# Setup Guide

This guide will help you set up SFTP as a destination in the RudderStack dashboard. It also lists the configuration settings required to correctly send data from the supported sources to your downstream apps via SFTP.

## Setup

In your [RudderStack dashboard](https://app.rudderstack.com/), add a source. Then, from the list of destinations, select **SFTP**. Then, click **Continue**.

### Connection settings

| Setting | Description |
| :----| :-----|
| Name | Assign a name to uniquely identify your destination in RudderStack. |
| Host | Enter the host name or IP address of the server **without** the port number. |
| Port | Enter the port number of the server. |
| User name | Enter the user name. | 
| Authentication |  Select the authentication mechanism from the dropdown. RudderStack provides the following options: <ul><li>**Username + Password**</li><li>**Username + SSH key**</li></ul> |
| Password | If you have selected **Username + Password**, enter the password for the above user. |
| Private key | If you have selected **Username + SSH key**, enter the full private key for the user including the header and footer. |
| File format | Select the file format (CSV  or JSON) from the dropdown. |
| File path | Specify the [path name](#specify-file-path-variables) where RudderStack stores the data. For example: <br /><br />`directory/{destinationID}/{jobRunID}/{YYYY}_{MM}_{DD}/file_{timestampInMS}.csv`<br /><br />Note that:<br /><br /><ul><li>The parent directory of the file should already exist.</li><li>RudderStack supports specifying the date, time, and sync metadata variables within curly brackets (`{}`). </li><li>`destinationID` and `jobRunID` are required fields.</li><li>The date and time variables correspond to the upload time.</li></ul> |

## Specify file path variables

While specifying the file path where RudderStack stores all the data, you can also specify the date, time, and sync metadata variables within curly brackets (`{}`). 

RudderStack supports the following date/time variables:

| Variable | Description |
| :---| :---|
| `YYYY`| Year in four digits. For example, `2024`. |
|`MM` | Month in two digits. For example, `05`. |
| `DD` | Day in two digits. For example, `09`. |
| `hh` | Hour in two digits (in 24-hour format). For example, `15`. |
| `mm` | Minutes in two digits. For example, `56`. |
| `ss`| Seconds in two digits. For example, `13`. |
| `ms`| Milliseconds in three digits. For example, `460`. |
| `timestampInSec` | UNIX timestamp in seconds. |
| `timestampInMS` | UNIX timestamp in milliseconds. |

You also need to specify the following sync metadata variables in the path:

| Variable | Description |
| :---| :---|
| `destinationID` <br/> <span style="color: #4D4DFF;font-size:12px;">Required</span> | The destination ID. |
| `jobRunID`  <br/> <span style="color: #4D4DFF;font-size:12px;">Required</span> | Job run ID of a sync. | 

Some sample paths specified in the **File path** [connection setting](#connection-settings) are shown below:

- `directory/{destinationID}/{jobRunID}/file_{timestampInMS}.csv`
- `directory/{destinationID}/file_{jobRunID}_{timestampInMS}.csv`

## Next steps

- [Connect Reverse ETL source to SFTP destination]({{< ref "destinations/reverse-etl-destinations/sftp/connect-retl-source.md" >}})

<br />