How to Integrate with Workday Learning via SOAP API

Basics of Using the Workday SOAP API for LMS Integration

If you’re building a Workday Learning integration to sync content and completions, you’ll need the SOAP API. This guide covers authentication, permissions, content management, and completion tracking.

StackOne developed a comprehensive integration enabling learning content providers to surface external training within Workday environments while maintaining Workday as the source of truth. This approach improves content discoverability and creates experiences where users access diverse provider content in one location while consuming it on the provider’s platform.

Workday SOAP API

Unlike most API providers using REST, Workday’s comprehensive API uses SOAP protocol, requiring XML for data exchange. Workday uses SOAP which involves handling complex XML structures. This necessitates transforming native data into XML for submissions and converting XML responses back to your format — particularly challenging when managing third-party content.

Workday SOAP API Authentication and Permissions Setup

SOAP authentication is straightforward, but configuring admin users and permissions presents complexity. Three permission levels exist:

Modules — Workday Learning module access is required.

Security Group Permissions — Configure at the Security Group level using the “View Security for Securable Item” task to identify required permissions.

Business Processes — Background tasks executing web service operations. The Manage_Course process ensures course creation/updates trigger correctly.

Reference SOAP documentation for required business policies, then edit policies to add necessary security groups.

Navigating Workday SOAP API Documentation Inconsistencies

Once infrastructure supports SOAP requests and system users are configured correctly, you’re ready to proceed. However, sometimes the Workday docs are just plain wrong. Example: documentation specifies Learning_Digital_Course when Put_Learning_Digital_Course_Request is actually required.

Handling Workday SOAP API Errors and Fault Responses

Workday doesn’t conform to standard error codes. Workday always returns a 500 for all errors. Inspect nested SOAP fault responses to identify actual problems. Build an error library identifying major issues over time.

Managing Content and Learner Completions via Workday SOAP API

Creating and Updating the Workday Learning Module via SOAP API

Use the Manage_Digital_Courses endpoint wrapping content in course layers for Workday discoverability.

Implementing Upsert Behaviour on Workday

Workday enforces unique Learning_Course titles and IDs. The system auto-generates IDs if unprovided. One operation handles both create and update operations. Critically: Workday doesn’t allow patch, so you will need to spread in any existing content information to ensure it isn’t lost.

Implement flexible upsert by:

Providing a Learning_Course_ID as primary identifier for future updates and enrollments
Checking existing content by both references (Workday throws errors for duplicates)
Retrieving existing data and overwriting specific fields before updates
Pushing content with Learning_Course_ID, triggering Workday updates

Your Learning_Course_ID becomes the reference for future operations.

Sample Manage_Learning_Course SOAP API Request

A course object wraps the external URL as a lesson within that course structure.

Creating Enrollments via Workday SOAP API

Two specific IDs are required: user ID and course ID. Course ID comes from the previous step’s external reference.

Three user ID approaches exist:

SSO (internal workers) — Employee_ID from SAML data for employees only
SSO (external workers/learners) — Handle three IDs using appropriate types: Employee_ID, Contingent_Worker_ID, External_Learning_User_ID
List Users — Query Workday API and match across multiple identifiers for flexible user matching

Other completion quirks require consideration for consistent reporting.

Sample Put_Learning_Enrollment SOAP API Request

Use the provided request with required fields for enrollment creation.

Why Integrate with Your Customers’ LMS Platforms

API-first integrations enable learning providers to deliver experiences where content appears in customers’ core LMS (source of truth) with all training data recorded there, while content consumption occurs on the provider’s platform.

Benefits include:

Improved content discoverability
Expanded distribution channels
Content ownership retention
Avoiding SCORM file complications

API integrations support modern paradigms: dynamic content generation, gamified learning, AI role-play learning, and VR-based learning.

Integrating single platforms involves complexity; scaling across multiple LMS platforms magnifies challenges considerably.

About StackOne’s Workday Learning Integration

StackOne functions as an action/API layer enabling rapid integration scaling across enterprise LMS platforms — including Workday, SAP SuccessFactors, Oracle, Cornerstone, 360Learning, and others — by abstracting API and authentication differences behind standardized APIs, supported by webhooks, observability, multi-region processing, and AI-enabled debugging.

The StackOne Workday connector bypasses SOAP complexity entirely, handling authentication, XML transformation, and cryptic error responses while exposing clean REST APIs. Push content and completions without writing XML.

Key Takeaways for Workday Learning SOAP API Integration

SOAP-based APIs require XML for all requests and responses; SOAP envelope construction is essential
Authentication requires proper permission configuration including module access, security groups, and business processes
Documentation inconsistencies exist — validate payloads against tenant schemas
Error handling is unconventional — inspect SOAP fault responses for meaningful messages beyond 500 status codes
Upsert operations are destructive — Workday overwrites unincluded fields, requiring careful management
Content and completions sync depend on correct ID mapping across Learning_Course_ID and user identifiers
Efficient integrations balance automation with tenant-specific configuration
StackOne scales API integrations across multiple platforms

Conclusion: Mastering Workday Learning SOAP API Integration

Workday Learning SOAP integration complexity yields deep content and completion control across Workday environments. Mastering authentication, permissions, and XML structures unlocks this capability. Future posts will address content discoverability, completion handling quirks, and additional SOAP integration considerations.