Use Cases

The examples below show where AI Tasks fit in enterprise file transfer and B2B workflows. Each one notes where a built-in feature already covers part of the problem, so you know when AI is the right tool and when it is not.

Content Validation Before Processing

A trading partner sends EDI files, invoices, or purchase orders to an intake folder. An AI Task reads each file, checks for required fields and valid values, and writes a validation report. Clean files move forward via an Automation. Files with problems go to an exceptions folder with a plain-language explanation of what is wrong. Downstream systems receive only valid files. Use Expectations alongside this to alert you if the partner stops sending files entirely.

Intelligent Document Classification

Partners drop mixed documents into a shared intake folder: invoices, shipping manifests, compliance certificates, contracts. Automations can route files by name or extension. AI Tasks can read the content and route by what the document actually is, which is more reliable when partners do not follow consistent naming conventions.

User Access Review

A task runs weekly and checks which users have access to folders marked as sensitive or restricted. For each folder, it lists the users assigned, their permission level, and when their access was last updated. The output is a structured report in an audit folder. Administrators review it to confirm that access matches current business relationships and that no former employees or inactive partners still hold permissions. For automatic account deactivation based on inactivity, configure User Lifecycle Rules to run first; use this task for the periodic human review of the current permission state.

Partner Delivery Monitoring

A task runs on a schedule and checks transfer logs for expected partner deliveries. When a partner has not delivered on time, the task writes an alert report. For straightforward SLA monitoring based on whether a file arrived, Expectations is a better fit. Use an AI Task when you need the report to include context from the logs, like what did arrive, what was partial, and what was missing.

Incoming File Screening

Files arriving from external parties are screened for sensitive content before they are distributed to internal teams or other partners. The AI looks for personally identifiable information, financial account numbers, or other restricted data patterns. Files that trigger a flag are held for review. Clean files proceed via an Automation. For restricting file types at upload, use Data Governance restrictions as the first line of defense and AI Tasks for content-level screening.

New Partner Onboarding Validation

When a new partner folder is created, an AI Task checks whether the configuration matches the onboarding checklist: correct permissions, encryption enabled if required, the partner user scoped to only their folder. It writes a validation report and flags anything that does not match before the partner sends their first file.

User Offboarding Verification

After a user or partner is offboarded, an AI Task checks that their access has been fully removed across folder permissions, group memberships, and active share links. It writes a verification report for IT and compliance teams. For automatic account deactivation based on inactivity, configure User Lifecycle Rules to run first, then use an AI Task to verify the result.

Configuration Drift Detection

A Site Administrator maintains a baseline document in a reference folder that describes the expected configuration: which folders require GPG encryption, which automations should be active, and which permission groups should exist. A task runs weekly, reads the baseline document, reads the current site configuration, and writes a report to an audit folder describing anything that does not match. Drift is caught before it becomes a security gap.

Scheduled Compliance Reporting

On a defined schedule, a task reads permissions, access logs, and share link activity across sensitive folders and writes a structured compliance report. For standard exports of permissions and login history, check whether Scheduled Report Exports covers your needs first. Use an AI Task when you need the report to include narrative analysis or cross-reference multiple data sources.

Stale File Identification

A task scans designated folders for files that have not been accessed in a defined period, identifies large or duplicate files, and writes a cleanup report with file names, sizes, last-accessed dates, and locations. An administrator reviews the report and decides what to delete. For automatic deletion based on file age, use File Expiration instead. Use an AI Task when you want a human to review before anything is removed.