Integrations

Polling an SFTP folder for order files

When a source system exports purchase orders to an SFTP server on a schedule, ProcuLink can log in, pick up the new files, and parse them for you. You configure this yourself in Settings → SFTP pull (available on every paid plan — Growth and up).

When to use this

Use SFTP polling when an ERP, warehouse system, or older back office drops PO files into a folder on a fixed server and you want them imported without anyone uploading by hand. If the sender can push to an API instead, prefer the inbound API — polling is best when the source can only write files.

What you configure

  • Host — the SFTP server hostname, e.g. sftp.supplier.example.
  • Port — 22 unless the server was moved to a non-standard port.
  • Path / folder — the absolute directory ProcuLink lists, e.g. /exports/orders. This is the single most common thing to get wrong (see below).
  • Credentials — either a username and password, or a username and private key. Paste the private key in OpenSSH format when the server uses key-based auth. Credentials are encrypted at rest with AES-256-GCM.
  • Polling schedule — how often ProcuLink checks the folder. Choose the slowest cadence that still meets your turnaround; there is no benefit to polling faster than files actually arrive.
  • Default supplier — the supplier that imported files are attributed to, since a raw file drop carries no ProcuLink routing.

Each poll lists the folder, imports files it has not seen before, and records each one so it is not re-imported on the next run. ProcuLink does not delete or move your files — the record of what was processed lives on the ProcuLink side, so the source folder is left exactly as the sender left it. If you re-upload a file with a new name, it is treated as new.

Common problems

  • Wrong path picks up nothing, silently. If the folder is misspelled or the files land in a different directory, ProcuLink connects successfully and simply finds an empty list — no error, no orders. If a schedule has been running and nothing appears in the inbox, re-check the exact path against where the source system actually writes.
  • Password vs. key mismatch. If the server expects a key and you supplied a password (or vice versa), the connection is refused. Confirm which method the server requires before saving.
  • Files still being written. If the source writes directly into the polled folder, ProcuLink can pick up a half-written file. Ask the sender to write to a temp name and rename on completion, or write to a staging folder.
  • A poll ran but the file did not parse. Polling only fetches the file — parsing is a separate step. An unsupported format or a missing header lands the order in review, not in an error on the SFTP connection.

A successful connection means ProcuLink reached the server and listed the folder — it does not guarantee any given file will parse cleanly. Check the inbox after the first scheduled run to confirm real files come through.

Need help? Email support@proculink.eu or see Ways to send orders to ProcuLink.

Polling an SFTP folder for order files — ProcuLink Help