Sana represents the new AI-native front door for work, unifying knowledge, learning, and action within the Workday ecosystem.
Introduction
Sana is a next-generation knowledge assistant designed to be the primary interface for your daily work. It connects to your enterprise data and empowers your employees with finding answers and automating repeated actions, helping your team work smarter and faster. Instead of navigating through multiple complex applications, you use a simple conversational interface to interact with your company's systems, starting with a deep, native integration into Workday. This guide introduces the core features and best practices, so you can get the most out of your Sana experience.
How to use Sana
Sana transforms productivity through the following capabilities. Accessible to any workspace user, it only shows you what you’re already permitted to see in each system. It operates within your existing access controls and respects data governance policies.
Find
Sana provides universal search across your enterprise systems.
Ask questions in natural language and get answers from Workday (HR, Finance, Talent), SharePoint documents, Outlook emails, and the web.
It understands intent, not just keywords, and searches across all connected sources simultaneously.
Analyze
Sana reads and analyzes documents (e.g., PDFs, PowerPoint), extracts key information, and combines data from multiple sources to answer complex questions.
It provides context-aware insights based on your role and permissions, helping you make informed decisions faster.
Action
Sana can directly execute tasks in your chat interface. Examples include:
Workday: Request time off, submit time, manage performance reviews, create referrals, give feedback, and handle HR self-service tasks
Outlook: Send and reply to emails, create drafts, manage contacts, and organize your inbox
Tip: If your first question doesn't get the answer you want, try rephrasing it or breaking it into smaller parts.
Features and functionalities
Below is a list of the key features available to all Sana users
Here are the key features available to all Sana users:
Upload a file — Add a document (e.g., a PDF) to the chat. Sana can summarize it, pull out key points, or answer questions about it. The file is only used in that conversation.
Connectors — Connect your own accounts (e.g., Google Drive, Gmail, Outlook, SharePoint, Salesforce) to Sana. Once connected, Sana can search and take actions in those apps from chat—for example, find emails, open files, or create calendar events.
Web Search — Lets Sana search the public web when you need it. Web search can be turned on or off. Use it when you want answers that combine your internal data with up-to-date information from the internet.
Note: Only the Workday connector is available for Sana Core customers. The other connectors are available for Sana Enterprise users. If you are unable to see connectors, please reach out to Workspace Admin
By clicking on “+” you can choose which sources Sana uses to answer your question: upload a file, use your connected apps, or toggle web search.
Privacy & Security
Your privacy is a top priority. Sana only shows you information you’re already permitted to see in each system. It operates within your existing access controls and data governance policies. Sana does not store or copy your Workday HR or payroll data. It queries Workday (or other connectors) in real time and returns answers. If you can’t see it on Workday, you can’t see it in Sana.
FAQ
Q: Is Sana just a chat tool?
A: No, Sana is an action layer. It reads from your systems using connectors, it can perform actions (e.g. request time off), send emails or create calendar events. It goes beyond Q&A by performing actions on your behalf with approval where required.
Q: Does Sana store my Workday data?
A: No, Sana does not store or copy your Workday HR or payroll data. It uses your Workday session to query Workday in real time and returns answers. The same Workday permissions apply—if you can’t see it in Workday, you can’t see it in Sana.
Q: How do I control which sources Sana uses?
A: Use the + button in chat to choose which sources Sana uses for each question—upload a file, select your connected apps, or toggle web search to get more relevant results.
Q: Who controls what features are available?
A: Workspace Admins can enable or disable web search and connectors for your workspace. Ask your Admin if you need a feature that isn’t currently available.
Q: What if I don’t see a connector I need?
A: Connectors must be enabled for your workspace before you can connect your accounts. Ask your workspace Admin to enable the connector you need.