Connections & File Flows

A connection establishes how one system reaches another. A file flow describes the work performed through that connection: which files move, who acts on them, when the work occurs, and what counts as success. The same connection can support a person opening a file and an unattended process delivering another file.

Connections To Files.com

People can connect through the Files.com web interface, Desktop App, Mobile App, or CLI. Applications can connect through APIs and supported file-transfer protocols. Their credentials, permissions, and allowed connection methods determine access to the site's files and services.

For example, a supplier's billing application can open an SFTP connection to Files.com and upload invoices. A member of your finance team can then view those files through the web interface. The supplier and employee use different interfaces and identities to participate in the same process.

Clients & Protocols describes these interfaces. The choice follows the device, application, transfer requirements, and supported operations. A person issuing a CLI command is working interactively; a script using the same CLI is automated work.

Files.com Connections To Other Systems

A Remote Server holds the connection details Files.com uses to access an external location. Supported locations include cloud storage, content platforms, and file-transfer servers. The external system authenticates that connection and applies its own permissions.

A Remote Server can support a mount for access to the remote files, or a Sync that transfers files between locations. Creating the connection establishes reachability. Choosing the mount, transfer, and timing determines how it participates in your work.

The direction of the connection does not determine the direction of file movement. A supplier connecting to Files.com can upload invoices or download response files. Files.com connecting to the supplier's server can retrieve invoices or deliver responses. Those arrangements place responsibility for connection initiation, credentials, and scheduling on different sides.

The On-Premise Agent

The On-Premise Agent runs on a machine you operate and establishes a connection from that machine to Files.com. Files.com can then access permitted local or attached storage through the Agent's Remote Server connection. The Agent's configuration and operating-system access determine which storage it can expose.

This makes an existing file share available to Files.com workflows without requiring every participant to connect directly to that share. Finance staff might browse a mounted invoice directory through Files.com while a Sync delivers files to another location. The Agent supports both uses.

The standard connection is initiated by the Agent. Optional Direct Transfers use a different data path for supported clients and have additional network requirements. The Agent decision guide helps determine whether the Agent fits your environment.

Applications And The Wider Process

An application can own part of the business process while Files.com handles file access and transfer. The SDKs and APIs expose file operations and configuration; iPaaS integrations connect Files.com with workflow platforms. A notification or operational event can tell another system that a step has occurred.

For the invoice flow, the supplier's upload, the finance team's review, the transfer to accounting, and the accounting application's import are separate stages. They can share connections without sharing the same timing or success condition. Automated Workflows explains how to choose the component responsible for each stage and how to verify the handoffs.