---
title: "Set up external documents - File based"
slug: "set-up-external-documents-file-based"
tags: ["Flow topic"]
status: "new"
updated: 2026-03-20T07:44:10Z
published: 2026-03-20T17:44:53Z
canonical: "docs.staedean.com/set-up-external-documents-file-based"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.staedean.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Set up external documents - File based

Use an external file-based document to define the data model of the external source or target with which you want to exchange data.

The available file-based external document types are:

| Document type | Description |
| --- | --- |
| XML | Use an **XML** document to exchange data in XML format without the need to code. With a document of type XML, you can read data from or write data to an XML file. |
| JSON | Use a **JSON** document to exchange data with an application that uses data-object notation. With a document of type JSON, you can read data from or write data to a JSON file. |
| Text | Use a **Text** document to read data from or write data to a file with field and line separators. For example, a CSV file. |
| Fixed text | Use a **Fixed text** document to read data from or write data to a file with defined start positions and lengths for fields. |
| EDI | Use an **EDI** document to read data from or write data to a file if you use EDIFACT or ANSI X12 for your EDI. |
| Microsoft Excel | Use a **Microsoft Excel** document to read data from or write data to a Microsoft Excel file (XLSX). |
| Microsoft Word | Use a **Microsoft Word** document to write data to Microsoft Word document (DOCX) using a template. |

## Flow diagram

[Embedded content](https://viewer.diagrams.net/?tags=%7B%7D&lightbox=1&highlight=0000ff&edit=_blank&layers=1&nav=1&title=Set%20up%20external%20documents%20-%20File%20based.drawio&dark=auto#R%3Cmxfile%3E%3Cdiagram%20name%3D%22Page-1%22%20id%3D%220%22%3E7Vttd6I4FP41nrP7gR7kTfuxVp3ZPe12dp3dTj%2FNiRA0bSCeEKvOr98EghKkVkQraqfnTMklN4Hn3ufJBdKGeRvMv1AwGd8TD%2BKGoXvzhtltGIbhGA7%2FJSyLxHLtNBPDiCIvMWUMA%2FQLSqMurVPkwUjpyAjBDE1Uo0vCELpMsQFKyUzt5hOszjoBI7hmGLgAr1sfkcfG0mro%2BurEV4hG43TqdnomAGlvaYjGwCOzjMnsNcxbSghLjoL5LcQCvRSYxK%2F%2FxtnllVEYsm0cIIbBzwIvaYrYIr1p7sfx5Y3ObIwYHEyAK87MeIi5bcwCzFtNfugjjG8JJjT2M33fN1yX2yNGyQvMnNHjf8szKZRy6leAp3LqAQOUSSukDM4z1yhv6wskAWR0wbuMM8hbEubZKkyONMlBbNlcqA5ApshoOe4KRH4gcdyAqbENpvkbV3DkqTER%2FYL5SNDoysdk5o45ElcedFGESMg7YTCE%2BBuJEIvbXZfPBjm%2BHQEU4il7l%2BswJIyRgHcAGI0KPW7kCUYmuWhiAazmAfryWxxY6PDAGhwPDpoJPfHz%2B1rwHsfIHQuGLvjdGDrxBfGJOw0ELsLTAYGYKBxG4hdvY45Xx0Ov%2FHAUHxIRHzIVcQSxExMWl0LA%2BCT9t4bgccqMsq%2F8sdT8cdT8aRp7SKDvT%2F95w8D37p6Nf%2BzZ3w%2B9Lgw0mVDQW9Om9QwjU%2BrCTDKa62zmwwxkk1A2JiMSAtxbWTuUTEMeUJmMqz53RORFbHyGjC2kPIMpD4qSv%2B6Uvsb%2B%2BhJ9zuMRZFnl0YtjQCEGDL2qd1oEaex6QylYZDpMCApZlBn5mzCsYqYZ7Rzr2zmVzDls7s4PkitYBXd5K0Xx%2FjeC9GH4LFYmQ48JLGUOCsN0wv%2F7cX%2Bn0ERMjlH4knQUiQ0Y0AIQ8pUm6dHnnfkt9yPItOlEmwdYU90VdTIz4Mjk26xUajaUWwE8ANt%2BmRXA2Imr7XWuNnNir5k5uu6i97yZiWAJBtsVGGztwOB0AZFlkABdJWVlivPLposfYrQrO20%2BycHjRneutBaypSaCB30wjRX73TUpQJ4X35tPQtYHAcJiyK8Qv0LRT56Q19tsyvb6RDHrOsB9GcUYrHeAoXcjKkVxMRhEEXJrJ2JWzTXsz8HDX9VE7Dki4SYVsy5UxZZFxjFUzKmgYvanin2qmKJKy2fmuqrYdzhn1VSMs59tUjH7MlXsqCLWriBizqeIfYqYIkpW3UuxPprz3OJ4VRYzX4z0rqQ5lylpR326NCtIWmsHSTuaYtX4vVLTqbkQ9Lp%2FVOM%2F9NAm4rcuk%2FiakVsBlkrwEcy3KjC%2FXcti5oSLkqqa855G2PkPDIn2SadcclWVi3vkUhIRXxh6czf5jLu7eATpcBoUg20SkvaFCckxdKNVQTeuP3Vjf7oB54hlCiHeekprJH68KoNEI62CzlprHgn19iU1Mz7WJqW5vjClSV%2B8fVDFkinHa7PDJAV1tUmhF3o7AV16f8kapXbZHyAE9GezWUG%2BC8A%2F%2FAPf9huAlHWh%2BAlvPYYVFbEc%2BEYF8I2TB988FviFdYysRWRZAYYpqgWiowQvF4C7ZFnKgrZ93UBhhH7JqQWo8lUBH9zuNOzuB1QWayGJ95BsqWmFgZIu%2BlXLvm6qi0XZwiJ9O5X65wYgvh%2FBkiXFG8Ss8hrs9Ilp1YqY6RK1PTOLN6qdGzOTnRF7oaZjWQqz0m2C21PTUPybzsGYWeU11ekz064XM82yzCzegHZuzEy%2B9u%2BFmVYrx8zST%2BO5Nfdwa2aVjYmnz0ynXsy0yzKzeFPVuTFT%2FYS9n7LW0a%2F3ungekKJVdt2dPkVb9aKoXpaixVuGzo2i8cflvTDTsC1bYVZpYmoqMw3rYMys8hXl9JnZrhczjbLMLN75cnbMTL7d7oGbmn5l2s7b4cuxMV1YD0e%2FKjs5T59%2B1%2FWin1WWfsXbT86NfsnnzD297zFaysq2PRdTBjuKv%2BbksmEXbvLm6k%2FWk%2B6rv%2Fw3e%2F8D%3C%2Fdiagram%3E%3C%2Fmxfile%3E)

## Related

- [Improve integration performance](/improve-integration-performance.md)
- [Validate connectivity setup](/validate-connectivity-setup.md)