FTP / SFTP Integration in FlowMattic

Connect your FTP, FTPS, or SFTP server to FlowMattic to upload, download, manage, and monitor files on remote servers — all from within your automated workflows.

Overview

The FTP/SFTP application enables file management operations on remote servers as part of your workflow automation. It supports three protocols:

Connection Setup

Step 1: Add a New Connection

1. Go to FlowMattic > Connects in your WordPress dashboard.
2. Click Add New Connection.
3. Search for FTP and select FTP / SFTP.

Step 2: Configure Connection Settings

Fill in the connection fields based on your server’s protocol:

Connection Examples

Standard FTP:

• Protocol: FTP
• Host: ftp.example.com
• Port: (leave empty for default 21)
• Username: ftpuser
• Password: yourpassword
• Passive Mode: Yes

SFTP with Password:

• Protocol: SFTP
• Host: sftp.example.com
• Port: (leave empty for default 22)
• Username: sftpuser
• Password: yourpassword

SFTP with SSH Key:

• Protocol: SFTP
• Host: sftp.example.com
• Port: (leave empty for default 22)
• Username: ubuntu
• Password: (key passphrase, if your key is encrypted)
• Private Key: (paste your private key content)

FTPS (Secure FTP):

• Protocol: FTPS
• Host: secure-ftp.example.com
• Port: (leave empty for default 21)
• Username: secureuser
• Password: securepassword
• Passive Mode: Yes

Step 3: Test and Save

Click Test Connection & Save to verify the connection. FlowMattic will validate:

• Server connectivity on the specified host and port.
• Username and password credentials.
• Required PHP extensions are installed.

Note: Your server must have the required PHP extensions installed:

• FTP/FTPS: PHP ftp extension (usually built-in)
• FTPS: PHP openssl extension
• SFTP: PHP ssh2 extension

Triggers

The FTP/SFTP app includes two polling-based triggers that monitor folders for changes.

New File in a Folder

Triggers when a new file is added to a monitored folder on the FTP/SFTP server.

Configuration:

Trigger Output Data:

File Modified in a Folder

Triggers when an existing file in the monitored folder is modified (size or timestamp changes).

Configuration:

Trigger Output Data:

How Polling Works

1. Initial capture: FlowMattic creates a baseline snapshot of all files in the monitored folder.
2. Subsequent polls: On each check, FlowMattic compares the current file state against the baseline.
3. Detection: New files or modified files (changed size/timestamp) trigger the workflow.
4. Baseline update: After a trigger fires, the baseline is updated to reflect the current state.

Note: Only files are monitored — directories are skipped. Polling frequency depends on your WordPress cron schedule.

Actions

The FTP/SFTP app provides 8 file management actions.

Upload a File

Upload a file to the remote FTP/SFTP server from a URL or a local server path.

Configuration:

Note: Provide either a Source URL or a Source File Path — not both. Parent directories on the remote server are created automatically if they don’t exist.

Output:

Download a File

Download a file from the remote FTP/SFTP server to your WordPress site.

Configuration:

Output:

Tip: When saved to the WordPress uploads folder, the file is automatically registered in the Media Library with proper MIME type detection.

Delete a File or Folder

Delete a file or an empty folder on the remote server.

Configuration:

Output:

Important: Folders must be empty before they can be deleted. Delete all files inside the folder first.

List Folder Content

List all files and folders inside a directory on the remote server.

Configuration:

Output:

Each item in the items array contains:

Rename / Move a File or Folder

Rename a file or folder, or move it to a different directory.

Configuration:

Output:

Examples:

• Rename: /uploads/old-name.pdf → /uploads/new-name.pdf
• Move: /uploads/file.pdf → /archive/file.pdf
• Move and Rename: /uploads/report.csv → /archive/2024-report.csv

Create a Folder

Create a new folder on the remote server.

Configuration:

Output:

Note: SFTP supports recursive folder creation (parent directories are created automatically). For FTP, parent directories must already exist.

Check if File Exists

Check whether a file or folder exists on the remote server.

Configuration:

Output:

Use Case: Use with a Branch step to conditionally upload, download, or delete files based on whether they exist.

Get File Info

Retrieve detailed information about a file on the remote server.

Configuration:

Output:

Workflow Examples

Example 1: Auto-Process Uploaded Files

Automatically download and process new files uploaded to an FTP folder.

1. Trigger: New File in a Folder — Monitor /incoming on the FTP server.
2. FTP > Download File — Download {Trigger1.file_path} to WordPress.
3. Email — Send notification with the download URL.

Example 2: Backup WordPress Exports

Upload WordPress export files to a remote SFTP server for backup.

1. Schedule Trigger — Run daily.
2. HTTP Request — Call WordPress export endpoint.
3. FTP > Upload File — Upload the export file to /backups/ on the SFTP server.
4. Slack — Notify the team that backup is complete.

Example 3: File Sync Between Servers

Move files from one folder to another after processing.

1. Trigger: New File in a Folder — Monitor /to-process.
2. FTP > Download File — Download the file.
3. (Process the file with other workflow steps)
4. FTP > Rename / Move — Move from /to-process/file.csv to /processed/file.csv.

Example 4: Conditional File Management

Check if a file exists before uploading, to avoid duplicates.

1. Webhook Trigger — Receive file upload request.
2. FTP > Check File Exists — Check if /uploads/{Trigger1.filename} exists.
3. Branch — If {FTP1.exists} is true, skip upload. Otherwise, continue.
4. FTP > Upload File — Upload the file.

Troubleshooting

Connection Issues

“Connection failed”

• Verify the host, port, and protocol are correct.
• Ensure your server firewall allows connections on the specified port.
• For FTP/FTPS, try enabling Passive Mode.

“Login failed”

• Double-check the username and password.
• For SFTP with SSH key, ensure the private key content is pasted correctly.

“PHP extension not installed”

• FTP/FTPS requires the PHP ftp extension.
• FTPS additionally requires the PHP openssl extension.
• SFTP requires the PHP ssh2 extension.
• Contact your hosting provider to enable the required extension.

Action Errors

“Folder not empty” when deleting

• You must delete all files inside a folder before deleting the folder itself.
• Use List Folder Content to see what’s inside, then delete files first.

“File not found” on download

• Verify the remote file path is correct and the file exists.
• Use Check File Exists to verify before downloading.

Upload fails with no error

• Check that the remote directory exists or that auto-creation is working.
• Verify the FTP user has write permissions to the target directory.

SFTP Authentication

SSH key authentication fails:

1. Ensure the private key is in the correct format (OpenSSH or PEM).
2. If the key has a passphrase, enter it in the Password field.
3. FlowMattic will automatically fall back to password authentication if key-based auth fails.

Summary