F To Workday Adaptive: Planning Tutorial

If you are reading this, you have likely uttered a familiar phrase in your finance or operations meeting: “Why is this model breaking again?”

In Excel, you write =SUM(B2:M2) . In Adaptive, you write:

Example: @sum(‘Expenses’)[Level: ‘Sales’ AND ‘Marketing’] Let’s translate 80% of your Excel usage into Adaptive Planning syntax.

| Excel Concept | Workday Adaptive Planning Equivalent | |---------------|---------------------------------------| | Workbook (.xlsx) | (a collection of sheets, dimensions, and formulas) | | Worksheet Tab | Sheet (Level, Assumption, or Custom Sheet) | | F2 (Edit Cell) | Formula Editor (Point-and-click or text-based rules) | | F4 (Absolute Ref) | Hold/No Hold (Using # or ! in dimension references) | | VLOOKUP / INDEX-MATCH | Lookup() or Select() functions (syntax: Lookup( ‘Account’, ‘Version’, ‘Time’ ) ) | | SUMIFS | @sum with dimension filters | | Data Table | Custom Dimension (e.g., Product, Store, Project) |

You have the syntax. You have the shortcuts. You have moved from . Need more? Download the official “Excel to Adaptive Formula Reference Card” inside Workday Community (search keyword: “Excel Function Mapping”).

Test by comparing one month’s output (Excel vs Adaptive). The numbers should match within 0.01%. If not, use Drill Down and Audit Trail .

Use the F key Ctrl+F to search for accounts once imported. Adaptive’s search is far faster than Excel’s. Step 3: Define Time Ranges Unlike Excel where you manage columns for Jan-2024, Feb-2024… Adaptive has native time intelligence. Go to Model Management > Time . Set your fiscal start month, calendar, and planning horizon (e.g., 5 years).

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