If you’ve got business data living on your own servers or in systems that don’t play nice with cloud tools, getting that data into the cloud—safely and reliably—can be a real pain. Domo Workbench is designed to help with exactly this: regularly uploading data from your on-premises systems to Domo without giving you a headache.
This guide is for folks who need to automate secure uploads, want to avoid the usual IT runaround, and prefer straight answers over hand-wavy vendor talk. Whether you’re new to Workbench or just tired of things breaking, I’ll walk you through setup, scheduling, security, and some honest pitfalls to watch for.
Why Use Domo Workbench?
Let’s keep it simple: Domo Workbench is a Windows app that acts as a bridge between your local data and your Domo cloud instance. You install it on a machine inside your network, point it at your databases/files, and set up upload jobs on whatever schedule you want.
What it’s good at: - Automating regular data uploads to Domo from SQL databases, CSVs, Excel files, and more - Encrypting data in transit so you don’t have to panic about leaks - Handling “headless” (unattended) transfers—set and forget, mostly
What it’s not: - A magic solution for every data problem (it can’t transform your data warehouse overnight) - A replacement for real ETL pipelines if your needs are complex
If you just want to move data securely and on schedule, Workbench does the job. If you need fancy transformations or have huge, constantly changing data, it can get fiddly.
Step 1: Install Domo Workbench
You’ll need: - A Windows machine (can be a server or a regular PC that’s always on) - Access to the data sources you want to upload (network permissions, database creds, etc.) - Domo admin or security permissions to set up the connection
Download and Install
- Go to your Domo instance (log in via browser).
- In Domo, hit the “Appstore” (sometimes under “More” in the toolbar).
- Search for “Workbench” and grab the download link—this is the official, signed installer.
- Run the installer as Administrator. Don’t skip this, or you’ll hit permission errors later.
- Follow the prompts. The defaults are fine for most setups.
Pro tip: Install Workbench on a server or VM that’s always on. Don’t use your personal laptop unless you like things breaking.
Step 2: Connect Workbench to Domo
Once Workbench is installed, it needs to know which Domo instance to talk to.
- Launch Domo Workbench.
- On first run, you’ll be prompted to sign in. Use your Domo credentials (you might need an admin to help if you don’t have the right rights).
- Workbench will generate an authentication token. This is what lets it send files and jobs to your Domo cloud.
Heads up: If your company uses SSO (single sign-on), you might need to create a special Workbench user or API token in Domo. This sometimes trips people up, so check your IT docs or ask your admin before wasting hours.
Step 3: Set Up a Data Job
A “job” in Workbench is just a set of instructions for what data to upload, where to find it locally, and when to send it.
Create a New Job
- In Workbench, click “New Job.”
- Pick your data source type:
- Database (SQL Server, Oracle, MySQL, etc.)
- File (CSV, Excel, TXT, etc.)
- ODBC (for legacy or weird data sources)
- Enter the connection info:
- For databases: server name, database name, login credentials
- For files: full file path (UNC paths work if you’re pulling from a network share)
- Test the connection. If it fails, double-check firewalls, permissions, or typos.
Map the Data
- For databases, write or paste your SQL query. Try to keep it simple—Workbench isn’t great at handling complex joins or huge result sets.
- For files, specify which sheet (if it’s Excel) or delimiters (for CSV/TXT).
Set Destination
- Each job needs a destination Domo dataset (where the data will land).
- You can create a new one or overwrite an existing one.
- Give it a clear name—future you will thank you.
Step 4: Schedule Your Uploads
This is where automation magic happens.
- In the job settings, find the “Schedule” tab.
- Choose how often to run:
- Hourly, daily, weekly—whatever fits your needs
- Custom cron expressions are possible, but honestly, stick to the built-in options unless you love debugging
- Set the time window (e.g., run at 2:00 AM if your data source is least busy at night)
- Save the job.
A few things to watch for: - If your data takes a long time to pull, leave a buffer between jobs. - If you’re hitting rate limits in Domo, stagger your uploads.
Step 5: Secure Your Data Transfers
Security’s not optional, so don’t cut corners here.
What Workbench does: - Uses HTTPS/TLS for all uploads—your data is encrypted in transit by default - Stores credentials locally, but you are responsible for keeping the Workbench machine secure
Practical steps: - Use accounts with the least privilege needed—don’t use your own admin login for database or file access - Make sure Windows is patched and running antivirus - If possible, lock down the Workbench machine so only IT admins can log in
Pro tip: If your company is strict on security, ask IT to manage the Workbench install and service account. Don’t try to sneak it onto your desktop.
Step 6: Monitor and Troubleshoot
Even “set and forget” tools need a check-in now and then.
Check Job Status
- Workbench logs every job run—successes, failures, and warnings.
- You can view logs in the Workbench UI or look at log files on disk (usually under
C:\ProgramData\Domo\Workbench\Logs). - Domo itself can show you the latest dataset updates and errors.
Common Issues
- Credential errors: If your password changes (or IT rotates service account creds), jobs will fail silently until you fix them.
- Network hiccups: If the machine loses internet, uploads will fail. Consider setting up email alerts for failures.
- Locked files: If another process is using a file you’re trying to upload, Workbench can’t read it and will throw an error.
What to ignore: Don’t obsess over every warning—some are just noise (like a minor delay). Focus on hard failures and recurring issues.
Honest Pros and Cons
What works well: - Simple jobs run reliably for months with little maintenance - Security is pretty solid if you follow the basics - Handles most “pull this table or file once a day” use cases
What’s annoying: - Anything fancy (complex data transformations, conditional logic) is awkward—Workbench isn’t a full ETL tool - SSO and token setup can be a pain, especially in big companies - Logging is fine, but alerting is basic—you may need to set up extra monitoring
What to skip: - Avoid running Workbench on laptops or desktops that might get powered off - Don’t try to use Workbench for massive data migrations or real-time sync—it’s not built for that
Wrapping Up: Keep It Simple
Domo Workbench isn’t glamorous, but it does what it says on the tin: securely uploads your local data to the Domo cloud, on a schedule, with minimal fuss—if you set it up right. Start with a single job, get it running smoothly, and only add complexity once you’re confident.
Don’t overthink it. Stay focused on the basics: automate the boring stuff, keep things secure, and check your logs once in a while. If you hit weird problems, don’t be afraid to ask for help—odds are, someone’s run into the same thing before.
Happy uploading.