Prerequisites for flat file integration

With generic flat file integration, there are a few prerequisites that you will need to set up before you can begin using the integration.

Define file transfer method

Before working with flat file integration, you will need to set up a method for transferring files to and from Fairmarkit. You will need to choose one of the following methods.

SFTP

One of the more common ways to transfer files to and from Fairmarkit is to create an SFTP configuration. It acts similarly to a shared cloud drive where you can upload or download files. Fairmarkit will work with you to configure SFTP.

This step includes setting up a shared folder for your company to exchange files. This folder can be in a location you share or on Fairmarkit Files (files.fairmarkit.com).

Within your company folder, there will be a folder for each environment (Staging and Production), and each folder will contain the following subfolders:

• archived: Optional folder that stores files that are no longer needed. Example: production/archived/

• from_fairmarkit: Fairmarkit will upload files you need to process back to your data source (e.g., award files). Example: production/from_fairmarkit/

• to_fairmarkit: You will upload files that Fairmarkit will need to process (e.g., purchase requisitions, purchase orders, suppliers, and categories). Example: production/to_fairmarkit/

• logs: Stores output logs from inbound and outbound processes. Example: production/log/

Email

Alternatively, you can transfer files to and from Fairmarkit via email. Fairmarkit will work with you to configure your email flat file integration.

• Email: You will need to select a dedicated email address to send and receive files.

• Fairmarkit email: You will need to send your files to a dedicated Fairmarkit email. The email will be provided during setup.

• Subjects: When sending files to Fairmarkit, you will need to enter specific text in the Subject line to import the file. This will change based on the type of data. The subjects will be provided during setup.

Templates

With flat files, you will need to provide your data in specific format. Fairmarkit provides templates that outline the required and optional data and the labels needed to import data into Fairmarkit. In addition, the templates outline how data will be exported from Fairmarkit.

Template: Make sure you have the latest version of the flat file template (view | download CSV file).