SuccessFactors-to-Workday migration requires API-based extraction via OData v2 and loading via Workday Web Services. EIB caps at 300 MB. Plan for 8–16 weeks at enterprise scale.
A CTO-level guide to migrating data from SAP SuccessFactors to Workday — covering API constraints, entity mapping, EIB limits, and edge cases that break migrations.
Read this first
Pair-specific gotchas that catch teams out. Each one has cost somebody a weekend.
MDF custom entities don't map cleanly
SuccessFactors MDF allows arbitrary entity creation with custom fields and relationships. Workday's custom objects are more tightly controlled — they exist within the object model but can't replicate the full flexibility of MDF. Audit every MDF entity and decide: does this become a custom object, a worktag, a calculated field, or does the data stay in an archive?
Best practice for extraction
Use EmpEmployment as the root entity, filter on lastModifiedDateTime, expand to personNav, jobInfoNav, and compensationNav, and paginate via server-side snapshot pagination. This avoids the over-fetching problem of querying PerPerson and expanding everything.
The ~1-hour token expiry is the #1 cause of failed batch loads
If your migration script runs for longer than 60 minutes without refreshing the OAuth token, every subsequent API call returns 401. Implement proactive token refresh — don't wait for the failure.
Refresh tokens proactively, not reactively
Set a timer to refresh the Workday OAuth token every 50 minutes — don't wait for the 401 error. This avoids failed writes and partial record states.
The runbook
Work top to bottom. Tick steps as you go — your progress is saved in this browser.
01 Discovery Scope candidates, pipelines and the compliance obligations that come with them.
Objective Agreed scope across candidates, applications, jobs and interview history, with legal signed up on retention.
Keep these open
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Inventory every object in SAP SuccessFactors
Count candidates, applications (a candidate can have many), jobs and requisitions, interviews, scorecards, offers, and resume files. Applications and scorecards usually outnumber candidates several times over, and resume files dominate storage.
Data Profiler Get real record counts instead of estimating from memory -
Settle retention and consent with legal
Candidate data is heavily regulated: GDPR right-to-erasure, EEOC/OFCCP record-keeping, and per-region retention windows that conflict with each other. Decide what may be migrated at all before you scope anything else — this frequently shrinks scope substantially.
Migrating candidate records whose consent has lapsed or whose retention window has expired creates a new compliance breach in the target system.
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Map the hiring pipeline and agree the target stages
Document every job's pipeline, stage, and rejection reason, then agree the Workday model with talent leadership. Stage definitions drive every funnel metric you report, so changing them silently rewrites your hiring analytics.
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Catalogue integrations and the job-board estate
List job boards, careers-site integration, HRIS, background check, assessment platforms, calendar and email. The careers site and job boards are customer-facing, so their cutover needs its own plan and its own testing.
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Build the business case and choose the window
Model licence delta, effort and recruiter productivity dip. Time the window against your hiring cycle: a migration during peak graduate recruitment or a hiring surge will fail on people, not technology.
Vendor Evaluator Score Workday against alternatives on weighted criteria
SAP SuccessFactors → Workday specifics
- What goes
- Active employees, recent terminations, org structure, comp data, core HR
- What stays behind
- Archived records older than retention requirements, unused MDF entities, legacy integration configurations
Don't move on until
- Counts confirmed for candidates, applications, jobs and offers
- Retention and consent obligations confirmed with legal
- Hiring-stage model agreed with talent leadership
02 Data Audit Audit candidate data with compliance sitting next to you.
Objective Profiled exports with duplicates, expired records and resume files all quantified and triaged.
Keep these open
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Export and profile candidates, applications and jobs
Profile each object separately and reconcile against API counts. Watch the candidate-to-application ratio: a mismatch usually means applications have been silently truncated by pagination.
Data Profiler Profile the SAP SuccessFactors export for nulls, outliers and type drift -
Quantify duplicate candidates and agree survivorship
The same person applies repeatedly over years with different emails and name spellings. Measure the duplicate rate and agree survivorship rules — which record wins and what happens to the application history attached to the losers.
Merging candidates without agreed survivorship rules destroys application and interview history that you may be legally required to retain.
Data Cleaner Strip empty rows, stray whitespace and dead columns -
Identify records outside their retention window
Flag candidates whose consent has expired, who have exercised erasure, or who fall outside regional retention. Exclude them from scope and document the exclusion — you need to show the decision was deliberate.
PII & Compliance Scanner Find regulated fields before they land in a new system -
Inventory resume files and attachments
Count files, total volume and MIME types, and check every attachment still resolves to a live URL. Expiring signed download URLs are the classic reason a resume migration completes with a large fraction of empty files.
Resume download URLs are often short-lived signed links. Fetch files close to load time or they will 404 mid-migration.
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Verify relationship integrity
Confirm every application links to a live candidate and a live job, and every scorecard to a real interview. Orphaned applications produce a funnel report that does not tie to anything.
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Clean, normalise and produce masked test data
Normalise emails, phone formats and locations, standardise timestamps to UTC, and generate a masked dataset for the sandbox. Real candidate data in a sandbox is a compliance breach in most jurisdictions.
PII Masker Generate a safe copy for sandbox and vendor testing
SAP SuccessFactors → Workday specifics
- What gets cleaned
- Duplicate records, inconsistent manager hierarchies, invalid email formats
Don't move on until
- Duplicate candidate rate quantified with a merge policy agreed
- Records outside retention identified and excluded
- Resume and attachment inventory complete with total volume
03 Field Mapping Map the candidate-application-job triangle before anything else.
Objective A signed mapping covering objects, stages, rejection reasons, scorecards and EEO fields.
Keep these open
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Map the candidate, application and job model
ATS platforms differ on whether a person or an application is the primary record. Establish this first: getting it wrong means one candidate becomes five, or five applications collapse into one, and the entire field map has to be redone.
Candidate-centric and application-centric models are not interchangeable. Confirm which Workday uses before mapping any field.
Schema Mapper Match SAP SuccessFactors fields to Workday by uploading both schemas -
Map pipeline stages and rejection reasons exhaustively
Enumerate every stage and rejection reason across all jobs, including retired values on historical applications, and map each explicitly. Unmapped rejection reasons are both a reporting gap and, in regulated hiring, a compliance one.
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Decide EEO and diversity data handling
These fields are separately regulated and often legally required to be stored apart from the candidate record. Confirm with legal whether they migrate at all, and how Workday isolates them.
EEO data usually cannot be migrated into ordinary custom fields without breaching the segregation rules that govern it.
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Map interviews, scorecards and feedback
Structured scorecards rarely have a native equivalent. Decide whether to reconstruct them, flatten them into notes, or keep them only in the archive — and be explicit that flattening loses the ability to report on them.
JSON to CSV Converter Flatten nested API responses into a reviewable sheet -
Plan resume and file migration
Confirm size limits, MIME support and whether Workday re-parses resumes on upload. Re-parsing can overwrite carefully curated candidate fields with worse machine-extracted values, so test it deliberately.
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Set load order and freeze the spec
Users, then jobs, then candidates, then applications, then interviews and scorecards, then files. Keep source IDs in custom fields, then version and sign off the spec.
SAP SuccessFactors → Workday specifics
- Key translation
- SuccessFactors personIdExternal → Workday Employee_ID via a durable crosswalk table (a persistent mapping between source IDs and target IDs that must never be remapped mid-project)
- Org resolution
- SuccessFactors FODepartment.externalCode → Workday Supervisory_Organization_Reference_ID
- Picklist mapping
- SuccessFactors enum values → Workday enum values (requires a per-field lookup table)
- Date normalization
- SuccessFactors dates may be in server timezone; Workday expects UTC
- Multi-employment flattening
- SuccessFactors supports multiple EmpEmployment records per PerPerson; determine which maps to primary vs. additional jobs in Workday
Don't move on until
- Candidate/application/job model mapped and reviewed
- Every stage and rejection reason explicitly mapped
- EEO and diversity field handling agreed with legal
04 Test Migration Pilot whole candidate journeys, not isolated records.
Objective A sandbox pilot where candidate journeys, funnel metrics and resume files all verify.
Keep these open
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Configure the Workday sandbox with the agreed pipelines
Create jobs, pipeline stages, scorecard templates, user roles and custom fields first. Loading applications before the stages exist puts every candidate in a default stage and invalidates the pilot.
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Select complete candidate journeys as the pilot slice
Take 100-200 candidates with all their applications, interviews, scorecards and files — including repeat applicants, hires, rejections at every stage, and candidates on multiple jobs. Repeat applicants are where the model mapping actually gets tested.
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Run the load in dependency order with logging
Jobs, candidates, applications, interviews, then files, logging each request against its source ID. Track file uploads separately: they fail for different reasons and at different rates than record writes.
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Verify journeys and funnel metrics
Confirm each candidate sits at the right stage on the right job with their history intact, and that per-stage funnel counts match SAP SuccessFactors for the pilot jobs. Funnel mismatches point straight back to stage mapping.
Migration Validation Tool Diff the pilot batch against source before scaling up -
Open every pilot resume and check re-parsing
Actually open the files rather than trusting the upload count, and check whether re-parsing has overwritten any candidate fields. A resume that uploaded as a zero-byte file still counts as a success in most logs.
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Put recruiters in front of the pilot data
Have recruiters work their own pilot requisitions end to end. They immediately spot missing feedback, wrong stages and unreadable history that reconciliation cannot see.
SAP SuccessFactors → Workday specifics
- Sandbox restore
- Workday tenants can be refreshed from production to sandbox, but production tenants cannot be rolled back to a prior state through a simple restore. Plan accordingly — your rollback strategy must rely on corrective data operations, not environment-level undo.
Don't move on until
- Candidate-application-job relationships intact for the pilot
- Funnel counts per stage match source for pilot jobs
- Resume files open correctly for every pilot candidate
05 Cutover Switch recruiting without dropping a live candidate.
Objective All in-scope recruiting data live in Workday, careers site and boards repointed, recruiters working.
Keep these open
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Pre-load historical candidates and closed jobs
Load closed requisitions, rejected candidates and archived applications while SAP SuccessFactors stays live. Only active pipeline and the final delta need to move in the window.
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Publish the runbook including the careers-site switch
A timed sequence with owners and abort criteria, treating the careers site and job boards as first-class steps. They are candidate-facing, so a failure there is publicly visible in a way a data defect is not.
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Freeze SAP SuccessFactors and take the final delta
Stop new applications and let recruiters finish in-flight actions, then export everything changed since the pre-load. Coordinate with anyone actively interviewing so feedback is not entered into the old system mid-freeze.
Interview feedback entered in the old ATS during the freeze is lost, and it is the data recruiters most immediately notice missing.
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Load active pipeline and reconcile stages
Load active candidates and applications, then verify every active candidate is at the correct stage on the correct job before repointing anything. Active-stage accuracy is what recruiters check first on day one.
Migration Validation Tool Confirm the final delta landed before you reopen -
Repoint careers site, job boards and integrations
Switch the careers-site integration, repost or migrate live job ads, and repoint HRIS, background check, assessment and calendar integrations. Then submit a real test application through the careers site and every major board.
Job ads left posted against the old ATS keep collecting applications that never reach the new system.
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Go/no-go and switch recruiters over
Call the decision against the exit criteria, then move recruiters with support on hand for the first day. Keep SAP SuccessFactors read-only — candidate records have retention obligations that outlast the migration.
SAP SuccessFactors → Workday specifics
- Reverse load scripts
- Build scripts that can undo specific data loads (e.g., terminate all workers created after a timestamp)
- Dual-system operation
- Keep SuccessFactors operational until Workday is fully validated
Don't move on until
- Historical load complete and reconciled before the freeze
- Careers site and job boards posting into Workday and verified
- Active candidates confirmed at the correct stage
06 Validation Prove the funnel, the files and the compliance position.
Objective Reconciled recruiting data, funnel parity with baseline, and a defensible compliance record.
Keep these open
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Reconcile every object including files
Compare counts for candidates, applications, jobs, interviews, scorecards and files, with field-level spot checks on a sample. Count files separately — they are the object most likely to be quietly short.
Migration Validation Tool Reconcile SAP SuccessFactors and Workday record-for-record -
Tie funnel and time-to-hire reporting to baseline
Rebuild funnel conversion, time-to-hire, source effectiveness and offer-acceptance reporting and compare to pre-migration figures. Variances trace back to stage mapping and to how application timestamps were handled.
Time-to-hire depends on stage-transition timestamps. If those were approximated, the metric will differ even with identical records.
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Verify file integrity at scale
Sample-open resumes across the whole load and compare file sizes against source. Zero-byte and truncated files are common and never surface in an upload success count.
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Confirm retention, consent and EEO configuration
Verify retention rules, consent state and EEO segregation are correctly configured in Workday, and that excluded records genuinely did not migrate. File this as your compliance evidence.
PII & Compliance Scanner Produce the compliance evidence your auditor will ask for -
Test workflow, notifications and candidate-facing paths
Fire every stage automation, interview scheduling flow, rejection template and offer approval, and submit a live application through the careers site. Candidate-facing emails going out wrong is a brand problem, not just a bug.
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Sign off and schedule decommission
Get written acceptance against the Discovery criteria, retain SAP SuccessFactors read-only for the period your retention policy requires, take a final archive export, and diarise cancellation.
Don't move on until
- Reconciliation complete across candidates, applications and files
- Funnel and time-to-hire reporting tie to baseline
- Retention and EEO configuration verified, acceptance signed
Field mapping reference
The field-by-field mapping for each object. Use this as the starting point for your mapping spec.
SuccessFactors Entity Object
| SAP SuccessFactors field | Workday field | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| PerPerson | Worker (biographical data) | Map personIdExternal → Worker Reference ID |
| PerPersonal | Worker (legal name, gender, DOB) | Country-specific name formats require transformation |
| EmpEmployment | Worker (employment record) | Map userId → Employee ID; handle multiple employments |
| EmpJob | Position, Job Profile, Supervisory Org | Most complex mapping — decomposes into 3+ Workday objects |
| EmpCompensation | Compensation (plan, grade, step) | Comp plans require Workday-side configuration first |
| FODepartment | Supervisory Organization or Cost Center | No 1:1 equivalent; requires architectural decision |
| FOJobCode | Job Profile | Map job codes to Workday job profiles |
| FOLocation | Location | Generally straightforward |
| FOCompany / FOLegalEntity | Company | Legal entity structure must match |
| PerPhone, PerEmail, PerAddress | Worker sub-objects (contact info) | Multiple addresses need type mapping |
| PerPersonRelationship | Dependents / Emergency contacts | Compliance-sensitive data |
| MDF custom entities | Custom Objects, Worktags, or archive | Workday custom objects are more constrained than MDF |
SuccessFactors Workday
| SAP SuccessFactors field | Workday field | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| PerPerson.personIdExternal | Worker.Employee_ID | Direct map; preserve crosswalk |
| PerPersonal.firstName | Worker.Legal_Name.First_Name | None |
| PerPersonal.lastName | Worker.Legal_Name.Last_Name | None |
| EmpJob.department | Worker.Supervisory_Organization | Lookup via reference table |
| EmpJob.jobCode | Worker.Job_Profile_Reference | Map SF job code → WD job profile ID |
| EmpJob.managerId | Position.Manager_Reference | Resolve via Worker ID crosswalk |
| EmpCompensation.payGroup | Compensation.Pay_Group_Reference | Enum mapping required |
| EmpJob.fte | Position.FTE | Direct map, validate range |
| EmpEmployment.startDate | Worker.Hire_Date | Format: YYYY-MM-DD; normalize timezone |
| Picklist values (any) | Workday enums | Per-picklist mapping table required |
Tools used in this playbook
All free, all run entirely in your browser — nothing is uploaded.
FAQ
How long does a SuccessFactors to Workday migration take?
For small organizations (<500 employees), 1–4 weeks using EIB imports. For enterprise-scale (5,000+ employees, multi-country, historical data), expect 8–16 weeks for the data migration component alone, not including Workday implementation and change management.
Can Workday EIB handle a full historical SuccessFactors migration?
Usually no. EIB is good for simple-to-moderately complex bulk loads and foundation data, but full historical migrations need dependency ordering, retries, delta replays, and custom transforms that push teams toward APIs or Workday Studio. EIB also caps at 300 MB via SFTP and 30 MB via browser.
What are Workday's API rate limits for data migration?
Workday does not publish hard API rate limits publicly. Standard tenants are commonly reported to receive 5,000–10,000 API calls per hour, varying by tenant size and subscription tier. The API returns HTTP 429 with a Retry-After header when throttled. OAuth access tokens expire after approximately 1 hour, requiring explicit refresh logic in batch jobs.
Does SuccessFactors have API rate limits for data extraction?
SAP postponed hard rate limits indefinitely but still enforces dynamic throttling based on server capacity. Throttled requests return HTTP 429 with a recommended 300-second (5-minute) retry window. The OData API returns a maximum of 1,000 records per page, and SAP recommends keeping page sizes at or below 500 for complex queries.
Can Boomi or Workato handle SuccessFactors to Workday migration?
Both platforms have pre-built connectors for SuccessFactors and Workday and handle authentication, retry logic, and basic mapping. They work well for ongoing sync and mid-volume migrations. For large historical bulk loads (50,000+ workers with full history), iPaaS throughput can bottleneck and complex MDF entities may still require custom scripting.