Source formats define how recurring imports interpret incoming data and save it in Slate. A source format stores the import's parsing rules, destination mappings, remap behavior, and automation settings so the same kind of file can be processed consistently over time.
Use source formats for imports that repeat from the same vendor, system, or internal process. A source format can support new record creation, updates to existing records, and deduplication within a source file. After a source format is mapped and activated, files can be uploaded manually through Upload Dataset or processed through an automated import path.
Finding a standard source format
The Source Format Library includes predefined configurations for many common data sources. Start here when adding an integration with a third-party source: our existing source formats reduce the amount of parsing and mapping work you have to do.
Go to Database → Source Format Library to search for standard formats. If the source you need is not available, you can create a custom source format.
Creating a custom source format
Create a custom source format when the Source Format Library does not include the format you need. You can create one from scratch or generate one from a previous upload, then configure the general settings, format definition, and optional automation settings.
After the source format exists, upload a sample file and complete remapping. Remapping connects source fields and source values to Slate destinations so later files can process consistently.
📖 Creating a Custom Source Format
Source format settings
Source format settings control the basic behavior of an import. These settings determine whether the format is active, how Slate stores files from each import, when remap settings apply, and whether records can be created or updated.
Review these settings before you activate a new recurring import. Small configuration choices can change whether Slate creates new records, updates existing records, queues updates for later processing, or limits the import to records that already exist.
Defining the file layout
The Format Definition tab tells Slate how to read the incoming data before the fields can be mapped. The XML in this tab can describe delimited files, fixed-width files, Excel files, XML payloads, and JSON payloads.
Use the format definition when the incoming file does not have a simple header row or when the source data needs a specific parser. For files without a header row, the definition also names the fields that appear during remapping.
Capturing metadata and supporting mappings
Some recurring imports need information that is not contained in the file itself. Source metadata can store details about the source format, such as list costs or campaign information, so that later reporting can connect imported records back to the source.
Other imports need static mappings. Static mappings apply the same destination value to every row in an import, such as assigning a shared round, status, or other fixed value when the source file does not provide that value directly.
📖 Capturing Source Format Metadata
📖 Setup Mappings: Static Value Round Mapping
Automating recurring imports
After a source format is configured and remapped, the Import Automation tab can tell Slate where to find recurring files. Most file-based imports should be delivered to the Technolutions SFTP server and matched with an import path or file mask.
Slate can also retrieve files from a remote SFTP server or process data through web services. Use those options when the source system cannot deliver files to the Technolutions SFTP server or when the integration requires an endpoint-based workflow.
📖 Scheduling Imports from SFTP
📖 Retrieving Files and Importing Data from a Remote SFTP Server
📖 Importing Data with Web Services
Up next
Start by reviewing the settings that control source-format behavior, then continue into format definitions and custom setup as needed.