The most commonly used connection with Spotler is an integration to synchronize contacts. Do you send mailings via Spotler on a regular basis? And would you like to import contacts in a more efficient way? Then there are various options for this, including a connection to Secure FTP, or SFTP for short.
We can divide the different types of connection into two groups: a connection that synchronize in "batches" (periodically) and a connection that synchronize in "real time" (continuous). An SFTP link works on the basis of a "batch" synchronization.
Batch synchronization
With an automatic file import in batches, periodic export (for example at night) is done from your own system. This export is offered at Spotler and is automatically imported. In fact, a "batch synchronization" works almost the same as when you import a contact file into the Lists module. That contact file is also a "batch". The main advantage of the link is of course that the import is automatic, but also that it is less prone to errors than a manual operation.
For the SFTP link there are two options:
1. Import via SFTP
An external system can place a contact file on a Spotler server via SFTP. Spotler automatically imports this file into the correct account and an import report is sent to a specified email address.
2. Export via SFTP
After sending a mailing in Spotler, the response data can be put on a Spotler SFTP server via an automatic export. Response data can include the number of openings, clicks, bounces, etc. An external system then retrieves this file via the Spotler SFTP server. The response data can used to enrich data or for analysis.
Both SFTP connections are available for all Spotler products.
Activating the SFTP licence in Spotler
If you want to use SFTP, the first step is to activate the license.
Go to the settings of your Spotler account. Under the tab Account & Billing, you can see Integrations, on the left. Here, you can find an overview of all Spotler account integrations and activate them, including the SFTP.
To activate the SFTP integration, move your cursor across the SFTP integration and click on the button Activate.
The status will change from red to green. You can now get started with the authentication of the SFTP.
SFTP authentication
After activating the SFTP integration, you must configure the SFTP. Go to the tab Integrations. It immediately opens in the Configurations screen.
Under the heading Authentications you can see SFTP and a button for New authentication. Click on the button New authentication to generate data (such as a password) for the link between your SFTP and your Spotler account. You will need to forward this data to the person who performs the SFTP implementation.
If it concerns imports, you can set up the SFTP configuration yourself. To set up the SFTP export, you must contact your Spotler partner.
Configure SFTP import
Which database fields do you want to import from the SFTP and where are empty value (s) allowed?
Just like with a manual import, it is important that the fields in Spotler are linked to the correct fields in the file. So that Spotler knows, for example, that First name in your file must be linked to the First name field in Spotler.
You can configure the fields for the SFTP import using a manual import. The last import in Spotler is leading for the configuration for the import from the SFTP.
Done with the import? Then go back to the Settings and the Integrations tab. Move your mouse over the SFTP settings and click Configure in the drop-down menu.
A pop-up will open.
In this pop-up you will see:
- Imported to: choose which last manual import should be leading. Is this based on a static list or when you do an import in the active file (all contacts).
- Email address for feedback: A summary of imports will be sent to this email address. By default, the e-mail address of you as a user is shown here, but you can still change it.
- Upload ZIP file: here you indicate whether the file that you put on the SFTP is a zip file that must be extracted or not.
- Mapping columns: here you see an overview of columns that have been linked and will therefore be included in the import via the SFTP.
Click Ok to complete the configuration.
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Requirements for a good import are that the elements of your import file match the file that you manually imported for the configuration. Think about:
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Import a new database field?
Has a database field been added that you want to import? Then delete the current configuration via the dropdown menu.
Then you import a file manually again. Go back to Integrations in the Settings and click Configure in the dropdown menu in the SFTP settings.