Server Setup

SFTP in eCourtDate has two parts that work together:

• A Server is the source of files: an eCourtDate managed server, the agency's own SFTP server, or an S3 bucket.
• An SFTP Profile tells eCourtDate which directory on that server to watch and which Upload Template to process files through. With Auto Sync enabled, the profile checks for new files every hour.

Create the server first, then create one or more SFTP Profiles that use it. Both are managed under SFTPs in the Console.

Before Starting

Have the following ready:

• For the agency's own SFTP server: the host or IP address, username, password or SSH private key (.pem), port, and the directory that export files arrive in.
• For an S3 bucket: the bucket name, region, access key, and secret key.
• For a managed server: nothing in advance. eCourtDate provisions it. See Managed Server.
• An Upload Template that maps file columns to eCourtDate fields, created in the agency in the Agency app. A profile without an Upload Template uploads nothing.

Step 1: Create a Server

1. In the Console, open SFTPs and click Add Server. The same button is on the Servers page.
2. In Create Server, enter:
   • Name: a label for the server (for example, County Court SFTP).
   • Hosting: Managed by eCourtDate or Your own server. Nothing is selected by default, and the choice is required.
   • Type: SFTP or S3. This field appears only for Your own server. A managed server is always SFTP.
   • Agency: the agency the server belongs to.
3. Click Create. The server's page opens on the Overview tab.

The server page has four tabs: Overview, Settings, Files, and Security. The buttons at the top are Download key, Test connection, SFTP Profiles, Notify, and Copy Connection Link.

Hosting is fixed when the server is created. To switch between a managed server and the agency's own server, create a new server.

Managed by eCourtDate

eCourtDate creates the SFTP server in AWS GovCloud along with its SSH key and firewall. Its host and credentials are set by eCourtDate and are read-only on the Settings tab. Next, allow the connecting IP address on the Security tab and download the key. See Managed Server.

Your own server: SFTP or FTPS

Open the Settings tab, enter the connection details, and click Save:

Field	Description
Type	sftp or ftps. After changing the type, click Save to show that type's fields.
Host or IP Address	The hostname or IP address of the server.
Username	The login username on the server.
Password	The account password. Leave it blank when the account uses a private key.
Private Key	The private key text. To upload a key file instead, use Upload Private Key below the form.
Port	The port. Default: 22.
Timeout	Connection timeout in seconds. Default: 30.
Source Directory	The root directory for this server (for example, /ecourtdate). SFTP Profiles that use the server choose their directories relative to this one.
Status	Required: provisioning, deployed, or inactive. The Servers list shows it as a badge.

To upload a key file, choose the .pem file in Private Key File under Upload Private Key and click Upload.

eCourtDate connects to the server from a fixed set of IP addresses, listed under Whitelist IP Addresses on the Overview tab. Allow those addresses through the server's firewall, then click Test connection. A successful test reads "Connection successful" followed by the host and response time. Unable to connect points to the firewall, host, or port.

Your own server: S3 bucket

Choose S3 as the type. On the Settings tab, enter S3 Host (for example, s3.amazonaws.com), Bucket, Region, Access Key, Secret Key, and an optional Path, then click Save. The IAM credentials must allow listing, reading, and writing objects in the bucket, and deleting objects when Delete File After Upload is on. A successful Test connection reads "S3 connection successful" followed by the bucket.

Step 2: Create an SFTP Profile

1. On the server's page, click SFTP Profiles, then Add SFTP. A profile created from here is linked to that server. Add SFTP on the SFTPs page creates an unlinked profile instead.
2. In Create SFTP Profile, choose the Agency and click Create.

The new profile is named "New SFTP Profile" and opens on its Files tab with Auto Sync off. The profile page has three tabs: Files (the files currently in the profile's directory), Settings, and Connection.

Connect the profile to its source

On the Connection tab, a profile connects in one of two ways:

• Linked to a server: under Connection Settings, select the server in Server and click Save Connection. The list shows the servers of the profile's own customer; a deleted server cannot be selected. The profile uses the server's host, credentials, and port, and the Connection card reads "Connected via Server". The SFTPs list shows a Server badge.
• Manual: leave Server blank and click Save Connection. Then enter Host or IP Address, Username, Password, Port, and Timeout, and click Save Connection. For a key, paste it into Private Key Content under SSH Private Key and click Add Private Key. The SFTPs list shows a Manual badge.

Click Test Connection to confirm the profile can reach its source. The result reads "Connection successful" with a response time, "Invalid SFTP credentials", or "Unable to connect".

Configure the profile

Set these fields on the Settings tab and click Save:

Field	Description
SFTP Name	A label for this profile.
Region	Set automatically from the selected agency when the profile is saved.
Agency	The agency the files are uploaded into.
Source Directory	The directory to watch. For a linked profile, enter it relative to the server's Source Directory, shown under the field as "Relative to server root" (for example, incoming). For a manual profile, enter the absolute path. Browse picks a directory from the server. Only files directly in this directory are checked; subdirectories are not scanned.
Upload Template	The Upload Template that maps file columns to eCourtDate fields. Required for files to upload.
Filename Keyword	Include filter. Only files whose name contains the keyword are uploaded. Matching ignores case.
Filename Blockword	Exclude filter. Files whose name contains the blockword are skipped. Matching ignores case.
Max Files per Upload	Files uploaded per sync. Default: 1.
Delete File After Upload	On for new profiles. Removes each file from the server after it uploads, and removes a file skipped as a duplicate.
Skip Processing (Preview Files)	Stores each upload without processing it through the template. Use it to preview what a profile picks up.
Download Report, Download Directory, Skip Past Reports	Deliver an eCourtDate report to the server. See Delivering Reports to the Server.
Failure Grace Period	In hours. Default: 24. Sets how often failure notifications repeat, and how long without an upload before contacts are notified.
On-Failure Notification Contacts	Comma-separated emails and phone numbers to notify when a sync fails or no file has uploaded within the Failure Grace Period.
On-Success Notification Contacts	Comma-separated emails and phone numbers to notify for each successful upload.

Create one profile per file type or directory, each with its own Upload Template. One server can serve profiles in different agencies, such as a staging profile and a production profile reading separate directories. See Directory Structure.

Step 3: Enable Auto Sync

New profiles start with Auto Sync off. While it is off, the profile shows a yellow Auto Sync Disabled badge and the warning "Auto sync is disabled. This profile will not check for new files or send reports until auto sync is enabled." Go to settings in the warning opens the Settings tab at the checkbox.

1. On the Settings tab, check Auto Sync Enabled ("Automatically checks for new files and reports every hour") and click Save.
2. Place a test file in the source directory.
3. Click Test connection on the profile to confirm eCourtDate can reach the source.
4. Wait for the next hourly check.
5. Confirm the file arrived: it is listed under Uploads in the Agency app (staging or production) with its processing results. The profile header's Last active time shows when Auto Sync last ran, including runs that found no new file.

See Auto Sync and Downloads for scheduling guidance.

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Need help? Open a support ticket in the Console using the Help button in the bottom-right corner.