Broadening digital access is expected to be the most transformative trend to transform business by 2030, according to the World Economics Forum. Alongside advancements in AI and information processing technologies (86% of employers), other key trends include:
- 73% of employers plan to accelerate their use of process and task automation.
- 58% of employers expect advancements in robotics and automation technologies to transform their business by 2030.
The Growing Impact of Automation on Business
Automation is already an integral part of daily life, often operating in the background without notice. Businesses leverage automation to streamline operations, from automated emails reminding customers of expiring SaaS trials to AI-powered chatbots handling first-level customer support. Even invoice processing and payments are increasingly automated.
Why File Transfer Automation Matters
However, one critical area of automation that businesses often overlook is file transfer automation. Organizations exchange vast amounts of data daily, and manual file transfers create inefficiencies, delays and security risks. For example, a retailer may rely on automated file transfers between its headquarters and retail locations to monitor inventory and analyze sales trends. Without reliable automation, the retailer lacks real-time insights, making it harder to make informed business decisions.
Understanding File Transfer Automation
File transfer automation enables systems to transfer files on a schedule between two endpoints. Advanced configurations allow processing such as filtering specific file types, renaming files, compressing / decompressing data and encrypting / decrypting sensitive information.
The following sections describe the three ways businesses can automate file transfers.
1 – Scripts
An IT team member writes scripts to automate file transfers between two endpoints. While it can be a quick fix, scripting comes with significant drawbacks, including:
- Difficult to Maintain — If the employee who wrote the scripts leaves, the team may struggle to understand or update them.
- Time-Consuming to Troubleshoot — Without dashboards to track activity, IT teams must manually sift through logs and code to resolve issues, delaying critical business decisions that rely on the most up-to-date information.
- No Alerts or Notifications — Without real-time alerts, IT teams may not detect transfer failures quickly—or at all—disrupting data flow and business agility.
2 – Homegrown Solutions
Some organizations build and maintain their own custom file transfer solutions. While these solutions may initially meet business needs, they often become unsustainable as IT infrastructure evolves. Over time, maintenance becomes more complex, requiring ongoing development efforts that strain IT resources.
3 – Managed File Transfer (MFT) Solutions
A managed file transfer (MFT) solution is a robust alternative that eliminates the need for custom scripts or homegrown tools. With MFT, IT teams can easily configure and manage automated file transfer workflows without coding.
MFT solutions offer key benefits, including
- Automated file processing tasks, such as renaming, encrypting and compressing files.
- Retention management enables automatic purging, archiving or retaining files based on policies.
- Proactive alerts for file delivery issues, ensuring quick resolution and minimal disruption.
How Does File Transfer Automation Work?
To illustrate how file transfer automation functions, let’s explore how Thru, our cloud-native MFT solution, streamlines the process:
1. Checking Client and Server Endpoints for Files
When configuring Thru, administrators can set a schedule for the system to check designated endpoints for files. File name filters can also be applied to specify which files should be picked up or ignored based on their type.
2. File Arrival at the Source Endpoint
Files can appear at the source endpoint in two ways:
- A user manually uploads or drags and drops a file.
- Another application or software automatically generates and places the file in the source location.
3. File Pickup by Thru
Regardless of whether the source endpoint is a client or server, Thru can retrieve the file, as it is designed to function as both a client and a server.
4. File Processing and Delivery
Thru processes the file as needed—such as applying encryption, compression or renaming rules—before securely transferring it to the designated target endpoint.
5. Delivery Confirmation and Retention Management
Once the file reaches its destination, Thru logs the successful delivery. Based on the organization’s retention policy, it can then automatically purge, retain or archive the file. If the file cannot be delivered, Thru will retry the transfer and immediately notify administrators of the issue, ensuring that no critical data is lost or delayed.
With this automation in place, businesses eliminate manual file transfer bottlenecks, reduce errors and gain full visibility into their file movement, ensuring seamless and reliable data exchange.
File Transfer Automation Increases Productivity and Innovation
As businesses continue to embrace automation, file transfer automation should not be overlooked. Manual file transfer processes can create inefficiencies, increase operational risks and slow decision-making. Whether integrating data between retail locations, financial institutions or supply chain partners, automating file transfers with a scalable, secure MFT solution ensures reliability, efficiency and agility.
By investing in file transfer automation, organizations can streamline operations, reduce IT burden and stay ahead in an increasingly digital world. Additionally, by eliminating the time-consuming burden of manual file transfers, IT teams gain the freedom to drive innovation and solve complex challenges.
As automation continues to drive business transformation, ensuring efficient and reliable file transfers is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity! Visit our file transfer automation page for more information about how Thru can help.
