SFTP Sync Setup Instructions
What It's For
SFTP sync in Span is used to import your people and roster data — specifically employee records and organizational structure — into Span. It's managed through Kombo.Dev (a third-party integration service).
Step-by-Step Setup
1. Navigate to Integrations
Go to Organization Settings → Global Settings → Integrations
Find and click the "SFTP" card
2. Authenticate via KomboDev
Clicking the SFTP card opens KomboDev's connect flow
You'll authenticate with your SFTP credentials through KomboDev's UI
KomboDev generates a public token upon successful authentication
Span exchanges this for a persistent integration ID
3. Wait for Initial Data Load
⏱️ Important: Allow ~10 minutes for the initial data sync to complete before proceeding to configuration
4. Configure What to Sync
After authentication, you'll see: "SFTP is connected! Now select what you'd like to sync"
Configure these options:
Departments: Select which organizational units/departments to sync (hierarchical multi-select)
☑ Include People Data: Check to sync employee records
☑ Include Teams Data: Check to sync organizational structure/hierarchy
5. Finish Setup
Click "Finish" to save your configuration
The sync will begin pulling data into Span
What Data Gets Synced
The SFTP integration syncs the following HRIS data:
Employee Data:
Email addresses
First/Last names
Job titles
Levels
Timezones
Manager relationships (who reports to whom)
Organizational Structure:
Team/department names
Parent team relationships
Team leads/managers
Additional Data:
Absence/leave records
Absence types
Authentication Details
Method: OAuth flow through KomboDev (delegated authentication)
Credential Storage: Encrypted in Span's database (never plain text)
Security: KomboDev manages the actual SFTP credentials; Span only receives processed data
Common Issues & Troubleshooting
Issue | Solution |
Setup appears to hang | Wait the full ~10 minutes for initial data load |
"No groups available to select" | Ensure at least one department is selected |
Configuration won't save | Verify that either People or Teams data is checked |
Sync status stuck on "pending" | Check if KomboDev's initial sync has completed |
Credential verification fails | Re-authenticate through KomboDev's connect flow |
Important Notes
SFTP is Kombo.Dev-managed: Span doesn't connect directly to your SFTP server. Kombo.Dev handles the SFTP connection and passes normalized data to Span.
At least one option required: You must select at least one department AND check at least one of "Include People Data" or "Include Teams Data"
Data refresh: The sync runs periodically (managed by KomboDev/Airbyte) using full refresh overwrite mode
Where to Find It
Path: Organization Settings → Global Settings → Integrations → SFTP
The SFTP card will show connection status (connected/disconnected) and allow you to manage the configuration.