Workday® Acquires Sana in $1.1 Billion Deal – How Does This Impact Workmates?

Last Updated: 30 September 2025.

At Workday® Rising 2025, Workday® announced it had signed a definitive agreement to acquire Sana, an AI company known for its learning and knowledge management platforms. The $1.1 billion deal is more than just another tech acquisition — it signals a step change in how Workday® users will work, learn, and collaborate in the years ahead.

Read full Workday® press release.

For Workmates — whether you’re configuring modules, supporting payroll runs, building integrations, or delivering testing — this move raises some important questions: what does Sana bring, how will it change the Workday® experience, and what does it mean for careers built around the platform?

A Quick Look at Sana

So who are Sana, and why does this matter for HR?

Founded in 2016, Sana is an AI company focused on building intuitive tools that make learning and knowledge-sharing simpler. Their two flagship products are:

  • Sana Learn: an AI-native learning platform that combines course creation, content generation, and personalised tutoring. Companies have used it to cut training development timelines from months to days and to boost learning engagement significantly.
  • Sana Agents: no-code AI assistants that automate repetitive work, anticipate needs, and help employees act faster with secure, compliant workflows.

Sana has already supported over a million users across global enterprises, proving its tools can work at scale. By joining Workday®, Sana’s innovations will now be embedded directly into the HR, payroll, and finance system you use every day.

Why Workday® Bought Sana

Workday® has always been about unifying people and finance. But with the rise of generative AI and intelligent agents, expectations of workplace systems have shifted. People want faster answers, proactive insights, and personalised support.

Sana specialises in exactly this. Its products, Sana Learn (an AI-native learning platform) and Sana Agents (AI-powered workflow assistants), are designed to bring knowledge, automation, and personalisation into everyday work.

By acquiring Sana, Workday® is signalling that the “front door” to work won’t just be a dashboard or a menu — it will be an intelligent, proactive system that knows what you need and when you need it.

What This Means for Workmates

1. Smarter Search and Faster Answers

Currently, finding the right information in Workday® can take time — whether you’re navigating Community, scanning documentation, or chasing colleagues. Sana’s AI-powered search is designed to instantly pull answers from across systems like Google Drive, SharePoint, Office365, and Workday itself.

For Workmates, this could mean fewer dead-ends and faster progress when testing, troubleshooting, or supporting end users. Imagine typing a question — “how do I update a worker’s cost centre?” — and getting not just a link to the guide, but a concise, AI-generated step-by-step answer.

2. AI Agents That Do the Heavy Lifting

One of the most exciting aspects of Sana is its no-code agent builder. These AI agents can automate routine tasks, anticipate needs, and even execute workflows end-to-end.

For example:

A tester could create an agent that automatically generates defect dashboards during UAT.

  • A payroll lead could automate reconciliations across periods.
  • A recruiter could receive proactive prompts on candidates at risk of dropping out of the process.

These agents won’t replace Workmates — but they will handle repetitive work, freeing professionals to focus on analysis, decision-making, and value-added activities.

3. A Revolution in Learning

Sana Learn is built for AI-native training. It combines content creation, course generation, and tutoring into one platform. Reports show it can reduce content development timelines from months to days and personalise learning for each employee.

For Workmates, this could:

  • Speed up onboarding for new testers, consultants, or payroll specialists.
  • Provide tailored micro-learning for new features introduced in Workday® twice-yearly updates.
  • Help contractors and consultants keep pace with client-specific configurations and compliance rules.

This is particularly relevant in industries like healthcare, government, or financial services, where compliance-driven learning is critical.

4. A More Personalised Experience

Workday® has always been data-rich — holding information on people, roles, pay, and performance. With Sana’s AI layered on top, this context will allow Workday® to deliver personalised and proactive experiences.

Think:

  • Managers automatically receiving dashboards tailored to their recruitment pipeline.
  • Employees getting proactive nudges about performance reviews or upskilling opportunities.
  • Consultants being able to demo real-time role-based insights to clients without custom builds.

For Workmates, this shift means less manual digging, more guided decision-making, and systems that “push” useful insights to you rather than waiting for you to “pull” them.

5. Strengthened Security and Compliance

A common fear with AI is data privacy. Workday® is addressing this by embedding Sana’s tools within the Workday Agent System of Record — ensuring all actions remain secure, auditable, and compliant with company policies.

For Workmates working in testing, QA, or regulatory-heavy industries, this matters. You can leverage the power of AI without compromising compliance — and with full traceability of who did what, when.

The Career Angle: Why This Matters to Workmates

  • This acquisition isn’t just about technology — it’s about skills and careers. As Workday® shifts into an AI-first era:
  • New expertise will be in demand: Knowing how to configure, deploy, and monitor AI agents will become a sought-after skill for consultants, testers, and administrators.
  • Learning will accelerate: Workmates who adopt Sana Learn will upskill faster and be better prepared for the rapid pace of Workday® releases.
  • Work will feel different: Less time spent on repetitive manual tasks means more opportunity for strategic contributions — whether in advisory, analytics, or project leadership.

In short, those who embrace this change will be better positioned to grow, influence, and lead within the Workday® ecosystem.

A Few Practical Watchpoints

  • While the acquisition sounds promising, Workmates should also keep in mind:
  • Timing: The deal is expected to close by January 2026. Features won’t appear overnight.
  • Integration curve: Early adopters may face teething issues as Sana tools are embedded into Workday®.
  • Access model: It’s not yet clear whether Sana-powered tools will be bundled into core Workday®, or licensed separately at additional cost.

Final Thoughts

The acquisition of Sana marks a bold move by Workday® inspired by its AI drive. For Workmates, it represents the beginning of a new era of AI-driven work — one where systems are smarter, learning is faster, and everyday tasks are supported by intelligent agents.

Far from replacing people, this shift has the potential to empower them — to reduce noise, speed up progress, and unlock more time for high-value problem solving and innovation.

If Workday® becomes the “new front door for work”, then Workmates are the ones who will walk through it first — shaping, testing, and proving its value in real-world projects. The message is clear: peer collaboration, coupled with AI innovation, will define the future of the Workday® ecosystem.

If you’re exploring how Workday® AI innovations can strengthen your operations, get in touch with us at Clientside. We’d be happy to share insights from across the Workday® community and help you prepare for what’s next.

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