---
title: Sources Overview
description: "Sources are how documents enter FileRelay. ArchiveLink, CMIS, or OData — pick the protocol that matches your SAP edition."
---

# Sources Overview

Sources are the **entry points** for documents flowing into FileRelay. Once a document arrives at a source, FileRelay forwards it through your configured [connections](/docs/connections/overview) to the destinations you've chosen.

FileRelay supports three SAP ingest protocols, each matching a different SAP edition and integration style:

| Protocol | What it is | When you use it |
|---|---|---|
| **[ArchiveLink](/docs/sources/archivelink)** | The classic SAP push protocol (BC-HCS 4.5 HTTP Content Server interface) | ECC 6.0, S/4HANA on-premise, S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition (RISE). SAP pushes documents to FileRelay. |
| **[CMIS](/docs/sources/cmis)** | CMIS 1.1 client against SAP Document Management Service | S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition (the only public-cloud option), and Private/RISE as an alternative to ArchiveLink. FileRelay pulls documents. |
| **[OData](/docs/sources/odata)** | Released S/4HANA OData APIs (e.g. `I_AttachmentForBusinessObject`) with optional Event Mesh push | S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition and Private/RISE. FileRelay polls or subscribes to attachment changes. |

Not sure which you need? See the **[protocol comparison](/docs/sources/protocol-comparison)** — a decision matrix covering every SAP edition.

## Common source properties

Regardless of which protocol a source uses, every source in FileRelay has:

- A unique **name** and **slug** (used in URLs and configuration)
- An **active / inactive** toggle for pausing without deleting
- A protocol-specific **identity** (Content Repository ID for ArchiveLink, CMIS endpoint + credentials for CMIS, Communication Arrangement + service key for OData)
- A set of **credentials** stored encrypted at rest (per-customer key)
- A **delivery audit log** — every document that arrives is recorded with timestamp, size, and outcome

## How documents flow through a source

The lifecycle differs by protocol, but the FileRelay-side shape is the same:

1. **Document arrives** (pushed by SAP for ArchiveLink; pulled by FileRelay for CMIS / OData)
2. **Authenticity is verified** (ArchiveLink signature for ArchiveLink; OAuth bearer for CMIS / OData)
3. **Document is acknowledged** (to SAP for ArchiveLink; recorded in the audit log for CMIS / OData)
4. **Document is routed** through all active [connections](/docs/connections/overview) attached to that source
5. **Each destination** in the connection receives a copy

## Active and inactive sources

| State | Behavior |
|---|---|
| Active | Documents are accepted and forwarded through connected pipelines |
| Inactive | Pushed requests get an error response; pollers stop fetching; no documents are processed |

Setting a source to inactive is useful during maintenance windows, when decommissioning a repository, or when you need to temporarily stop document flow without deleting the configuration.

## Creating a source

The workflow is similar across protocols — the protocol-specific fields differ:

1. Navigate to **Repositories** in the sidebar
2. Click **Add Source**
3. Pick the **protocol** (ArchiveLink, CMIS, or OData)
4. Fill in the protocol-specific fields (covered in each protocol's setup guide)
5. Save — FileRelay validates the configuration by making a test call

After creating the source, follow the relevant setup guide for your SAP edition:

- **[ArchiveLink Setup](/docs/sources/archivelink)** — Configure SAP transaction OAC0 to push documents
- **[CMIS Setup](/docs/sources/cmis)** — Set up the Communication Arrangement for SAP DMS
- **[OData Setup](/docs/sources/odata)** — Set up released OData + Event Mesh
- **[Protocol Comparison](/docs/sources/protocol-comparison)** — Decision matrix if you're not sure which to pick

## Next steps

- [Protocol Comparison](/docs/sources/protocol-comparison) — Which protocol matches your SAP edition?
- [SAP ArchiveLink Setup](/docs/sources/archivelink) — The classic push protocol
- [CMIS Setup](/docs/sources/cmis) — S/4HANA Cloud CMIS pull
- [OData Setup](/docs/sources/odata) — S/4HANA Cloud released OData
- [Transaction OAC0 Guide](/docs/sources/oac0) — SAP-side ArchiveLink config
- [Certificate Management](/docs/sources/certificates) — Manage certificates for ArchiveLink signature verification