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Sending Data to Cora via SFTP or S3

How to deliver structured data files to Cora using an S3-compatible endpoint or SFTP.

Overview

Some Cora implementations require your team to deliver structured data files (CSV) on a regular basis — for example, daily account-level metric snapshots that power agent workflows like QBR prep or renewal outreach.

Cora hosts the endpoint. Your team pushes files; we handle ingestion from there.

There are two delivery options depending on your infrastructure:

  • S3-compatible endpoint (preferred) — ideal if your data team can push to an S3-compatible bucket using standard AWS SDKs or tools

  • SFTP — for teams that require traditional SFTP file transfer

Your Cora implementation team will confirm which method to use during onboarding.

Option A: S3-Compatible Endpoint (Preferred)

Cora provides a dedicated S3-compatible bucket for your organization. Any tool or SDK that supports S3 (AWS CLI, Boto3, custom ETL pipelines, etc.) will work out of the box.

What We Provide

Your Cora team will send the following credentials via a secure link:

  • Endpoint URL — the S3-compatible endpoint

  • Bucket name — scoped to your organization

  • Access Key ID

  • Secret Access Key

  • Region

Use these with any S3-compatible client. For example, with the AWS CLI:

aws s3 cp snapshot_20260317.csv s3://your-bucket/use_case_folder/ --endpoint-url YOUR_ENDPOINT

What You Need to Do

  1. Receive your credentials from the Cora team

  2. Configure your data pipeline or script to push files to the provided endpoint

  3. Push a test file and confirm with your Cora contact that it was received

  4. Begin regular delivery on the agreed schedule

Option B: SFTP

Cora provides a dedicated, hosted SFTP endpoint for your organization. No infrastructure setup is required on your end — just connect and push files.

What We Provide

  • Host — a dedicated subdomain (e.g., yourcompany.sftp.cora.ai)

  • Port — 22

  • Username — provided by Cora

  • Authentication — SSH public key

What You Need to Do

  1. Generate an SSH key pair (ECDSA, Ed25519, or RSA in OpenSSH format)

  2. Send the public key to your Cora contact via a secure link

  3. If your organization requires IP allowlisting, provide the static IP addresses that will connect

  4. Once Cora confirms the key is uploaded, test connectivity and push a sample file

  5. Confirm with your Cora contact that the file was received

  6. Begin regular delivery on the agreed schedule

File Format Requirements

CSV, Wide Format

We expect CSV files in wide format — one row per entity (e.g., account), with metrics as columns:

account_id, snapshot_date, metric_a, metric_b, metric_c

acme_123, 2026-03-17, 0.82, 145, 72

globex_456, 2026-03-17, 0.65, 89, 68

Key requirements:

  • account_id + snapshot_date should serve as a composite key for deduplication

  • New metrics can be added as new columns — our pipeline picks them up automatically

  • Avoid per-metric directory structures (e.g., one folder per metric) — use columns instead

Nested or Relational Data

If your data includes detail records tied to accounts (e.g., individual transactions, usage events, or line items), we support three approaches:

  • JSON column — for small, bounded nested data within the main CSV

  • Separate detail feed — a second CSV file with account_id as a foreign key, for high-volume or complex related data

  • Aggregated summary columns — pre-aggregated values on the account row, when raw detail isn't needed

Your Cora team will recommend the best approach based on your data.

Directory Structure

Keep it simple:

  • One folder per use case or agent workflow (e.g., account_metrics/, renewal_data/)

  • Daily snapshot files named snapshot_YYYYMMDD.csv (e.g., snapshot_20260317.csv)

Example:

account_metrics/snapshot_20260317.csv

account_metrics/snapshot_20260318.csv

renewal_data/snapshot_20260317.csv

Your Cora team will agree on the exact folder names and structure during onboarding.

Data Schema

Before you build your export, your Cora implementation team will send a detailed field list tailored to your use case. This typically includes:

  • Identity fields — account ID, account name

  • Eligibility / gating attributes — flags that determine which accounts qualify

  • Timing fields — snapshot date, cadence anchors (e.g., renewal date)

  • Suppression flags — fields that indicate when outreach should be paused

  • Contact fields — names and emails for the relevant stakeholders

  • Metrics — the specific data points that power the agent workflow

Security

  • All credentials are shared via secure, expiring links — never over email or chat

  • S3 credentials are scoped to your organization's bucket only

  • SFTP uses SSH public key authentication (password login is disabled)

  • IP allowlisting is available for SFTP on request

Onboarding Checklist

Here's the typical flow from start to first delivery:

  1. You align with Cora on the data schema (field list) for your use case

  2. Your team builds the export based on the schema

  3. Cora provisions the delivery endpoint (S3 or SFTP) and sends credentials

  4. Your team pushes a test file

  5. Cora confirms receipt and validates the file format

  6. Your team begins regular delivery on the agreed schedule

Questions?

Reach out to your Cora implementation contact or email [email protected] if you have any questions about file format, delivery setup, or scheduling.

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