Auto-Sync & Downloads
Auto-Sync is the automated file retrieval mechanism of SFTP. When enabled, eCourtDate checks your remote server or S3 bucket once per hour for new files and processes them through the linked Upload Template.
How Auto-Sync Works
- At each sync cycle, eCourtDate connects to the remote server using the credentials stored on the server record.
- It scans each SFTP Profile's source directory for files matching the Keyword filter and not matching the Blockword filter.
- Files that have already been uploaded are automatically skipped.
- New files are downloaded, processed through the associated Upload Template, and logged in the Console.
Note: Expect up to a 1-hour delay between when a file is placed on the remote server and when it is processed by eCourtDate.
Recommended Schedules
Coordinate your case management system's export schedule with the Auto-Sync cycle. All times should be based on your agency's local timezone.
| Frequency | Recommended Export Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly | Start of each hour (e.g., 9:00, 10:00) | Best for near-real-time feeds. |
| Daily | Start of day (e.g., 6:00 AM) | Best for overnight batch exports. |
| Weekly | After midnight Sunday | Best for weekly summary exports. |
| Monthly | First day of the month | Best for monthly reconciliation files. |
Exporting at the start of the hour gives Auto-Sync the full cycle window to discover and process the file.
Delete File After Upload
Enable the Delete File After Upload toggle on your SFTP Profile to automatically remove files from the remote server after they have been successfully processed. This reduces clutter and prevents confusion over which files have already been picked up.
If you prefer to keep source files for your own records, leave this setting disabled. eCourtDate will still skip previously uploaded files on subsequent sync cycles.
Delivering Reports to the Server
In addition to retrieving files, an SFTP Profile can deliver eCourtDate reports back to the server. Configure these fields on the profile:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Download Report | The report to deliver to the server on each sync cycle. |
| Download Directory | The directory on the server where the report is placed. This directory must exist on the server. |
| Skip Past Reports | When enabled, only new report output is delivered, rather than re-delivering past results. Enabled by default. |
If the Download Directory does not exist on the server, the Console shows an error when checking for downloads. Create the directory first, or adjust the path.
Monitoring
After Auto Sync runs, you can verify results in the Console:
- Navigate to Console > SFTPs and select your SFTP Profile.
- Open the Files tab to confirm that new files were retrieved.
- Open the linked Upload to review processing status and any row-level errors.
Need help? Visit the Help Center.