Uploading files manually works well when you're getting started. But once your transformation is configured and working, there's no reason to keep doing it by hand. WeTransform can fetch your data automatically from wherever it lives: a file server, a URL, a mailbox, or your own API.
📡 The available source types
🗂️ FTP / SFTP — connect to a file server and point WeTransform to the file or folder to retrieve. Ideal for supplier feeds, daily exports, or any system that drops files on a server.
🌐 URL — provide a direct URL to a file (CSV, Excel, XML, JSON). WeTransform fetches it every time the transformation runs. Works well for public or authenticated data feeds.
📧 Email — every email source gets its own address. Mail or auto-forward files to it and the transformation runs by itself. See How to import files by email.
🔌 From an API — point WeTransform at the endpoint that lists your items. A guided wizard handles authentication, pagination, and column picking, and the fetch is replayed on every refresh. See How to import data straight from your API.
⚡ API push — your system pushes the file or triggers the run programmatically via the REST API, whenever new data is ready. See How to trigger a transformation via API.
🏭 Custom data extractor — WeTransform asks your server for data, your system produces the export at its own pace and answers with a link. For data that lives behind your own business logic. See Custom data extractor — let WeTransform ask your system for data.
🧭 Which one should I use?
The file already sits at a stable location → FTP/SFTP or URL
The file arrives in someone's inbox → Email
The data lives behind your API, not in files → From an API
Your system knows exactly when new data is ready → push it via the REST API
The export takes time to produce on your side → Custom data extractor
⚙️ How to connect a source
From your transformation, go to Integrations → Source feeds and click "Create a source configuration". Select your source type and fill in the connection details:
For FTP/SFTP: host, port, username, password, and the path to the file or folder
For URL: the direct URL to the file, and any authentication headers if needed
For Email and From an API: follow the dedicated guides linked above
💡 Test your connection before saving. WeTransform will attempt to reach your source and confirm it can read the file, catching authentication or path errors before you schedule anything.
🔁 What happens after connection
Schedule it — set a recurring schedule and WeTransform fetches and processes the file automatically. See How to schedule a recurring transformation.
Trigger it via API — call the
POST /transformation/automation/{transformationId}endpoint to run the transformation on demand with the latest file from the source. See How to trigger a transformation via API.
👉 What to do next