Importing employee contacts into SurveySparrow via SFTP

SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol) is a secure method for transferring and managing files over a network. Unlike traditional FTP, SFTP encrypts both commands and data, protecting sensitive information from unauthorized access. This level of security makes SFTP a preferred choice for industries that handle confidential data, such as healthcare and finance, where compliance with regulations like HIPAA and GDPR is paramount .

SurveySparrow offers native support for SFTP, allowing users to: 

• Import contact lists from a remote server (one-time or scheduled): click here to learn how.
• Export survey responses to a remote server: click here to learn how.
• Share email surveys: click here to learn how.

In this article, we’ll guide you through the process of importing your employee contacts from an SFTP server to your SurveySparrow account - either as a one-time action or on a recurring basis.

1. Inside the SurveySparrow app, open the Contacts menu, then select Employees.

2. The employee directory opens up. Click Add Employees in the right corner.

3. Then click Import via STFP.

4. To import employee contacts, you will need to connect to an SFTP server. Click on the field titled Choose to select a connection.

5. If you have an SFTP connection, click on it. Else, click on Create a new connection.

6. Set up the connection by typing the credentials in the respective fields. Once done, click Save Connection.

7. After the connection is saved, click Choose file or folder.

8. The file directory of the SFTP server opens up. You will see folders, which you can open to see the inner files. To do this, click on one of the folders, then click Select.

Note: You can click the plus icon to the left of the folder to automatically open it, or use the search box at the top of the pop-up.

9.  Click on the file you want to import, then click Select.

10. Now you will see the Import location and file details, which you can edit if needed. To proceed, click Continue.

Note: If your list has different date-based versions, you can create a dynamic name pattern. This  helps SurveySparrow identify and pull files matching it from the SFTP server. To do this, click Choose Pattern.

After this, a text box opens up. Type in your file name (the text string part) and click on the brackets icon at the end of the text box to add a date variable.

A drop-down menu appears with 4 date formats. Choose the one that you wish.

The pattern is now ready, click Continue to proceed.

11. You will proceed to the mapping section, where each of the employee details from the CSV gets mapped to the corresponding field inside SurveySparrow.

12. Fields with essential data like names get automatically mapped. In case there is any data that is unmapped, or if you want a different mapping for a particular data field, you can change it. Click on the corresponding drop-down menu under the Mapping column and choose from the options.

13. When you’re satisfied with the mapping, click Import.

14. Now you must configure the import schedule. First type in a name for the import.

15. Then choose the unit of time (daily/weekly/monthly), the time and the time zone.

16. Finally, you must add an email address of someone in your organization so that they are notified about the import. Type in the email, then press Enter (or Return) or your keyboard.

Note: You can add more than one email address. 

17. Once you are ready, click Schedule.

Note: If you choose a one-time import, you must click Finish Import.

18. Then you will be taken to the Imports section, where you can see finished and upcoming imports.

19. To pause an import, hover over it. You will see a green toggle, which you must click.

20.  To delete an import, hover over it. You will see a grey dustbin icon, which you must click.

21. To add a new import, click New Import. Then repeat the steps outlined above.

22. To view your import history, click View Logs.

Now, you can simplify employee directory management with SFTP, either via bulk imports or scheduling. This keeps your employee lists updated at the right time, especially when you have to reach out to specific employee groups for feedback. No matter what your requirements are, your organization’s data is always safe.

Feel free to reach out to our community, if you have any questions.