Import/Export Data Monitoring

Data imports and exports are the arteries of many businesses. EDI flows with suppliers, accounting exports to the accountant, catalog exchanges with marketplaces, automatic reports for management - these daily processes must work flawlessly.

Yet file flows are notoriously fragile. A partner who changes their format without warning, an unavailable FTP server, an erroneously generated empty file - causes of failure are numerous. And when a flow fails silently, consequences can be severe: unprocessed orders, missed invoices, desynchronized inventory.

Heartbeat monitoring provides the necessary visibility into these critical flows. Each import and export signals its execution, metrics, and result. If a flow fails or shows an anomaly, the alert is immediate.

Concrete Use Cases

Import/export monitoring applies to many business scenarios:

Supplier Catalog Import

Every day, your suppliers send catalog updates: new products, price changes, stock levels. Monitor that the file arrives on time, format is correct, and import executes without errors. A missed import can mean incorrect prices or unavailable products.

Accounting Export

Accounting entries must be exported to the accountant's software. Monitor that the export generates, file contains the right number of entries, and it's successfully deposited on the remote server. A missed export delays monthly closing.

EDI Exchanges (Orders, Invoices)

EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) with large retailers or logistics providers is critical. Orders arrive via EDI, shipping notices and invoices go out via EDI. An unprocessed EDI message can block a shipment or create disputes.

Automatic Reports

Daily sales reports, weekly dashboards, monthly financial statements - these exports must arrive on time for management meetings. Monitor their generation and delivery.

Import Monitoring

A reliable import should be verified at multiple levels:

• Reception: Did the file arrive on time? Whether via FTP, email, or API, verify its presence.
• Format: Does the file follow the expected format? Encoding, separators, required columns.
• Volume: Is the row count consistent? An empty or abnormally small file is suspicious.
• Processing: Did the import execute without errors? Count rows processed vs skipped/errored.

Export Monitoring

A reliable export should also be verified:

• Generation: Did the export run at the scheduled time? The generation process can fail.
• Deposit: Was the file deposited successfully? FTP, SFTP, S3, email - check the return code.
• Content: Does the file contain the right data? Consistent size, expected row count.
• Confirmation: Did the recipient acknowledge receipt? For critical flows, verify the response.

Monitored Import Script

Here's an example of monitoring integration in an import script:

#!/bin/bash
# import_catalog.sh - Supplier catalog import with monitoring

HEARTBEAT_URL="https://monitao.com/ping/YOUR_TOKEN"
IMPORT_DIR="/data/imports"
EXPECTED_FILE="catalog_$(date +%Y%m%d).csv"

# Check file reception
if [ ! -f "$IMPORT_DIR/$EXPECTED_FILE" ]; then
    curl -s "$HEARTBEAT_URL/fail?error=file_not_received" > /dev/null
    exit 1
fi

# Check format (at least 2 columns, header)
LINES=$(wc -l < "$IMPORT_DIR/$EXPECTED_FILE")
if [ "$LINES" -lt 2 ]; then
    curl -s "$HEARTBEAT_URL/fail?error=file_empty&lines=$LINES" > /dev/null
    exit 1
fi

# Run import
RESULT=$(php /app/import_catalog.php "$IMPORT_DIR/$EXPECTED_FILE" 2>&1)
EXIT_CODE=$?

# Extract metrics
IMPORTED=$(echo "$RESULT" | grep "imported:" | cut -d: -f2)
ERRORS=$(echo "$RESULT" | grep "errors:" | cut -d: -f2)

if [ $EXIT_CODE -eq 0 ] && [ "$ERRORS" -eq 0 ]; then
    curl -s "$HEARTBEAT_URL?imported=$IMPORTED&lines=$LINES" > /dev/null
else
    curl -s "$HEARTBEAT_URL/fail?imported=$IMPORTED&errors=$ERRORS&lines=$LINES" > /dev/null
fi

This script verifies each step: file reception, valid format, processing. Metrics enable trend analysis.

Alert Configuration

Configure alerts tailored to each problem type:

• File not received: Expected import didn't arrive on time. Contact partner or check source server.
• Invalid format: File doesn't match expected format. Partner may have changed their structure.
• Export failed: Generation or deposit of export failed. Check logs and connectivity.
• Abnormal volume: Far fewer rows than usual. Source-side problem or truncated file.

Frequently Asked Questions

Secure Your Data Flows

Data imports and exports are often the weak link in automated processes. A file that doesn't arrive, an export that silently fails - these problems can go unnoticed for days with significant operational consequences.

With MoniTao, you have complete visibility into your file flows: reception, processing, deposit. You're alerted immediately when problems occur, and you have the history to analyze trends and discuss with your partners.

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