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Version: v3

Getting Started

Revision 24-FEB-2023

Table of Contents

Overview

What is SFTP?

Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) is a method for transferring files securely over the internet. Files can be sent through a graphical user interface (an application on your computer) or a command line interface, which allows the process to be automated. SFTP is a well-known standard that complies with all federal and international requirements for securely transferring sensitive information across all industries (e.g., HIPAA and GDPR).

What is an SSH Key?

An SSH key is a pair of cryptographically secure files used to authenticate with a server. Each key pair consists of a public and private key. The private key should be confidential (do not share your private key with anyone). Share the public key with ABS to allow us to add it to your account and enable you to authenticate with our server to send us files successfully.

CSV Format and Best Practices

Format

The following is an example of what your CSV should look like if opened in an editor. The ABS team will custom tailor your warranty product, therefore we will customize the data requirements for your program.

info

The following examples are a generic guide. Your CSV file header and column details may differ.

Click to download an example CSV

partNumbermakemodelsizetreadDepthunitsSolddatedescriptionunitPricedot
BSTUR3254518BridgestoneTuranza ER33235/45R181246/29/2022Bridgestone Turanza ER33334.3138291282287
GASST23585R14GladiatorAll SteelST235/85R16/14 132/1271426/29/2022Gladiator All Steel ST235/85R16/14 132/127384.1133819928883
CT22545R17ContinentalTruecontact225/45R1712.5-26/29/2022Continental Truecontact 225/45R17-289.7733718182929

Best practices

The first row should contain your field properties in the column headers.

Registration properties are space-sensitive and case-sensitive.

info

partNumber is valid where part Number is not.

Make sure you do not have any duplicate or empty fields in your header.

Make sure the header is delimited the same way as the rest of the file.

Remember to use enclosing characters when a comma is present in a field.

All names and addresses should be formatted in the correct case, not in ALL CAPS.

Program Instructions and Examples

Distributor Program

ABS needs two files sent on a regular (typically weekly) basis – a dealer change report and a part sales report.

tip

It is important to send these files regularly as we use the information in the claims adjudication process.

The dealer change report is a CSV file sent to ABS on a recurring basis containing a list of dealers to be added or removed from the warranty program.

Click to download an example CSV

Field NameValueExampleRequiredAdditional Notes
dealerNumberThe unique dealer ID40018295YesUnique identifier in the distributor's system. This number should be known to dealer and displayed on wholesale invoices.
dealerNameThe DBA dealer name.Mr TiresYesThe name of the dealer as known to consumers, displayed on their building and published on Google Maps
legalNameThe legal name of business.Mr Tire LLCNoThe legal name of the business, not commonly known to consumers. Can be left blank if unknown and DBA is provided.
shopGroupNameThe shop group name.Belle TireNoA group of two or more shop locations sharing common ownership.
shopLocationNumberInternal # to identify store.1234YesA unique (per shop group) number for this specific physical location. Commonly used when multiple locations share the same DBA.
shopPhoneNumberThe shop phone number.2222624344Yes
shippingAddressLine1The shop address line 1.234 Rural RdYesPhysical address of shop. The Google Maps address. Where a consumer goes to buy and have their tires installed.
shippingAddressLine2The shop address line 2.Unit 2No
shippingCityThe shop city.DenverYes
shippingStateThe shop state.COYes
shippingZipThe shop zip code.80014Yes
mailingAttn"Attention to" for mailings.Sales DeptNoPerson or department mail should be addressed to.
mailingAddressLine1Mailing address line 1453 Executive WayNoOptional Mailing address for only for check payments. Rarely Used.
mailingAddressLine2Mailing address line 2Suite 2BNo
mailingCityMailing cityDenverNo
mailingStateMailing stateCONo
mailingZipMailing zip code80014No
emailAddressEmail addressjohndoe@tireshop.comYesMultiple email addresses can be provided by separating them with a space or semicolon
prefersCheckPaymentyes or noyesNoIf you would prefer a check payment.
actionstart or endstartYesstart when enrolling a new dealer on the program, end when removing the dealer from the program.
actionDatestart or end date4/12/2022YesThe effective date on which to enroll or remove a dealer from the program. We strongly recommend this date be after the date the file is transmitted to ABS, however retroactive actions are possible within reason.

Manufacturer Program

Click to download an example CSV

Field NameValueExampleRequiredAdditional Notes
dealerNumberThe unique dealer ID40018295YesUnique identifier in the distributor's system. This number should be known to dealer and displayed on wholesale invoices.
dealerNameThe DBA dealer name.Mr TiresYesThe name of the dealer as known to consumers, displayed on their building and published on Google Maps
legalNameThe legal name of business.Mr Tire LLCNoThe legal name of the business, not commonly known to consumers. Can be left blank if unknown and DBA is provided.
shopGroupNameThe shop group name.Belle TireNoA group of two or more shop locations sharing common ownership.
shopLocationNumberInternal # to identify store.1234YesA unique (per shop group) number for this specific physical location. Commonly used when multiple locations share the same DBA.
shopPhoneNumberThe shop phone number.2222624344Yes
shippingAddressLine1The shop address line 1.234 Rural RdYesPhysical address of shop. The Google Maps address. Where a consumer goes to buy and have their tires installed.
shippingAddressLine2The shop address line 2.Unit 2No
shippingCityThe shop city.DenverYes
shippingStateThe shop state.COYes
shippingZipThe shop zip code.80014Yes
mailingAttn"Attention to" for mailings.Sales DeptNoPerson or department mail should be addressed to.
mailingAddressLine1Mailing address line 1453 Executive WayNoOptional Mailing address for only for check payments. Rarely Used.
mailingAddressLine2Mailing address line 2Suite 2BNo
mailingCityMailing cityDenverNo
mailingStateMailing stateCONo
mailingZipMailing zip code80014No
emailAddressEmail addressjohndoe@tireshop.comYesMultiple email addresses can be provided by separating them with a space or semicolon
prefersCheckPaymentyes or nonoNoIf you would prefer a check payment.
actionstart or endstartYesstart when enrolling a new dealer on the program, end when removing the dealer from the program.
actionDatestart or end date4/12/2022YesThe effective date on which to enroll or remove a dealer from the program. We strongly recommend this date be after the date the file is transmitted to ABS, however retroactive actions are possible within reason.

Rental Program

Click to download an example CSV

Field NameValueExampleRequiredAdditional Notes
shopNumberThe unique shop ID40018295Yes
shopNameThe DBA dealer name.Mr TiresYesName customers see. The name Google Maps shows.
contactNameName of contact personJohn DoeNo
phoneThe shop phone number.2222624344Yes
address1The shop address line 1.234 Rural RdYes
address2The shop address line 2.Suite 3AYes
cityThe shop city.DenverYesPhysical address of shop. The Google Maps address.
stateThe shop state.COYes
zipThe shop zip code.80014Yes
emailAddressEmail addressjohndoe@tireshop.comYes
actionstart or endstartYesStart or End of shop enrolled in program.
actionDatestart or end date4/12/2022Yes

Operating System Environments

Windows

Windows Power User

MacOS

Linux

Windows

Prerequisites

To send ABS a file, you must install the required software and generate an SSH key. Download and install the following tools:

WinSCP: https://winscp.net/download/WinSCP-5.17.10-Setup.exe

PuTTY: https://winscp.net/download/putty-0.73-installer.msi

Generating an SSH key

We will use PuTTYgen to generate an SSH key. This process only needs to be performed once.

  1. Open Putty
  2. Under Parameters, leave the defaults – type: RSA, 2048-bits.
    1. If your organization has stricter security policies in place, you may also choose Ed25519 or increase the number of bits. We do not support DSA, ECDSA, or SSH-1 key types.
  3. Click "Generate"
  4. Click Save public key and select a location to save your key.
  5. Click Save private key and select a location to save your key.
    1. PuTTY will warn you about saving the key without a passphrase. If you add a passphrase, you must enter it every time you use the key. When automating the process of sending ABS files, it will not be possible to enter a passphrase every time the automation runs; therefore, we do not recommend adding a passphrase to your key.
  6. Copy the Public key for pasting into OpenSSH authorized_keys file and send it toengineering@abswarranty.net to have it added to your account.
    1. Be sure to copy the entire thing – you might need to scroll down.

Sending a file

We will use WinSCP to connect to the SFTP server and transfer files.

  1. Open WinSCP
  2. Enter:
    1. Host name: sftp.absintegrations.com
    2. Port number: 22
    3. User name: customer-user-name
  3. Click the Advanced button under the Password input box and navigate to the SSH > Authentication section.
  4. Select the ellipsis (…) button in the Private key file input. Select the private key you created and saved in step 5 of the Generating an SSH key section above.
  5. Click OK.
  6. On the login dialog, click the Save button under User Name and click OK when prompted to save the session.
  7. Click Login.
  8. If prompted, Continue connecting to an unknown server and add its host key to a cache? Verify the host key matches SHA256: 105xgUq4TCoREGkzeH3cJuqBT6qS5GMffL0jR1IFwfg= and click Yes.
  9. Once connected, go to Options > Preferences > Transfer > Endurance. Under Enable transfer resume/transfer to temporary filename for click disable.
  10. Now go up to Transfer. Select Default and click edit.
    Edit default transfer
  11. Uncheck Preserve Timestamp in the Common options section. Click OK on this dialog and OK to close the preferences dialog.
    Uncheck preserve timestamp.
  12. You may now upload files. Drag a file from your local computer (left side) to the remote server (right side). Your SFTP folder is /abs-data-ingestion/customer-user-name/.
    SFTP Folder Name

Windows Power User

Prerequisites

Install the Microsoft SSH Feature. If not already installed, follow these instructions.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/openssh/openssh_install_firstuse

Generating an SSH key

We will use Windows PowerShell and OpenSSH to generate the key. This process only needs to be done once.

Open Windows PowerShell.

Navigate to the directory where you will store the key.

Execute the following command: ssh-keygen -t rsa -f ./{name-of-rsa-key} -C {customer-username}

Note: Replace {name-of-rsa-key} with the filename of the key.

Note: Replace {customer-username} with your customer username.

Press return past the following prompts:

Enter passphrase (empty for no passphrase):

Enter same passphrase again:

You should will a prompt similar to the following:

SHA256:/z5e1ZOqHCSCeUKYbwMTZSc4paJHhaUWz1mpMDTFZJ8 username@localhost
The key's randomart image is:
+---[RSA 3072]----+
| .+BX=.o |
| +@B++. |
| .+O=3d |
|.o. * o o|
|. . B oI. . oo|
| . . + ..o ...|
| .. .. |
| ..+. |
| =+. |
+----[SHA256]-----+

Execute the following command: notepad .\{name-of-rsa-key}.pub

Note: Replace {name-of-rsa-key} with the filename of the key.

You should receive a public key similar to the following:

ssh-rsa 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 username

Copy the entire key from top to bottom and email it to engineering@abswarranty.net

Execute $pwd.Path + "\{name-of-rsa-key}.pub"

Note: Replace {name-of-rsa-key} with the filename of the key.

Save the path output by this command for sending files over RSA. The output of the above command will be referred to as {key-filepath} in the next step.

Sending a file

Navigate to the directory of the CSV you will upload to Automotive Business Solutions in PowerShell.

Execute the following command:

scp -i {key-filepath} {name-of-csv-file}.csv \
{customer-username}@sftp.absintegrations.com:/abs-data-ingestion/{customer-username}/

Note: Replace {key-filepath} with the file path output in previous step. Note: Replace {name-of-csv} with the name of the csv file you will upload. Note: Replace {customer-username} with your customer username.

MacOS

Generating an SSH key

We will use the macOS terminal and OpenSSH to generate the key. This process only needs to be done once.

Open up Terminal from your macOS Utilities.

Navigate to the directory where you will store the key.

Execute the following command:

ssh-keygen -t rsa -f ./{name-of-rsa-key} -C {customer-username}

Note: Replace {name-of-rsa-key} with the filename of the key. Note: Replace {customer-username} with your customer username.

Press return past the following prompts:

Enter passphrase (empty for no passphrase):

Enter same passphrase again:

You should receive a prompt similar to the following:

SHA256:/z5e1ZOqHCSCeUKYbwMTZSc4paJHhaUWz1mpMDTFZJ8 username@localhost
The key's randomart image is:
+---[RSA 3072]----+
| .+BX=.o |
| +@B++. |
| .+O=3d |
|.o. * o o|
|. . B oI. . oo|
| . . + ..o ...|
| .. .. |
| ..+. |
| =+. |
+----[SHA256]-----+

Execute the following command:

cat .\{name-of-rsa-key}.pub

Note: Replace {name-of-rsa-key} with the filename of the key.

You will receive a public key similar to the following:

ssh-rsa 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 username

Copy the entire key from top to bottom and email it to engineering@abswarranty.net.

Execute:

echo "$(pwd)/{name-of-rsa-key}"

Note: Replace {name-of-rsa-key} with the filename of the key.

Save the path output by this command for sending files over RSA. The output of the above command will be referred to as {key-filepath} in the next step.

Sending a file

Navigate to the directory of the CSV you will upload to Automotive Business Solutions in Terminal.

Execute the following command:

scp -i {key-filepath} {name-of-csv-file}.csv \
{customer-username}@sftp.absintegrations.com:/abs-data-ingestion/{customer-username}/

Note: Replace {key-filepath} with the file path output in previous step. Note: Replace {name-of-csv} with the name of the csv file you will upload. Note: Replace {customer-username} with your customer username.

Linux

Generating an SSH key

We will use terminal and openssh to generate the key. This process only needs to be done once.

Open up Terminal.

Switch to the directory you will store the key in.

Execute the following command:

ssh-keygen -t rsa -f ./{name-of-rsa-key} -C {customer-username}

Note: Replace {name-of-rsa-key} with the filename of the key. Note: Replace {customer-username} with your customer username.

Press return past the following prompts:

Enter passphrase (empty for no passphrase):

Enter same passphrase again:

You should receive a prompt similar to the following:

SHA256:/z5e1ZOqHCSCeUKYbwMTZSc4paJHhaUWz1mpMDTFZJ8 username@localhost
The key's randomart image is:
+---[RSA 3072]----+
| .+BX=.o |
| +@B++. |
| .+O=3d |
|.o. * o o|
|. . B oI. . oo|
| . . + ..o ...|
| .. .. |
| ..+. |
| =+. |
+----[SHA256]-----+

Execute the following command:

cat .\{name-of-rsa-key}.pub

Note: Replace {name-of-rsa-key} with the filename of the key.

You will receive a public key similar to the following:

ssh-rsa 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 username

Copy the entire key from top to bottom and email it to engineering@abswarranty.net.

Execute

echo "$(pwd)/{name-of-rsa-key}"

Note: Replace {name-of-rsa-key} with the filename of the key.

Save the path output by this command for sending files over RSA. The output of the above command will be referred to as {key-filepath} in the next step.

Sending a file

Navigate to the directory of the CSV you will upload to Automotive Business Solutions in Terminal.

Execute the following command:

scp -i {key-filepath} {name-of-csv-file}.csv {customer-username}@sftp.absintegrations.com:/abs-data-ingestion/{customer-username}/

Note: Replace {key-filepath} with the file path output in previous step. Note: Replace {name-of-csv} with the name of the csv file you will upload. Note: Replace {customer-username} with your customer username.

File Ingestion Process

Upon successfully transferring a file, it enters a queue for processing. We process and ingest every file sent to us within 15 minutes of transfer. This process is fully automatic and runs continuously.

Our engineering team receives alerts when the file ingestion process fails. We review these alerts during business hours, Monday - Friday, 9 AM – 5 PM mountain time. If we were not able to successfully ingest a file, we will contact you to correct the issue.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can ABS generate the key pair for me and send it to me?

No. To secure your data, you must generate your SSH key pair. Do not send your private key to anyone, including ABS. You will only need to share your public key with us.

What happens if I lose my private key?

Contact ABS immediately by emailing engineering@abswarranty.net. We will deactivate this key. You will need to generate a new key pair and share the new public key with us. From now on, you will use the new key to send ABS files.

We have multiple users who need access. Can we all use the same key?

No. Each user must use a key unique to them. There is no limit to the number of users we can add to your account.

Why can’t I use a password?

Passwords are significantly less secure than SSH keys. To comply with industry standards and regulations, we cannot allow users the ability to authenticate with a password.

What file formats do you accept?

We accept CSV files only. If you manually create a file in Excel, go to File > Export > Change File Type > CSV to create this file. You can download a sample here.

How do I test sending ABS a file?

Before the program launch, we will be in touch to coordinate sending us test files. We typically test for two to three weeks to ensure all data comes across as expected.

What happens if I send the same file twice?

We ingest all files sent to us, including files sent multiple times. Sending the same file twice will result in duplicative information in our database, which could cause incorrect billing or claims processing. If a file is accidentally sent more than once, please contact engineering@abswarranty.net, so we can take corrective measures.

Can I delete files sent to ABS?

No. We retain all files sent to us for our records, including files sent multiple times with the same name. You will be able to view these files, but you will not be able to delete them. Before the program launch, we will remove all files sent to us for testing purposes.

How do I automate this process?

We strongly recommend automating the file transfer process. You can automate it by writing a script that will pull data from your database and send it to us on a recurring basis. If your technology team is not sure how to write this script, please have them reach out to engineering@abswarranty.net. The ABS technology team will schedule a video call with your technology team to walk them through the process.