# FTP Upload

## Getting Started

FTP allows you to upload data in bulk from your server every 24 hours. This works for both Excel and XML formats. Users are required to set up an Active FTP connection and the filenames to be retrieved from the server.

**Acceptable Formats:** XLSX and XML

**Recommended:** Small, Medium, and Large Certification Bodies that have anywhere between 20 to 50,000 certifications

***

To successfully import your data from your FTP, you must meet the following prerequisites: 

### Prerequisites

1. Set up an <mark style="color:green;">**Active**</mark> FTP Connection (go to Import Settings / FTP Settings page)&#x20;
   * To [set up your FTP Connection](/accreditation-bodies/data-management/import-settings/ftp-settings.md), click [here](/accreditation-bodies/data-management/import-settings/ftp-settings.md).
2. Collect and format your data in a .xlsx or XML file format.
   * [How to manage Certification Body data in Excel](/accreditation-bodies/data-management/import-certification-body/certification-body-templates/manage-data-in-excel.md)
   * [How to manage Certification Body data in XML](/accreditation-bodies/data-management/import-certification-body/certification-body-templates/manage-data-in-xml.md)
3. In your FTP serve&#x72;*,* upload files (.xlsx or XML) with your [formatted data](/accreditation-bodies/data-management/import-certification-body/certification-body-templates.md).

***

Once the FTP has been connected and the data has been formatted, you have to define or nominate the files you want to get your data from.

### How to Add Filenames&#x20;

Defining or nominating the filenames is required so that IAF CertSearch can retrieve your data from your server into the IAF CertSearch database.

{% hint style="info" %}
**Prerequisite**

Before defining the filenames, ensure that you have uploaded the files *that contain your f*[*ormatted data* ](/accreditation-bodies/data-management/import-certification/certification-file-templates.md)into the FTP server.
{% endhint %}

1. In the FTP Upload page, go to the **FTP File Names** section
2. Click, the **'Add File Name'** button
3. In the Add FTP File Name modal, add the filenames you want to retrieve.&#x20;

* Select the File Type
* Input File Name
* Select File Format&#x20;

***

## Sync Imported FTP Files

Once the files are defined, you can either choose to:

* **Fetch the files right away**, which can be done by manually clicking the **'Sync Certification body Files'** button
* **Fetch during the FTP crawl schedule** which starts at **UTC 01:00 am daily**.

#### Rules

* <mark style="color:red;">Any changes made to your file will be updated every 24 hours.</mark>
* <mark style="color:red;">If the file names do not match, the system will not upload the file.</mark>
* <mark style="color:red;">Fetching the files will be skipped if there is no filename in the FTP filename section.</mark>

## FTP Upload Activities

Allows you to see all the FTP upload activities.


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