Marketing Cloud Engagement | Causes and Workarounds for Intermittent Transfer Errors with SFTP and External File Locations

This section explains the common causes behind intermittent file transfer errors or delays and provides best practices to minimize their frequency.

Common Causes of File Transfer Errors

1. Internal Processing Errors Due to High Load: When multiple file transfer processes occur simultaneously within the same environment, the increased system load can cause processing delays, ultimately leading to internal errors.

2. File Conflict (Lock) Errors: If a File Transfer Activity attempts to run while the target file is still being created, used, or locked by another process, an access error will occur.

3. Directory Read Timeouts: If a large number of files have accumulated in the target folder on the SFTP or external file location, the system may take too long to retrieve the file list, resulting in a timeout error.

Best Practices to Minimize Errors

To ensure stable file transfer operations, consider adjusting your configurations and workflows based on the causes outlined above.

1. Mitigating High Processing Load

• Stagger Automation Schedules: Avoid scheduling multiple automations to run at the exact same time (especially at the top or bottom of the hour, like XX:00 or XX:30). Intentionally offset their start times.

• Minimize Parallel Execution: If a single automation step contains numerous File Transfer Activities, break them into separate steps or split the automation entirely to reduce concurrent processing.

• Reduce File Sizes: Switch from full data extracts to delta (incremental) extracts, or narrow down the fields being extracted, to reduce the payload of each file transfer.

2. Mitigating File Conflicts

• Add a Wait Activity: If a File Transfer Activity immediately follows a data extraction or file creation step, insert a Wait Activity in between with a buffer of about 5 minutes. (Note: You may need to increase this wait time depending on the file size and system processing status.)

3. Mitigating Directory Read Timeouts

• Regular Folder Maintenance: Prevent old files from piling up in your SFTP or external file locations. Shorten data retention periods and regularly delete unneeded files to keep the total file count low.

Handling Temporary Errors and Contacting Support

Because these processes involve integration with external systems, it is impossible to completely eliminate temporary errors caused by network fluctuations or unexpected system loads. If you encounter an error, please follow these guidelines:

• Try "Retry" First

  • If running the process again will not cause data duplication or business inconsistencies, please wait a few moments and retry the transfer. If the error was caused by a temporary load spike or a brief file lock, a simple retry resolves the issue in most cases.

• When to Contact Support

  • Infrequent, sporadic errors are highly likely to be temporary events resulting in standard troubleshooting guidance, so we recommend trying the retry method above first. However, please contact our Support team if you experience situations such as a sudden, noticeable increase in the frequency of transfer errors, or errors that consistently persist even after multiple retries over time. When reaching out, please provide specific details such as the Automation Name and the exact date and time of the error.