How to upload your catalogue via SFTP

At Unite, catalogues are transferred via SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol). This ensures your data is transmitted securely and encrypted. SFTP is widely supported by free tools and is easy to use. 

Once your onboarding begins, you’ll receive access to a personal SFTP account for submitting your catalogue files. You’ll need an FTP client (such as FileZilla or WinSCP), the server address, and your login credentials. 

Generate your SFTP password 

  1. Log in to the catalogue management tool

  1. Go to the menu on the left and select ‘SFTP settings’. 

Screenshot of the catalogue management tool showing the left-hand menu with the
Screenshot showing the catalogue management tool and how to access the ‘SFTP Settings’
  1. Scroll down to ‘Account settings’ and click on ‘Generate new password’. 

Screenshot of the account management settings in the catalogue management tool, showing the section where users can generate a new password for their SFTP account
Screenshot showing how to generate a new SFTP password in the account management section of the catalogue management tool

Important: 

  • Save or copy the password immediately. It will not be displayed again. 

  • You can generate a new password at any time. The old one will then become invalid. 

  • Avoid using the ‘@’ character in your password, as it may cause connection issues. If your generated password contains ‘@’, generate a new one. 

Having trouble accessing your account? 

You may be signed in with the wrong role, for example if you’re also a Unite buyer or have multiple linked accounts. To switch roles, use the ‘Change user’ function:

  • Click on the round icon with your initials in the top right corner of the screen.

  • Then click on ‘Change user’ to select a different role.

Screenshot of the catalogue management tool showing how to switch roles by clicking the round icon with user initials in the top right corner and selecting the ‘Change user’ option
Screenshot of the catalogue management tool showing how to switch roles using the ‘Change user’ function in the top right corner
  • If your account hasn’t been migrated from FTP to SFTP yet, please contact support@unite.eu.

Connect to the SFTP server 

SFTP connection parameters

Setting

Value

Protocol

SFTP

Server address

sftp.unite.services
Note: Some SFTP clients require the full protocol specification: sftp://sftp.unite.services

Port

22

Username

Provided during onboarding or visible in ‘SFTP settings’ in the ‘catalogue management area’

Password

Use the one you generated in the step above

Set up the connection with an FTP client 

To transfer data via SFTP, you’ll need an FTP client. We recommend using FileZilla or WinSCP

FileZilla

A brief guide is available here: FileZilla Client Tutorial (EN).

Follow these steps:

  1. Install the software on your computer. 

  1. In the Quickconnect toolbar, enter the following information: 

  • Address: sftp.unite.services 

  • Your SFTP username and password 

  • Port: 22 

  1. Click Quickconnect to establish the connection. 

WinSCP

Follow these steps: 

  1. Install WinSCP on your computer. 

  1. On the login screen, enter the following information: 

  • Protocol: SFTP 

  • Host name: sftp.unite.services 

  • Port number: 22 

  • Your SFTP username and password 

Naming convention guideline

Please follow our file naming conventions when naming your files. You’ll receive your ‘CatalogueID’ during onboarding. 

File type

Format

Naming pattern

Example

Catalogue files

.xml, .zip, .rar

<CatalogueID>_catalog.<ext>

12345_catalog.xml

CSV files (product & category data)

.csv, .txt

products_<CatalogueID>deu.<ext>
categories
<CatalogueID>_deu.<ext>

products_12345_deu.csv

Stock availability

.csv

availability-data-catalog-<CatalogueID>.csv

availability-data-catalog-12345.csv

Media files (images, PDFs)

.zip, .rar

images.<ext>
pdf.<ext>

images.zip

Conditions files (optional)

.csv

<CatalogueID>_pricefile.csv
<CatalogueID>_deliverytime.csv
<CatalogueID>_weee_number.csv
<CatalogueID>_tariffnumber.csv
<CatalogueID>_returncondition.csv

12345_pricefile.csv

12345_deliverytime.csv

Transmit catalogue data via SFTP

A catalogue usually consists of several different files: 

  • Catalogue file (XML or CSV) 

  • Conditions files (optional) 

  • Stock availability files (optional) 

  • Images, datasheets, and safety data sheets 

To upload your catalogue, place all related files, including media files, optional conditions files, and stock availability, into the corresponding subfolders on the SFTP server.  

If these folders don’t exist, please create them manually following our file naming conventions: 

File type

SFTP subfolder

Catalogue files (XML/CSV)

/catalog/<CatalogueID>/

Stock availability (optional)

/catalog/<CatalogueID>/

Media files (images, datasheets)

/catalog/media/

Please note the following important information: 

  • The SFTP server is for data exchange purposes only. 

  • A complete initial upload of all required files is necessary. 

  • For later updates, it is sufficient to upload only the changed files. Unchanged files will be retained automatically. 

  • You don’t need to inform Unite when re-uploading or updating catalogues. 

  • Folder names must not be changed without prior approval from Unite, as this may disrupt automated processing. 

  • If any uploads fail, they will appear in the ‘un-processable’ folder for your review. 

Technical support 

If you have any questions about the technical implementation, please contact: support@unite.eu

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