Integration via file upload

In many organizations, daily management is still partly based on manually collected information. Operators or production leaders manually report downtime, production values, and quality deviations. By integrating data into daily management, you can get more up-to-date, objective, and efficient production follow-up.

Clear advantages of sending your data to Boards on Fire:

• Track OEE, downtime causes, and other relevant machine data in daily operations
• Create deviations and improvements linked to your machines
• Contribute to transparency and give the team the right conditions for follow-up
• Make fact-based decisions and act more in real time
• Reduced manual administration

An example board that can exist at the team level, where the OEE and downtimes of three machines are monitored, and improvements related to the machines are managed.

File integration in Boards on Fire allows you to easily connect CSV files from other systems and define how each column maps to the system’s fields. This ensures that your data is imported accurately, structured correctly, and immediately available for reporting and analysis.

This guide takes you through the entire process, from the initial upload to the completed mapping, ensuring your imports run smoothly.

Please note: File integration is an add-on service. Want to activate this feature? Contact our support team or learn more about our packages at https://boardsonfire.com/en/prices. 

How to Upload and Configure Your CSV Files

You can import data into Boards on Fire in two ways: either directly through the new interface or via an SFTP account. Here is how to perform a manual upload:

1. Find the tool: Click the menu button in the top left corner and select File Integration.
2. Upload: Click the "Upload file" button in the right-hand corner. 
3. Select file: Locate the CSV file on your computer that you wish to import.
4. Configure & Map: Follow the step-by-step guide: A) Verify that the columns in your file match the fields in Boards on Fire. B) Adjust settings (e.g., delimiters or date formats) if necessary.
5. Finish: Once the mapping looks correct, save the configuration. Your import is now ready to go!

Tip: If you have multiple files, it is helpful to name them clearly before uploading. This makes it easier to stay organized within the File Integration interface.

Formatting your CSV-file

What is a .csv file?

.csv (comma-separated values) files are similar to Excel files, with the difference that the values are not arranged in a table. Instead, the "columns" of values are separated by commas (","). Below you can see a comparison between Excel sheets and .csv files. CSV is an established standard, and many systems can automatically generate files of this type.

Excel file / .csv file

What should our .csv file contain?

A .csv file should contain values that are related to each other. By that, we mean you shouldn't mix KPIs such as OEE & Accidents in the same file. A file can have unlimited "columns" (values), but they should all belong to the same data source/entity. This also means that each data source in BoF that is supposed to receive data needs its own .csv file. Each "column" is matched with a field in the data source/entity you want to link the file to.

File format

Ensuring your file is prepared correctly is the first step to smooth and error-free integration. Following these guidelines will save time and avoid delays in your data import process.

• Save the file as CSV in UTF-8 format.
• Make sure you file is less than 50 000 rows.
• Use the date format YYYY-MM-DD.
• Keep the same column order in all uploads.
• Always include the required fields:
  For data sources: Date and Organization.
  For entities: Organization
• Test with a small file before full upload.

Tip: Test your file before full upload to confirm formatting and prevent data errors. Create a test data source or entity to upload the test data to.

Troubleshooting

Common issues

If something goes wrong, use these checks to quickly find the cause and fix it.

• File doesn’t upload? Check the separator setting (semicolon, tab or comma) or the number of rows in your file is not bigger than 50 000.
• Rows missing? Verify date format and organization mapping.
• Unexpected results? Confirm your CSV is in UTF-8 format.
• Are your Organizations external IDs correctly named?
• File inactive? Activate it under 'Actions' in the menu.
• Compare with your last successful file for clues.

Mapping Your Data Correctly

Mapping ensures your data is understood by the system and ends up in the right place. Accuracy here prevents reporting errors later.

• Make sure you select the correct CSV separator for your file (semicolon or comma).
• Map required fields first.
• Map the correct CSV columns to the required fields in the system. Make sure you select the right column (e.g. Date, Organization) to avoid data ending up in the wrong place.
• Select "No mapping" for unused columns to avoid errors.
• Map Organizations using External Ids
• When using a data source, do not use the same timestamp twice for the same organization and group. Every row must have its own unique time value based on the time precision you have selected (e.g. month/week/day).

Avoiding Duplicate or Missing Data

Keeping your database clean improves reporting accuracy and avoids confusion. These steps help you control data quality.

• When uploading to an entity, choose whether the new file should replace all existing data or only add/update specific records.
• Use a unique External ID column for updates.
• If replacing data, ensure the file contains all required rows.
• Always check the log after uploading to confirm row count.
  Note: Logs are automatically deleted after 90 days.
• Schedule regular file audits to remove duplicates.

Tip: Test data updates on a small file before running them on full datasets.

Good to Know About Error Messages and Notifications

To ensure you can act quickly if something goes wrong, the system has a built-in notification feature. Here are three things to keep in mind:

• Notifications are only triggered by errors: You will receive a notification if the import process results in at least one error. If the import is successful (or contains only warnings), no notification is sent.
• Focus on critical errors: The system distinguishes between warnings and errors. Notifications are only sent for actual error outcomes that prevent data from being imported correctly.
• Detailed troubleshooting in the interface: The notification itself does not contain a specific error code. To see exactly what went wrong, go to File Integration—there you will find detailed error messages to assist with your troubleshooting.

Configuration

Safe file transfer via SFTP

Using a secure transfer method ensures your data is protected during transmission. Follow these steps to maintain security and reliability. 

• Use the unique SFTP credentials provided by Boards on Fire.
• Credentials are time-sensitive, store them securely.
• Once a file has been uploaded to the server, it will typically load automatically within 30-60 seconds. In some cases, it may take up to 5 minutes for the data to become visible in Boards on Fire.
• Use a secure network when uploading files.
• For regular or frequent data transfers, an automated script can be used to generate and upload CSV files to the SFTP server.
• Remove old or unused accounts regularly.

Number of Files and Package Options

The number of active files you can have in your File Integration depends on which package your organization uses. Each package has a set base level for the number of allowed files.

• Need more? For all packages except Basic, there is an option to purchase additional files beyond the standard limit.
• More information: See the detailed table of what is included in each package on our pricing page.
• Help with upgrading: Contact your Account Manager or Sales Representative if you wish to increase your limit.

Important Note on Active Configurations

It is useful to understand the difference between uploaded files and active configurations:

• Free Uploads: You can upload as many files as you like to the interface without extra cost or using up your quota.
• The Limit: Only active configurations (those actually importing data) count toward your limit.
• If you reach the cap: If you have reached the maximum number of active configurations, you will not be able to start a new configuration or reactivate a paused one. To activate a new one, you must either deactivate another or upgrade your package.

Edit an already existing file

After you have configured your file and tested sending data, you may want to change something in the configuration. What you cannot change in a configured file is the separator and what kind of source you use in Boards On Fire. You can change all other fields in the configuration afterwards. If you need to change the source or separator in an already configured file, you must delete the old one and upload the file again and make a completely new configuration.

To make changes to an existing configured file, do the following:

1. Go to the file integration and select the active configured file that you want to make a change to.
2. Once you have clicked on the file, click on the tab called Configuration.
3. Click on the Edit button and then select Edit configuration.
4. This will take you back to the configuration guide and you can go to the section that you want to change. Then select the tab you want to change and make the change and then click Save.
5. Click on the Runs tab and then you can run your file again with your new changes. Done!

External IDs in file integration

External IDs in Boards on Fire make it easy to connect data from external systems without having to manage internal ID numbers. With external IDs, you can map data directly to the correct organization in Boards on Fire. Each organization can have multiple unique external IDs linked to different integration sources. The result is a smooth and efficient import process that saves time and reduces the risk of errors. If you want to read more about external IDs, you can do so here. 

Add external IDs to your environment

There are two ways to add external IDs to your Boards On Fire environment.

Option 1.

1. Click the menu in the top left corner and then go to the tab called Organizations External IDs.
2. Select the integration source default.
3. Click add on the organization that you want to add your external ID to. Then enter your external ID and select save. Done!

Option 2.

1. Click the menu in the top left corner and then go to Organizations.
2. Here you enter the organization that you want to add an ID to and then click on the External IDs tab.
3. Then click add and select the integration source default. In the box called External ID enter your external ID and then click on save. Done!

SFTP account

There are two ways to upload files to Boards On Fire. Either via the file integration directly or via an SFTP account. Here you can read more about how an SFTP account works and how to create one directly in your environment.

SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol or Secure File Transfer Protocol) is a protocol for secure file transfer over networks. Unlike traditional FTP, SFTP uses encryption via SSH, which makes both authentication and file transfer secure. The protocol uses port 22 and makes it possible to upload, download, delete and manage files and directories on a remote server.

To get started, you need to create an SFTP user in your BoF environment.

SFTP User

To create an SFTP user, go to the admin tab in the top left corner. Under integrations, click on File Integration and then click on SFTP User.

When you are in the SFTP user module, you can click on the tab in the top right corner called this is how you connect. Here you can read step by step how to do it and why. Follow the steps and create an SFTP user and you can then, via this, upload files to the SFTP account and directly to the file integration in Boards On Fire.

Create an SFTP user

Inside the SFTP user module, click on the +Add tab in the top right corner. Here you will get your username and password. NOTE! It is important to remember that the password is only displayed once. Save this information so that you can then log in to your client.

Good to know!

You can recreate a password if you have forgotten your existing one. You will then get a new password, but it is important that you log in with the new password on the user it applies to. The configurations you have made, linked to the users, will not work until you have logged in with the new password.

To recover a password, click on the three dots to the right of the user in question and then click Recover password.

Permissions

Customer administrators and those with extended rights are the ones who will have access to SFTP users and File Integration.

Import Tips for Different Data Types

Below are some general tips on how to import data depending on the data type.

Text

If the text contains line breaks, it should be enclosed in quotation marks.

Example:

Add text with line break within quotes, i.e:

text;date
"row1
row2
row3";2026-03-04
"row1
row2
row3";2026-03-05

This ensures that the line breaks are preserved during the import.

Rich Text

If the field is of type Rich Text, line breaks should instead be written using the HTML tag <br>.

Example:

Use <br>, i.e: text;date
row1<br>row2<br>row3;2026-03-04
row1<br>row2<br>row3;2026-03-05

The tag creates line breaks in the rich text field after the import.