File servers

Workato MFT file servers are managed endpoints hosted by Workato. External partners and systems connect to these servers to upload and download files securely.

File servers differ from SFTP and FTP connectors. Connectors let Workato act as a client and connect to external servers. File servers let external systems connect to Workato as a host.

FILESTORAGE

Workato FileStorage works with MFT file servers to manage the full file lifecycle. FileStorage automatically stores files for processing, archival, or distribution when they arrive at your SFTP or FTP(s) servers.

File servers act as entry and exit points for file transfers. FileStorage provides centralized file storage and management within Workato.

SFTP server

Workato's SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol) server supports secure, encrypted file transfer using the SSH protocol on port 22. SFTP encrypts all data in transit to protect both files and credentials from interception. This option is recommended for all external partner integrations and internet-facing file transfers.

Workato SFTP server allows you to:

• Provide secure upload and download endpoints for partners and legacy systems.

• Authenticate users with SSH keys (recommended) or passwords.

• Restrict access to specific IP addresses or ranges. Use this when your partner uses static IPs and you plan to block unauthorized attempts.

• Create isolated user accounts with folder-level access control.

• Monitor connections and file activity with detailed logs.

Set up an SFTP server

Complete the following steps to enable an SFTP server and establish a managed file transfer endpoint:

1

Go to Tools > File Management > Services > SFTP server.

2

Click Enable SFTP server. The server activates immediately, and your connection details display on the page.

Enabled SFTP server

Create an SFTP account

You can create user accounts to grant external entities access to your SFTP server. Each account has isolated access to the folders you specify.

Complete the following steps to create an SFTP account:

1

Go to Tools > File Management > Services > Accounts.

The Accounts page

2

Click Add account. The Create an account modal opens.

3

Enter a Username for your SFTP connection. Your username must be between 3 and 32 characters and only use alphanumeric characters. Workato automatically appends your workspace ID to create the full username. For example: name@workspace-id.

4

Use the Authentication drop-down menu to select an authentication method. Refer to the following tabs for configuration steps for each option.

Enter a secure Password if your account uses password authentication.

Enter a public key in OpenSSH format in the SSH key field if your account uses SSH key authentication. OpenSSH keys start with ssh-rsa.

5

Enter the home directory for the user's connection in the Root directory field. Users can't navigate above this directory.

6

Use the Permissions drop-down menu to select a permission level for the account.

Permission levels

SFTP server allows you to configure the operations an account can perform in each folder using the following permissions levels:

Read only: Users can download files and list directories, but can't upload, create, delete, or modify files.

Write only: Users can upload new files and create folders and subdirectories, but can't download, read, delete, or modify files.

Read/Write: Users can download files, list directories, upload new files, create folders and subdirectories, but can't delete or modify existing files.

Full Access: Users can download files, list directories, upload new files, create folders and subdirectories, and delete and modify existing files.

7

Optional. Enter IP addresses or ranges to allowlist in the Allowed IPs field. To allow multiple IPs, separate them with commas or define a range.

8

Optional. Enter IP addresses or ranges to block in the Blocked IPs field. To block multiple IPs, separate them with commas or define a range.

BLOCKED IPS

Blocked IPs override allowed IPs. For example, if you add 123.456.123.456 to both lists, the user is denied access.

9

Click Save to create the account.

FTP(s) server

Workato supports systems that require FTP-based file transfer:

FTPS (FTP Secure): Uses TLS and SSL to encrypt file transfer. FTPS provides security similar to HTTPS.

FTP (legacy): The Workato on-prem agent supports standard, unencrypted FTP protocol for internal network transfers.

Server logs

Workato's logging service captures detailed information for every server activity in Tools > Logs. Use these logs to view successful and failed connections, track file uploads and downloads, and troubleshoot errors across file transfers.

Server logs

Workato logs the following event types:

• Authentication events: Displays whether authentication succeeded or failed, the username, IP address, and reason of failure (if applicable).

• File operations: Record upload, download, and delete activity, including the username, file path, size, IP address, and failure reason (if applicable).

Use the following filters to locate specific logs:

• Period: Select a preset such as Last 30 days or define a custom date range.

• Log type: Select File Servers to view logs related to MFT file server activity.

• Log level: Select INFO to view successful events or ERROR to investigate failures.

FEATURE AVAILABILITY

Contact your Customer Success Manager for information about access to Workato MFT.