What it is
An LLM-powered agent that reasons across HR data and policy, takes actions, and runs in the Workday chat panel and Sana Workspace.
01 · The One-Line Version
Three things to know before any client conversation.
Why now
Workday Assistant is deprecated at 27R2. Clients are drifting toward a hard deadline without a plan — partners need to own this conversation.
What unlocks it
UMSA unlocks non-prod testing today. The Flex Credits & Platform Entitlement Policy unlocks production and Sana Workspace.
02 · Skill Coverage
Filter by audience to see what the agent can do.
Click an audience to narrow the table. Click again to clear. Base = read · Adv = act · N/A = not applicable.
| Skill | Audience | Capability |
|---|
03 · Activation Paths
What each path unlocks — and what it doesn't.
Switch between the three activation paths to compare what's available, what's blocked, and where to start.
UMSA only
The Universal Master Services Agreement opens the door to early configuration and testing in non-prod environments. Useful before commercial agreements are finalised.
Best for
- Early discovery and security-group readiness
- Hands-on configuration practice in a sandbox
- Demonstrating the agent without commercial commitment
- Bridging to a Flex Credits decision with evidence
Limitations
- No production rollout
- No Sana Workspace surface
- Cannot exercise Policy Intelligence in production
Do NOT use when
- The client expects production go-live
- A Flex Credits agreement is already signed — go to the next path
Start here when the client wants to begin work today and the Flex Credits conversation is still in motion.
UMSA + Flex Credits Policy
The full activation path. Workday issues a single consolidated task — "Action Required: Review and Configure the Security for Sana and Workday Agents" — covering ASOR, User Provisioning, PCC, and Sana in one flow. Accessible only from the notification.
Best for
- Clients with Flex Credits & Platform Entitlement Policy signed
- Production rollout and end-user adoption
- Surfacing the agent in the Sana Workspace
- Setting up the first production credit consumption baseline
Limitations
- The consolidated security task is reachable only from its notification
- Security admins added after task completion will not receive it retroactively
- Flex Credits adoption itself is still in progress for many clients
Do NOT use when
- Agreement status is unconfirmed — verify first
- The client is not yet ready to manage credit consumption in production
Start here when the agreement is signed and the client wants to retire Workday Assistant ahead of 27R2.
Policy Intelligence add-on
A retrieval skill grounded in the client's knowledge base and Workday admin guide. The fastest measurable win for any client already live on Workday Help.
Best for
- Clients already live on Workday Help
- Reducing repetitive policy questions in the case queue
- Demonstrating measurable agent value within weeks
- Building the case for broader Sana adoption
Limitations
- Only as good as the knowledge base behind it — content design matters
- Not a replacement for transactional skills
- Requires governance over policy content updates
Do NOT use when
- The client is not yet on Workday Help
- Policy content is unowned or out of date — fix that first
Start here when Help is live and you need a fast, defensible adoption story to anchor the broader rollout.
04 · The 27R2 Playbook
Lead with agreements, then activation.
Configuration is not the hard part. Change management, policy content design, and security-group readiness are. Sequence the conversation accordingly.
Confirm agreements → Activate
Verify UMSA and Flex Credits Policy status before designing anything. Both are still in flight for many clients — assumptions create rework.
Example. Two-week agreement-status sweep across the installed base, segmented into UMSA-only and UMSA + Flex Credits cohorts.
Activate → Light up Policy Intelligence
For clients already on Workday Help, Policy Intelligence is the first measurable win. It gives partners and clients a defensible adoption story before broader Sana rollout.
Example. Activate the agent, ship Policy Intelligence in 2–4 weeks, then expand into transactional skills with confidence.
05 · Choosing by Role
What each role should do this quarter.
| You are… | Reach for… |
|---|---|
| An account exec on an installed-base account | Confirm UMSA and Flex Credits status; segment your book accordingly |
| A delivery lead on a live client | Stand up non-prod under UMSA; rehearse the consolidated security task |
| An AMS lead with Workday Help live | Lead with Policy Intelligence as the first measurable win |
| A pre-sales architect | Frame the agent as the front door to Sana; map skill coverage to client priorities |
| A change & adoption lead | Plan policy content design and security-group readiness — these are the real risk |
| An exec sponsor | Own the 27R2 deprecation conversation; tie activation to a measurable outcome |