# File Event Listener overview The **File Event Listener** monitors changes to files residing in a folder accessible from Data Mover Smart. The File Event Listener detects all changes in the monitored folders, i.e., new files appearing in those directories as well as existing files being updated. Once a file has been processed, it can remain in its original location and will **not be processed again**, as the File Event Listener tracks the state of the monitored folder. **Example of use: automatically detect and ingest incoming files** Imagine a company receiving files from an external application that writes data directly to a file system folder. Each time a new file is created in that folder, it must be immediately detected and taken in charge by Data Mover Smart so that it can be processed, transferred, or managed through rules. Manually checking the folder or relying on batch jobs would introduce delays and increase the risk of missing files. You can configure a **File Event Listener** to automate the detection of file arrivals. Once the File Event Listener is running, every time a new file is added to the monitored folder, the system automatically detects the event and acquires the file. The file then becomes immediately available within Data Mover Smart, where it can trigger rules, be moved to a VFS folder, transferred to external systems, or processed according to the configured workflow - without any manual intervention. See the [Example](/data-mover-smart/file-event-listeners/example.md) for details on how to configure the File Event Listener to cover this scenario. ### File Event Listener bar Use the **File Event Listener** bar to create a new File Event Listener, search, and filter existing File Event Listeners by status or tags.
* **New**: creates a new File Event Listener. * **Refresh**: reloads the File Event Listener list. * **Search**: filters File Event Listeners by name. * **Enabled filter**: shows all File Event Listeners or filters by enabled/disabled status. * **Tag filter**: filters File Event Listeners based on assigned tags. ### File Event Listener list The central table displays all existing File Event Listeners. Each row corresponds to a single File Event Listener.
**Columns description** * **File Event Listener**: File Event Listener name. A status indicator on the left of the name shows whether the File Event Listener is enabled (green) or disabled (red). * **Status**: current execution status of the listener, which may differ from its **Enabled** configuration. Possible values include **Running**, **Not Running**, **Error**. * **Type**: indicates whether the File Event Listener monitors a **local** folder on the file system where Data Mover Smart is running or a **remote** folder accessed through a connection configured in [Links](/data-mover-smart/services/links.md). * **Listening folder**: VFS folder monitored by the File Event Listener. * **Tags**: tags assigned to the File Event Listener for classification and filtering. * **Created**: date and time when the File Event Listener was created. * **Last update**: date and time of the most recent modification. **Options available** * **Information (i) icon**: displays the full File Event Listener definition in a read‑only panel. * **Context menu (three‑dot icon)**: * **Edit**: opens the editor, allowing you to modify the configuration. * **Clone**: clones the File Event Listener. The File Event Listener can be cloned totally (all options) or partially (only some of them). * **Enable | Disable**: enables or disables the listener (disabled listeners remain configured but inactive). * When a File Event Listener is disabled, files that are added or modified in the monitored folders are ignored when the File Event Listener is re‑enabled, regardless of the configuration of the Pull on Init. * **Start | Stop**: controls the execution of the File Event Listener: * **Start**: starts an enabled File Event Listener that is not currently running. The listener begins monitoring the configured folder and its status changes to **Running**. * **Stop**: stops a running File Event Listener. The listener remains enabled but its execution is halted and its status changes to **Not running**. \ When a File Event Listener is stopped, files that are added or modified in the monitored folders can be acquired when it is restarted by answering **“Yes”** to the prompt **“Do you want to consider the files currently in the folder?”**. * **Restart**: restarts a running listener. Choose whether to include or ignore files already present in the folder. * **Scan now**: performs an on‑demand scan of the monitored folder and records the detected files. After running **Scan now**, you can open **Files snapshot** to view the list of files detected during that scan. * **Files snapshot**: lets you inspect which files a File Event Listener has detected during its most recent scan. It is used when the File Event Listener is set to Manual mode. * **Delete**: deletes the File Event Listener. A confirmation is required before the File Event Listener is permanently removed. * **Add to template** (optional, requires permission): adds the File Event Listener to a **template**, allowing it to be included in predefined Data Mover Smart entities for export, backup, or migration. All dependent entities managed by the File Event Listener will also be included. For example, if a File Event Listener references a VFS path, credential, or link that is not included in the template, the generation procedure will automatically add them. Templates are created and managed in ​ **Settings** → **Import & Export** → **DMS** → [Template](/data-mover-smart/settings/import-and-export/dms.md#template-tab). * **Multiple selection**: multiple File Event Listeners can be selected using the **checkbox** on the left side of each row. When multiple File Event Listeners are selected, a **toolbar** appears at the bottom‑right corner of the screen, allowing you to perform **bulk actions** on the selected File Event Listeners: * **Add to template** * **Delete** --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://docs.primeur.com/data-mover-smart/file-event-listeners/file-event-listener-overview.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.