Shapes supports several integrations that sync employee data automatically via SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol). These integrations export data from Shapes as CSV files and deliver them to your vendor's SFTP server on a scheduled basis — no manual exports needed.
Available SFTP Integrations
Navan — Travel & expenses. Syncs employee data to Navan's SFTP server for traveler account creation.
Carta — Equity management. Exports employee data (name, start/termination dates, salary currency, country/state, active status) for equity grants and tax jurisdiction tracking.
Torii — SaaS management. Syncs employee data once a day to track software license usage and auto-revoke access on termination.
Dynamic Export — Custom/generic SFTP export. Build your own export to any system that accepts SFTP CSV files.
Papaya Global — Global payroll. Exports employee data for payroll processing.
Ravio — Compensation benchmarking. Exports employee data for market benchmarking.
Lattice — Performance & engagement. Exports employee data to your Lattice workspace via SFTP.
Culture Amp — Employee engagement. Exports employee roster data to keep Culture Amp surveys in sync with your Shapes directory.
Papaya Global, Ravio, Lattice and Culture Amp don't have dedicated setup guides in this Help Center yet — use the steps below to connect them. The exact fields and file structure each vendor requires are vendor- and account-specific, so confirm these with your vendor or Customer Success Manager before setting up the sync, rather than assuming a fixed format.
How to Connect an SFTP Integration
In Shapes, go to Account Settings → Integrations.
Find the relevant integration and click Connect.
Enter your SFTP credentials (see SFTP credential fields below).
Choose which employees are included, using the same filters available on the People page (team, office, work status, and more). This can be changed later without reconnecting.
Map your Shapes fields to the columns the vendor requires. The column editor shows every column that will be in the export file, lets you map each one to a Shapes field, and lets you add or remove columns. Ravio and Lattice also include an export-settings step here for the output file's name and the placeholder used for empty cells.
Click Save & Connect.
SFTP credential fields
Field | What to enter |
Host | The SFTP server address provided by your vendor |
Port | Typically 22 — confirm with your vendor |
Username | Your SFTP account username |
Password or SSH Key | Your authentication method — some vendors (e.g., Navan) use an SSH public/private key pair instead of a password |
Remote Path | The folder on the SFTP server where files should be deposited (optional, depends on vendor) |
Important: for key-based integrations (like Navan), Shapes generates the key pair and you share the public key with your vendor. For username/password integrations, your vendor provides the SFTP credentials — not Shapes. Either way, confirm connection details with your vendor before going live.
Once connected, click Manage on the integration at any time to reopen this wizard — to change which employees are included, edit the column mapping, or update your SFTP details.
Sync Frequency
Most SFTP integrations run on a daily automated schedule.
Click Run now on the integration's page to trigger an export immediately, without waiting for the next scheduled run.
Syncs are outbound only — data flows from Shapes to the vendor, not the other way around.
Filtering Which Employees Are Exported
You can limit an export to specific groups (e.g., by office, team, or employment type) using the same filters available on the People page. Set this in the connect wizard's employee step, and change it anytime via the integration's Manage button — no need to reconnect or contact Shapes Support.
Tips
Test with your vendor first — before going live, confirm the SFTP credentials, folder path, and required fields with your vendor's support team.
Map all required fields — if a required column is empty in Shapes, the export may fail or be rejected by the vendor.
Dynamic Export is the best option if your vendor isn't listed — it uses the same SFTP infrastructure and lets you map any Shapes field to any CSV column.