Expanding Reports Using The Dataset Builder - Training Guide 590301

Expanding Reports using the
Dataset Builder
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590301
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Expanding Reporting Power Using the Dataset Builder 3
Contents
Course Overview ................................................................................................................................ 4
Learning Objectives....................................................................................................................................... 4
Prerequisites ................................................................................................................................................. 4
Available Resources ...................................................................................................................................... 5
Our Training Scenario ................................................................................................................................... 5
Reporting Functionality Review .......................................................................................................... 6
Reporting Feature and Terminology Review ................................................................................................ 6
Security ......................................................................................................................................................... 7
Topics ............................................................................................................................................................ 8
How to Identify Topics Types ................................................................................................................. 8
Dataset Builder ............................................................................................................................................. 9
Relationships Editor.............................................................................................................................. 10
Identifying Modified Topics in Report Designer................................................................................... 11
Updating V2 Topics .......................................................................................................................... 12
Query Entities ............................................................................................................................................. 12
Relationships ............................................................................................................................................... 15
Keys ...................................................................................................................................................... 15
Query Entity Options ............................................................................................................................ 16
Joins ...................................................................................................................................................... 18
Record Conditions ................................................................................................................................ 23
Parameters and Filters ......................................................................................................................... 24
Filters........................................................................................................................................................... 26
Effective Dating .................................................................................................................................... 26
Optional Activities ........................................................................................................................... 31
Create a Report from a Blank Dataset ........................................................................................................ 31
Adding Query Entities ........................................................................................................................... 32
Add Related Query Entities .................................................................................................................. 33
Create ................................................................................................................................................... 34
Parameters ........................................................................................................................................... 34
Set Record Conditions .......................................................................................................................... 34
Use .............................................................................................................................................................. 36
Alias (Copy) Query Entities.......................................................................................................................... 36
4 Expanding Reporting Power Using the Dataset Builder
Course Overview
Welcome to Expanding Reporting Using the Dataset Builder. This course is intended for HRIS or other
HR, payroll, WFM, and Talent professionals who are experienced report designers. In this course, you
will discover how to use the Dataset Builder. Dataset Builder allows you to choose fields outside of the
topic by dynamically building the relationships to those fields within the Report Designer.
The following sections are included in this course:
Section Description
Reporting Functionality Overview Discuss terminology, topic version, security and the
available guides.
Updating V2 Topics Learn to add and remove query entities in reports
that are based on V2 topics. Understand and work
with query entities, relationships, and parameters.
Optional Activities Time permitting, learn to start a report with a blank
dataset by selecting a primary query entity and
joining other query entities. Also, learn to use alias
query entities.
Learning Objectives
By completing this course, you will be able to:
• Identify topic type
• Understand query entity relationships and join types
• Comprehend record conditions
• Create relationships
• Use effective dating
• Create a report with a new dataset
Prerequisites
Certain Dayforce courses are required as prerequisites prior to attending this course. The following
courses will provide the foundational knowledge you need to understand the key Dayforce features
discussed in this course.
• Creating Reports using Report Designer – Part 1

• Creating Reports using Report Designer – Part 2
• Creating Custom Fields with SQL using Report Designer

Expanding Reporting Power Using the Dataset Builder Course Overview 5
Available Resources
A variety of supporting guides are available through the Ceridian Support Portal (support.ceridian.com)
using the Knowledge Articles search feature. Talk to your organization’s support user or Implementation
Consultant to obtain these guides.
• Admin and User Guides:

o Dayforce Implementation Guide (DIG)
o Reporting Reference Guide
Our Training Scenario

The best way to learn how to create reports in Dayforce Reporting is to practice using it. The following
training scenario will be used throughout the class to reinforce conceptual discussions.
XYZ Company is a multinational company using Dayforce for Human Resources, Time and Attendance,
Payroll, and Benefits. XYZ Company has found a need for additional reporting. Today you will act as a
Power User as you create reports using Dataset Builder.
6 Reporting Functionality Review Expanding Reporting Power Using the Dataset Builder
Reporting Functionality Review

In this section, you will learn the components of the Reporting feature.
Reporting Feature and Terminology Review

Key components of the Reporting feature include:
Feature Description
Report Designer Tool that allows you to create and edit reports.
Dataset Builder Feature within Report Designer that allows you to create relationships to
fields outside of the report topic, allowing you to expand the dataset.
Reports Sub-area where you can access report templates, schedule reports and
create or edit reports in Report Designer.
Report Category Sub-area where you can organize reports and allocate where they are
viewable in Dayforce features.
Users create data in Dayforce through their daily processes, like hiring employees, processing time
sheets, giving raises, and running payroll. That data is stored in the database. You may need to access
that data in a way that is meaningful to your organization. Therefore, you need a method to access that
data and format it in a way that helps you to understand the data and make decisions.

Expanding Reporting Power Using the Dataset Builder Reporting Functionality Review 7
Queries are used to access the data you need. A query is a request for information from a database that
identifies what data you want returned. The fields that are returned are the dataset. The dataset may
have much more information than you need in any one report. The report that uses the dataset is then
organized and formatted to deliver the data and format that you need. Dayforce comes with fixed
format reports, report templates, and predefined topics that address commonly requested information.
Optionally, within the Report Designer, you can use the Dataset Builder when the other Dayforce
reporting solutions cannot provide the results that you want, and you need to bring in related data from
outside of a topic or create a new dataset.
Security
To access the Dataset Builder within the Report Designer, check the Dataset Builder child-feature under
Reporting > Report Designer. Otherwise, the Dataset Builder will be disabled.
Topics
Topics are preconfigured datasets in Reporting. Topics can be used as the starting point for templates
and new reports. The two types of topics used in reports are V1 (Version1) and V2 (Version2). Each
version uses different technologies to create the underlying query.
Dataset builder is only available in V2 Topics. V2 Topics were created within Dayforce. This allows you to
modify the topic by bringing in new data via the Dataset Builder. Additionally, Dataset Builder assists you
by creating relationships between the query entities, which are like SQL tables. We will discuss query
entities later in the course. It’s a best practice to create reports that are based on V2 Topics.
How to Identify Topics Types

There are several ways to identify the topic type. One way is to use the Reporting Reference Guide and
look on the Topic Guide tab to identify the topic type. In the example below, you can see an excerpt
from the Reporting Reference Guide:
You can find the Reporting Reference Guide on the Ceridian Support Portal.

Additionally, each report and report template within Reports will display the corresponding Topic Type.
Not all topics have templates, so this is not a complete list. The example below displays how to view the
Topic Type in Reports.
Dataset Builder
In Dayforce, we will define a dataset as collection of related fields and query entities. Query entities are
logically grouped data and are used like tables inside the Report Designer.
Dataset Builder allows you to update V2 topics by bringing in new query entities and fields from outside
of the Dayforce predefined topics. Dataset Builder also allows you to start with a blank dataset and add
query entities that provide the dataset that you desire. These datasets are built by joining query entities.
It is a best practice to update an existing V2 topic. When you want to expand an existing V2 topic, you
can use the Dataset Builder to bring in fields from query entities outside the topic into your current
report. This allows you to expand your dataset dynamically within Report Designer. Dataset Builder is
composed of two features within the Report Designer tool bar, Add Field and Relationships. If creating a
report from a blank dataset, you will start with Add Reports from the Reports toolbar.
For reports or templates based on V2 topics, click Add Field in the Fields list on the Report Designer
toolbar.
This opens the Add Field dialog box. You are required to choose one or more selections from the
Categories list. You can also use the Keyword search to further refine the results. The Related Entity
Filter list allows you to find paths that start with the selected entry. Also, you can filter by the number of
joins indicated the number of Relationship Levels that you select. Click Apply, you will see a list of query
entities that you can choose to insert into your report. Select the query entity that is appropriate to the
data that you need and click OK to confirm your choice.
In this example, choosing the Category “Organization,” the Keyword “site,” the Related Entity Filter
“Employee Work Assignment,” and selecting up to two Relationship Levels returns the Location
Hierarchy query entity. We will discuss how entities are related later in this course.
Relationships Editor
The Relationship Editor allows you to view the query entity relationships within the topic. If you select a
field outside of the topic in the Add Field dialog box, you can verify the new relationship, change the
relationship and add new conditions here. We will discuss more details about relationships and options
later in the course.

Identifying Modified Topics in Report Designer

Reports that are created from blank datasets will have a blank in the Topic Name. Reports with topics
modified using Dataset Builder will have an asterisk in front of the Topic Name. You cannot create a new
report using the blank or updated topic; however, you can copy the report with the blank or updated
topic, make changes, and save it as a new report.
Throughout the Reporting feature, on-line help is available by clicking the “i” icon. The contents of the
help feature will change according to where you are within the Reporting feature.
In this example, by clicking on the “i” by the Join Type, a new window with Tips for Report Writing
appears.
12 Updating V2 Topics Expanding Reporting Power Using the Dataset Builder
Updating V2 Topics
While you can start a report from a blank dataset, the best practice in Dayforce will be to update a V2
topic. To do that, an understanding of the components of the topics will allow you to understand the
dataset returned when that topic is used. The advantage of using a V2 topic when creating your report is
that you can use the Dataset Builder to expand your dataset by retrieving fields outside of the topic.
The components of the topic include the following:
Feature Description
Query Composed of a group of related fields and are similar to tables or views in a
Entities relational database
Relationships Defines the relationships or joins between the query entities
Parameters Defines the query parameters and is most used for effective dating
Filters Defines any filters applied at the topic level
Query Entities
Query Entities are like database tables. They are comprised of either Dayforce database tables or views.
They are the logical grouping of data in Dayforce which are used like tables. Query entities are grouped
together using relationships to form a topic. All topics will have at least one query entity, but most will
include many query entities.
You can view the query entities used in a topic in the Reporting Reference Guide. If you are in a report,
you can view the query entities used in that report by opening the Relationships editor in the Report
Designer. There you can view the query entities that are used in the report’s topic.

Expanding Reporting Power Using the Dataset Builder Updating V2 Topics 13
Activity: Add Site and Region to the Employee Health Election Report
Time: 5 minutes
Scenario: XYZ Company needs to run a report that shows employee health elections by site and region.
You review the available templates, and you see that there is an Employee Health Elections template.
After you preview the template, however, you see that it has everything that you need except the
employee’s site and region. Add the site and region into the report.
Solution: Add Site and Region to the Employee Health Election Report
Create the new dataset:
Path: Reporting > Reports
1. Double-click the Employee Health Elections template.
2. Click Save As.
3. Type “Employee Health Elections with Site” for the Report Name.
4. Click OK.
5. Remove Plan Sub Type column.
6. Select Add Field from the Fields list on the toolbar.
7. Click Organization from the Categories list.
8. Clear Benefits from the Categories list.
9. Type “site” in the Keyword search box.
10. Click Select All from the Relationship Levels list.
11. Click Apply.
12. Click Employee Work Assignment > Location > Location Hierarchy.
13. Click OK.
14. Add Site field to the report.
15. Add Region field to the report.
16. Click Grouping.
17. Group by Site and Region
18. Change the grouping order:
• Region
• Site
• Employee
19. Click Apply.
20. Click Preview.
21. Click Save.

The results will appear as follows:
If you anticipate that your organization’s structure will change over time, incorporate effective dating.
Effective dating will be discussed later in this course.
Relationships
Relationships, also called joins, identify the connection between query entities. Analyzing which query
entities are included and the types of joins they use will help you understand the resulting dataset.
Keys
Relationships combine query entities through keys identified in the database. The two types of keys are
primary keys and foreign keys.
Key Description
Primary Key • Uniquely identifies each record in a query entity
• Labeled with “Id” after the name of the query entity in Dayforce, for
example, Employee Id
Foreign Key • Field that contains a value that is shared from the related query entity’s
primary key
• Used to join the query entities
In the example below, the Employee query entity’s primary key is labeled Employee Id. That same value
is shared with the Employee Work Assignment entity in a foreign key labeled Employee Work
Assignment.Employee Id.
Query entity relationships use the primary key from one query entity related to the foreign key of the
related entity. Dataset Builder includes functionality to automatically establish the relationships.
However, it’s a best practice to review these relationships, to ensure they are the ones you want to
create.
Query Entity Options

Dataset Builder assists you with finding fields that exist outside of the report’s topic. It also assists with
creating the relationships connecting the new query entity to the topic. For many relationships between
query entities, there is only one related query entity. However, other query entities can have many
related query entities.
For instance, if you are reporting from a topic that included the Employee query entity and you want to
add the Department Name to the report, you would need the Department query entity. However, there
is not a direct relationship between the Employee and Department query entity.
Fields Query Entities

Employee Display Name Employee
Department Name Department
Because there isn’t a direct relationship between the two query entities, you will need at least one
additional query entity to make the connection, even though you are not displaying fields from it. Below
is one way to associate the Employee query entity to the Department query entity.
Fields Query Entities

Employee Display Name Employee
None Employee Work Assignment
None Position
Department Name Department
The relationship is defined as follows, with the arrows denoting the keys used in the relationship:
So, the Employee Work Assignment and Position query entities are used to relate data between the
Employee and Department query entity.
In another example, you may want to add a Location Description to your report. However, the topic that
your report uses doesn’t have a query entity the contains the Location Description field. After a quick
review of the Reporting Reference Guide, you notice there are almost one hundred query entities with
fields containing the word “location.”

Fortunately, Dataset Builder assists your efforts in identifying which query entities relate to each other.
If you select Organization from the Categories list, search for the Keyword “site” and choose all the
relationship levels available, you will see all the possible relationship options.
Many times, there are multiple query entity relationship options presented. For example, how could
your dataset differ if you pulled Location from the Employee Pay Summary, Employee Work Assignment
or Pay Run Result query entities? Although each potential scenario may still return the employee’s
Location, your dataset could be significantly different, as illustrated below:
Query Entity Relationship Potential Results

Employee → Employee Pay Summary Includes only employees with WFM pay
Employee → Employee Work Assignment Includes all employees with work assignments
Employee → Pay Run Result Includes only employees with calculated payroll results
Joins
Joins allow you to create one row or record by matching records in two or more related query entities.
In Dayforce, the Inner Join and Left Join are available.
In the example below, you are reviewing the Employee and Time Away from Work tables. You have
been tasked to report the employee name with the start and end period for each employee’s time away
from work. You will need to combine the tables to report the necessary data using a join. In the
following sections, you will see how the dataset changes when you choose between an inner join and a
left join.
Inner Join
Inner joins return all the matched rows between related query entities. It matches records using primary
and foreign keys between the query entities. In other words, an inner join is a subset of matched
records between the query entities. Any unmatched records are not included in the dataset.
In the illustration below, the shaded area represents all the related records that will show up in the
dataset, where the primary key from Employee matches the foreign key of Time Away from Work
(TAFW). All other records are excluded from the dataset.
So, if join the tables using an inner join, the dataset will only include those rows where the primary key,
Employee.Emp_Id, matches the Time Away from Work foreign key, TAFW.Emp_Id.

In the tables below, notice that Colin Kennedy and Jill Hopkins do not show up in the new dataset. This is
because there is not a matching Time Away from Work record.
Left Join
Left Joins return all rows from the table on the left, even if there is not a matching record in the table on
the right. This allows you to ensure that you capture all records in the table on the left for the report.
In the illustration below, the shaded area represents all the related records that will show up in the
dataset. These records include all the Employee records and the Time Away from Work records where
the primary key from Employee matches the foreign key of TAFW.
So if you take our tables from our initial example above, and join them using an left join, the dataset will
include all rows in the Employee table and those records in Time Away from Work where the primary
key, Employee.Emp_Id matches the Time Away from Work foreign key,TAFW.Emp_Id. Notice that
records for Colin Kennedy and Jill Hopkins are now included in new dataset.
When you add a query entity using the Dataset Builder, the left join is defaulted.

Determining When to Use an Inner Join or Left Join

The use of inner joins versus left joins will depend on the intention of your requirements. Reviewing
another example, you can produce two reports that capture an employee’s direct deposit information.
The results of the reports would be very different depending of the use of an inner or left join.
In this example in Dayforce, the topic uses the Employee and Employee Direct Deposit query entities.
When an inner join is used, you only see the records that are matched on the left and right-side query
entities.
Now, look at the same report using a left join. When the left join is used, you will see all the records on
the left-side query entity, even if there isn’t a corresponding record on the right-side query entities.
Both results could be useful, depending on your reporting requirements.

Joins in Dataset Builder

When you add a query entity using the Dataset Builder, the default relationship will be a left join. You
can update the join to an inner join if necessary. If you are starting from a Dayforce topic, you can also
view the joins that are already in the preconfigured topic, allowing you a better understanding of the
data. You can also adjust the conditions and joins for the query entities included from the preconfigured
topic.
Activity: Add direct deposit data into Employee Details template

Time: 5 minutes
Scenario: You have been tasked to create a direct deposit report that displays employees who are
enrolled in direct deposit. You review the templates and see that the Employee Details template has
everything you want, except direct deposit data. Add direct deposit data to the report.
Solution: Add direct deposit data into Employee Details template

1. Double-click the Employee Details template.
2. Click Save As.
3. Type “Employee Direct Deposit” for the Report Name.
4. Click OK.
5. Click Add Field from the Fields list on the toolbar.
6. Clear Human Resources from the Categories list.
7. Select Payroll from the Categories list.
8. Type “direct deposit” in the Keyword search box.
9. Click Apply.
10. Click Employee > Employee Direct Deposit.
11. Click OK.

12. Insert the following fields to the right of Employee:

• Bank
• RTN Transit No
• Employee Direct Deposit Account Number
13. Click Preview.
14. Click Relationships.
15. Click Inner Join from the Join Type list for Employee Direct Deposit.
16. Click Apply.
17. Click Preview.
18. Click Save.
Record Conditions
While the relationships between query entities impact which records are returned in a report, they are
not the only component dictating the dataset. Datasets are further impacted by record Conditions.
Record conditions identify the requirements that must be met before records are returned in the
dataset. Record conditions narrow down or identify the data to be returned. They are specified in
Relationships, and most of the time will use the topic’s or report’s Parameter. We will discuss
Parameters in the next section.
In this example:
1. The first record condition is created from the inner join between the Employee and Employee
Work Assignment query entities.
2. The second record condition is created to narrow down the dates for which you want to see the
work assignments by using a Parameter in the Compare to Field.
Record Conditions in Relationships can yield profound differences in the dataset. Record conditions in
Relationships provide an opportunity to apply join type functionality to the condition (as well as the join
itself).
For example, in the Employee Details template, which uses the HR Profile – As of Date topic, record
conditions are specified in Relationships refer to the Employee Marital Status relationship. Because the
marital status can change over time, records in the Employee Marital Status entity are effective dated.
Parameters and Filters

Parameters
Parameters allow you to define a variable. This variable can be used in multiple places in the dataset. In
Dayforce, most parameters are date parameters which are used in the Compare to Field in
Relationships. Parameters can be used in many relationship Conditions, making your reports more user
friendly because you can use the same parameter to impact several conditions at once.
Parameters can be edited and created in the Report Designer on the Parameters tab of the Filters and
Parameters dialog box. If the report is based on a topic, some parameters may already be configured at
the topic level. If you edit or delete topic-level parameters, the report will be detached from the topic.
Also, some reports contain parameters configured at the query entity level. Query entity parameters are
not editable; you can view them in the Parameters tab, but you can only update the Value column.
Editable parameters are set by the report user when the report is previewed, run, or scheduled. One of
the primary advantages to using is parameters is that the value only needs to be defined once but can
be used for many record conditions. Below are the conditions in the Relationships dialog box for a
report that uses the HR Profile – As of Date topic. The parameter is set at runtime. This parameter,
@AsOfDate, is used for many of the conditions in this topic.

When you run a report using the HR Profile – As of Date topic, you will be prompted to assign the
@AsOfDate, or As of Date. The date you define will be assigned to all the Conditions that use the
@AsOfDate variable. This will filter the records returned in your dataset.
You can delete topic-level and report-level parameters. If you remove parameters from a report that is
based on a topic, the report becomes detached from the topic.
Filters
A few topics enforce effective dating by using topic Filters. An example of using the Filters option is
present in the Payroll – Pay Run Summary topic. There are parameters that specify @EffectiveStart and
@EffectiveEnd, representing the Effective Start and End Dates for the reports. These two dates allow
you to specify a date range for the results.
Although the parameters are not specified on the Relationships tab in this topic, it does not mean there
is not criteria used to impact the dataset.
In this topic, the parameters are not referenced in Relationships, so how would they impact the dataset?
It is specified in the topic Filter. You can view this filter when you run or preview the report.
When you run the report, you are prompted to enter the date range. The dataset will be narrowed
down by the committed pay dates within the date range that you specify. The parameter allows you to
specify the date range. The pay date must fall between the two specified dates for the records to be
returned in the dataset. Any employees who do not have pay run records in the specified date range will
not appear in the dataset.
Effective Dating
Record conditions, along with relationships, are the critical elements that specify which records are
returned in the dataset. They are necessary because most of the query entities used in reports contain
either historic records, like Employment Status, or primary or secondary records, like primary and
secondary Work Assignments. Some contain both.

For example, look at Elaine Craig’s Employee Employment Status history in People:
Elaine has four records in her Employee Employment Status history. Consequently, without defining a
record condition, Elaine would appear at least four times in a report using a topic with the Employee
Employment Status entity included.
Unwanted multiple records are returned in a dataset when record conditions have not been specified
when you add a new query entity into a report. Adding multiple query entities without record conditions
will have a compounding effect in the dataset.
Based on viewing Elaine’s record in People, we know she has four Employee Employment Status records.
Let’s also imagine she has three records in her Employee Work Assignment history. If we were to
combine those query entities, we would need the Employee query entity to relate each of the entities.
All employees should have one record in the Employee entity.
Imagine the following for Elaine’s records:
Employee Employment Status

(4 historical records)
Employee
(1 record)
Employee Work Assignment
(3 historical records and
no secondary records)
What will the dataset be if you had a report based on a topic with only the three query entities included
and only the following relationships were specified?
1. Inner join between:
a. Employee to Employee Employment Status
b. Employee to Employee Work Assignment
2. No other record conditions set
Elaine would display in the dataset 12 times. Multiple records returned in a dataset will compound.
Every Employee record will be repeated with every Employee Employment Status record, and all those
records will be repeated by every Employee Work Assignment record (1 x 4 x 3 = 12 records returned).
By using effective dating, you can filter the results to include only the records that provide the
information that you need. For instance, you may want to specify results from a particular date, a
specific date range, or a date variable, like the last calendar month. Effective dating allows you to define
this with Parameters. Here are some common effective date types:
Option Description
As of Date (Point-in-Time) Allows results as of a specific date.
Date Range, Within, Allows results that are effective between certain dates
Between
End Date is Null Allows a result set for those who do not have end dates in their
records (not recommended)
Based on another entity’s Uses a date in another query entity to determine if the record
effective date will be returned

Activity: Employee by Role with Current Status

Scenario: The system administrator needs a report that shows the employees by role with the Employee
Status. You review the templates and see the template, Employee by Role, but the Employee Status is
not included on the template. Add the Employee Status Name field to the template and ensure it shows
the status as of the date specified by the user that will run the report.
Solution: Employee by Role with Current Status

1. Double-click the Employee by Role template.

2. Click Save As.
3. Type “Employee by Role with Current Status.”
4. Click OK.
5. Click Add Field in the Fields list on the toolbar.
6. Click Human Resources in the Categories list.
7. Clear Admin from the Categories list.
8. Type “Employment Status Name” in the Keyword search box.
10. Click Apply.
11. Select Employee > Employee Employment Status > Employment Status.
12. Click OK.
13. Add the following fields to the report after the Employee column:
• Employment Status Name
• Employee Employment Status Effective Start
14. Click Employee Employment Status Effective Start header.
15. Change the Display Name to “Status Effective Start”.
16. Click Apply.
17. Click Preview.
19. Click the row under the Employee Employment Status query entity.
20. Click Add.
21. Click Employee Employment Status.Employee Employment Status Effective Start in the Field
list.
22. Click Less Than Equal in the Operator list.
23. Click @AsOfDate in the Compare to Field list.
24. Click Add.
25. Click Employee Employment Status.Employee Employment Status Effective End in the Field
list.
26. Click Greater Than Equal in the Operator drop-down list.

27. Click @AsOfDate in the Compare to Field list.
28. Click Apply.
29. Click Preview.
30. Click Save.

Expanding Reporting Power Using the Dataset Builder Optional Activities 31
Optional Activities
Create a Report from a Blank Dataset
It is best practice to start reports using an existing topic from the Dayforce library. While you can create
a report with a new dataset in Dayforce, this should only be used as a last report for creating a report.
You can use this method to create a new report when the existing report topics do not meet your
organization's specific reporting needs. When you start a report with a blank dataset, you can add the
query entities and fields that you need as long as the data can be joined with the other query entities
that you add.
The first step in creating a new dataset is selecting the primary query entity, which forms the base for
building the dataset of the report. All query entities are assigned to categories according to the modules
that the data comes from. To select a primary entity, you can filter the list by selecting one or more
categories or by entering keywords. Other query entities that you want to use must be able to be joined
back to the primary query entity. You cannot change or remove a report’s primary query entity. If you
needed to change the primary query entity, you would have to delete that report and start again.
To create a report starting with a new dataset, complete the following steps:
1. In Reporting > Reports, click the Add button above the list of reports, and then select Add
Report. The Add Primary Query Entity dialog box opens.
2. Filter the list by selecting one or more categories or entering keywords related to the data that
you need in the report. The application can only display 100 query entities in this list.
3. Select a query entity to be the primary query entity.
4. Click OK to open the Report Designer.
5. Add more query entities from Add Fields to the Report Dataset as needed.
6. Add columns in the report.
7. Save the report.
32 Optional Activities Expanding Reporting Power Using the Dataset Builder
Going back to our former example, suppose you need to create a simple report with employee name,
work assignment and department name as of a specified date. While, you could probably find those in a
template, we will start one from scratch.
Adding Query Entities

If you are starting a report from a blank dataset, you will use Add Report from the Add list in Reports.
This opens the Add Primary Entity dialog box. In this dialog box, choose the primary query entity for
your new report. The primary query entity serves as the base for building your report. You can search
for fields for the Primary Entity by using keywords. You can't change the primary query entity after it has
been selected and added to the report.
The Primary Query Entity serves as the base for building your report. You can't change the primary
query entity after it has been set.

After you have chosen the primary query entity, the Report Designer opens so that you can continue
building your report by adding query entities, editing data relationships and adding report parameters as
needed. Use Add Fields as needed to bring in new related query entities.
Add Related Query Entities

You can optionally add additional related query entities as required to create your new dataset. After
clicking Add Field on the toolbar, the Add Field dialog box appears where you can choose additional
query entities to complete your dataset.
In this example, the keyword “work assignment” is used to find the Employee Work Assignment query
entity.
Create Parameters
When you create a report from a blank dataset, you can choose to use parameters to define a variable
that will be used in multiple conditions. Setting up a parameter allows you to create a variable can be
used in multiple places in the dataset. In Dayforce, most parameters are date parameters which are
used in the Compare to Field in Relationships.
To add a new parameter, click the Add button and define the new parameter.
In this example, a date parameter, names @AsofDate, is created. This new parameter can be used in any
condition or filter in the report.
Set Record Conditions

Next, apply record conditions as required. You may want to add record conditions to create a report
that uses effective dating.
In this example, the recording conditions are applied to enable effective dating to the Employee Work
Assignment query entity using the Parameter created in the new report.
Activity: Employee Department and Work Assignment – As of Date

Time: 10 minutes
Scenario: XYZ Company needs a report with employee name, location and department name as of a
date specified at runtime. Create the Employee Department and Work Assignment – As of Date report
from a blank dataset.

Solution: Create the Employee Department and Work Assignment – As of Date

Add primary query entity:
1. Select Add Report from the Add list on the toolbar.
2. Click Employee.
3. Click OK.
4. Insert the Employee Name Number field.
5. Click Save As.
6. Type “Employee Department and Work Assignment – As of Date” for the Report Name.
7. Click OK.
Add query entities:
9. Type “work assignment” in the Keyword search bar.
10. Click Apply.
11. Select Employee > Employee Work Assignment.
12. Click Add Another.
13. Clear the Keyword search field.
14. Select Organization from the Categories list.
15. Clear Human Resources from the Categories list.
16. Type “department” in the Keyword search bar.
18. Click Apply.
19. Select Employee Work Assignment > Location > Department.
20. Click OK.
Add report fields:
21. Add the following fields into the report:
• Location Name
• Department Name
Create the parameter:
22. Click Filtering.
23. Click Parameters.
24. Click Add.
25. Type “As of Date” in the first line, Group Name column.
26. Click the triangle to the left of the Group Name to expand the parameter.
27. In the expanded row, type “@AsofDate” in the Parameter Name column.
28. Select Date from the Data Type list.
29. Select the current date from the calendar picker in Value.
30. Click Editable.
31. Click Required.
32. Click Apply.
Review and update the relationships:
34. Click the line under Employee Work Assignment.
35. Click Add.
36. Click Employee Work Assignment.Employee Assignment Effective Start in the Fields list.
38. Click @AsofDate in the Compare to Field list.
39. Click Add.
40. Click Employee Work Assignment.Employee Assignment Effective End in the Fields list.
41. Click Greater Than Equal in the Operator list.
42. Click @AsofDate in the Compare to Field list.
43. Click Apply.
Preview and save.
44. Click Preview.
45. Click Save.
Use Alias (Copy) Query Entities

There are times you may need to use a query entity more than once in a report. You can add that query
entity to the report more than once in Dayforce with a different name, or alias, and reference the new
alias table in the report.

For instance, you may want to report on the location of the employee’s primary work assignment and
actual location worked. The work assignment location and actual location worked both use the Location
query entity but use different relationships to access the location name. Dataset builder allows you to
add another query entity to the report with a different name, or alias.
If there are alias query entities available when you are using the Add Field function, the name of the
alias query entity will be followed by “Copy.” You will also be able to rename the alias query entity to a
new Display Name.
This example is from the Pay Summary template. The Location query entity is already used in this topic
from the Employee → Employee Pay Summary → Location relationships. However, to capture the
location from the employee’s primary work assignment, relationships must be built through the
Employee Work Assignment query entity, which will be Employee → Employee Work Assignment →
Location. Since you can’t have two query entities name “Location,” you can rename the query entity. In
this example, the query entity is renamed “Work Assignment Location.” In Dayforce, you can only
rename a query entity that is aliased.
Activity: Add primary work assignment location to the Payroll Summary

template
Time: 7 minutes
Scenario: The payroll manager wants to add the primary work assignment location to the Pay Summary
template. You notice that the Location Name is already included in the report from the Location query
entity, but it’s linked to the location actually worked. Add an alias query entity to capture the Location
Name as it relates to the employee work assignment.
Solution: Add work assignment alias table

Rename report:
1. Double-click the Pay Summary template.
2. Click Save As.
3. Type “Pay Summary with Primary Location” for the Report Name.
4. Click OK.
Add field from outside the topic:
6. Select Human Resources, Organization and Time & Attendance from the Categories list.
7. Type “location name” in the Keyword search box.
8. Select Employee from the Related Entity Filter list.
9. Select Select All from the Relationship Levels list.
10. Click Apply.
11. Click Employee > Employee Work Assignment > Location (Alias).
12. Type “Primary Location” in Display Name.
13. Click OK.
14. Click Location in the report header.
15. Type “Location Worked” for Display Name.
16. Click Apply.
17. Insert Primary Location > Location Name to the right of Location Worked.
18. Click Location Name in the report header.
19. Type “Primary Location” for Display Name.

20. Click Apply.

Update the filter:
21. Click Filtering.
22. Click Add.
23. Select Primary Work Assignment from the Field list.
24. Select Equal from the Operator list.
25. Select True from the Value list.
26. Click Apply.
Update the relationship and save:
28. Click the row under the Employee Work Assignment query entity.
29. Click Add.
30. Click Employee Work Assignment.Work Assignment Effective Start in the Field list.
32. Click @EffectiveEnd in the Compare to Field list.
33. Click Add.
34. Click Employee Work Assignment.Work Assignment Effective End in the Field list.
35. Click Greater Than Equal in the Operator drop-down list.
36. Click @EffectiveStart in the Compare to Field list.
37. Click Apply.
38. Click Preview.
39. Click Save.

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Expanding Reports using the

Computer-based activity for the student to perform.

Written activity for the student to perform.

Instructor demonstrates a process.

Where to find more information on the subject.

Computer-based activity for the student to perform.

Warning that failure to heed can lead to loss of data.

Solution to a computer-based or written activity.

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• Creating Reports using Report Designer – Part 1

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• Admin and User Guides:

Our Training Scenario

Reporting Functionality Review

Reporting Feature and Terminology Review

Copyright © 2021 Ceridian HCM, Inc. All rights reserved.

How to Identify Topics Types

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Copyright © 2021 Ceridian HCM, Inc. All rights reserved.

Identifying Modified Topics in Report Designer

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Copyright © 2021 Ceridian HCM, Inc. All rights reserved.

The results will appear as follows:

Query Entity Options

Fields Query Entities

Fields Query Entities

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Query Entity Relationship Potential Results

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Copyright © 2021 Ceridian HCM, Inc. All rights reserved.

Determining When to Use an Inner Join or Left Join

Both results could be useful, depending on your reporting requirements.

Joins in Dataset Builder

Activity: Add direct deposit data into Employee Details template

Solution: Add direct deposit data into Employee Details template

Copyright © 2021 Ceridian HCM, Inc. All rights reserved.

12. Insert the following fields to the right of Employee:

Parameters and Filters

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Copyright © 2021 Ceridian HCM, Inc. All rights reserved.

Imagine the following for Elaine’s records:

Employee Employment Status

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Activity: Employee by Role with Current Status

Solution: Employee by Role with Current Status

1. Double-click the Employee by Role template.

26. Click Greater Than Equal in the Operator drop-down list.

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Adding Query Entities

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Add Related Query Entities

Set Record Conditions

Activity: Employee Department and Work Assignment – As of Date

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Solution: Create the Employee Department and Work Assignment – As of Date

Use Alias (Copy) Query Entities

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Activity: Add primary work assignment location to the Payroll Summary