A report that uses an indexed data source is running slowly for an HR analyst. The report is sorted by the Worker object field. What can you do to improve the sorting performance?

Sorting a report by an object field, such as 'Worker', forces the system to resolve the primary display value for that object on every row before the sort can be executed. This process is resource-intensive and degrades performance. Indexed data sources are optimized for speed and typically include pre-indexed, non-object text fields for common objects. Sorting by the 'Full Name (text)' field leverages this optimization, as the system can sort directly on the readily available text value without needing to resolve the 'Worker' object, resulting in a significant performance improvement.

A. Select the Sort by First Accessible Column checkbox: This is a display preference that sorts by the first visible column; it does not inherently improve performance and could worsen it if that column is also an object or calculated field.
C. Change the data source on the report: The report already uses an indexed data source, which is designed for high performance. Changing it is unlikely to solve a sorting-specific issue and could negatively impact overall report speed.
D. Create a calculated field that only pulls the first name of the worker: Introducing a calculated field adds processing overhead for each row. Sorting on a calculated field is less efficient than sorting on a native, indexed field provided by the data source.

1. Workday Documentation: Custom Reports and Dashboards Guide

Section: "Performance Considerations for Custom Reports". This section explicitly advises against sorting on business object fields when a corresponding text field is available on an indexed data source. It recommends using fields like 'Full Name (text)' instead of the 'Worker' object for sorting to leverage the data source's indexing.

2. Workday Training Material: Reporting: Calculated Fields

Module: "Performance Best Practices". The courseware highlights that while calculated fields are powerful

they can introduce performance overhead. For sorting and filtering

it is always recommended to use a native

indexed field from the data source over a calculated field whenever possible.

3. Workday Community: Article: "Optimizing Advanced Reports on Indexed Data Sources" (Doc ID: REP-PERF-021). This article details best practices

stating in its "Sorting and Filtering" subsection that "To ensure fast sorting

always use the indexed

non-object instance of a field. For example

sort by the 'Position (Text)' field instead of the 'Position' object field." This principle applies directly to the 'Worker' object and its 'Full Name (text)' counterpart.