Ensure that File Transfer/Import does not use same file more than once?

Question

I have an automation set up in the Automation Studio that (among other things) uses a File Transfer to get a file from an FTP server, and also uses an Import to put that same file into a DE.

ExactTarget by default will pull the most recent file on the FTP server with the given naming format, however the problem is that I need the automation to fail or not run at all if it detects that the most recent file has already been used (e.g. if another updated file was not put onto the FTP server by the time the automation was scheduled to run).

Is it at all possible to detect if a file has already been used? Using the "Fail if file is older than..." option won't work because the correct file may still be fairly old.

Answer 1

Using File Triggered automations might be good for your use case.

You then would trigger the automation as the file is dropped, ensuring you always have an updated file.

http://help.marketingcloud.com/en/documentation/automation_studio/triggered_automations/#FTPTAutomationScenario