Retrieving Files from Vendors by Using FTP

To retrieve files from a vendor by using FTP, you will need the IP address of the vendor's server, a login and password for the vendor's server, and the name of the file to retrieve. Contact the vendor to obtain this information.

To retrieve files from a vendor by using FTP:

  1. Select Import Invoices from the Function list.

The Import tab displays. The Status bar in the Import tab displays the number of invoices and items to accept and the total number that the system can accommodate. Check the remaining capacity of your system before retrieving files.

  1. Click Get Shipment.
  2. Select a type of file to retrieve.
  3. Enter a vendor code in the Vendor text box if you want the system to:
    • insert a vendor code in the file.
    • automatically supply default connection information (IP address, login, password) for the vendor during the FTP process. (The system uses the data from FTP INFO field of the vendor record.)

If you are retrieving EDIFACT files, you must enter a vendor code before continuing.

  1. Click FTP. The FTS screen displays.
  2. Select a Transfer type. Most vendors use the Binary transfer type. EBSCO uses the ASCII transfer type.
  3. Get the files. You can select multiple files to retrieve at the same time.

When you retrieve files, MARC-format invoice/approval files appear in the list of shipments on the Import tab. Electronic serials invoices and EDIFACT invoice files appear on the Accept/Reject tab.

If you are retrieving multiple EDIFACT invoice files and Sierra cannot process any of the files, an error message appears. When this occurs, Sierra displays the Import tab. To see the files that were successfully processed, click the Accept/Reject tab.