Workday Rising EMEA
Your Workday Rising EMEA Planning Guide: Sessions and Braindates
Introduction
Three days in Barcelona can fill your calendar faster than your question list.
Workday Rising EMEA runs 17 to 19 November 2026 at Fira Gran Via Nord, and the Session Scheduler is already open. Sessions fill quickly, so planning now matters.
This guide shows how to choose sessions, use Braindates and plan a Workday Pro exam. It adds what senior analysts said after Workday Rising in Las Vegas, and a short plan for turning your notes into tests when you are back at work.
Key takeaways
Workday Rising EMEA runs 17 to 19 November 2026 in Barcelona, with more than 200 sessions, so book your must-attend ones now.
Use Braindates for questions no session answers, by talking to peers and experts directly.
You can take a discounted Workday Pro exam on site, so check the exam details at registration.
Analysts see Sana, autopilot agents and governance as the big themes, so plan your sessions around them.
Turn your notes into a test and rollout plan within a week of returning.
Why Workday Rising EMEA planning matters now
What is on in Barcelona
According to Workday’s Rising EMEA page, the event is designed in EMEA, for EMEA. It includes keynotes, hands-on labs, Braindates, Pro exams and a Customer Appreciation Party on the final day. Listed speakers include Aneel Bhusri, Angelique De Vries-Schipperijn, Gerrit Kazmaier and Joel Hellermark. The page lists event pricing of €1,995.
What analysts said after Las Vegas
After Workday Rising 2026 in Las Vegas, Constellation Research’s Holger Mueller said Workday had achieved its goal of making Sana the entry point for all its users. Josh Bersin wrote that he spoke with dozens of customers keen to deploy agents that really work, and that Workday had replaced its user experience with Workday Sana. Expect sessions on Sana, agents and governance to fill first.
The partner ecosystem
Partners are part of the story. Workday’s recent announcements involve Anthropic and Cisco, and consultancies such as Accenture publish their own Rising EMEA session lists.
Why the next few weeks matter
Sessions fill quickly, and the best Braindates go early. Planning in the next week or two leaves time to book sessions, conversations and an exam slot.
Example: a two-person plan for three days
Illustrative, not a real customer.
An HRIS lead and a payroll analyst from the same company attend together. Before travel, each writes three questions: one about Sana, one about autopilot agents and one about release readiness. They book sessions that answer those questions and add two Workday Braindates on testing and agent governance.
The analyst also plans a Workday Pro certification exam slot. They split the sessions so they cover different rooms, then spend ten minutes each evening comparing notes. On the journey home they turn their notes into a test list and share it with their team.
A three-day plan
Day | Focus | What to book | Capture for testing |
|---|---|---|---|
Tue 17 Nov | Orient and connect | Welcome celebration, Express Labs, first Braindates | Contacts and your question list |
Wed 18 Nov | Learn | Innovation Keynote, persona keynote, product strategy sessions, hands-on labs | Features you may enable, with dates |
Thu 19 Nov | Connect and certify | Community Keynote, Braindates, a Pro exam slot | Peer practices and exam outcome |
Week after | Convert notes | A 60-minute team review | Owners, security roles, approvals and cost alerts |
How PeopleFlow helps
The best session notes are the ones that become tests. Rising gives you a list of features to try; PeopleFlow helps you check them before users see them. Our no-code Workday testing includes 1000+ pre-built tests for HCM, Payroll, Finance and Integrations, so you can protect core processes while you pilot something new. Our Workday AI agents cover Configuration, Report, Support, Testing and Integration. See the Workday testing page and the AI agents page. PeopleFlow is a Workday Innovation Silver Partner.
Frequently asked questions
When and where is Workday Rising EMEA 2026?
Workday Rising EMEA runs 17 to 19 November 2026 at Fira Gran Via Nord in Barcelona, Spain. Workday describes it as designed in EMEA, for EMEA. The agenda includes keynotes, breakout sessions, hands-on labs, Braindates, Pro exams and a Customer Appreciation Party on 19 November.
What are Braindates at Workday Rising?
Braindates are scheduled conversations that connect peers and experts working on the same challenges. You propose a topic or join someone else’s, then meet for a focused chat in person. They suit questions no keynote answers, such as how another team handles testing, access or rollout.
Can I take a Workday Pro certification exam at Rising EMEA?
Workday says attendees can take a discounted Workday Pro certification exam at the event, and the agenda lists Workday Pro Exams on days two and three. Check the registration page for which exams are offered, the price and any limit per attendee, because details can differ from the US event.
How should I prepare for Workday Rising EMEA?
Book your must-attend sessions in the Session Scheduler, because they fill quickly. List three questions for the week, request two or three Braindates, and decide your exam slot. Agree beforehand who in your team covers which sessions, and set a date to turn notes into a test and rollout plan.
Conclusion
Workday Rising EMEA rewards a plan: book sessions early, use Braindates for the questions only peers can answer, and decide your exam slot. Analysts point to Sana, agents and governance as the themes. Whatever you learn in Barcelona, write it down, assign owners and test it before users see it. When you are ready to turn notes into checks, try PeopleFlow yourself or book a short demo.
