The managed file transfer (MFT) service is used to securely exchange data between the client system(s) and Spark. This frequently includes the transfer of user demographic and payroll data. We will require a completed MFT access request form for each user/system we will be exchanging information with.
To get the MFT connections up and running correctly, it’s important you understand what we’re trying to accomplish and who we need to involve to get there.
Objectives
We typically exchange three types of data to successfully manage a Spark site:
- Demographic data: We need to receive user demographic data in order to create and maintain user accounts in Spark. See the Demographic Data Implementation Guide for more information.
- Payroll data (if applicable): We need to be able to send user payroll donations from Spark to your payroll team for processing, and your payroll team needs to send back the confirmed deductions from your payroll system to Spark. See the Payroll Implementation Guide for more information.
- Other data: During a Spark implementation, there’s often a need to securely send other miscellaneous user information.
Who to Involve
To set up your MFT, you will need to involve a few teams and people on your end to complete activities during different phases of the Implementation. A summary is below, along with the typical effort required, and which Implementation Phases they can expect to be involved in.
To learn more about the project phases, check out the Implementation Overview.
Implementation Activities
The information below provides a summary of what the Program Owner and Project Manager can do to help your Technical Representatives get started.
Tips and Tricks
Program Owner
Project Manager
Recommendations
We find that our clients have the best post-launch experience when they consider Benevity’s best practices and recommendations. Here are some related to the MFT:
- Automation will benefit program owners and optimize the post-launch experience.
- All data will be transferred through the MFT. At no point should PII (personally identifiable information) be sent over email.
Next Steps
These helpful Implementation Guides help to you get a better understanding of each component and the related work for each phase. These guides are great resources for you to review while you’re getting your teams prepared for the upcoming Implementation.
Share the Technical Guide with your Technical Representatives
Now that you understand what the MFT is and how we will use it to implement and manage your Spark site, please share the MFT Technical Guide with the Technical Representatives listed above to get started.
Download, complete and return the MFT access forms
The MFT access form will need to be completed for each user/system that we need to exchange information with. This is also accessible in the MFT Technical Guide.