Hi Workmates,
At Workday Rising 2025, Workday® announced its definitive agreement to acquire Sana, an AI company renowned for its learning and knowledge management platforms. The $1.1 billion deal signals more than a tech acquisition — it represents a shift in how Workday® will support learning, collaboration, and daily operations for Workmates.
Whether you’re configuring modules, supporting payroll runs, building integrations, or delivering testing, this acquisition raises important questions: What does Sana bring? How will it enhance Workday®? And what does it mean for careers built around the platform?
Who is Sana?
Founded in 2016, Sana specialises in AI solutions that simplify learning and knowledge sharing. Its flagship products are:
- Sana Learn – An AI-native learning platform that combines course creation, content generation, and personalised tutoring. Organisations using it have dramatically reduced training development timelines and boosted engagement.
- Sana Agents – No-code AI assistants that automate routine work, anticipate needs, and execute workflows securely and compliantly.
Already trusted by over a million users globally, Sana’s tools will now be embedded directly into Workday®, enhancing HR, payroll, and finance processes.
Why Workday® Acquired Sana
Workday® has always focused on unifying people and finance. But as AI and intelligent agents reshape workplace expectations, users increasingly demand faster answers, proactive insights, and personalised support.
Sana delivers exactly this. Its AI-powered learning and agent tools transform Workday® from a dashboard-driven system into a proactive platform that anticipates needs, guides actions, and accelerates everyday work.
Key Impacts for Workmates
1. Smarter Search and Instant Answers
Finding information in Workday® can be time-consuming, whether navigating Community, scanning documentation, or chasing colleagues. Sana’s AI search can instantly surface answers from Workday®, Google Drive, SharePoint, and Office365.
For Workmates, this means:
- Faster troubleshooting and testing.
- Step-by-step guidance without hunting through multiple resources.
- Reduced delays in delivering support or completing tasks.
2. AI Agents for Routine Work
Sana’s no-code agent builder allows Workmates to automate repetitive processes and execute workflows proactively.
Examples include:
- Generating UAT defect dashboards automatically.
- Automating payroll reconciliations across periods.
- Receiving AI prompts for recruitment follow-ups.
These agents don’t replace Workmates; they free professionals to focus on analysis, decision-making, and higher-value contributions.
3. Accelerated, Personalised Learning
Sana Learn provides AI-native training by combining content creation, course generation, and tutoring. Benefits for Workmates include:
- Faster onboarding for testers, consultants, and payroll specialists.
- Tailored micro-learning for new features introduced in Workday® updates.
- Continuous learning aligned with client-specific configurations and compliance rules.
Industries with strict compliance requirements — healthcare, finance, government — will see particularly strong gains.
4. A More Personalised Workday® Experience
Layering Sana’s AI on Workday®’s data enables proactive, context-aware insights:
- Managers receive dashboards tailored to recruitment pipelines.
- Employees get nudges about performance reviews or upskilling.
- Consultants can showcase role-specific insights to clients without custom builds.
This reduces manual effort and allows systems to push valuable insights directly to Workmates.
5. Enhanced Security and Compliance
AI adoption often raises data privacy concerns. Workday® mitigates these by embedding Sana within the Workday Agent System of Record, ensuring all actions are auditable, secure, and compliant.
For Workmates in testing, QA, or compliance-heavy industries, this provides peace of mind when leveraging AI in daily work.
Career Implications for Workmates
The acquisition is not just about technology — it has career implications:
- In-demand skills: Expertise in configuring, deploying, and monitoring AI agents will become valuable for consultants, testers, and administrators.
- Faster learning: Workmates adopting Sana Learn will upskill more quickly, staying ahead of Workday®’s rapid update cycles.
- More strategic work: Automation reduces manual tasks, allowing greater focus on advisory, analytics, and project leadership.
Embracing these tools positions Workmates to grow, influence, and lead within the Workday® ecosystem.
Practical Watchpoints
Workmates should consider:
- Timing: The deal is expected to close by January 2026; features will roll out gradually.
- Integration curve: Early adopters may face initial challenges as Sana tools integrate.
- Access model: It remains unclear whether Sana features will be bundled with Workday® or licensed separately.
Final Thoughts
The acquisition of Sana marks a new era for Workday®. Systems will become smarter, learning faster and supporting Workmates with AI-driven insights.
Rather than replacing people, this shift empowers Workmates — reducing repetitive work, accelerating progress, and unlocking more time for high-value problem-solving and innovation.
If Workday® is becoming the “new front door for work,” Workmates are the ones leading the way, shaping, testing, and proving its value in real-world projects. Peer collaboration, coupled with AI innovation, will define the future of the Workday® ecosystem.
Call to Action
Curious how these changes could affect your team or project? Get in touch with us at Clientside to explore how peer collaboration and AI can accelerate your Workday® success.
Amieya | Community Engagement Lead