Customer story
Montane automated sales, orders and fulfilment across Shopify, Sage 200, Elastic Suite and its 3PL partner with Zynk, removing manual steps from both D2C and bulk B2B order processing.
Montane
Read the Montane storyFiles & Cloud Storage
Remote File Transfer (FTP, SFTP) Integration
Zynk's remote file transfer integration automates moving files between your business systems and the FTP, FTPS and SFTP servers your partners use. Workflows list, download, upload, rename, delete and synchronise remote files on a schedule, so order files, stock feeds, EDI messages and reports pass between Sage, your ERP, 3PLs, suppliers and retailers without anyone handling them.
Available for
Capabilities may differ depending on the product.
Benefits
Why businesses connect Remote File Transfer (FTP, SFTP)
Transfer and processing in one run
Collecting a file is rarely the end of the job. Zynk downloads an order file, converts it, imports it into Sage or your ERP and records the result in one workflow, so the transfer and the processing never drift apart.
The protocol each partner asks for
The connector works with FTP, FTPS and SFTP, so you can meet every partner on the protocol they insist on. Encrypted connections protect files in transit, and PGP can be added where partners also want the files themselves encrypted.
Folders kept in step
Synchronise Directory keeps a local folder and a remote folder aligned, so price files, catalogues or reports published by one side are available to the other without anybody copying them across by hand.
Every waiting file picked up
Remote File Repeater works through each file waiting on a server in turn, so a partner who drops many order files a day has every one collected and processed, not just the first one someone noticed.
No file processed twice
Once a file has been handled, Zynk can rename it or delete it from the remote server. The same order is never imported twice, and partners can see at a glance which files have already been collected.
Unattended, on your timetable
Transfers run on a schedule, such as every few minutes or overnight, with an alert when a transfer fails. Nobody needs to remember to log in to a partner's server before the end of the day.
Capabilities
What you can do with Remote File Transfer (FTP, SFTP)
Every task the Zynk Remote File Transfer (FTP, SFTP) connector can run, grouped by the direction data moves.
Actions in Remote File Transfer (FTP, SFTP)
Tasks Zynk can automate in Remote File Transfer (FTP, SFTP)
7 tasks
- Delete remote file → in Remote File Transfer (FTP, SFTP)
- Download remote file → in Remote File Transfer (FTP, SFTP)
- List remote files → in Remote File Transfer (FTP, SFTP)
- Remote file repeater → in Remote File Transfer (FTP, SFTP)
- Rename remote file → in Remote File Transfer (FTP, SFTP)
- Synchronise directory → in Remote File Transfer (FTP, SFTP)
- Upload remote file → in Remote File Transfer (FTP, SFTP)
Need something that isn't listed?
Most Remote File Transfer (FTP, SFTP) projects include at least one custom step. Our team builds it for you.
The problem
Why integrate Remote File Transfer (FTP, SFTP)?
Plenty of trading relationships still run on files. A 3PL leaves despatch confirmations on an SFTP server, a retailer sends orders as EDI files, a supplier publishes a nightly price list. Without automation, someone logs in, downloads, renames and re-uploads those files by hand, and anything missed simply never gets processed.
Without integration
- Staff logging in to partner servers several times a day to fetch files
- Order files imported twice because nobody moved the original
- Stock and price files sent late when the person responsible is away
- Files downloaded but left sitting in a folder, unprocessed
With Zynk
- Files download automatically on a schedule
- Processed files are renamed or deleted on the server
- Uploads run unattended, whoever is in the office
- Each file is converted and imported in the same workflow
How it works
How the Remote File Transfer (FTP, SFTP) integration works
Step 1: Register each server
Add the host, protocol, port and credentials for every partner server, whether FTP, FTPS or SFTP, along with the folders Zynk should read from and write to.
Step 2: Decide what happens to incoming files
Choose which files to collect, how each one is converted, which system it is imported into, and whether the original is renamed or deleted afterwards.
Step 3: Build the outbound files
Create the files partners expect, such as stock levels, despatch confirmations or invoices, and upload them to the right folder in the format each partner has agreed.
Step 4: Schedule and monitor
Run each transfer on a timetable that suits the partner. Alerts tell you when a server cannot be reached or a file fails to import, so problems are fixed the same day.
Integrations
What can you connect to Remote File Transfer (FTP, SFTP)?
Example use cases for Remote File Transfer (FTP, SFTP) integration
Remote File Transfer (FTP, SFTP) and Sage 200
Download order files from a partner's server and create Sage 200 sales orders, then upload despatch notes and stock levels for the partner to collect.
From Remote File Transfer (FTP, SFTP) to Sage 200:Order filesFrom Sage 200 to Remote File Transfer (FTP, SFTP):Despatch notes, Stock levels
Remote File Transfer (FTP, SFTP) and EDIFACT D96A
Collect EDIFACT D96A messages from a trading partner's server for conversion to XML, and upload the EDIFACT files Zynk generates in reply.
From Remote File Transfer (FTP, SFTP) to EDIFACT D96A:EDI messagesFrom EDIFACT D96A to Remote File Transfer (FTP, SFTP):EDI messages
Remote File Transfer (FTP, SFTP) and PGP
Decrypt files straight after download and encrypt outgoing files just before upload, for partners who require PGP as well as a secure connection.
From Remote File Transfer (FTP, SFTP) to PGP:Downloaded filesFrom PGP to Remote File Transfer (FTP, SFTP):Encrypted files
Remote File Transfer (FTP, SFTP) and CSV
Turn downloaded CSV files into XML that Zynk can import anywhere, and convert XML back to CSV before uploading it for partners who work in spreadsheets.
From Remote File Transfer (FTP, SFTP) to CSV:CSV filesFrom CSV to Remote File Transfer (FTP, SFTP):CSV files
Remote File Transfer (FTP, SFTP) integration FAQs
What is the difference between FTP, FTPS and SFTP?
FTP transfers files without encryption. FTPS adds TLS encryption to the FTP protocol, while SFTP is a separate protocol that runs over SSH. Zynk's connector supports all three, so you can use whichever one each server or trading partner requires.
Can Zynk download files from an SFTP server automatically?
Yes. A workflow lists the files waiting on the server, downloads each one and passes it to the next step, such as conversion or an import into Sage. Processed files can then be renamed or deleted so they are not collected again.
Which tasks does the file transfer connector include?
List Remote Files, Download Remote File, Upload Remote File, Rename Remote File, Delete Remote File, Synchronise Directory and Remote File Repeater. Together they cover collecting, sending, tidying and mirroring files on a remote server as part of a larger workflow.
Can Zynk send files to a 3PL or trading partner over SFTP?
Yes. Zynk builds the file from your system, such as despatch notes or stock levels from Sage 200, converts it to the agreed format and uploads it to the partner's server on a schedule. Montane uses Zynk with SFTP as part of its fulfilment set-up.
Can files be encrypted before they are uploaded?
Yes. Zynk's PGP connector can encrypt a file immediately before upload and decrypt files as soon as they are downloaded. The contents then stay protected on the partner's server as well as during the transfer itself.
Does Zynk support EDI files exchanged over FTP?
Yes, where EDI messages travel as files on an FTP or SFTP server. Zynk downloads EDIFACT D96A messages, converts them to XML for processing and can generate EDIFACT files in reply for upload. Other EDI formats can be discussed during scoping.
Do I need to write scripts to automate FTP transfers?
No. Transfer tasks are configured in Zynk Workflow, which is low-code, so there are no batch files or scheduled scripts to maintain on a server. Each step is visible and easy to change when a partner moves folders or updates credentials.
See what Zynk can automate for your Remote File Transfer (FTP, SFTP) setup
Book a 20-minute call. We'll review your systems, flag the quick wins and outline a practical route to going live.
Book a callSee pricing →