What Is a File Location in Salesforce Marketing Cloud Engagement?

A File Location tells Salesforce Marketing Cloud Engagement where to find or send files. It is used when importing data, exporting data, or transferring files in Automation Studio.

For example, if a partner uploads a customer file to an SFTP server, the File Location tells Marketing Cloud which location to use. The import activity then defines the file name, format, and where to save the data.

File Locations and folders

A File Location is different from a Content Builder folder or a Data Extension folder:

• File Locations point to file storage, such as Enhanced FTP, an external SFTP server, or Safehouse.
• Content Builder folders organize emails, images, and content blocks.
• Data Extension folders organize Data Extensions, which store rows of data.

Use a File Location when an activity needs to access a file.

What a File Location stores

Depending on its type, a File Location can include:

• The type of storage.
• The folder path.
• Connection and login details for an external server.

Other settings belong to the activity that uses the File Location. For an import, these include the file name, file format, target Data Extension, and how to add or update records.

Where File Locations are used

Import activities

An import activity reads a file and loads its data into Marketing Cloud.

The File Location points to the file’s storage location. The import settings tell Marketing Cloud which file to read and how to process it.

An import can fail if the file is missing, its name does not match, or its format is wrong.

File Transfer activities

File Transfer activities handle file transfers and tasks such as encryption or decryption, depending on the activity setup.

File Locations help define where files are retrieved or delivered.

Automation Studio

File Locations support workflows such as:

1. A partner uploads a file.
2. An import loads it into a Data Extension.
3. A SQL query processes the data.
4. An extract creates a file.
5. A File Transfer activity sends the file to the required location.

The file must be available before the step that reads it begins.

How to keep file processing reliable

Use clear file names

Choose names that show what the file contains and when it was created:

• customers_20261001.csv
• unsubscribes_20261001_0900.csv

A name such as export.csv makes it harder to tell files apart and can lead to older files being overwritten.

Keep different feeds separate

Use separate folders or File Locations for partner uploads and internal exports. This makes files easier to find and reduces the chance of processing the wrong one.

Plan what happens after processing

Decide whether processed files should be kept, archived, or removed, and set up a process to handle that.

Leaving old files in the pickup folder can cause them to be imported again if they match the activity’s file name settings.

What to check when a step fails

Start with these checks:

• Is the file in the correct folder?
• Does its name match what the activity expects?
• Did it arrive before the activity started?
• Can Marketing Cloud access the location?
• Do the import settings match the file’s format?
• Could an older file match the same name or pattern?

Check the automation run history for errors. After a successful import, check the imported data too. A successful run shows that the activity completed, but you still need to confirm it processed the file you intended.