How to Create a File Transfer Activity

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A file transfer activity unencrypts or uncompresses a file to be imported, so a file transfer activity is usually used in conjunction with an import activity. Before you begin this procedure, you may need to create a file transfer location. After you complete this procedure, you can start the activity or include the activity in a program.

Use the following steps to create a file transfer activity:

1. Click the Interactions tab on the navigation bar.

2. Click Activities.

3. Click File Transfer.

The File Transfer workspace appears.

4. Click Create from the toolbar.

5. Complete the information in the Properties section:

Transfer Type: Select the Download or Upload radio button depending on the direction of your file transfer. A download brings a file into the ExactTarget application, while an upload moves a file to an outside location.
Name - The name of the activity. You use this name to identify the activity in the application. Subscribers cannot see the name.
External Key - A value you choose that uniquely identifies the activity. You use this value to identify the activity when using the API.
Description - The description of the activity. You use this description to further help identify the activity within the application. Subscribers cannot see the description.

6. Complete the information in the Source section:

File Location - The location where the system can find the file.
File Naming Pattern - The name or naming pattern of the file. You can enter a static name or you can include placeholders for the date.

For example, you could enter subscribers.pgp to instruct the system to always look for a file named subscribers.pgp or you could enter subscribers%%Month%%.pgp to instruct the system to look for a filename where the last two characters are two-digit month.

7. Complete the information in the Transfer Settings section:

File is compressed checkbox - Determines whether the system uncompresses the file when the activity runs. If you select this checkbox, the value you enter in the File Naming Pattern field must have a .ZIP extension.
File is encrypted checkbox - Determines whether the system unencrypts the file when the activity runs. If you select this checkbox and do not select the File is compressed checkbox, then the value that you enter in the File Naming Pattern field must have a .PGP or .GPG extension.

8. Click Save.

This page was last updated by Josh Cloud on Tue, 03 May 2011 13:01:23 GMT.

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