Workiva

Workiva, Inc.

Company type	Public
Industry	Software-as-a-service (SaaS), Enterprise software
Predecessor	WebFilings LLC
Founded	August 2008 (2008-08)
Founder	Martin Vanderploeg and five others
Headquarters	Ames , United States
Area served	International
Key people	Julie Iskow (CEO)
Products	Wdesk, Wdata, W for ESEF, AuditNet, Sustain.Life
Website	workiva.com

Workiva, Inc. is an international provider of software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions, offering a cloud-based connected reporting and compliance platform designed to streamline data integration across finance, accounting, risk management, and regulatory compliance functions.

2008 - 2014

Established in August 2008 under the name WebFilings LLC in California by a group of six entrepreneurs, Workiva was co-founded by Martin Vanderploeg, who previously served as CTO and EVP of EAI prior to its acquisition by UGS, now incorporated into Siemens.

The Workiva Platform delivers enterprise-grade SaaS through the cloud, facilitating the real-time aggregation, administration, reporting, and analysis of essential business information. Its leading solution, Wdesk, assists organizations in preparing and submitting financial and compliance documentation to regulatory authorities.

Workiva’s technology consolidates data from multiple sources—including spreadsheets, slide decks, emails, and unstructured documents—into cohesive cloud-based reports.

In July 2014, the company adopted the name Workiva LLC and formally registered as a Delaware limited liability company by September 2014.

2014 - 2019

The firm launched its initial public offering (IPO) on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: WK) in December 2014.

According to Deloitte's 2015 Technology Fast 500 ranking, Workiva was positioned fiftieth among the fastest expanding software firms in the United States. In 2019, it earned the Best Software-Defined Product accolade at the DevOps Excellence Awards.

By May 2019, Workiva had broadened its international footprint with offices established in Frankfurt and Paris, complementing existing locations in Amsterdam, London, twelve cities across the U.S., and two Canadian cities.

The Wdata product further extends Workiva’s platform capabilities by linking extensive datasets from enterprise resource planning (ERP), governance risk and compliance (GRC) systems, and additional third-party applications hosted both on-premises and in the cloud. The September 2019 release introduced features such as automated updates, approval workflows, connectors for finance and accounting systems, risk management integration, and enhanced access permissions.

Moreover, Workiva integrated its platform with BlackLine’s financial close software to facilitate smooth data exchange for accounting professionals. The company also collaborated with FloQast to provide comprehensive reporting and compliance tools aimed at private enterprises and organizations preparing for initial public offerings.

2020 - 2024

In April 2020, Workiva introduced W for ESEF, a platform designed to assist European enterprises in meeting the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) standards for European Single Electronic Format (ESEF) reporting. This tool, available in 23 languages across Europe, facilitates report creation, data tagging, and compilation of final submissions.

November 2020 saw the appointment of COO Julie Iskow—previously named among the top 50 most influential women in technology in 2019—to the company’s board, signaling a reinforcement of strategic leadership.

By May 2021, Workiva upgraded its cloud platform to incorporate Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) reporting capabilities, responding to the increasing demand for transparency in sustainability matters.

In July 2021, Workiva distinguished itself as the first Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) firm to join the United Nations Global Compact CFO Taskforce, highlighting its dedication to ESG efforts and its expanding presence in global industry initiatives.

August 2021 marked Workiva’s entry into acquisitions with the purchase of OneCloud, enhancing its integration platform as a service (iPaaS) offerings to improve data connectivity within business reporting. Later that year, in December 2021, Workiva acquired AuditNet, a global provider of audit content and services, further strengthening its audit technology portfolio.

In February 2023, Julie Iskow was promoted to CEO, taking over from Marty Vanderploeg effective April 1. This transition underscored a commitment to leadership continuity and strategic expansion.

Most recently, in June 2024, Workiva completed the acquisition of Sustain.Life, a startup specializing in carbon accounting software, for $100 million. This move aimed to enhance its sustainability reporting solutions and broaden its product range amid growing ESG investment trends.

Applications

Workiva’s original SaaS offering centered on SEC reporting software that allows companies to automate regulatory filings through proprietary document tagging and linking technology. The platform supports electronic SEC submissions using XBRL (Extensible Business Reporting Language), which is mandated by regulatory authorities. Notably, one of Workiva’s clients was the pioneer in submitting Inline XBRL filings to the SEC.

Since then, Workiva has expanded its product lineup to address diverse corporate financial and compliance reporting requirements, including:

• Sarbanes–Oxley reporting and Recovery and Resolution Plans (RRP) – WDesk consolidates documentation related to financial statements, risk evaluations, and forecasts required under the Sarbanes–Oxley Act into a single cohesive platform.
• SEC and ESEF Filing – offers support for EDGAR HTML conversion, XBRL mapping, and preparation of IPOs, S-1s, 10-Ks, 10-Qs, and 20-Fs for SEC submissions as well as European Single Electronic Format reports compliant with ESMA regulations.
• CAFR and State and Local Reporting – utilized by municipal securities issuers for Continuing Disclosures filed with the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board and by state/local education agencies for regulatory compliance.
• ESG, Sustainability, and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) – WDesk supports global CSR frameworks such as the Global Responsibility Index, Carbon Disclosure Project, and Dow Jones Sustainability Indices.
• Internal Reporting – streamlines management reports, risk assessments, board presentations, and other internal documentation processes.

Workiva’s software primarily serves executives who require integrated data solutions with automated synchronization across multiple systems. The Wdesk platform is widely embraced by European firms aiming to comply with ESMA regulations.

The Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF) leveraged Workiva’s platform for its annual report submission; this report was recognized by ESMA as an exemplary model for ESEF adherence.

In September 2021, Workiva collaborated with law firm Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati (WSGR) to automate the preparation of SEC Form S-1 filings via the WS-1 application, simplifying IPO documentation workflows.