Uploading Assets Through FTP

You can use FTP to upload both assets and folders to your Webdam account.  Using FTP has some key advantages when importing assets.

• Efficiency – FTP is optimized to transfer files of all types, can transfer multiple files simultaneously, and for many users is faster than transferring via HTTP.
• Folders – When transferring via FTP, you can preserve the folder structure from your local machine or create a new folder structure. Once imported to the DAM, the folder structure will be retained.  However, note that empty folders will be removed so ensure that your folders contain at least one asset when importing. 
• Size – Up to 250 GB of data can be processed at once, and FTP is the only way of uploading individual files larger than 5 GB. If you need to upload more than 250 GB, you can break it up into smaller imports or utilize one of our options for Data Import.

Uploading with FTP is a two-step process.  You will first need to upload the assets to the provided FTP server, and then import them to the DAM.  This process is covered in detail below.

• Uploading Assets
  • Setting Up
  • Connecting via SFTP
  • Uploading
• Importing to Webdam

Uploading Assets

Setting Up

Each Webdam account has one set of credentials for its FTP.  Your Implementation Consultant will provide you with a username and password during your onboarding, or you can send a message to support to acquire or change credentials.  FTP does not use the same username and password as your DAM.

You will need to install an FTP client on your computer to upload to the FTP server.  There are many free options available, including FileZilla, Cyberduck, and SmartFTP.  Screenshots below are using FileZilla, and other applications have similar setups.

Connecting via SFTP

Starting August 28, 2018 Webdam will only allow SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol) to be used for FTP uploads. SFTP offers a secure method of logging onto the FTP server and transferring files over an encrypted channel. To use SFTP, open your FTP client of choice and enter the following:

• Host: sftp.webdamdb.com
• Port: 22
• FTP Username
• FTP Password
• Select SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol) as your protocol

An example from FileZilla’s interface as follows:

Uploading

Once connected, you will upload assets through the FTP client.  You can upload assets directly or create folders on the FTP server to help organize your uploads.  Most apps also support drag and drop uploading which can make it easy for you duplicate your entire folder structure and assets in the DAM. 

The FTP server can only process up to 250 GB of data at a time.  If exceeded, you will not be able to import to Webdam.  If this happens, you can delete folders or assets from the server directly to bring the total under the limit.

Importing to Webdam

Once the assets are loaded to the FTP server, admins and contributors with upload permissions to a folder can import the assets and folders to Webdam. Data will be transferred from the FTP server into your DAM within 24 hours. To start the import:

• Navigate to the folder you want to import to and click the  button on the actions toolbar. 
• Select the FTP import
• There will be a dropdown for folders and assets with the number in each displayed. Check the box next to the assets and folders you want to import or click the box next to the dropdown to select all.
• Keep FTP folders upon import: enabling will keep the folders in the WebDam import window. Disabling will remove from the import window.
  • The admin settings have an option to keep folders in the FTP by default.  In System Preferences > Folders check the box to enable "Keep folders upon FTP import".
• Append to folders with the same name: Enabled will import assets to a folder with in WebDam that shares the same name.

• Click the Import button
• An email and in-system notification will be sent once the FTP import is complete.

Updated March 30, 2024 00:28