Skip to content
English
Contact us
  • There are no suggestions because the search field is empty.

Why is my SFTP import failing, and what file format does Tilt require?

Most SFTP failures trace back to header mismatches or broken credentials — here's how to fix both yourself.

Most SFTP import failures come down to column headers that don't exactly match Tilt's template or login credentials that changed and broke the connection — both are fixable on your own, without waiting on Tilt Support.

Who this applies to / Prerequisites

  • HR users and IT partners troubleshooting an SFTP import that failed or produced unexpected results
  • Companies connecting through Workday or another HRIS platform
  • SFTP is already set up in Tilt. See "How do I set up SFTP file integration in Tilt?"
  • Access to the employee profile data template

Steps

  1. Compare your file's column headers to Tilt's employee profile template exactly — including capitalization, spacing, and asterisks. For example, the first-name column must read First Name*, not a variation.
  2. Confirm every required field (marked with * in the template) is present. If even one required header doesn't match exactly, the entire import fails.
  3. Check your optional column headers too. If an optional header doesn't match exactly, Tilt ignores the data in that column — the rest of the import still goes through.
  4. If you recently changed your Tilt password, email, or authentication method, sign back in to reauthenticate. Any credential change breaks the existing connection.
  5. If you're using Workday, format your SFTP address as sftp://sftp.hellotilt.com:30202 (or :22) — Workday requires the port as part of the address field, not as a separate value. Add a leading slash to folder paths, for example /imports/profiles.
  6. If you need to send salary effective dates or multiple managers, use the steps in SFTP Updates: Salary and Multi-Manager Changes instead of the standard template.

What if it doesn't work

  • Import still fails after you've fixed the headers — contact Tilt Support with your file and the error message.
  • An employee's account was deactivated and shouldn't have been — check whether they were accidentally left off the file. See "What is SFTP data import and how does it work in Tilt?" for how implicit termination works, then contact Tilt Support if you need the account restored.
  • Your Workday connection won't authenticate even with the correct address format — contact Tilt Support to confirm your credentials on the Tilt side

Limits and exceptions

  • A required field (marked *) that doesn't match exactly fails the whole import — there's no partial import for that file.
  • An optional field that doesn't match exactly is skipped, not rejected — the rest of the import still completes.
  • SFTP doesn't support exporting payroll data from Tilt — only employee profile and leave data.
  • Changing your login credentials always breaks the existing connection. There's no way to change credentials without reauthenticating.
  • You can't fix imported data by editing it manually in Tilt once SFTP manages it — the next scheduled import will overwrite manual changes.

Related questions

  • What is SFTP data import and how does it work in Tilt?
  • How do I set up SFTP file integration in Tilt?
  • SFTP Updates: Salary and Multi-Manager Changes
  • How do I deactivate an employee's account?