How to Automate Ceridian Dayforce Data Export (No API Required)

Introduction

Ceridian Dayforce is a cloud HCM platform used for payroll, HR, time and attendance, benefits, and workforce management. While Dayforce offers some API and integration options, browser automation can serve as an effective alternative for exporting employee data, payroll runs, time and attendance reports, and workforce analytics when API access is limited or not available for your use case.

Why Use Browser Automation for Ceridian Dayforce Data Export?

• Limited or No API Access: Dayforce reporting and export features may not be fully exposed via a public or partner API for all modules
• Dashboard-Only Reports: Custom reports, workforce analytics, and payroll exports are often only available in the web portal
• Historical Data: Access older payroll, time, and HR data beyond API or manual export limits
• Custom Exports: Generate reports by date range, department, location, or employee when the portal doesn't offer an API
• Payroll and Tax: Export pay runs, tax documents, and deduction reports for accounting and compliance
• Time and Attendance: Pull timesheets, schedules, and labor data when no API is available
• Multi-Company or Multi-Location: Aggregate data across companies or locations that require portal access

Setting Up Ceridian Dayforce Data Export Automation

Here's how to automate data collection from Ceridian Dayforce using browser automation:

import { chromium } from 'playwright';

const response = await fetch("https://api.anchorbrowser.io/api/sessions", {
  method: "POST",
  headers: {
    "anchor-api-key": "YOUR_API_KEY",
    "Content-Type": "application/json",
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    'headless': false,
    'proxy': {
      'type': 'residential',
      'country': 'US'
    }
  }),
});

const { id } = await response.json();
const connectionString = `wss://connect.anchorbrowser.io?apiKey=YOUR_API_KEY&sessionId=${id}`;

const browser = await chromium.connectOverCDP(connectionString);
const context = browser.contexts()[0];
const ai = context.serviceWorkers()[0];
const page = context.pages()[0];

// Navigate to Ceridian Dayforce (your tenant URL)
await page.goto("https://yourcompany.dayforce.com");

// Login with AI agent
await ai.evaluate(JSON.stringify({
  prompt: 'Log in to Ceridian Dayforce using the provided credentials. Wait for the dashboard to fully load.'
}));

Exporting Employee and HR Data

Automate the export of employee and HR data from Dayforce:

const exportDayforceEmployees = async (page, ai, options) => {
  await ai.evaluate(JSON.stringify({
    prompt: 'Navigate to the Employee or Workforce section, then to the employee list or report builder'
  }));
  
  await ai.evaluate(JSON.stringify({
    prompt: `Apply filters if needed (e.g., department, location, status). Then run or export the report for ${options.reportType || 'employee data'}.`
  }));
  
  const download = await page.waitForEvent('download');
  return await download.path();
};

Exporting Payroll and Pay Runs

Export payroll runs and pay history when no API is available:

const exportDayforcePayroll = async (page, ai, dateRange) => {
  await ai.evaluate(JSON.stringify({
    prompt: 'Navigate to the Payroll section, then to Pay Runs or Payroll History'
  }));
  
  await ai.evaluate(JSON.stringify({
    prompt: `Set the date filter to ${dateRange.start} to ${dateRange.end}`
  }));
  
  await ai.evaluate(JSON.stringify({
    prompt: 'Click Export or Download, select CSV or Excel if available, and wait for the download to complete.'
  }));
  
  const download = await page.waitForEvent('download');
  return await download.path();
};

Time and Attendance Reports

Pull time and attendance data from Ceridian Dayforce:

const exportDayforceTimeData = async (page, ai, dateRange) => {
  await ai.evaluate(JSON.stringify({
    prompt: 'Navigate to the Time and Attendance or Time Management section'
  }));
  
  await ai.evaluate(JSON.stringify({
    prompt: `Set the date or pay period to ${dateRange.start} to ${dateRange.end}`
  }));
  
  await ai.evaluate(JSON.stringify({
    prompt: 'Export or download the timesheet or attendance report. Wait for the download to complete.'
  }));
  
  const download = await page.waitForEvent('download');
  return await download.path();
};

Tax Documents and Compliance Reports

Download tax documents and compliance reports:

const exportDayforceTaxReports = async (page, ai, reportType, yearOrPeriod) => {
  await ai.evaluate(JSON.stringify({
    prompt: 'Navigate to the Payroll Tax or Reports section'
  }));
  
  await ai.evaluate(JSON.stringify({
    prompt: `Select ${reportType} for ${yearOrPeriod} and trigger the export or download`
  }));
  
  const download = await page.waitForEvent('download');
  return await download.path();
};

Workforce and Scheduling Data

Extract workforce and scheduling data when only available in the portal:

const exportDayforceSchedules = async (page, ai, dateRange) => {
  await ai.evaluate(JSON.stringify({
    prompt: 'Navigate to the Scheduling or Workforce Management section'
  }));
  
  await ai.evaluate(JSON.stringify({
    prompt: `Filter by date range ${dateRange.start} to ${dateRange.end}`
  }));
  
  await ai.evaluate(JSON.stringify({
    prompt: 'Export the schedule or labor report. If there is an Export button, use it; otherwise extract the visible table as structured data.'
  }));
  
  const download = await page.waitForEvent('download');
  return await download.path();
};

Best Practices for Ceridian Dayforce Portal Automation

• Security: Use secure credential storage and support 2FA or SSO if Dayforce requires it
• PII and Payroll: Treat employee and payroll data as sensitive; ensure access controls and encryption
• Rate Limiting: Add delays between requests to avoid lockouts or triggering security controls
• Error Handling: Implement retries for transient failures and session timeouts
• Tenant URLs: Dayforce uses tenant-specific URLs (e.g., yourcompany.dayforce.com); configure for your instance
• Terms of Use: Comply with Ceridian's terms of use and any contractual restrictions on automated access

Handling Ceridian Dayforce Authentication

Dayforce often uses SSO or username/password. Example flow:

const handleDayforceAuth = async (page, ai, credentials, tenantUrl) => {
  await page.goto(tenantUrl || 'https://yourcompany.dayforce.com');
  
  await ai.evaluate(JSON.stringify({
    prompt: `Enter username: ${credentials.username} and password: ${credentials.password}, then click Login or Sign in`
  }));
  
  await ai.evaluate(JSON.stringify({
    prompt: 'If 2FA or verification is required, enter the code from the provided method. Choose "Remember this device" if offered.'
  }));
  
  await page.waitForLoadState('networkidle');
};

Resources

• Anchor Browser Documentation - Complete API reference and guides
• Anchor Browser Playground - Try browser automation in your browser

Conclusion

Browser automation provides a flexible alternative to Ceridian Dayforce API access for HR, payroll, time and attendance, and workforce data export. By using browser automation, you can automate data export when the Dayforce portal does not expose a full API for your needs. With attention to security and terms of use, you can streamline Dayforce data workflows.

Start automating your Ceridian Dayforce data collection and simplify your HCM reporting.