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Quarterly Financial Statement Roll Forwards Very Time Consuming

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Hello,

There are several time consuming tasks that my organization has to perform manually every quarter and I'm wondering if there are either automated or AI solutions to perform the tasks.  The two most time consuming tasks are:

1) Manually renaming each financial statement file from the previous quarter.  Since there are hundreds of financial statements, this process takes a bit of time and seems like something that can be automated.  We have to manually update the file name from "Q2-26" to "Q3-26", etc. every quarter as well as removing the "(1)" or "(2)" that appears at the end of every file.

2) Copying specific columns to new columns either within the same document or from a separate spreadsheet.  This applies primarily to our statement of cash flows, balance sheet and income statement spreadsheets.  We have different copying procedures based on the financial statement but ultimately it's copying one column from one sheet to another, but across hundreds of spreadsheets.

Is any of this doable?  I've seen the Workiva AI button but wasn't quite sure if it could handle these types of tasks.  Any info would be great, I'm looking forward to hearing back.

Eric

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  • Mike Davis

    Hi Eric,

    Thanks for the question. Happy to help here.

    Task 1: Bulk Renaming Financial Statement Files
    The Workiva AI button is not designed for file renaming — but there are two solid options.
     
    Option A — Bulk Replace (Built-in Feature)
    Workiva's Bulk Replace (Find & Replace) allows you to find and replace text across Documents, Spreadsheets, and Presentations in a single click. You can include or exclude links and formulas. This would let you replace "Q2-26" with "Q3-26" across content within files.
    Important caveat: Bulk Replace works on content inside files — it does not rename the file names themselves in Home.
     
    Option B — Workiva Platform API
    To programmatically rename the actual file names across hundreds of spreadsheets, the Workiva Platform API (GET /files + PATCH endpoint) can retrieve file metadata and update names in bulk. This can be automated via Chains (Workiva's no-code automation workflow builder) or via scripting. This is the recommended approach for bulk file renaming at scale.

    Task 2: Copying Columns Between Spreadsheets

    This is also achievable — here are your options.
     
    Option A — Chains + "Write Sheet Data" Command
    Workiva Chains support a Write Sheet Data and Overwrite Sheet Data command, which can write CSV data into a specific region of a spreadsheet sheet. This can be set up to copy column data from one spreadsheet/sheet to another programmatically across hundreds of files — and can be scheduled to run automatically each quarter.
     
    Option B — Workiva Spreadsheets API
    The Spreadsheets Sheet Data Guide enables reading cell data and writing values programmatically across multiple ranges in a single request. This is ideal for complex multi-spreadsheet column transfer workflows.
     
    Option C — Excel Sync (for specific scenarios)
    If columns A-B come from one source and C-D from another, Workiva supports syncing multiple Excel files into one Workiva spreadsheet using multiple syncs.
    Note: There is currently no native Workiva connector command to copy a full sheet with formatting, formulas, and locked cells intact — but a workaround exists via an HTTP POST API call. 
    What about Workiva AI?
    Workiva AI is not designed for file renaming or bulk data movement. It's built for things like intelligent analysis, disclosure generation, and insights — not operational automation tasks like these.

    Recommended Next Step
    Both use cases would benefit from a Data Management Practice (DMP) scoping conversation to design the right Chains/API solution. We suggest you connect with your CSM to request a DMS/DMP engagement.
     
    Let me know if you have any follow-ups for me or need anything else. Cheers!
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  • Eric Sanchez

    Are all of these solutions built into the platform or do I have to pay for additional services?

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  • Mike Davis

    Hi Eric!

    From the top down, Workiva's Public APIs are available to customers and do not require a separate add-on for standard use. There are rate limits and storage/querying limits that apply by subscription level. Note: Scripting (a more advanced API use case) requires the "Customize Workiva" add-on.

    Chains requires Wdata which is included as part of any "Connected" subscription,. i.e. Workspace type. It can be added to an existing solution that is not "connected" today. Additional connectors or services also do require additional setup too.

    Workiva Sync is available at no extra cost and does not require any additional licenses. It is a Microsoft Office Add-in and does not require customers to accept any additional Terms and Conditions beyond the standard Workiva Platform terms.

    Workiva AI is included in the platform today. Customer do need to sign the Workiva AI Terms of Use to activate it and then can be enabled by your admins after that. More advanced AI capabilities (e.g., Intelligent Finance, Intelligent GRC, Intelligent Sustainability, etc.) do require more add-ons.

    Let me know if you have any questions on the above, or if you need anything else. Cheers!

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  • Eric Sanchez

    Can you please provide detailed instructions on how to achieve all the requested tasks using the Workiva API?  I'm brand new to all of this and would like step by step instructions on how to bulk rename and perform bulk copy and paste between multiple sheets.

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  • Mike Davis

    Sure thing, Eric. Here goes!

    Important Limitations to Know
    Before diving in, there are two key limitations with the Workiva API for these use cases:
    • - Bulk rename: There is no single "bulk rename" API endpoint. You would need to call the Update Sheet endpoint individually for each sheet.
    • - Bulk copy between spreadsheets: The API currently only supports copying one sheet at a time. There is no API endpoint to copy a full spreadsheet. Also note: copying a full spreadsheet between files via a right-click in the UI is not supported either.
    That said, follow these steps for initiating a Workiva API.
     

    Step 1: Set Up API Access (Prerequisites)

    You must be a Workspace Owner to complete this step.

    1. Click your user icon (top right of Workiva) → select Workspace Settings
    2. Go to the Security tab → click Create API Grant
    3. Fill in:
      - Client Name (any label you choose)
      - Workiva Username the grant will act on behalf of
      - Client Type: OAuth2 Client Credentials
      - Scopes: Select the permissions needed (e.g., spreadsheets read/write)
      - Set an Expiry date → click Add Grant
    4. Copy your Client ID and Client Secret immediately — the secret is only shown once.


    Step 2: Get a Bearer Token (Authentication)

    Before making any API calls, you need an access token:

    - Endpoint: POST https://api.app.wdesk.com/iam/v1/oauth2/token
     (For EU use api.eu.wdesk.com, APAC use api.apac.wdesk.com)
    - Header: Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded
    - Body:
     - grant_type: client_credentials
     - client_id: [your Client ID]
     - client_secret: [your full Client Secret, e.g. wk_secret:oa2c:xxxxx]

    The token returned is valid for ~*10 minutes*. You'll need to refresh it for longer operations.

    Step 3: Rename Sheets (Repeated Per Sheet)

    Use the Update Sheet endpoint. You'll need:
    - Your Spreadsheet ID (found in the Workiva URL)
    - The Sheet ID of the sheet you want to rename
    Header: Authorization: Bearer {your_token}
    Body (JSON): 
    json
    { "name": "Your New Sheet Name" }
    Each SheetUpdate request can only have one update field per request — sending multiple fields at once will return a 400 Bad Request error.

    Repeat this call for each sheet you want to rename.

    Step 4: Copy a Sheet (One at a Time)

    Use the Copy Sheet endpoint. You'll need the source Spreadsheet ID and Sheet ID:
    This copies the sheet including formatting, formulas, and locked cells. You can specify a destination spreadsheet in the request body.

    Known issue: If you copy sheets in the wrong order and a sheet references another sheet by name (e.g., in a VLOOKUP), the formula may break. To avoid this, Copy the referenced sheet first, then the formula sheet.

    Recommended Tool for Testing API Calls

    For beginners, we recommend using Bruno (a free API client) to test your calls before automating:
    These guides walk you through importing Workiva's API collection and authenticating end-to-end.

    The full Workiva Developer Portal is also available at: developers.workiva.com

    Hopefully this info helps some. Holler if you have any questions!
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  • Eric Sanchez
    • Edytowano

    Can I schedule a call with someone to go over the above?  I'm not familiar with a lot of these tools and I'd like to confirm that my requests can be addressed through the platform based on how we currently perform the roll forward.  I'd like to not waste time setting everything up to ultimately find out that there is a nuance that prevents me from being able to do what I'm requesting.

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  • Mike Davis

    Eric Sanchez sorry for the delay.

    An option you have is contacting Customer Support and chatting with an engineer there. Otherwise you could reach out to your CSM and have them setup some time with some experts to chat. Let me know what you think or if you need any help getting in touch with folks.

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