Integration: Overview
Insight integrates with external systems to keep your organizational data up to date and to allow you to build on top of your engagement data. All integrations are automated — once configured, they run without manual involvement.
Integration types
Insight supports three types of integrations:
| Customer Systems | Brilliant Future |
|
HR system (direct integration) Hailey HR ⋅ Alexis HR ⋅ more coming Employee & organisational data via API |
Direct API ⇒ |
Direct Integration (API) Real-time sync of employee data |
|
HR system (SFTP export) Any HR system with scheduled file export Scheduled automatic file export |
SFTP ⇒ |
SFTP Server Scheduled automatic file import |
|
BI / Dashboard Power BI ⋅ Tableau ⋅ Intranet Pull engagement data into your tools |
REST API ⇐ |
Public REST API Fetch results and insights |
| Type | Direction | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| Direct integration | HR system → Insight | Insight connects directly to your HR system's API and syncs data on a schedule |
| Integration through SFTP | HR system → SFTP → Insight | Your HR system exports a file to a secure SFTP server, Insight picks it up automatically |
| Public API | Insight → Your system | You pull engagement data (surveys, results, groups) from Insight into your own tools |
All three are fully automated integrations. Direct and SFTP bring organizational data into Insight. The Public API lets you read engagement data out of Insight.
Direct integration
A direct integration means Insight connects to your HR system's API and automatically fetches employee and organizational data on a configured schedule.
How it works:
- Insight calls your HR system's API on a schedule (e.g., daily)
- Employee data, departments, and manager relationships are fetched
- Fields are mapped to Insight attributes (using standard or custom mapping)
- Organization rules run automatically to rebuild the group structure
What gets synced:
- Employee data — name, email, phone, birth date, hire date, gender, active status
- Organization structure — departments, locations, teams, legal entities
- Relationships — manager-employee links
- Custom fields — any additional fields your HR system provides
Custom field mapping: You can configure exactly which fields from the HR system map to which attributes in Insight. This includes standard fields (name, email, department) and custom/company-specific fields. Each mapping specifies a source field, a target attribute, and a data type (user, group, or group relation).
Currently supported HR systems
|
HR system |
Group structure |
Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Alexis HR | Department-based hierarchy | Departments imported as groups with parent-child structure. Supports divisions, cost centers, and offices |
| Hailey HR | Manager-based hierarchy |
Groups built from reporting lines — each manager becomes a group. Supports departments, locations, legal entities, titles, and teams |
To request a direct integration with another HR system, contact your Brilliant representative.
Integration through SFTP
An SFTP integration is a fully automated, file-based integration. Your HR system exports a data file to a secure SFTP server on a schedule, and Insight picks it up automatically — no manual steps involved.
How it works:
- Your HR system runs a scheduled export job (e.g., nightly)
- The job writes a CSV/delimited file to Insight's SFTP server
- Insight picks up the file on its own schedule
- The file is parsed using configured column mapping
- Employee and organizational data is imported
- Organization rules run automatically to rebuild the group structure
Configuration:
- SFTP server address, folder, and credentials (provided by Brilliant)
- Column definitions — which columns in the file map to which Insight attributes
This is a true integration, not a manual process. Once the scheduled export is configured in your HR system, data flows automatically without any human involvement.
HR systems that support automated SFTP export
Most modern HR systems can be configured to automatically export employee data to an external SFTP server on a schedule. Below is an overview of verified systems and their capabilities:
| HR system | SFTP export | REST API | Setup | Limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAP SuccessFactors | Yes — Integration Center + Job Scheduler | Yes (OData + SOAP) | All HCM Suite licenses. SFTP account via support case (2–4 weeks) | Customer SFTP supports password only (no SSH key). Max 2 GB |
| Workday | Yes — EIB delivers on schedule to external SFTP | Yes (REST + OAuth 2.0) | All HCM licenses with EIB access. Requires ISU role and Custom Report | Requires technical setup. Max 250 MB (can be raised) |
| Visma HR+ | Yes — SSRS reports scheduled for SFTP delivery | Yes (OData) | Included in HR+ license. Configured via Payroll Automation | Primarily focused on payroll reports |
| HiBob | Yes — scheduled reports to SFTP or S3 | Yes (REST) | All plans. Configured under Settings → Integrations | SSH keys without passphrase required. openSSH key requires HiBob Support |
| Sympa HR | Yes — automated Data Change Export, daily to SFTP | Yes (REST) | Marketplace add-on with separate monthly fee | CSV designed for manual review — may need adaptation |
| UKG (Ultimate Kronos) | Yes — standard method for outbound data export | Yes (REST) | Enterprise license. Often requires UKG consultants | Custom integrations = additional cost |
| ADP Workforce Now | Yes — via Automatic Export Service (AES) | Yes (REST) | Ongoing monthly fee. Setup 3–4 weeks via Statement of Work | Report must be named Employee-Census.csv. Max 250 MB |
If your HR system supports scheduled file exports (CSV, Excel, or delimited), it can almost certainly be integrated with Insight through SFTP. Contact your Brilliant representative to set it up.
Detailed per-system information
SAP SuccessFactors
SuccessFactors can export data to external SFTP via two main paths: (1) Scheduled Job Manager in Admin Center for employee export jobs, and (2) Integration Center for custom OData-based extracts with SFTP as destination. Report Distributor can also schedule reports directly to SFTP.
| Requirements | SFTP account must be created via support case under LOD-SF-PLT-FTPS. Setup typically takes 2–4 weeks. Available for all HCM Suite customers. |
| Format | CSV, TXT, XML, EDI/Stacked (via Integration Center). CSV and TXT for classic jobs. |
| Security | SFTP over SSH (port 22). PGP encryption supported. Customer's SFTP supports password-based login only (no SSH key to customer-hosted SFTP). |
| Max file size | 2 GB. |
| SFTP access | No partnership required. Configured by the customer's admin in Integration Center or Job Manager. |
| API access | OData API is accessible via customer credentials. Third-party vendors building a product integration should register with the SAP partner program for sandbox access and official support. |
Workday
Workday uses Enterprise Interface Builder (EIB) to create scheduled outbound integrations. A Custom Report is built with desired fields and connected to an EIB configured to deliver the file to a specified external SFTP server. The SFTP address, directory, user ID, and authentication method are set in the EIB Deliver step. The schedule is configured via Launch/Schedule (daily, weekly, monthly, etc.).
| Requirements | ISU role (Integration System User), permission to create Custom Reports and EIB. Available for all Workday HCM license levels. |
| Format | CSV (recommended), JSON, XML, GData, RSS. |
| Security | SSH key-based authentication, optional PGP encryption. |
| Max file size | 250 MB by default, can be raised via support. |
| SFTP access | No partnership required. Configured entirely by the customer's Workday admin — they point the EIB job at your SFTP server. You provide host, port, and credentials; they do the rest. |
| API access | Formal partnership agreement required for third-party vendors. Sandbox access is also gated. Alternative: use a unified API layer such as Merge or Apideck, which have existing Workday partnerships. |
Visma HR+
Visma HR+ uses SSRS (SQL Server Reporting Services) as its report engine. Reports can be scheduled for automatic distribution to external SFTP via Payroll Automation.
| Requirements | Included in HR+ license. Configuration of SSRS reports and Payroll Automation. |
| Format | Reports in standard formats. CSV via general interface. |
| Note | Primarily focused on payroll reports. Messagebus integration available for broader data synchronisation. |
| SFTP access | No partnership required. Configured by the customer's admin via SSRS and Payroll Automation. |
| API access | Open OData API accessible via customer credentials. No vendor partnership required. |
HiBob
HiBob can send scheduled reports directly to an external SFTP server. A custom report is created under Analytics → Reports, an SFTP destination is configured under Settings → Integrations with host, port, directory and authentication, and the report is scheduled for automatic delivery.
| Requirements | Account Admin permission. All HiBob plans support SFTP export. Requires openSSH key pair without passphrase (HiBob Support assists with setup). |
| Format | CSV, XLSX, JSON. |
| Limitation | Standard SFTP in HiBob is password-based; openSSH requires contact with HiBob Support. Passphrases on keys are not supported. |
| SFTP access | No partnership required. Configured by the customer's admin under Settings → Integrations. |
| API access | Fully open — no partnership required. Customer creates a service user and shares credentials. Partnership program is optional and only needed to list the integration in HiBob's marketplace. |
Sympa HR
Sympa automatically exports data changes to an SFTP folder via its Automated Data Change Export product. Files are generated once per night and placed at an SFTP destination. Sympa also has ready-made payroll connectors that deliver data to SFTP.
| Requirements | Marketplace add-on product with separate monthly fee (billed annually). |
| Format | Standardised CSV with delta changes. Can be split per country or entity. |
| Limitation | CSV files designed for manual review — not guaranteed compatible with all third-party systems directly. |
| SFTP access | No partnership required. Configured by the customer once the add-on is activated. |
| API access | Open REST API accessible via customer credentials. No vendor partnership required. |
ADP Workforce Now
ADP can export scheduled reports to external SFTP via the Automatic Export Service (AES). A Custom Report is created in ADP, the ADP representative is contacted to activate AES via a Statement of Work, and ADP configures the automatic export to the specified SFTP destination.
| Requirements | Ongoing monthly fee to ADP for AES. Setup takes 3–4 weeks. One-time fee ~$200–300 for server setup. |
| Format | CSV. Report must be named exactly Employee-Census.csv. Associate ID is a mandatory field. |
| Security | SSH key (provided by ADP). Optional PGP encryption. |
| SFTP access | No partnership required. ADP configures the export on the customer's behalf via a Statement of Work. |
| API access | Requires a developer agreement with ADP. Lighter process than Workday but still a formal step before sandbox access is granted. |
UKG (Ultimate Kronos Group)
UKG's cloud solutions use SFTP file transfers as the standard method for exporting data to external systems. The Data Extraction Tool makes UKG Dimensions data available via scheduled export to SFTP. Dell Boomi iPaaS is used for more advanced integrations.
| Requirements | Enterprise license. Often requires UKG Services consultants for implementation. |
| Format | CSV, TXT, XML. |
| Limitation | Custom integrations = additional cost. PGP encryption and SFTP required for compliance. |
| SFTP access | No partnership required. Configured by the customer's admin or UKG implementation team. |
| API access | No formal partnership program, but enterprise-grade in practice. Integrations typically involve UKG's professional services team for initial setup. |
Public API
The Public API is an integration for reading engagement data out of Insight. Unlike the HR integrations (which bring data in), the API lets you pull survey results, group structures, and engagement metrics into your own systems.
Common use cases:
- Display engagement data in BI dashboards (Power BI, Tableau, Looker)
- Build custom reports and exports
- Automate engagement monitoring and alerts
- Correlate engagement data with other business metrics
What you can access:
- Organization structure (groups and categories)
- Surveys and their status
- Aggregated survey results per group, index, and question
- Indexes and questions with localized names
For details, see the API documentation.
How integrations run
All integrations (except the Public API, which is on-demand) run on a configurable schedule:
- The integration fetches data from the source (API call or file pickup)
- Data is mapped using the configured field mapping
- Users, groups, and relationships are created or updated in Insight
- Organization rules run automatically after import to rebuild the group structure.
Each integration tracks its last run time and status. Integrations can also be triggered manually or tested before enabling scheduled runs.
Setting up an integration
To set up or modify an integration, contact your Brilliant representative. They will:
- Determine the best integration type for your HR system
- Configure the connection and field mapping
- Set up the sync schedule
- Test the connection and run an initial import
- Verify the organizational structure in Insight