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Import files: Auto-sync

As part of our "File integration" feature, you can set up PO files, receipts (GRNs), GL accounts, custom fields of type "List", payment terms, units, and tax codes to automatically import from your sFTP/ S3 folder to the Tipalti Hub. Select a workflow below to reveal further information.

2-way PO matching workflow

Required user roles File Integration Operator + Process Bills

Below is the general import flow for POs. Use Tipalti's PO import template to prepare your PO import file for auto-sync.

  1. Once a PO is updated, all the PO lines are imported, including the ones that were not updated.
  2. On the "File import" screen, as shown below, you can trace all sync attempts and view the status of the entire imported file and of a specific record in the file.
  3. Tipalti takes the encrypted files from your defined input sFTP/ S3 folder and imports the data to the Tipalti Hub. Import syncs every 5 minutes. Prior to import, Tipalti checks if there are any new files in your input folder.
  4. In case the auto-sync fails:
    • If the entire file failed to import, users with the File Integration Operator role are notified by email.
    • If a specific record failed to import:
      • Tipalti creates an "Errors file" with all validation issues per record.
      • On the "File import" screen, you can view the status of the imported file and download the original file or the errors & warnings file.
  5. Once the PO matching process is complete, bills with PO data are automatically exported from the Tipalti Hub to your output folder. Export is done every hour.
  • Each row in the CSV file includes the header and line fields.
  • If there are several lines for the same PO, the header fields appear in all rows.
  • If the field is mandatory in Tipalti, it cannot be removed from the template.

PO file naming conventions

The name of the imported files includes the name of the object and the date and time of the import: {object-name} {iso time}.

For example:

  • PurchaseOrder_yyyyMMdd_HHmmssfff
  • PurchaseOrder_20201212_160655111
  • The file names are fixed but not case sensitive.
  • Any file in the directory that does not match the naming convention is ignored and won't be imported.
3-way PO matching workflow

Required user roles File Integration Operator + Process Bills

Below is the general import flow for receipts (GRNs). Use Tipalti's GRN import template to prepare your GRN import file for auto-sync.

  1. Once a GRN is updated, all the GRN lines are imported, including the ones that were not updated.
  2. On the "File import" screen, as shown below, you can trace all sync attempts and view the status of the entire imported file and of a specific record in the file.
  3. Tipalti takes the encrypted files from your defined input sFTP/ S3 folder and imports the data to the Tipalti Hub. Import syncs every 5 minutes. Prior to import, Tipalti checks if there are any new files in your input folder.
  4.  In case the auto-sync fails:
    • If the entire file failed to import, users with the File Integration Operator role are notified by email.
    • If a specific record failed to import:
      • Tipalti creates an "Errors file" with all validation issues per record.
      • On the "File import" screen, you can view the status of the imported file and download the original file or the errors & warnings file.
  • Each row in the CSV file includes the header and line fields.
  • If there are several lines for the same GRN, the header fields appear in all rows.

GRN file naming conventions

The name of the imported files includes the name of the object and the date and time of the import: {object-name} {iso time}.

For example:

  • GRN_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSSZ
  • GRN_20201212_160655111
  • The file names are fixed but not case sensitive.
  • Any file in the directory that does not match the naming convention is ignored and won't be imported.
GL accounts workflow

Required user roles: File Integration Operator + Payer Administration

Below is the general import flow for GL accounts. Use Tipalti's GL accounts import template to prepare your GL accounts import file for auto-sync.

  1. Once a GL account is updated, all the GL account lines are imported, including the ones that were not updated.
  2. On the "File import" screen, as shown below, you can trace all sync attempts and view the status of the entire imported file and of a specific record in the file.
  3. Tipalti takes the encrypted files from your defined input sFTP/ S3 folder and imports the data to the Tipalti Hub. Import syncs every 5 minutes. Prior to import, Tipalti checks if there are any new files in your input folder.
  4.  In case the auto-sync fails:
    • If the entire file failed to import, users with the File Integration Operator role are notified by email.
    • If a specific record failed to import:
      • Tipalti creates an "Errors file" with all validation issues per record.
      • On the "File import" screen, you can view the status of the imported file and download the original file or the errors & warnings file.
  • Each row in the CSV file includes the header and line fields.
  • If there are several lines for the same GL account, the header fields appear in all rows.

GL accounts file naming conventions

The name of the imported files includes the name of the object and the date and time of the import: {object-name} {iso time}.

For example:

  • GlAccount_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSSZ
  • GlAccount_20201212_160655111
  • The file names are fixed but not case sensitive.
  • Any file in the directory that does not match the naming convention is ignored and won't be imported.
Custom fields workflow

Required user roles File Integration Operator + Payer Administration

Below is the general import flow for custom field values. Use Tipalti's custom field value import template to prepare your custom field import file.

  1. Custom fields are separated so that each custom field is a different object.
  2. If a specific custom field (e.g., department) is in the middle of the import process, another file of the same type cannot be manually or automatically imported in parallel, but other custom fields can.
  3. Once a custom field is updated, all the custom field values are imported, including the ones that were not updated.
  4. On the "File import" screen, as shown below, you can trace all sync attempts and view the status of the entire imported file and of a specific record in the file.
  5. Tipalti takes the encrypted files from your defined input sFTP/ S3 folder and imports the data to the Tipalti Hub. Import syncs every 5 minutes. Prior to import, Tipalti checks if there are any new files in your input folder.
  6.  In case the import fails:
    • If the entire file failed to import, users with the File Integration Operator role are notified by email.
    • If a specific record failed to import:
      • Tipalti creates an "Errors file" with all validation issues per record.
      • On the "File import" screen, you can view the status of the imported file and download the original file or the errors & warnings file.
  • The custom field has to be created first in the Tipalti Hub. The values for the custom field are what can be imported in a CSV file.
  • Only custom fields of type "List" can be imported.
  • Each custom field needs to be imported in a separate CSV file (e.g., “Department” and “Location” should be imported separately).
  • This feature is currently supported for File Integration payers only.

Custom fields file naming conventions

The name of the imported files includes the name of the object and the date and time of the import: {object-name} {iso time}.

For example:

  • Department_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSSZ
  • Department_20201212_160655111
  • The file names are fixed but not case sensitive.
  • Any file in the directory that does not match the naming convention is ignored and won't be imported.
Payment terms workflow

Required user roles File Integration Operator + Payer Administration

Below is the general import flow for units. Use Tipalti's payment terms import template to prepare your units import file.

  1. If a payment terms file is in the middle of the import process, another file of this object cannot be manually or automatically imported in parallel.
  2. Once a payment terms file is updated, all the payment terms are imported, including the ones that were not updated.
  3. On the "File import" screen, as shown below, you can trace all sync attempts and view the status of the entire imported file and of a specific record in the file.
  4. Tipalti takes the encrypted files from your defined input sFTP/ S3 folder and imports the data to the Tipalti Hub. Import syncs every 5 minutes. Prior to import, Tipalti checks if there are any new files in your input folder.
  5.  In case the import fails:
    • If the entire file failed to import, users with the File Integration Operator role are notified by email.
    • If a specific record failed to import:
      • Tipalti creates an "Errors file" with all validation issues per record.
      • On the "File import" screen, you can view the status of the imported file and download the original file or the errors & warnings file.

This feature is currently supported for File Integration payers only.

Payment terms file naming conventions

The name of the imported files includes the name of the object and the date and time of the import: {object-name} {iso time}.

For example:

  • PaymentTerms_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSSZ
  • PaymentTerms_20201212_160655111
  • The file names are fixed but not case sensitive.
  • Any file in the directory that does not match the naming convention is ignored and won't be imported.
Units workflow

Required user roles File Integration Operator + Payer Administration

Below is the general import flow for units. Use Tipalti's units import template to prepare your units import file.

  1. If a unit record is in the middle of the import process, another file of this object cannot be manually or automatically imported in parallel.
  2. Once a unit is updated, all the units are imported, including the ones that were not updated.
  3. On the "File import" screen, as shown below, you can trace all sync attempts and view the status of the entire imported file and of a specific record in the file.
  4. Tipalti takes the encrypted files from your defined input sFTP/ S3 folder and imports the data to the Tipalti Hub. Import syncs every 5 minutes. Prior to import, Tipalti checks if there are any new files in your input folder.
  5.  In case the import fails:
    • If the entire file failed to import, users with the File Integration Operator role are notified by email.
    • If a specific record failed to import:
      • Tipalti creates an "Errors file" with all validation issues per record.
      • On the "File import" screen, you can view the status of the imported file and download the original file or the errors & warnings file.

This feature is currently supported for File Integration payers only.

Units file naming conventions

The name of the imported files includes the name of the object and the date and time of the import: {object-name} {iso time}.

For example:

  • Units_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSSZ
  • Units_20201212_160655111
  • The file names are fixed but not case sensitive.
  • Any file in the directory that does not match the naming convention is ignored and won't be imported.
Tax codes workflow

Required user roles File Integration Operator + Payer Administration

Below is the general import flow for tax codes. Use Tipalti's tax codes import template to prepare your tax codes import file.

  1. If a tax code record is in the middle of the import process, another file of this object cannot be manually or automatically imported in parallel.
  2. Once a tax code is updated, all the tax codes are imported, including the ones that were not updated.
  3. On the "File import" screen, as shown below, you can trace all sync attempts and view the status of the entire imported file and of a specific record in the file.
  4. Tipalti takes the encrypted files from your defined input sFTP/ S3 folder and imports the data to the Tipalti Hub. Import syncs every 5 minutes. Prior to import, Tipalti checks if there are any new files in your input folder.
  5.  In case the import fails:
    • If the entire file failed to import, users with the File Integration Operator role are notified by email.
    • If a specific record failed to import:
      • Tipalti creates an "Errors file" with all validation issues per record.
      • On the "File import" screen, you can view the status of the imported file and download the original file or the errors & warnings file.
  • ERPs usually include the transaction type (purchase, sales, both). You should only import tax codes of "purchase" or "both".
  • This feature is currently supported for File Integration payers only.

Tax codes file naming conventions

The name of the imported files includes the name of the object and the date and time of the import: {object-name} {iso time}.

For example:

  • TaxCodes_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSSZ
  • TaxCodes_20201212_160655111
  • The file names are fixed but not case sensitive.
  • Any file in the directory that does not match the naming convention is ignored and won't be imported.

Auto-sync failure notifications

During the auto-sync process, sync errors may occur due to various reasons, such as:

  • Tipalti couldn't connect to the payer file server
  • The wrong template format was used
  • The imported file was empty
  • The CSV file exceeded the size limit (20 MB), etc.

If the file has failed to import, the user with the File Integration Operator role is notified by email indicating the error reason and its resolution. Depending on the severity of the error, some emails are sent several times as a reminder. After the second reminder, the issue is escalated to Tipalti Support. A maximum of 5 emails will be sent.