Directory Structure
Organizing the SFTP source directories makes it easier to route files to the correct Upload Template and keeps multi-agency or multi-feed workflows manageable.
Source Directories
Each SFTP Profile monitors one Source Directory. When Auto Sync runs, eCourtDate checks the files directly in that directory against the profile's keyword and blockword filters. Subdirectories are not scanned, so each directory that receives files needs its own profile.
A server has its own Source Directory, the root for every profile that uses it (for example, /home/ubuntu on a managed server). A profile linked to a server enters its directory relative to that root: hearings, not /home/ubuntu/hearings. The profile's Settings tab shows the root under the field as "Relative to server root". A manual profile, which holds its own connection details, enters the absolute path.
Multi-Feed Directory Layout
For agencies that upload more than one type of data, create a separate directory per feed under the server's Source Directory:
<server Source Directory>/
├── hearings/
├── payments/
├── clients/
├── cases/
└── contacts/
Each directory is then assigned to its own SFTP Profile with the appropriate Upload Template.
Staging and Production on One Server
One server can serve both a staging agency and a production agency. Give each environment its own directory, and create one SFTP Profile per directory in the matching agency:
<server Source Directory>/
├── staging/
│ └── hearings/
└── prod/
└── hearings/
| SFTP Profile | Source Directory | Agency |
|---|---|---|
| Hearings (Staging) | staging/hearings | The staging agency |
| Hearings (Production) | prod/hearings | The production agency |
The separate directories keep the two feeds apart, so a test file is never processed into production.
Multi-Agency Layout
When a single SFTP server hosts files for multiple agencies, use a top-level directory per agency with subdirectories per feed:
<server Source Directory>/
├── county-a/
│ ├── hearings/
│ ├── payments/
│ └── clients/
├── county-b/
│ ├── hearings/
│ └── cases/
└── county-c/
└── hearings/
Mapping Profiles to Directories
Each SFTP Profile is linked to a specific Upload Template and Agency. The combination of directory path, filename keyword, and blockword ensures that files are routed correctly.
Example
| SFTP Profile | Source Directory | Keyword | Upload Template | Agency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| County A Hearings | county-a/hearings | hearing | Hearings Import | County A Court |
| County A Payments | county-a/payments | payment | Payments Import | County A Court |
| County B Hearings | county-b/hearings | hearing | Hearings Import | County B Court |
| County B Cases | county-b/cases | case | Cases Import | County B Court |
In this layout, a file named 2024-06-01-hearing-export.csv placed in the county-a/hearings directory is picked up by the County A Hearings profile, processed through the Hearings Import template, and associated with the County A Court agency.
Tips
- Keep directory names lowercase and use hyphens instead of spaces.
- Keep nesting to one or two levels.
- Use Filename Keywords as an additional filter when multiple file types land in the same directory.
Need help? Open a support ticket in the Console using the Help button in the bottom-right corner.