Workday Calculated Field Standard

Intended Audience and Contact Information

Contact	Chief Data Officer, Office of the CIO
Intended audience	Internal UBC
Report Standard ID	DGR002

Change Log

Standard Version Change Log

Standard Version Date	Change Log
2025-06-02	1.0 Update to the Calculation Category and Authorized Usage section.
2024-11-21	1.0 Addition of a Calculated Field Metadata section. 2.0 Clarification on the usage of Calculation Scope Codes for the naming convention under the Calculation Scope Code section. 3.0 Update to the Calculation Category and Authorized Usage section.
2024-02-16	1.0 Update to replace 'Report Administrator' with Calculated Field Administrator' in the Standard section. 2.0 Update to the Calculation Description section. 3.0 Update to the Calculation Category and Authorized Usage section.
2022-03-21	1.0 Dispensation for the naming convention for calculated fields used in Search Type reports that are front-facing.
2022-12-01	1.0 Addition of notes to Calculated Fields Naming Conventions Section to clarify potential duplicates
2022-08-10	1.0 Revisions to Calculated Field Naming Conventions 2.0 Revisions to Calculation Description Section 3.0 Addition of a Checklist
2022-05-04	1.0 Revision to Calculated Field Naming Conventions 2.0 Revision to Calculation Description Standard Section 3.0 Revision to Calculated Category and Authorized Usage section
2021-03-25	Data Standard published

Definition

Workday Calculated Fields are configurable field definitions associated with a business object that use data in Workday. Calculated fields enable you to work with data on transactions throughout Workday, including business processes, integrations, reporting and scheduling recurring processes.

Within a report, calculated fields can be used to derive values, group and transform data, manipulate data, or retrieve values.

Purpose

The purpose of this standard is to achieve consistency in the naming of calculated fields within reports and/or integrations, as well as recording the specified attributes related to calculated fields in Workday.

This standard is to be adhered to at all times. Exceptions are listed in the Dispensation section.

Standard

Calculated fields can only be created by a Calculated Field Administrator. If you cannot find a calculated field for consumption in a report, reach out to the Integrated Service Centre (ISC). Before creating a new calculated field, ensure there is no other field that currently exists for the calculation.

Calculated Field Metadata

All calculated fields are required to be registered with the metadata in the following table. More details on each metadata element are provided in the subsequent section.

Metadata	Description	Format
Basics
Calculated Field Name	The title used to refer to the calculated field.	Refer to Calculated Field Naming Convention section.
Calculted Field Description	Detailed explanation for the calculated field including key highlights, navigation, etc.	Text
Intended Audience
Calculation Category and Authorized Usage	The intended utilization and usage of the calculated field.	Refer to Calculation Category and Authorized Usage section.
Reference ID	Refer to the Workday Reference IDs Data Standard.	Refer to the Workday Reference IDs Data Standard.

Calculated Field Naming Convention

A calculated field name is comprised of a set name element that are standardized acronyms and words incorporating meaningful metadata for UBC data in Workday. The name must incorporate the following metadata in the field name as shown in the structure below. All components are mandatory.

Naming Convention For All Calculated Fields

This is the standardized naming convention for data extracted from Workday for consumer who uses data for query, analysis, and reporting.

<Calculation Scope Code> - <Calculation Function Code> - <Calculated Field Name>

Each of the metadata is described in more detail in its respective subsequent section. Unless otherwise indicated, the name elements are to be separated using a dash ( - ).

Calculated field name examples:

zCF - ESI - Inventory Owning Academic Unit for Course
RCF – LRV - Compensation Plan Assignment Proposed
CFINT – ESI – Supplier ID

Calculation Scope Code

Calculation scope refers to the classification of consumable calculated fields available in Workday. Below is a table of accepted values, codes and their descriptions.

Calculation Scope Accepted Code Value	Calculated Scope Accepted Value Name	Description
zCF	System-Wide Calculated Field	This is a calculated field that will be made available on a Business Object for end-users to leverage. If the calculated field is for an integration report, use the Integration Calculated Field code (CFINT).
RCF	Report-Specific Calculated Field	This is a calculated field that will be put into a single report used as part of a filter criteria or other report function ONLY if the calculation will not be leveraged outside of the report. Otherwise use zCF. If the calculated field is for an integration report, use the Integration Calculated Field code (CFINT).
CFINT	Integration Calculated Field	This is a calculated field that is used for ALL integration reports. If you are leveraging an existing System-Wide Calculated Field (zCF) or a Report-Specific Calculated Field (RCF), rename the calculated field scope code to ‘CFINT’.

Calculation Function Code

Calculation functions are a relation from a set of inputs to a set of possible outputs. The following table lists acceptable values for calculation functions along with the respective code to be used in the calculated filed name.

Calculation Function Type	Accepted Code Value	Accepted Name Value	Description
Change Data Format	CT	Concatenate Text	Concatenates a series of text fields within Workday to append text, use in notifications, and so on.
Change Data Format	CC	Convert Currency	Converts a currency to another currency.
Change Data Format	CTN	Convert Text to Number	Converts a text field number into a numeric data type so you can perform calculations on that number.
Change Data Format	FD	Format Date	Extracts part of a date field and formats it as a text field.
Change Data Format	FN	Format Number	Formats a numeric field as a text field to use in concatenations, report notifications, and so on.
Change Data Format	FT	Format Text	Changes the case of a single instance or text field to upper, lower, or proper case.
Configure Constant Values	BD	Build Date	Enables you to create a new date or time field by using components from other fields or from specified values.
Configure Constant Values	DC	Date Constant	Enables you to create a date, time, or time zone constant for use in other calculations.
Configure Constant Values	NC	Numeric Constant	Enables you to assign a numeric constant to a field so you can use it in other calculations.
Configure Constant Values	PV	Prompt for Value	Enables you to create a field to prompt users for a value when running a report or to filter conditions.
Configure Constant Values	TC	Text Constant	Enables you to create a text constant for use in other calculations.
Retrieve Data	ARI	Aggregate Related Instances	Lists all instances associated with a source field related to the business object.
Retrieve Data	EE	Evaluate Expression	Groups and transforms data by evaluating a series of boolean conditions.
Retrieve Data	EEB	Evaluate Expression Band	Specifies values for boolean conditions and returns grouped instances.
Retrieve Data	EMI	Extract Multi-Instance	Extracts multiple instances from a related business object based on boolean conditions.
Retrieve Data	ESI	Extract Single Instance	Extracts a single instance from a multi-instance field based on boolean conditions.
Retrieve Data	LDR	Lookup Date Rollup	Aggregates, groups, or summarizes data for a time period, fiscal schedule, or weekly schedule.
Retrieve Data	LFP	Lookup Field with Prompts	Enables users to enter values for Workday-delivered fields with built-in prompts.
Retrieve Data	LH	Lookup Hierarchy	Retrieves data from Workday objects with a hierarchical structure and returns a single instance field containing the hierarchy node.
Retrieve Data	LHR	Lookup Hierarchy Rollup	Rolls up report data based on an organization hierarchy, starting at the topmost level of the hierarchy.
Retrieve Data	LO	Lookup Organization	Determines a worker's organization level or node based on the assigned organization and criteria setup using one of the following business objects: Employee Worker
Retrieve Data	LOR	Lookup Organizational Roles	Determines organization role assignments based on the criteria setup using one of the following business objects: Employee Organization Worker
Retrieve Data	LRB	Lookup Range Band	Determines where a specified value falls in relation to a set of ranges that are set up.
Retrieve Data	LRV	Lookup Related Value	Returns the value of a field on a related business object. Fields can be promoted from a related business object to the primary business object so these actions can be performed on the following fields: Filter Group Report Sort Summarize
Retrieve Data	LTV	Lookup Translated Value	Returns the value of a text field in a specified language.
Retrieve Data	LVA	Lookup Value as of Date	Determines the value of a field as a specific date and determines whether a change occurs before, on, or after the effective date.
Retrieve Data	ST	Substring Text	Extracts a portion of text from a single instance or text field and returns the result as a text field.
Retrieve Data	TF	True/False Condition	Returns True or False based on boolean conditions.
Simple Calculations	AC	Arithmetic Calculation	Performs the following calculations to derive values: Addition Multiplication Division Subtraction
Simple Calculations	CRI	Count Related Instances	Dynamically counts the number of instances in a related business object based on a condition.
Simple Calculations	DD	Date Difference	Computes the number of days, months, or years between two dates.
Simple Calculations	IDD	Increment or Decrement Date	Computes a date in the form of a number of days, months, or years before or after the value of a date field. Adds or subtracts a number of hours, minutes, seconds, and milliseconds to or from a date.
Simple Calculations	SRI	Sum Related Instances	Sums the value of a field in instances of a related business object based on a condition.
Simple Calculations	TL	Text Length	Returns the number of characters and spaces in a single instance or text field.

Calculated Field Name

The Calculated Field Name is the given name to the field. It should be complete and descriptive enough to provide others with the subject or purpose for the calculation. A Calculated Field name must be unique within the same business object according to its meaning.

Some examples as follows:

Correct Field Name	Incorrect Field Name
Active, On Leave or terminated Status	Status
Active, Unpaid Leaved, Paid Leave or Terminated Status	Status
Total Regular Salary	Total Salary
Total Based Pay	Total Salary
Union Member	Member
Academic Unit of the Program of Study as of the Course Registration	Academic Unit of the Program of Study
Academic Unit of the Program of Study as of the Report Run Date	Academic Unit of the Program of Study

Calculation Description

Calculation Category and Authorized Usage

Compliance

This standard must be complied with every stage of report development and maintenance with the exception of any dispensations (see Dispensation section)

Dispensation

A Workday report built as a Search Type report, and has no ability to provide an override label, is exempt from the above standard for the Calculated Field Naming Convention.

The following is the list of calculated fields created on the Course Section business object that have been approved as exempt:

Course Section Definition Public Notes
Building External URL
Drop and Withdrawal Deadlines
Clustered Course Sections

The above calculated fields are to be used in the exempt format in any other report type, regardless of whether they have the ability to provide an override label or not, so as to avoid duplication.

Workday Calculated Field Standard

Intended Audience and Contact Information

Change Log

Standard Version Change Log

Definition

Purpose

Standard

Calculated Field Metadata

Calculated Field Naming Convention

Naming Convention For All Calculated Fields

Calculation Scope Code

Calculation Function Code

Calculated Field Name

Calculation Description

Calculation Category and Authorized Usage

Intermediate Calculations

Compliance

Dispensation

Related Documents

Office of the CIO

Related Sites

Need Help?

About UBC

UBC Campuses

UBC Sites