Connect a file server through SFTP

Prerequisites

• A Paperplane workspace where you have the Admin role — only admins can set up connectors. The file server import is included on every plan, including Free.
• An existing file server reachable from the internet over SFTP (recommended), FTPS, or FTP, with a host, port, and credentials for an account that has read access to the files you want to import.
• For SFTP, ideally the server’s SHA256 host-key fingerprint, so Paperplane can verify it is talking to the right server.
• Coordination with whoever manages the file server, if you’re not the administrator yourself.

Steps

1. Open Integrations in Paperplane.
2. Choose FTP / FTPS / SFTP, give the connector a name, and pick the protocol: SFTP, FTPS (explicit or implicit TLS), or FTP. Plain FTP does not encrypt credentials or files, so Paperplane asks you to confirm that explicitly.
3. Enter the server host and port.
4. Enter the username and the password (or key passphrase). For SFTP, you can paste a private key instead of using a password.
5. For SFTP, enter the host-key SHA256 fingerprint. Without it, Paperplane cannot verify the server’s identity.
6. Select “Test connection and continue”. Paperplane signs in to the file server with the details you provided.
7. Once the connection succeeds, browse to the folder you want to import and select it to start the import; see Choose folders, file types, and run an import.

Expected result

Your file server appears as a connector in Paperplane. When you choose a folder, Paperplane runs a one-time import: supported files from that folder and its subfolders are copied into a folder Paperplane creates for this connector, where they become searchable alongside directly uploaded documents. This is not a continuous sync — files added to the server later are not picked up automatically. To bring in more, open the connector and use “Import another folder”.

Common problems

• The connection fails immediately. Confirm the protocol, host, and port with your server administrator, and check that the service is reachable from outside your internal network — Paperplane connects to it over the internet. For SFTP, also check that the fingerprint you entered matches the server’s current host key.
• The credentials are rejected. Confirm the account has access over the chosen protocol and read permission on the folders you want to import, and that the password or key hasn’t expired.
• I don’t see the files I expected after import. Confirm you imported the right folder, and check the connector’s job history for skipped or failed files; see Choose folders, file types, and run an import.
• I want to disconnect the file server later. Remove the connection on the Integrations page at any time; already imported documents stay in your archive.