Stop Asking for a Report. Start Specifying the Format.

This one blindsided me completely. I got the following Slack message from our SVP of HR:

"Can you pull together a turnover dashboard for the board meeting? Just Q2 numbers by region - location, quarter, voluntary vs. involuntary splits."

Should be easy, right? I'd figured out the object-first approach, role context, and Workday action verbs. This was going to be a quick win. 

When a survey of options isn’t what I need

I fired off the following into Mando:

"As an HRIS Analyst, create a turnover report showing Worker terminations by Location."

Here was the response.

Technically perfect but not what I needed. I soon learned this is because I didn’t ask for the right output.

The response provided a comprehensive overview of Workday's turnover analysis capabilities:

• People Analytics "Retention and Attrition" topic

• "Trending Terminations by Location" worklets

• "Attrition Prediction" reports in Peakon Employee Voice

• Custom reporting with "Organizations I Support or Manage" data source

• Calculated fields for headcount and terminations

• "Trended Workers" data source with built-in prompts

All technically accurate.

But here's the problem: I didn't need a survey of options. I needed step-by-step instructions to build one specific deliverable for a board meeting.

The response gave me a knowledge base article when what I needed was a configuration walkthrough. It was like asking for directions to the airport and getting a travel brochure about transportation methods. The latter is perfect for someone exploring Workday's capabilities but unhelpful for someone who needed to deliver clean summary data in 20 minutes.

The one word that changed everything

Here's what I tried next:

"As an HRIS Analyst, create a matrix report showing termination counts by Location and Calendar Quarter, with voluntary vs. involuntary breakouts."

That single word — matrix — completely transformed Mando’s response:

Now I got actionable, step-by-step configuration guidance:

• Set up the matrix structure: Location as row grouping, Calendar Quarter as column grouping

• Handle the voluntary/involuntary split: Use Termination Category for columns, or create an Evaluate Expression calculated field for cleaner headers

• Optimize performance: Use "Business Process Transactions (Indexed)" data source instead of the unindexed "Terminations" source

• Configure aggregation: Define summarization fields to capture termination counts

• Set up time grouping: Use time-based grouping for the Calendar Quarter columns

Same underlying business need, but now instead of getting a survey of Workday's capabilities, I got a deployment checklist.

The difference wasn't just instructional format - it was the level of technical detail. Mando told me which data source would perform better, how to clean up column headers, and even provided the exact IF-THEN logic for the calculated field.

Those weren't things I would have thought to ask for separately. But because I specified matrix format, the AI knew I needed executive-level aggregation and walked me through every implementation detail.

Why output format actually matters

The difference isn't cosmetic. It's functional.

• Advanced reports default to row-by-row details because they're built for data exploration. You get every record that matches your filters.

• Matrix reports default to cross-tabulated summaries because they're built for pattern recognition. You get aggregated totals across two dimensions.

• Trending reports track changes over time periods because they're built for longitudinal analysis. You get performance trajectories and historical patterns.

• Composite reports combine multiple data sources in a single view because they're built for comprehensive analysis. You get related information that spans different business objects.

When you don't specify format, AI defaults to Advanced reports — the most flexible option. But flexibility isn't what you need when you're presenting to executives who want to see trends at a glance.

This is why "create a report" gets you data, but "create a matrix report" gets you insights.

Your response format decision tree

• Need individual employee details? → Advanced Report

• Need aggregated summaries? → Matrix Report

• Need data from multiple sources? → Composite Report

• Need time-series analysis? → Trending Report

• Need a field in an existing report? → Calculated Field

Most prompts default to Advanced because it's the most flexible. But when you're delivering to executives, flexibility is the enemy of clarity.

Here's the thing about AI and format specificity: it's not just about getting different output. It's about triggering different reasoning patterns.

When I said "create a report," Mando assumed I wanted to explore the data — so it optimized for completeness and detail. Every terminated employee, every field, maximum flexibility.

When I said "create a matrix report," Mando knew I wanted to present the data — so it optimized for patterns and aggregation. Summary counts, clean groupings, executive-ready format.

Same underlying request. The AI just applied completely different logic about what "useful" meant.

The complete prompt structure (so far)

By now, if you've been following this series, you know the framework:

• Start with the object (e.g., Worker, Job Requisition, Position)

• Set your role ("As a Compensation Analyst...")

• Use a Workday-native verb (create, build, derive...)

• Specify the output format (matrix report, dashboard widget, calculated field)

Each piece builds on the last one. Object gives you the right data source. Role gives you the right perspective. Verb gives you the right action. Format gives you the right deliverable.

Going back to my example, I rebuilt the report as a matrix, exported to Excel, and had clean summary data on the SVP's desk in 20 minutes. The difference wasn't better Workday knowledge. It was telling the AI exactly what deliverable format I needed for my audience.

Format phrases that work

Here's your cheat sheet for the most common format requests:

• For executive summaries: "Create a matrix report showing..."

• For detailed analysis: "Create an advanced report listing..."

• For dashboard display: "Build a widget showing..."

• For embedding in other reports: "Create a calculated field that displays..."

• For Excel export: "Format as a table with..."

The key is matching the format to your audience. Executives want aggregated trends. Analysts want detailed records. Managers want actionable lists.

Try this right now

Take any recent prompt you've used — something like:

"Show me headcount trends by organization."

Now add format specificity:

"As a Reporting Analyst, create a matrix report showing active headcount by Supervisory Organization over the past four quarters. Include subtotals and format for dashboard display."

You're not just asking for data anymore. You're asking for exactly the view your stakeholders need.

The takeaway here is that format isn't an afterthought. It might be the difference between raw data and something your SVP actually presents to the board.

What's next

In our next post, we're diving into constraint stacking — how to filter for precisely the population you care about without overwhelming your prompt.

We'll transform "Find underpaid employees" into precisely the set of employees that satisfy your requirements. But for now, try adding just one word to specify the format in your next Mando prompt. For example:

"Create a matrix report..."