Each Vault in your domain has its own file staging server, which supports various features including Vault Loader and Unclassified Document Creation. The file staging server is a temporary storage area for files you’re uploading to or extracting from Vault. For example, when using Vault Loader to create a new document, you upload the source file to the file staging server before loading the CSV. The CSV then references the source file location on the file staging server.

The file staging server deletes files according to the following rules:

  • Refreshing your Vault removes all files from the file staging server.
  • The server automatically deletes uploaded files after 1 year.
  • The server automatically deletes extracted files and folders every 72 hours by default. This auto-deletion timeframe does not apply to files that users upload to the file staging server.
  • Deleted files are not recoverable.

Server URL

The URL for each staging server is the same as the corresponding Vault, for example, veepharm.veevavault.com.

How to Access File Staging Servers

You can access your staging server using your favorite FTP client, the Vault REST API, through the command line, or using Vault File Manager. Learn more about the File Staging API in the Developer Portal.

Use the following settings with an FTP client:

  • Protocol: FTP (File Transfer Protocol)
  • Encryption: Require explicit FTP over TLS (FTPS). This is a security requirement. Your network infrastructure must support FTPS traffic.
  • Port: This does not typically need to be added and will default to Port 21.
  • Host: {DNS}.veevavault.com. For example: “veepharm” is the DNS in veepharm.veevavault.com.
  • Timeout: 180 seconds if uploading large files.
  • User: {DNS}.veevavault.com+{USERNAME}. This uses the same user name that you log in with. For example: veepharm.veevavault.com+tchung@veepharm.com.
  • Password: Your login password for this Vault. This is the same password used for your standard login. You can also use a valid session ID.
  • Login Type: Normal
  • Transfer File Type: Transfer files as binary

FTP Limits

The following limits affect file uploads via FTP:

  • File names cannot exceed 218 bytes, including the file extension. Note that one (1) character does not always equal one (1) byte. For example, the character “菌” is three (3) bytes.
  • Complete folder paths cannot exceed 955 bytes.

Staging Server Permissions

To download files from the staging server, you must have the standard Vault Owner or System Admin security profile or have a custom security profile that includes the File Staging: Access and API: Access API permissions.

The staging server does not support SAML SSO authentication.

To upload files to the root folder on the staging server, you must have the standard Vault Owner or System Admin security profile. Users with the File Staging: Access permission can upload files to a personal folder.

When referencing a file in a user’s personal folder on the staging server, you must include the user directory in the file path. For example, Clara is not a Vault Owner or System Admin. She can only upload files directly to Vault1234/u5678, where 1234 is her Vault ID and 5678 is her user ID. Note that Clara can still make new directories inside of her user directory, such as /u5678/uploads.

Vault Loader Details

You can view and manage files and folders on your Vault’s file staging server using the Vault Loader command line tool. Learn more in the Vault Loader File Staging Command Line Tool Reference.

To use files on the staging server with Vault Loader, users do not need access to the staging server. For example, one user with file staging server access could upload files and another user without access could create documents via Vault Loader that reference files on the staging server.

Inbox Details

You can create Staged documents by uploading files to the Inbox directory on your Vault’s file staging server. Staged is the name of the document type, lifecycle, and lifecycle state. Staged documents are unclassified. You and other users with access can classify these documents like any other unclassified document. However, Staged documents do not use the Unclassified lifecycle and may have different roles and access control settings.

The file staging server’s Inbox is automatically available in all Vaults. Before using this feature, Admins should:

Message Templates

  • Cannot Upload LSA to Binder or Placeholder (ftp_inbox_attach_to_unsupported_document__v): Vault uses this error message when the target document for a rendition is a binder or placeholder.
  • Large Size Asset Attached (ftp_inbox_lsa_uploaded_to_exsting_doc__v): This notification goes to the user who uploaded a Large Size Asset rendition to an existing document.
  • Cannot Attach Viewable Rendition to Video (ftp_inbox_attach_viewable_rendition_to_video__v): Vault uses this error message when the target document for an uploaded Viewable Rendition file is a video.
  • Max File Size Exceeded (ftp_upload_too_large__v): Vault uses this error message when a file exceeds the size limits. It is not specific to file staging server Inbox.
  • Missing Rendition Type (ftp_inbox_missing_rendition_type__v): Vault uses this error message when the uploading user does not specfy a remdition type or specifies an invalid rendition type.
  • No Appropriate Permission (ftp_inbox_no_appropriate_rendition_permission__v): Vault uses this error message when the uploading user attempts to update a document on which they don’t have the required permissions.
  • Target Document Not Found (ftp_inbox_target_document_notFound__v): This error message occurs when the filename targets a Document ID that does not exist. In some cases, the ID is valid, but the user uploading does not have View Document access to the targeted document.

Vault File Manager Details

You can view, upload, move, rename, and delete files and folders on your Vault’s file staging server using Vault File Manager. Users with the Vault Owner or System Admin security profile can view and access the root folders of all Vault users in the File Staging tab. Users with the File Staging: Access via Vault File Manager permission can view their root folder on the File Staging tab.

You can complete all steps in this article with the standard System Administrator or Vault Owner security profile. If your Vault uses custom security profiles, your profile must grant the following permissions:

Type Permission Label Controls
Security Profile API: Access API Ability to access your Vault’s file staging server and download files via the API.
Security Profile Application: File Staging: Access Ability to access your Vault’s file staging server and upload documents to a personal folder via the API.
Security Profile Application: File Staging: Access via Vault File Manager Ability to access your Vault’s file staging server in Vault File Manager.