Overview

Many organizations use SFTP uploads as the source of truth for determining Advocacy user eligibility. Previously, the SFTP sync process updated only the users included in the uploaded file. If an existing user was missing from the file, the system did not take any action.

This enhancement introduces automated user lifecycle management for SFTP‑based onboarding. Administrators can now configure Advocacy to:

• Automatically revoke access for users who are missing from the latest SFTP file.

• Automatically restore access when users reappear in a future SFTP file.

As a result, the Advocacy platform always stays aligned with the organization’s most current list of eligible users.

Supported SFTP File Requirements

The SFTP integration uses the same file requirements.

• File Format: Only XLSX files are supported.

• File Name: The file name must remain unchanged.

• Mandatory Column: This column is used as the primary identifier and cannot be renamed.

• Additional Columns: Additional columns may represent - Screener questions and Custom fields. Example:

Admin Configuration

Administrators can configure this feature in SFTP User Sync Settings.

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• Setting Name

  Action for Existing Advocacy Users Missing from SFTP File

• Available Options

Consecutive Run Configuration

Administrators can also define how many consecutive SFTP runs a user must be missing before revocation occurs. Example:

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This helps prevent accidental revocation due to temporary data issues.

How User Detection Works

During each scheduled SFTP run:

1. The system reads the uploaded file CommunityUserSync.xlsx

2. The system identifies all existing Advocacy users

3. It compares those users against the emails present in the file

Users meeting both conditions are evaluated:

• User exists in Advocacy

• User was originally created or managed through SFTP

If the user does not appear in the file, the configured action is applied.

Revocation Behavior

If Revoke User Access is enabled and a user is missing from the file:

The user status changes to: Revoked

The user can no longer:

• Log in

• Share content

• Earn points

However:

• The user record remains visible to administrators

• Historical activity and analytics remain intact

Reinstatement Behavior

If a revoked user's email appears again in a later SFTP file:

The system automatically restores access, meaning from Revoked → Approved.

During this process:

• Screener answers are updated

• Custom fields are updated

• The user regains full Advocacy access

No manual action from administrators is required.

State Transition Model

Data Handling Rules

• Case Sensitivity: SFTP values must match exactly with platform configuration.

• Multi-Select Values: Multiple answers must be separated using commas. Example: USA,Canada.

• Duplicate User Rows: If duplicate rows appear in the file, example - user@company.com,USA | user@company.com,Canada. The system applies last-row-wins logic.

Audit Logging

The system records the following information for lifecycle changes:

• User email

• Updated user state

• SFTP run timestamp

• Reason for change

Example reasons:

• Missing from SFTP file

• Reappeared in SFTP file

These logs are available for support and troubleshooting purposes.

Expected Outcome

With this capability enabled, organizations can treat SFTP as the authoritative source for Advocacy user eligibility.

Benefits include:

• Automatic removal of inactive users

• Automatic restoration of returning users

• Reduced administrative effort

• Improved governance of Advocacy access