practices.

3: Integrating workday with SFTP To Go

Step 1: Generate an SSH Key Pair

• You can connect to SFTP To Go using either a username and password, or public key authentication.
• It’s these credentials that will be used to connect to Workday during integration.
• Generate an SSH key via your preferred method, and safely store the Public key for later reference.

Step 2: Configure SFTP To Go

• Log into your SFTP To Go dashboard.
• Navigate to the 'Credentials' section where you can manage SSH keys.
• Add the Public Key that you generated  to the credentials that will interact with Workday by clicking “Import SSH Key”.

Step 3: Set up Workday to send data via SFTP

• In Workday, create or configure an existing Enterprise Interface Builder (EIB) for outbound data:
  • Choose 'Outbound' for the interface direction. Note that in order to both import and export data, you will need to set up for ‘Inbound’ EIB as well.
  • Select the report or data source that you need to send via SFTP.
  • In the 'Deliver' step of your EIB configuration, set the delivery method to 'SFTP'.
  • Enter the SFTP To Go details such as SFTP address, directory, and user ID, provided during your SFTP To Go setup.
  • Select the ‘SSH Authentication’ method and choose the key pair created in Step 1.

Step 4: Test and launch the integration

• Conduct a test to ensure that Workday can successfully connect to SFTP To Go and send a file.
• If the test is successful, schedule the EIB to run at your desired frequency (e.g., daily, weekly).

Monitoring and troubleshooting

• Monitor the initial transfers and check for any errors.
• If issues arise, review the configurations in both Workday and SFTP To Go, especially the SSH keys and network settings.

4: Real-world applications of an SFTP Workday integration

Here are some examples of how an SFTP Workday integration can benefit companies across  diverse industries.

• Healthcare
  • Securely transfer employee records and patient data between hospitals and external HR systems.
  • Automate the distribution of payroll data to financial institutions for direct deposit setups.
• Finance
  • Periodically send updated compliance and audit documentation to regulatory bodies.
  • Automate financial reporting to investors and stakeholders via secure channels.
• Retail
  • Distribute updated employee scheduling and payroll data across multiple store locations.
  • Share sales performance data securely with supply chain partners to adjust inventory needs dynamically.
• Manufacturing
  • Send HR data like workforce productivity and overtime reports to centralized management platforms.
  • Automate the exchange of financial documents like invoices and purchase orders with suppliers.
• Education
  • Securely exchange faculty and staff employment data between institutions for verification purposes.
  • Streamline the financial aid process by sending student financial information securely to external scholarship and grant organizations.
• Technology
  • Automate the secure transfer of employee intellectual property agreements to legal consultants.
  • Distribute confidential R&D expenditure data to stakeholders in a secure manner.

In conclusion

Integrating SFTP with Workday offers significant benefits in keeping your data transfer and storage secure, efficient, and compliant with regulatory standards.

By using SFTP and, in particular, an MFT solution like SFTP To Go, you can protect confidential HR and financial data during transmission and rest, reducing the risk of data breaches and cyber threats.

The combination of Workday's powerful data management capabilities with SFTP To Go supports automated workflows, enhances data accessibility, and simplifies compliance with global data protection regulations.

It’s not just about maintaining security; it’s about building secure, efficient, automated, processes that drive business excellence.

If you’re ready to integrate SFTP To Go with your Workday systems, explore our Plans. If you’d like some further reading on SFTP To Go and related topics, explore our Blog. Embrace the integration of SFTP with Workday to bolster your business's efficiency and security. 

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