Information
  • Author: Appian Corporation
  • Type: Plug-in (Function & Smart Service)
  • Support: This is an Appian supported plug-in. To the extent that this plug-in does not conform to its documentation, please submit a ticket to Appian Technical Support. Appian does not support customer-created customizations or outdated versions of the plug-in.
  • Industry: All Industries
  • Compatible Version(s): 25.2
  • First Released:
  • Last Updated:
  • Cost: Free - Appian Supported
Resources
Share
Home » AppMarket » SFTP Functions

SFTP Functions

Overview

Contains multiple Smart Services for interacting with a remote file server via SFTP, FTP, or SCP.  Using these services, an Appian application can be configured to send and receive files, folders, and metadata in a process.  Features support for zlib compression.

Key Features & Functionality

Smart Services included:

  • SFTP:
    • Send File Over SFTP
    • Receive File Over SFTP
    • Get Remote Folder Contents Over SFTP
    • Create Folder Over SFTP
    • Remove File Over SFTP
    • Receive Files In Folder Over
    • SFTP Rename File Over SFTP
  • SCP:
    • Send File Over SCP
    • Receive File Over SCP
  • FTP:
    • Send File Over FTP
    • Receive File Over FTP
    • Get Remote Folder Contents Over FTP
    • Receive Files In Folder Over FTP
    • Remove File Over FTP
    • Rename File Over FTP
  • FTPS
    • Get Remote Folder Contents Over FTPS
    • Receive File Over FTPS
    • Receive Files In Folder Over FTPS
    • Send File Over FTPS

Functions:

  • getfoldercontentsoverftp
  • getfoldercontentsoverftps
  • getfoldercontentsoversftp
  • All smart services in the package use Secure Credentials Store.
Anonymous

  • We are having an ongoing issue with node 'Receive File Over SFTP' wherein when we attempt to transfer files from 4 different folders simultaneously thru 4 instances simultaneously, we get error for 1 or 2 folders randomly. Is there a limitation in using a common single service account for all folders, as we are currently doing? 

  • in reply to sriram.sampathkumar

    Hi, 

    In the secure credential store since are  we using a private key file for authentication correct, and can u also check with the same information are u able to connect to the SFTP server using the command line or any other tools like WINSCP

  • in reply to raghulvishnud

    Process model contains SFTP node start and end node that's it.

  • in reply to raghulvishnud

    Below are the screenshots as requested. Kindly let me know if you need more details

  • in reply to sriram.sampathkumar

    Hi ,

    Please share with us the screenshot of the configurations of the SFTP node and also check whether all mandatory fields are passed properly from Appian in both the secure credential store and the process model.

  • I am trying to send a file and it gives me the below error. I have checked the documentation and everything is configured as expected.

     [Appian Work Item - 11 - execution02 : UnattendedJavaActivityRequest] ERROR com.appian.ps.plugins.sftpsmartservices.SendFileOverSFTP - Error transferring file to SFTP server
java.lang.NullPointerException
	at com.appian.ps.plugins.sftpsmartservices.SendFileOverSFTP.run(SendFileOverSFTP.java:149)
	at com.appiancorp.process.runtime.framework.DefaultActivityExecutor$1.lambda$call$0(DefaultActivityExecutor.java:136)
	at com.appiancorp.plugins.PluginUsageLogger.runWithPluginInformation(PluginUsageLogger.java:52)
	at com.appiancorp.process.runtime.framework.DefaultActivityExecutor$1.call(DefaultActivityExecutor.java:136)
	at com.appiancorp.process.runtime.framework.DefaultActivityExecutor$1.call(DefaultActivityExecutor.java:130)
	at com.appiancorp.common.ContextClassLoaderSwitcher.runInContext(ContextClassLoaderSwitcher.java:27)
	at com.appiancorp.process.runtime.framework.DefaultActivityExecutor.execute(DefaultActivityExecutor.java:130)
	at com.appiancorp.process.engine.UnattendedJavaActivityRequest.execute(UnattendedJavaActivityRequest.java:88)
	at com.appiancorp.process.engine.UnattendedJavaActivityRequestResponseCreator.getJavaActivityResultResponse(UnattendedJavaActivityRequestResponseCreator.java:21)
	at com.appiancorp.process.engine.UnattendedJavaActivityRequest.getJavaActivityResultResponse(UnattendedJavaActivityRequest.java:67)
	at com.appiancorp.process.engine.UnattendedJavaActivityRequest.execute0(UnattendedJavaActivityRequest.java:55)
	at com.appiancorp.common.persistence.data.AppianDataUserContextProvider.executeWithConsistentDataReads(AppianDataUserContextProvider.java:116)
	at com.appiancorp.process.engine.ProcessContinuationRequest.executeOuter(ProcessContinuationRequest.java:68)
	at com.appiancorp.process.engine.ContinuationRequest.execute(ContinuationRequest.java:124)
	at com.appiancorp.process.workpoller.UnattendedRequestHandlerBean.onMessage(UnattendedRequestHandlerBean.java:36)
	at com.appiancorp.process.workpoller.WorkItem.run(WorkItem.java:94)
	at org.springframework.jca.work.SimpleTaskWorkManager$DelegatingWorkAdapter.run(SimpleTaskWorkManager.java:239)
	at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1149)
	at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:624)
	at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:748)
  • in reply to TJ

    Hi Tj,

    The Cause of the issue is only due to network restrictions .Please try to manually/use file transfer tool like winscp to transfer a file through sftp from the appian machine .Please share us if you are able to do the same

  • in reply to raghulvishnud

    Above is just sample endpoint as I can't disclose actual endpoint over here. However I had asked support from Appian and they replied that they are able to connect to endpoint from Appian so its not Appian issue and something to do with plugin.

  • in reply to TJ

    Hi From the Error Log ,we can see that the server is trying to connect to https://host.com which is not resolvable from your machines network resulting in a unknown host exception .

    Please try checking the same from your side

  • I am trying to send document using 'Send File Over SFTP' but receiving below error:

    2021-12-07 13:26:29,772 [Appian Work Item - 54497 - execution00 : UnattendedJavaActivityRequest] ERROR com.appian.ps.plugins.sftpsmartservices.SendFileOverSFTP - Error connecting to remote SFTP server
    com.jcraft.jsch.JSchException: java.net.UnknownHostException: https://host.com
    at com.jcraft.jsch.Util.createSocket(Util.java:349)
    at com.jcraft.jsch.Session.connect(Session.java:215)
    at com.jcraft.jsch.Session.connect(Session.java:183)
    at com.appian.ps.plugins.sftpsmartservices.SFTPConfig.connect(SFTPConfig.java:178)
    at com.appian.ps.plugins.sftpsmartservices.SendFileOverSFTP.run(SendFileOverSFTP.java:140)
    at com.appiancorp.process.runtime.framework.DefaultActivityExecutor$1.lambda$call$0(DefaultActivityExecutor.java:131)
    at com.appiancorp.plugins.PluginUsageLogger.runWithPluginInformation(PluginUsageLogger.java:52)
    at com.appiancorp.process.runtime.framework.DefaultActivityExecutor$1.call(DefaultActivityExecutor.java:131)
    at com.appiancorp.process.runtime.framework.DefaultActivityExecutor$1.call(DefaultActivityExecutor.java:125)
    at com.appiancorp.common.ContextClassLoaderSwitcher.runInContext(ContextClassLoaderSwitcher.java:27)
    at com.appiancorp.process.runtime.framework.DefaultActivityExecutor.execute(DefaultActivityExecutor.java:125)
    at com.appiancorp.process.engine.UnattendedJavaActivityRequest.execute(UnattendedJavaActivityRequest.java:88)
    at com.appiancorp.process.engine.UnattendedJavaActivityRequestResponseCreator.getJavaActivityResultResponse(UnattendedJavaActivityRequestResponseCreator.java:21)
    at com.appiancorp.process.engine.UnattendedJavaActivityRequest.getJavaActivityResultResponse(UnattendedJavaActivityRequest.java:67)
    at com.appiancorp.process.engine.UnattendedJavaActivityRequest.execute0(UnattendedJavaActivityRequest.java:55)
    at com.appiancorp.common.persistence.data.AppianDataUserContextProvider.executeWithConsistentDataReads(AppianDataUserContextProvider.java:116)
    at com.appiancorp.process.engine.ProcessContinuationRequest.executeOuter(ProcessContinuationRequest.java:68)
    at com.appiancorp.process.engine.ContinuationRequest.execute(ContinuationRequest.java:123)
    at com.appiancorp.process.workpoller.UnattendedRequestHandlerBean.onMessage(UnattendedRequestHandlerBean.java:36)
    at com.appiancorp.process.workpoller.WorkItem.run(WorkItem.java:94)
    at org.springframework.jca.work.SimpleTaskWorkManager$DelegatingWorkAdapter.run(SimpleTaskWorkManager.java:239)
    at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1149)
    at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:624)
    at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:748)
    Caused by: java.net.UnknownHostException: https://host.com
    at java.net.AbstractPlainSocketImpl.connect(AbstractPlainSocketImpl.java:184)
    at java.net.VPNSocketImpl.connect(VPNSocketImpl.java:50)
    at java.net.Socket.connect(Socket.java:607)
    at java.net.Socket.connect(Socket.java:556)
    at java.net.Socket.<init>(Socket.java:452)
    at java.net.Socket.<init>(Socket.java:229)
    at com.jcraft.jsch.Util.createSocket(Util.java:343)
    ... 23 more
    2021-12-07 13:26:29,773 [Appian Work Item - 54497 - execution00 : UnattendedJavaActivityRequest] ERROR com.appian.ps.plugins.sftpsmartservices.SendFileOverSFTP - Error transferring file to SFTP server
    java.lang.NullPointerException
    at com.appian.ps.plugins.sftpsmartservices.SendFileOverSFTP.run(SendFileOverSFTP.java:149)
    at com.appiancorp.process.runtime.framework.DefaultActivityExecutor$1.lambda$call$0(DefaultActivityExecutor.java:131)
    at com.appiancorp.plugins.PluginUsageLogger.runWithPluginInformation(PluginUsageLogger.java:52)
    at com.appiancorp.process.runtime.framework.DefaultActivityExecutor$1.call(DefaultActivityExecutor.java:131)
    at com.appiancorp.process.runtime.framework.DefaultActivityExecutor$1.call(DefaultActivityExecutor.java:125)
    at com.appiancorp.common.ContextClassLoaderSwitcher.runInContext(ContextClassLoaderSwitcher.java:27)
    at com.appiancorp.process.runtime.framework.DefaultActivityExecutor.execute(DefaultActivityExecutor.java:125)
    at com.appiancorp.process.engine.UnattendedJavaActivityRequest.execute(UnattendedJavaActivityRequest.java:88)
    at com.appiancorp.process.engine.UnattendedJavaActivityRequestResponseCreator.getJavaActivityResultResponse(UnattendedJavaActivityRequestResponseCreator.java:21)
    at com.appiancorp.process.engine.UnattendedJavaActivityRequest.getJavaActivityResultResponse(UnattendedJavaActivityRequest.java:67)
    at com.appiancorp.process.engine.UnattendedJavaActivityRequest.execute0(UnattendedJavaActivityRequest.java:55)
    at com.appiancorp.common.persistence.data.AppianDataUserContextProvider.executeWithConsistentDataReads(AppianDataUserContextProvider.java:116)
    at com.appiancorp.process.engine.ProcessContinuationRequest.executeOuter(ProcessContinuationRequest.java:68)
    at com.appiancorp.process.engine.ContinuationRequest.execute(ContinuationRequest.java:123)
    at com.appiancorp.process.workpoller.UnattendedRequestHandlerBean.onMessage(UnattendedRequestHandlerBean.java:36)
    at com.appiancorp.process.workpoller.WorkItem.run(WorkItem.java:94)
    at org.springframework.jca.work.SimpleTaskWorkManager$DelegatingWorkAdapter.run(SimpleTaskWorkManager.java:239)
    at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1149)
    at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:624)
    at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:748)

    Has anyone faced similar issues? Please let me know if you have any inputs on this.

© 2025 Appian. All rights reserved.
We want to hear from you! Submit a review on Gartner or G2.