Businesses require seamless data interchange and automation in today’s networked world of cloud apps to increase productivity, reduce mistakes, and remain competitive.
Workday, as one of the premier business cloud application providers, offers powerful planning, analytics, human resource, and financial management platforms.
However, connectivity to other systems must exist to fully take advantage of Workday’s capabilities; its API perfectly serves this role.
Connectivity between Workday and other platforms relies heavily on its API Key. In this blog post, I will cover its setup process, how it functions when conducting API queries, and best practices for using it safely.
By the end of this tutorial, you should have everything needed to integrate Workday API, automate procedures, or interface with other platforms effectively.
As stated, a Workday API Key is an authentication key that Workday and other systems use to request API services from Workday’s REST and SOAP APIs safely and securely.
An API key helps ensure that only authorised users or apps may gain access to Workday data or conduct operations such as creating records or editing or removing existing ones.
An API key may sometimes be combined with Basic Authentication for certain integration situations; however, Workday typically relies on OAuth 2.0 integrations instead.
More generally, API keys identify the program submitting requests while simultaneously authenticating clients or integration system users (ISUs).
Authorisation: API keys provide data protection by restricting access to Workday endpoints for authorised clients only, while security keys protect payroll, financial, and human resource data stored on Workday from unwanted access.
API keys are frequently combined with additional credentials, such as client ID and secret, to authenticate queries and ensure proper response authentication.
Workday typically utilises API keys in Basic Authentication or OAuth 2.0 authentication flows for access control. Here is how these work:
Client Credentials Grant Flow: Client credentials and API keys are used to request an access token, which the system authenticates and gives back after authentication; once granted, it may then be used by approved API requests (OAuth 2.0 flow diagram shown).
1. A client submits a request to Workday’s authorisation server using its client ID, client secret and API key.
2. In response, Workday provides an access token, which must be included in any subsequent API calls from that computer.
3. An access token may expire over time, and refresh tokens can be used to keep using services without having to authenticate again.
This approach is commonly utilised when connecting Workday with external applications to ensure safe and efficient communication.
An API key may serve as the password in Basic Authentication in conjunction with an ISU or similar username.
Utilising Basic Authentication, Workday API queries include username and password as part of their request headers for basic authentication. An example might consist of this line of logic:
In this instance, an API key acts like a password; however, its usage must be handled carefully to reduce security threats.
Acquiring and setting up the Workday API key requires just a few easy steps, provided that the appropriate administrative rights have been granted within your Workday instance. A typical method for doing this would include:
Assembling an Integration System User (ISU) should be your initial priority.
An ISU service account is the starting point for utilising Workday API and will manage Workday’s connections to external applications.
Navigate to System > Security, select Integration System Users (ISUs), create one from within that group, and provide access credentials and rights (for objects such as personnel data and financial data, etc.). This role needs access rights over specific Workday objects (i.e. people management, etc.).
Once an ISU has been constructed, any application using its API key must register it—typically, this is done through the API Configuration or Workday Security sections of Workday.
Navigating Workday and selecting System > Security > API Clients will create a fresh API client with all required responsibilities for an external system, such as HR data or payroll processing.
Workday will also offer client ID and client secret to authenticate API calls.
Workday API keys are typically provided when an external application or integration system registers with Workday. OAuth 2.0 clients receive these credentials along with their client ID and secret to allow authorised queries to Workday’s API.
If you are developing an integration between Workday and another system, such as third-party apps or services, your Workday tenant administrator may request an API key.
Once you obtain an API key from Workday, its exact use may differ depending on whether Basic Authentication or OAuth 2.0 authentication is being employed; either way, it would be used as follows.
Implementation of OAuth 2.0 Authentication by Utilizing an API Key
At first, using your client ID, client secret, and API key as credentials for OAuth 2.0 authentication, an access token should be acquired for subsequent API queries to make use.
Client Credentials Grant Type and Description for more details.
An access token will be returned, which should then be included as part of any future requests via the Authorisation header:
Performance and safety depend upon managing Workday API keys securely. Following are recommended practices to make sure API interactions stay safe and smooth:
Secure Your API Key
To protect the privacy and integrity of your API keys, avoid hardcoding them into source code that’s publicly hosted repositories; instead, use environment variables or secure vaults like Hashi Corp Vault or AWS Secrets Manager.
Reduce Permissions:
Always adhere to the principle of least privilege by restricting API key access to only necessary Workday business objects or data. For instance, limit write access to payroll/financial data if your integration wants to access only employee records.
Rotate API Keys on an Annual Basis:
Shifting API keys and secrets frequently is recommended to prevent unwanted access in case they have been compromised. If an API key is compromised or made public, it should be revoked immediately, and a new one should be generated immediately thereafter.
Where possible, OAuth 2.0 should be employed:
OAuth 2.0 provides more security and flexibility than Basic Authentication with API keys; therefore, it’s recommended for production connections because of scope-based access control, refresh methods, and token expiry features.
Track API Utilization
Consistently review how data and API calls are utilised to detect any abnormal activity or issues with integrations. Look for errors, such as rate restrictions, that might disrupt their successful completion.
Handle Mistakes
Integrate error-handling logic into every phase of integration. Workday provides comprehensive error codes and messages; ensure your system records these issues for troubleshooting purposes while managing them appropriately.
A Workday API key is essential for authorising and authenticating API queries between external apps and the Workday platform. Understanding its setup and usage is vital, whether using Basic Authentication for more straightforward use cases or OAuth 2.0 for more contemporary and secure interfaces.
