What It Is
FTP is a mechanism for transferring files between two computer systems without needing to download or upload files manually. FTP can be used to transfer to/from our clients' servers and the Fundriver system. FTP isn't restricted to specific file types or General Ledger (GL) systems, but the client must be ensure their systems is able to accept FTP files.
FTP stands for "File Transfer Protocol". It can also be referred to using acronyms which indicate the security mechanisms that are being used, namely SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol, or Secure File Transfer Protocol) and/or FTPS (also known FTP-SSL, and FTP Secure)
Currently, Fundriver can process FTP/SFTP for investment manager imports, transaction imports or expendable fund imports, and Bulk Import. Additionally, all Fundriver generated export files should be available for transporting via FTP.
This feature is an additional add-on. Please consult Fundriver Support to learn more!
What Is Required to Use It
To utilize FTP, you will need to have a system(s) set up to handle FTP transmission and/or reception. This is a task your internal IT Team should be able to discuss with you.
Relating to the files being moved around, Fundriver will handle all the logic and file management of files sent to us for imports. Your organization will be responsible for doing the same with files sent for exports. The specific technical details are discussed in the following sections.
FTP for Exports
Once configured, to use FTP, users will:
- Navigate to Activity > GL Exports as normal
- Select an export
- Select the appropriate Post Date and GL Date
- Click Create Export
- Just like a non-FTP scenario, the Click here to download link will generate
- Additionally, a button will also appear that says FTP File
- You can click on the Click here to download link to download the file and review
- If/when you are ready to transmit the file to your server, click the FTP File button and the file will immediately be transferred to your receiving FTP server
Fundriver users will need to review their internal systems to confirm receipt of the file. If the GL Export was incorrect (for example, if the file was structured incorrectly, if data had to be manually changed, or if you had to re-open a period to change data), you will need to delete or reverse the entry from your other system in the same manner you would without FTP. You can then follow the process above to send a new, corrected file to your GL.
Note: Clients are responsible for managing the files that arrive on their systems. We generally create our FTP files using a unique name containing a timestamp so you will need to implement a process to “file away” an export file after it has been processed. Some clients have requested we use a static filename so they don’t have to do any maintenance. This is possible but makes troubleshooting older data issues more complicated.
Export Technical Details
We will need you to provide the following information in order to prepare our systems:
- Server name (sometimes called a hostname) or IP address that Fundriver will be sending files to
- Authentication Credentials (username/password)
For security purposes, this information should not be transmitted via email. Our team will be happy to schedule a call with you (or your IT Team). If you have a more complex environment that requires the transfer of encryption keys, please reach out to a Fundriver team member so we can facilitate that process.
FTP for Imports
For this transfer method, Fundriver will provide your organization with the server name, login, and password that will be used to deposit the files. Files must be saved in one of the following formats: CSV, TXT, Fixed-Width (FW), or ASCII. You will need to work with your IT Team to develop a process/methodology for identifying when and how you will send the files to Fundriver. Considerations will also need to be made with respect to identifying which Post Date(s) you are uploading data for. This is discussed in depth below.
The method that will exist in the client’s environment to initiate sending us a file can vary. Every 5 minutes, Fundriver checks for files; if a file exists on our server for a client, we pull it in.
When a file is brought into the application, the file will be stored under the File Maintenance tab of the Activity > View/Edit Transactions screen (shown below) just as if you had manually uploaded it. The Post Date on this screen will always default to the open posting period that the file was imported in.
The true "Post Date" is what you see on the View/Edit Transactions screen (below). You will be able to bring in an import with data for the current post date and future dates, but never already closed periods in Fundriver. Additionally, some sort of identifier will need to be provided in the file to indicate what period a transaction is for. This will commonly be a Journal Date, but please discuss with a Fundriver team member.
Import Technical Details
We will need the following information to prepare our systems:
- A specific IP address or a range of IP addresses that the files will be coming from
We will provide you with the following information:
- Our FTP Server Name
- Authentication Credentials (username/password)
For security purposes, this information should not be transmitted via email. Our team will be happy to schedule a call with you (or your IT Team). If you have a more complex environment that requires the transfer of encryption keys, please reach out to a Fundriver team member so we can facilitate that process.