# Files like pdf over connector (input and output) **URL:** \ **Category:** Product Suggestions\ **Tags:** connectors, files\ **Created:** [December 9, 2024, 2:37pm UTC](https://community.tulip.co/t/files-like-pdf-over-connector-input-and-output/13297 "2024-12-09T14:37:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nicolas](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.tulip.co/nicolas/32/3349_2.png) [@Nicolas](https://community.tulip.co/u/Nicolas)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2024, 2:37pm UTC](https://community.tulip.co/t/files-like-pdf-over-connector-input-and-output/13297/1 "2024-12-09T14:37:56Z")
Hi We have more and more use case where we need to pass PDF file: - from Tulip to a target system (Input on API call) - from system to Tulip (Output on API call) Today it works for very small PDF with encode/decode base64 and pass via string type. But for normal PDF, we exceed the limitation of String type. We look like to that a File type could be manage over connector input and output. Thanks ---
**Author:** ![Pete\_Hartnett](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.tulip.co/pete_hartnett/32/3678_2.png) [@Pete\_Hartnett](https://community.tulip.co/u/Pete_Hartnett)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2024, 10:50am UTC](https://community.tulip.co/t/files-like-pdf-over-connector-input-and-output/13297/2 "2024-12-11T10:50:51Z")
Hey @Nicolas - We have a scheduled engineering investigation into supporting specifically ingestion of PDFs planned for later this quarter, with that to drive some more engineering work early next year to address this need. The plan is to investigate specifically what would be required for integration with the following systems, are there others we should include? 1. Sharepoint 2. Boomi (IPASS) 3. Mulesoft (IPASS) 4. Snowflake 5. PAS-X 6. Master Control 7. Intellect 8. Arena PLM Pete ---
**Author:** ![Nicolas](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.tulip.co/nicolas/32/3349_2.png) [@Nicolas](https://community.tulip.co/u/Nicolas)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2024, 9:35am UTC](https://community.tulip.co/t/files-like-pdf-over-connector-input-and-output/13297/3 "2024-12-16T09:35:23Z")
> [@Pete\_Hartnett](#): > > na PLM Hi Pete, thank for the quick feedback. For pdf in connector function INPUT: the use case is for logistic. When they unpack receiving, they scan a lot of legal document and store it in pdf (with multiple sheet, image file is not recommand, pdf is better). In Tulip, they select the correct pdf in windows file system and send it to SAP as attachment of SAP Inbound delivery. For pdf in connector function OUTPUT: the use case is integrated with: - PLM for drawing : Windchill from PTC - CCMS (Maintenance) instruction: EAM from Hexagon (ex Infor) Nicolas ---
**Author:** ![doneil](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.tulip.co/doneil/32/6118_2.png) [@doneil](https://community.tulip.co/u/doneil)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2025, 8:28pm UTC](https://community.tulip.co/t/files-like-pdf-over-connector-input-and-output/13297/4 "2025-01-15T20:28:04Z")
@Pete_Hartnett I’m interested in the ability to use **File** type Input in a connector as well. I have a documentation table that stores many PDF records. I currently populate each field in the table via individual trigger actions in apps. This causes issues when trying to implement a **Table Record Added** automation as the record shows created as soon as the ID is created thus causing the automation to run before the remaining fields are populated. In other tables (that don’t have PDFs) I have created connectors that populate all fields simultaneously thus allowing my Tulip Automations to run as expected. It appears I’m unable to do this same workaround when a File type field is involved. It seems I can’t pass a File from the app to the table via a connector input. I know I could pass it as a url, maybe even as a signed url, but that doesn’t seem like it would work as I would expect. ps. of course the alternate solution is building in a delay in Table Record Added automations to allow time for the app to populate the remaining fields, but it doesn’t seem like I can do that either. ---
**Author:** ![Pete\_Hartnett](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.tulip.co/pete_hartnett/32/3678_2.png) [@Pete\_Hartnett](https://community.tulip.co/u/Pete_Hartnett)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2025, 10:56am UTC](https://community.tulip.co/t/files-like-pdf-over-connector-input-and-output/13297/5 "2025-01-20T10:56:30Z")
Hey @doneil - A couple thoughts here - recently we added the ability to trigger automations only when specific fields are updated, making it easier to _wait_ for all fields to be filled before automations run (as well as reducing unnecessary runs if the update is irrelevant to the automation). ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/uploads/agilemfg/original/2X/6/659e970e8500d5397a507d64aa8fb45045fb645a.png) This isn’t quite what you are calling out (waiting for all fields to be updated before running) but I have raised this request with the team that owns automations. Having said that, more support for file support for connectors (as inputs and as outputs, pull and push) is activly in engineering discovery - we plan on picking up implementation of more support for files following that investigation. Thanks for the feedback! Pete ---
**Author:** ![doneil](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.tulip.co/doneil/32/6118_2.png) [@doneil](https://community.tulip.co/u/doneil)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2025, 8:59pm UTC](https://community.tulip.co/t/files-like-pdf-over-connector-input-and-output/13297/6 "2025-01-24T20:59:58Z")
> [@Pete\_Hartnett](#): > > Having said that, more support for file support for connectors (as inputs and as outputs, pull and push) is activly in engineering discovery - we plan on picking up implementation of more support for files following that investigation. Thank you @Pete_Hartnett I actually had been asking about a feature to run an automation only when a specific field is updated a while ago but completely missed it being released - that’s great! I setup the automation just as you suggested having it trigger only when the last field in the table is update by the app, and it works like a charm for this and some other use cases. Using the connector would still make app building easier since you can choose the single connector function, and it lists all the input that are required versus having to (in my case) choose 8 actions. That said, I suppose the new “Functions” feature could also help streamlining this. I had another use case that I ended up putting on hold due to the limitation of PDFs in connectors. I wanted to use a connector to transfer PDFs from a Tulip table to an external service such as [Dropbox.com](http://Dropbox.com) or [Box.net](http://Box.net). Those services have APIs but I’m unsure if this would work even when Tulip comes out with the feature. My idea was to transfer final certs into a shared folder that our customers can access…sort of a poor man’s customer/supplier portal where they can retrieve their cert packages whenever they want. ---
**Author:** ![SamBurck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e8c25b/32.png) [@SamBurck](https://community.tulip.co/u/SamBurck)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2026, 2:45pm UTC](https://community.tulip.co/t/files-like-pdf-over-connector-input-and-output/13297/7 "2026-07-22T14:45:36Z")
Hello, I am investigating functionality for an Arena integration with my Tulip instance and stumbled across this thread. I’m curious about the implementation here? According to this [Article](https://support.tulip.co/docs/arena-integration) there doesn’t seem to be a standard way to Get a PDF from Arena. Is that true? My goal would be to pull an assembly drawing from Arena into Tulip work instructions for a manufacturing technician to reference. I’m curious if there is a GET request in the Arena connector to accomplish this? ---
**Author:** ![canaalpaslan](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.tulip.co/canaalpaslan/32/6653_2.png) [@canaalpaslan](https://community.tulip.co/u/canaalpaslan)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2026, 8:36am UTC](https://community.tulip.co/t/files-like-pdf-over-connector-input-and-output/13297/8 "2026-07-23T08:36:19Z")
Hi @SamBurck, Excited to share that we have been working on providing native file ingestion (pdf, csv, xls etc.) through connectors and hope to release it late this summer. We will be adding a file input and output type with encoding/decoding options (url, base64 and raw). This should resolve the size limitations this thread is running into with the current workaround. Nothing’s finalized until it ships, so I’d treat late summer as a target rather than a commitment, but wanted to flag it here since this thread has a good amount of interest. Happy to share more details as we get closer to release — let me know if there are other have specific systems or file sizes you’re working with, it’s useful context for us as we finalize the design. The target systems that @Pete_Hartnett shared ( Sharepoint, Boomi (IPASS), Mulesoft (IPASS), Snowflake, PAS-X, Master Control, Intellect andArena PLM) are all in our radar. Best, Cana ---
**Author:** ![Dan](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.tulip.co/dan/32/6076_2.png) [@Dan](https://community.tulip.co/u/Dan)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2026, 7:39pm UTC](https://community.tulip.co/t/files-like-pdf-over-connector-input-and-output/13297/9 "2026-07-28T19:39:59Z")
This is fantastic and solves a major pain point for us - support for images (png/jpeg) would be appreciated. Any plans to enable this for bulk data import as well? ---
**Author:** ![enewton](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.tulip.co/enewton/32/9518_2.png) [@enewton](https://community.tulip.co/u/enewton)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2026, 4:51pm UTC](https://community.tulip.co/t/files-like-pdf-over-connector-input-and-output/13297/10 "2026-09-21T16:51:47Z")
Hello Cana, I wanted to ask about this project and where it’s at? It seems some of these features, like file inputs, have been released. I’m wondering if the corresponding file output of connectors should be working now? I see that it is an option, but I can’t get it to work and haven’t found any documentation for it. For context, I am getting files using the Arena API, but it seems to fail when the connector function actually tries to save the output. The test runs work in the connector editor, but that’s it.