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Workday + Certn integration setup

  • Updated

The Workday integration with CertnCentric allows your organization to initiate background checks from Workday and receive background check status updates and results from CertnCentric.

The integration works in both directions:

  • Workday → CertnCentric: Workday sends the background check order and candidate information to CertnCentric.
  • CertnCentric → Workday: CertnCentric returns background check statuses and results to Workday.

Workday uses the Core Connector – Background Check Order Outbound to initiate orders, while CertnCentric uses Workday's Put_Background_Check web service to return status and result information.

This guide is intended for Workday Integration Administrators or Integration SMEs. We recommend configuring and testing the integration in the CertnCentric sandbox environment before setting it up in production.

Before you get started

Make sure you have:

RequirementWhat you need
Workday tenant accessPermission to create integrations, security groups, and Background Check business processes
CertnCentric accountIntegration endpoint and API credentials
Network accessHTTPS outbound traffic from Workday to the Certn endpoint
OAuth 2.0 connectivityA verified refresh token exchange between Workday and Certn
Package and status alignmentPackages, tests, and statuses in Workday that exactly match the corresponding Certn values

Step 1: Configure Workday to send background checks to CertnCentric

1. Create an Integration System User

In Workday:

  1. Search for Create Integration System User.
  2. Give the Integration System User (ISU) a unique name, such as ISU_Background_Check_Certn.
  3. Create a password.
  4. Select Do Not Allow UI Session.
  5. Select OK.

2. Create an Integration System Security Group

  1. Search for Create Security Group.
  2. For Tenanted Security Group Type, select Integration System Security Group (Unconstrained).
  3. Assign the ISU you created.
  4. Select OK.
  5. On the next screen, select your ISU in the Integration System User field.
  6. Save the configuration.
create security group.png
edit integration system security group (unconstrained).png

3. Assign the required domain permissions

  1. Search for View Security Group for User.
  2. Select the ISU you created and select OK.
  3. Go to Security → Maintain Domain Permissions for Security Group.
  4. Grant View and Modify access according to the Domain Security Permissions Matrix.
maintain domain permissions for security group.png

Configure the following permissions:

OperationDomain security policyFunctional area
Get and PutManage Pre-Hire Process: Manage Pre-HiresPre-Hire Process
Get and PutManage: Evergreen RequisitionsRecruiting
Get and PutWorker Data: Public Worker ReportsStaffing
Get and PutIntegration EventIntegration
Get and PutWorker Data: Background Check StatusPersonal Data
Get and PutCandidate Data: Background Check HistoryRecruiting
Get and PutCandidate Data: Job ApplicationRecruiting
Get and PutPre-Hire Data: Background Check StatusPre-Hire Process
Get and PutJob Requisition DataPre-Hire Process
Get and PutPre-Hire: Skills and ExperienceWorker Profile and Skills
Get and PutWorker Data: Skills and ExperienceWorker Profile and Skills

4. Link the security group to the Background Check business process

Navigate to:

Background Check (Default Definition) → Business Process Policy → Edit

Then:

  1. Select View All.
  2. Go to Security Groups.
  3. Add the Integration System Security Group you created.
  4. Save your changes.
  5. Search for Activate Pending Security Policy Changes.
  6. Select OK to activate the new permissions.
view business process definition.png

5. Configure the Background Check business process

Navigate to:

Background Check (Default Definition) → Business Process → Edit Definition

  1. Locate the Initiation step.
  2. Add a step immediately after Initiation.
  3. Set the type to Integration.
  4. Set Run As User to the ISU you created.
  5. Select the integration.
  6. Select Configure.
  7. Select the integration and select OK.
  8. Define the Integration Criteria.

For Core Connector: Background Check Outbound Initial Service, configure:

  • Background Check ID: Background Check Event
  • As of Entry Moment: Current Moment (DateTime)
edit business process definition.png
value types.png

6. Create the Integration System

In Workday:

  1. Search for Create Integration System.
  2. Select Core Connector – Background Check Order Outbound.
  3. Enable all services.
  4. From the Integration System landing page, select Configure Integration Attributes.
  5. Configure:
    • Phone Device Type: Mobile
    • Email Type: Home
    • Phone Type: Home
    • Country Code Type: ISO3166-1-Alpha-3
    • Address Type: Home

Configure the sequence generator:

  • Increment Sequence ID by: 1
  • Padding: 0
  • Set desired sequence ID format: ie: BGCHK-[seq]

7. Create the integration business process

From View Integration Systems:

  1. Open Related Actions.
  2. Select Integration System → Business Process → Create.
  3. For Business Process Type, select < none of the above >.
  4. Select OK.
  5. Add a step.
  6. Set Type to Service.
  7. Select Document Delivery.
  8. Select OK.
business process steps.png

Step 2: Configure CertnCentric to send updates to Workday

The inbound integration allows CertnCentric to update background check statuses, completion results, and adjudication outcomes in Workday using the Put_Background_Check web service.

1. Register an API client

In Workday:

  1. Search for Register API Client for Integrations.
  2. Select Create New Client.
  3. Enter a Client Name, such as CertnCentric API Client.
  4. Select Non-Expiring Refresh Tokens.
  5. Add the following scopes:
    • Pre-Hire Process
    • Recruiting
    • Staffing
  6. Select OK.

Workday generates a Client ID and Client Secret. Save both values for the CertnCentric ATS setup.

register API clients for integrations.png

2. Generate the refresh token

  1. Open the API client's Related Actions menu.
  2. Select API Client → Manage Refresh Tokens for Integration.
  3. Select the ISU you created earlier.
  4. Select OK.
  5. Select Generate New Refresh Token.
  6. Save the generated Refresh Token.

3. Start the Workday setup in CertnCentric

In CertnCentric, go to:

Settings → ATS Integration → Workday

You'll need to provide:

  • OAuth Token endpoint
  • Recruiting WSDL URL
  • Client ID
  • Client Secret
  • Refresh Token

To find the OAuth Token endpoint in Workday:

  1. Open View API Clients.
  2. Copy the displayed Token Endpoint.

To find the Recruiting WSDL URL:

  1. Go to Public Web Services → Recruiting (Public) → Related Actions.
  2. Select View WSDL.
  3. Copy the URL nested under the <soapbind:address> XML tag.

Enter the required information in CertnCentric and proceed to Step 2 of 3.

14-certncentric-workday-setup-step-1.png

4. Configure Document Delivery

In Workday:

  1. Go to View Integration System.
  2. Select the Integration System created earlier.
  3. Go to Business Process Definitions → Steps.
  4. Select Configure Document Delivery.
  5. For Document(s), select From this integration process.

Configure:

  • Transport Type: HTTP/SSL
  • HTTP Address: Enter the address provided by CertnCentric during the Workday integration setup.
  • Web Service Invocation Type: OAuth 2.0
transport.png

In CertnCentric, go to:

ATS Integrations → Workday → Step 2 of 3

Obtain:

  • Access Token
  • Refresh Token
  • Refresh Token URL / REST API Endpoint
  • Client ID
  • Client Secret

Enter these values into the corresponding Workday fields.

Workday automatically refreshes expired tokens using the stored Client ID, Client Secret, and Refresh Token.

Step 3: Configure packages and statuses

1. Configure background check packages

Proceed to Step 3 of 3 in CertnCentric.

In Workday:

  1. Search for Maintain Background Check Packages.
  2. Add each Package Name and Reference ID exactly as they appear in CertnCentric.
  3. Under Tests, configure:
    • Test Name
    • Test Reference ID
  4. Make sure the Test Reference ID matches the Certn format.
integration details.png

2. Configure background check statuses

In Workday, search for:

Maintain Background Check Statuses

Certn sends its status enum values directly to the Workday Put_Background_Check API. These values are used as the Workday Background_Check_Status_ID for Overall Status, Package Status, and individual Test Statuses.

Package-level statuses

Certn statusStatus labelWorkday status
CASE_ORDEREDCase OrderedOverall Status, Package Status
APPLICANT_INVITEDApplicant InvitedOverall Status, Package Status
APPLICANT_OPENEDApplicant OpenedOverall Status, Package Status
APPLICANT_STARTEDApplicant StartedOverall Status, Package Status
APPLICANT_SUBMITTEDApplicant SubmittedOverall Status, Package Status
INVITE_UNDELIVERABLEInvite UndeliverableOverall Status, Package Status
APPLICANT_DECLINEDApplicant DeclinedOverall Status, Package Status
APPLICANT_EXPIREDApplicant ExpiredOverall Status, Package Status
IN_PROGRESSIn ProgressOverall Status, Package Status
COMPLETECompletedOverall Status, Package Status

Individual check statuses

Certn statusStatus label
AWAITING_APPLICANT_SUBMISSIONAwaiting Applicant Submission
PENDING_FULFILLMENTPending Fulfillment
IN_PROGRESSIn Progress
SUBMITTED_TO_SOURCESubmitted to Source
MANUAL_REVIEW_SOURCEManual Review with Source
CLIENT_ACTION_REQUIREDClient Action Required
APPLICANT_ACTION_REQUIREDApplicant Action Required
PENDING_QUALITY_REVIEWPending Quality Review
IN_QUALITY_REVIEWIn Quality Review
COMPLETECompleted
CANCELLEDCancelled
SUPERSEDEDSuperseded
IN_DISPUTEIn Dispute

Test the Workday integration

Complete an end-to-end test before configuring the integration in production.

Before testing, confirm:

  • Core Connector: Background Check Order Outbound is active.
  • The CertnCentric endpoint and OAuth configuration have been validated using Test Integration in Workday.
  • Background Check (Default Definition) includes the outbound integration as Step 2.
  • The ISU has access to Background Check Data, Candidate Data, and Integration Event Data.
  • A test candidate has applied to a test job requisition.

1. Confirm the candidate has applied

  1. Log in to Workday as a Recruiter or Talent Partner.
  2. Go to Recruiting → Candidates.
  3. Select the test candidate.
  4. Confirm the candidate has an Active Job Application for the correct requisition.
19-active-job-applications.png

2. Initiate the background check

Under Active Job Applications:

  1. Select Actions → Move Candidate.
  2. Select Move Forward → Assessment.
  3. Select Background Check.

21-move-candidate-background-check.png
This triggers the Background Check business process, where the integration runs as Step 2.

 

3. Select a background check package

  1. Start a proxy session as a recruiter for the Job Requisition.
  2. Go to My Tasks.
  3. Select Background Check Package (Candidate Name).
  4. Select the CertnCentric package you want to test.
  5. Select Submit to trigger the integration.
22-select-background-check-package.png

4. Confirm the results in Workday

Return to the candidate and go to:

Screening → Background Check History

Confirm that:

  • Overall Status is updated.
  • Package Status is updated.
  • The Result URL is available to review the final report.
23-background-check-history.png

A successful test confirms that background check information is flowing in both directions:

Workday → CertnCentric → Workday

Once the end-to-end test is successful, repeat the required configuration in your production environment.

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