FTP administration

FTP administration 

Use the PowerSchool SFTP service to connect to a secure SFTP or FTPS site and transfer files in or out of PowerSchool.

To manage files, connect to the FTP administration site using the host site found at the URL files.fileshare.powerschool.com. The host supports the following SFTP and FTPS protocols:

• SFTP on port 22

• FTPS on ports 21 and 990

Folders 

The Folders tab displays a list of your FTP folders and provides their corresponding product, intended use, and indicates the directory they belong to.  

Files that you import to the FTP site are removed almost immediately. However, files that are exported from a PowerSchool product to the FTP site (for example, reports) are retained for seven days.  

Select Show deactivated folders to change your list of folders to include deactivated folders.  

Creating a folder 

You can create a new folder in your FTP to receive files.  

1. Select FTP administration, and then choose Folders.  

2. Select New folder.   

3. Choose the product the folder will correspond to.  

4. Choose the intended use of the folder. The available options are populated according to the product you are adding the folder to and are not interchangeable. Contact PowerSchool Support if you are unsure of what to select. 

5. Add a path to create the folder name. To create subfolders, add the root folder’s name and add a / (for example, Enrollment/Course Information).  

6. Optionally, to edit a folder, select Edit from the corresponding actions menu. 

Deactivating a folder 

When you deactivate a folder, it’s scheduled for automatic deletion after 30 days. The folder and its contents are no longer available from your FTP. However, you can reactivate it at any time before the deactivated folder is deleted. To reactivate a folder: 

1. Select Show deactivated folders to add the scheduled deletion date and status indicator. 

2. Find the folder you want to reactivate. 

3. Select Activate. 

The scheduled deletion date is removed, but will still be displayed on the page. Refresh the page or select Show deactivated folders to update the displayed scheduled deletion date.  

Some folders can't be deactivated or edited. These are system-created folders that are required for the correct operation of the product.  

Users 

The Users tab lists all FTP users and provides key configuration details, along with tools to manage them.  Select Show deactivated users to change your list of users to include deactivated users. 

Creating a user 

After you create product-specific folders, you can create a new user to connect to those folders.  

1. Select FTP administration, and then choose User. 

2. Select New user. 

3. Add a unique username 

4. Choose your method of authentication. PowerSchool will either generate a new password based on password length and security settings, or you can choose SSH key to generate a new key pair. If you generate a new password or SSH Key, the password will display with the ability to copy or download the password. You must save your authentication method, as this is the only time the authentication method generated will be provided. If you lose your password, you'll have to reset it. Alternatively, select Enter public key to add a pre-existing SSH key.  

5. Choose the access control type and product access.  

6. Select any folder that the user should have access to.  

7. Optionally, you can add allowed IP addresses, such as static IPs allocated to your district or given to you by vendor software using FTP. If you do not specify an allowed IP address, all IP addresses will be allowed. It is strongly recommended to restrict IP addresses whenever possible to limit access. In addition to specifying individual IPs, ranges can also be specified using CIDR masks.  

Managing a user 

Select Edit from the Actions column of the user list to edit users. You can change the following details: 

• Username 

• Authentication method and password/SSH key 

• Access Control Type and Product Access 

• Folders controlled by the Product 

• Allowed IP Address 

• Status - marking the user as deactivated or active.  

Deactivating a user 

Deactivated users are periodically deleted, depending on the reason they were marked deactivated. Users who have not had any activity or were explicitly marked as deactivated will automatically be deleted 30 days after their account is deactivated. Users who have not logged in within six months are deleted.  

To mark a user as deactivated, use one of the following methods:  

• Select Deactivate in the Actions column for the user you want to mark deactivated. 

• Select Edit, and then navigate to Status. Select Deactivated. 

Alternatively, if a user is deactivated, you can choose Activate to reactivate the user. This changes their deletion date back to the soonest date based on their activity.  

Imported users 

If your district was onboarded to the FTP system from another PowerSchool FTP service, you will probably also have imported users. These are the same users your district used before; however, they need to have passwords or SSH keys added. For enhanced security, we will never be able to log in as your users. You set the password or SSH key. 

You can identify these users because the word None will display as the Authorization type. To set authentication information: 

1. Select Edit for the users who need authentication information.  

2. Enter either an SSH key or select Generate password.  If you generate a password, be sure to select Copy to clipboard to save the password. You won’t be able to retrieve it after leaving this page. 

3. Select Save.