Building a Streamlined Workday Adaptive Planning Model Across a Multi‑Market Health System

This large, multi-market healthcare system continued its Workday journey by moving from an Oracle planning solution to Workday Adaptive, selecting Protiviti to lead the implementation.

The challenge

The organization had several operational inefficiencies in their legacy planning system and process. Manual workflows and Excel files operated outside a centralized system, and planning methods varied across markets and corporate departments. Compressed quarterly timelines meant high-level forecasting instead of detailed, cost center-level planning. Resource limitations during financial close periods further slowed progress and consistency.

The solution

Protiviti designed the Adaptive solution with a clear focus on long-term value and standardization. The team applied Adaptive methodology tailored to the client, avoiding a lift-and-shift approach, to reduce technical debt and support future standardization. Cross-functional involvement helped drive adoption, while a flexible staffing model allowed members of the internal finance team to assume select project responsibilities. Close coordination with Workday’s Success Management team supported a smooth deployment.

Program execution highlights

During blueprinting, the project established a centralized budget methodology that markets could adopt consistently. Active participation from both large markets and corporate leadership built sponsorship for new budgeting and forecasting practices. Protiviti provided ongoing project stewardship and supported the internal validation steps needed to align methodologies across the system.

The results

The implementation created a more standardized and streamlined planning process within Adaptive, replacing fragmented, manual activities with a unified platform. The client is now enabled with a modern financial planning platform that drives leading-practice design, with engaged and bought-in cross-functional users. The centralized design is sustainable and supports the organization’s continued growth and global expansion. The design choices made during this phase positioned the organization for future automation and scalability, while strong collaboration among Protiviti, client stakeholders, and Workday contributed to a successful deployment.