Outlook and Exchange Online integration with SFTPPlus MFT

SFTPPlus MFT Support for Office365/Outlook/Exchange Online Emails ​

SFTPPlus offers managed file transfer (MFT) capabilities that include direct integration with Microsoft Office365, Outlook, and Exchange Online. This functionality allows SFTPPlus to act as an email client, specifically to monitor mailboxes and automatically process file attachments.

SFTPPlus connects to the Office365 cloud environment using the Microsoft Graph API. The connection is established over a secure HTTPS protocol. To ensure secure communication and access, SFTPPlus uses modern OAuth2 authentication.

Automated Mailbox Monitoring and File Handling ​

SFTPPlus can be configured to monitor specific folders within an Exchange Online mailbox. Once a new email is received, SFTPPlus checks for attached files. It then treats these attachments similarly to files on any file transfer server. This allows SFTPPlus to apply its core MFT features to the email attachments.

The system will:

• Check for attachments: Automatically inspects incoming emails for attached files.
• Download attachments: Downloads the attached files. Each attachment is treated as a separate file for processing.
• Process files: Once downloaded, SFTPPlus can then perform subsequent actions on the files, such as transferring them to an SFTP server, a cloud storage service like Amazon S3 or Azure Blob Storage, or a local network drive. It can also apply file filtering rules based on file name or type.
• Archive/Delete emails: After a successful transfer, SFTPPlus can be configured to archive or delete the email and its attachments from the mailbox. This prevents re-processing and helps manage mailbox size.

SFTPPlus presents the mailbox folders as directories. This makes it easy to set up automated transfers from specific folders. For instance, if a business receives invoices via email in a dedicated "Invoices" folder, SFTPPlus can be configured to monitor that folder and transfer all new invoice attachments to a designated finance system.

Control Attachment File Names ​

By default, SFTPPlus generates each file name from the email subject and the original attachment name. The file_name_template configuration option lets you define a different naming rule. Templates can use details such as the message subject, sender name or address, sent date, parent folder identifier, attachment name, attachment size, and other message properties.

For example, {sender.name}-{message.subject}-{attachment.name} produces a name that identifies the sender and message while preserving the attachment name. SFTPPlus also keeps the mailbox folder hierarchy and replaces characters that are not valid in file names. This makes attachment names predictable for filtering and downstream processing.

See the Exchange Online attachment documentation for all available placeholders and naming rules.

Remote-to-remote attachment transfers ​

An Exchange Online mailbox can be the source location for a remote-to-remote transfer. SFTPPlus reads attachments from the selected mailbox folder and sends them directly to another configured location.

For example, an attachment can move from Exchange Online to Azure Blob Storage or to a Windows file share without an administrator first downloading and uploading it. The transfer remains automated and is recorded in the SFTPPlus audit trail.

File Transfer as a Bridge ​

SFTPPlus can act as a bridge for files received via Office365/Outlook/Exchange Online emails. The solution integrates with various destinations, allowing files from email attachments to be transferred automatically to different server types and cloud storage services. This bridging capability transforms email attachments into a starting point for automated file transfer workflows.

Once SFTPPlus downloads an attachment from an email, it can then transfer the file to any of the following destinations:

• SFTP Server: Securely transfers files to an SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol) server.
• Web Server: Uploads files to a web server using protocols like FTP, FTPS, or HTTP/HTTPS.
• Azure Blob Storage: Moves files directly to Microsoft Azure's Blob storage service.
• SharePoint Online: Integrates with SharePoint to place files in specific document libraries.
• Windows Share: Transfers files to a shared folder on a Windows network.
• Other Servers: Supports a range of other protocols and services, including Amazon S3, Google Cloud Storage, and local file systems.

This functionality enables an automated workflow where a file received via email can be securely and reliably transferred to its final destination without manual intervention.

Get assistance from file transfer experts ​

For assistance with implementing your email-based transfers, our support team is available. With over 20 years of experience, our specialists have guided numerous customers in establishing secure file transfer systems. We can assist with new implementations or in migrating from legacy email and FTP transfer systems to modern SFTP or cloud-based solutions. Contact our team to discuss your specific file transfer requirements.