From ESG Program, you can use Find and replace to quickly apply the same change to the details of multiple metrics or their data collection tasks at once, rather than edit each one individually.
For example, you can use Find and replace to:
- Add or remove details across multiple metrics or tasks, such as a custom tag
- Replace a specific entry for a detail, such as to replace the approver or assignee of multiple tasks based on personnel changes
- Replace all entries for a detail regardless of its current state, such as to update metrics' requirements for notes or supporting attachments, or tasks' full approval workflows
Step 1. Select details to update
To start, choose whether to update details about metrics or their tasks:
- From ESG Program, select Find and replace:
- To update metrics from multiple topics, select Program overview in the outline, then click Find and replace
- To update metrics or tasks within the same topic or metric, select the topic or metric — respectively — in the outline, then select Find and replace from its menu.
- To update metrics from multiple topics, select Program overview in the outline, then click Find and replace
- Select whether to update details for metrics or their values' tasks.
To perform these updates, select Metric details:
Detail Add Replace Remove Replace all Topic Metric description Reference attachment Program tag Require notes Require supporting attachments Note: To update metrics' value type, unit of measurement, frequency, dimensions, or Related ESG content references, contact your Workiva Customer Success Manager (CSM) for assistance.
To perform these updates, select Task details:
Detail Add Replace Remove Replace all Assignee Assignee due date Approver Approver due date Approval steps (approvers and due dates)
Instructions
Note: You can update tasks only when they aren't yet Completed.
Step 2. Find metrics or tasks to update
In Find, apply filters to search ESG Program for the metrics or tasks to update.
Note: If you select Find and replace from a topic or metric, the results automatically filter to the metrics or tasks of that topic or metric. You can adjust these filters if necessary.
To find the metrics to update:
- Click Add filter, and specify the metrics' criteria:
Filter Finds metrics based on Has reference attachments Whether they contain reference attachments, such as sample formulas or PDFs of framework guidance Metric description A specific keyword or exact phrasing within their descriptions Metric name A specific keyword or exact phrasing within their names Program tags A specific custom tag Tip: To find metrics that include at least one of multiple tags, click Add another Program tag to apply an additional filter.
Require notes Whether they require notes for their values' data collection Require supporting attachments Whether they require supporting attachments — such as calculations or utility bills — for their values' data collection Topic The specific topic they support Tip: To find metrics from multiple topics, click Add another Topic to apply an additional filter.
Note: If you select Find and replace from a topic's menu, a Topic filter automatically applies to include that topic's metrics.
Unit The unit of measurement used with their Text, Percent, or Currency values Tip: To find metrics based on multiple units of measurement, click Add another Unit to apply an additional filter.
Value type The type of values collected, such as Number, Text, or Currency Tip: To find metrics based on multiple types of values, click Add another Value type to apply an additional filter.
Tip: To remove a filter and its criteria, click Remove filter
. - After you add all filters, click Find to return the metrics that meet their criteria.
To find the tasks to update:
- Select the Program year and collection period of the tasks' values.
- Click Add filter, and specify the tasks' criteria:
Filter Finds tasks based on Approver A specific workspace member assigned to approve their values Tip: To find tasks assigned to one of multiple approvers, click Add another Approver to apply an additional filter. For tasks without an approver, select No approver.
Approver due date When approvers should verify their values Tip: To find tasks without an approver due date, apply the filter with no date range entered.
Assignee A specific workspace member assigned to prepare their values Assignee due date When assignees should complete their values' data collection Tip: To find tasks without an assignee due date, apply the filter with no date range entered.
Dimension A specific custom dimension value applied to the values collected, such as for a specific site of a Location dimension Has reference attachments Whether their metrics they collect values for have reference material — such as sample formulas or regulatory requirements — attached Has supporting attachments Whether their values have supporting material — such as calculations or utility bills — attached Metric The specific metric they collect values for Metric description A specific keyword or exact phrasing within their metrics' descriptions Metric name A specific keyword or exact phrasing within their metrics' names Notes A specific keyword or exact phrasing within notes provided for their values Program tags A specific custom tag applied to their metrics Task instructions A specific keyword or exact phrasing within the instructions provided for their assignees and approvers Task name A specific keyword or exact phrasing with their names Task status The status of tasks' data collection
Note: You can find — but not update — tasks with Completed values.
Topic The specific topic their metrics collect values for - After you add all filters, click Find to return the tasks that meet their criteria.
Step 3. Replace, add, or remove details
To update the metrics or tasks:
- In Results, select the metrics or tasks to update.
Tip: To download the full results as a comma-separated values (CSV) file, such as to share with others at your company, click Export.
- In Replace, select the change to perform.
To append an entry or text string, perform an Add.
Tip: For metrics, you can add a reference attachment, tag, or text to their descriptions; for tasks, you can add text to their instructions.
- In Change, select Add.
- In Field, select the detail to update, then specify the entry or text string to add to it.
Note: When you add to Metric description or Instructions, the new string appends to the end of the existing text.
To delete an entry or text string, perform a Remove.
Tip: For metrics, you can remove a specific tag or text from their descriptions; for tasks, an approver or text from their instructions.
- In Change, select Remove.
- In Field, select the detail to update, then specify the entry or text string to remove from it.
To replace a specific entry or string within a detail with a new entry or string, perform a Replace.
Note: To replace a detail in full — such as every entry, its complete text, or an approval workflow — regardless of its current state, perform a Replace all instead.
Tip: For metrics, you can replace their topic, tag, or text within their descriptions; for tasks, an assignee, approver, due date, or text within their instructions.
- In Change, select Replace.
- In Field, select the detail to update, then specify the current entry or string to replace within the detail.
- In Replace with, specify the new entry or string to use instead.
To replace a detail in full — such as every entry or its complete text — regardless of its current state, perform a Replace all.
Note: To replace only a specific entry or string within a details, perform a Replace instead.
Tip: For metrics, you can replace their topics, descriptions, tags, or requirements for notes or supporting attachments; for topics, you can replace their assignees or their due dates, approval steps, or instructions.
- In Change, select Replace all.
- In Field, select the detail to update, then specify the entry or text string to use instead.
Tip: To replace all approvers or their due dates for tasks, select Approval steps, and set up the full approval workflow, including its approvers, steps, and due dates.
- In Change, select Add.
- Click Update all.
After the update completes, the results refresh to reflect the change and any potential errors.
Note: To apply another update to the metrics or tasks, click Find again to return only those that meet the filters' criteria.
Troubleshooting
If Find and replace can't apply a change, the affected metric or task appears selected in Results after the update. To help troubleshoot, click Error for information or suggested resolution.
To resolve an error, you may need to:
- Verify the metric or task has all details required for the update; for example, Find and replace can't update Approver due date for a task with no approvers.
- If updating tasks, ensure their status is not already Complete.
- Simply click Update all again, for errors caused by a network connectivity issue.