How to import Word docs from FTP to Azure in order to run script

Question

This is less of a technical question and more of a need for guidance on architecting an automated solution in Azure but essentially I am wanting to import Word docs from an FTP site to Azure, run a PowerShell script in Azure on the imported Word docs that exports the outputs as a CSV, and then have Azure put the exported CSVs back in a folder on the original FTP site.

My current manual process is logging into the FTP, downloading the Word docs on to my local machine, running the PowerShell script against these docs that exports the output as CSV, and then I upload the CSVs back to the FTP.

Can someone please help with giving any guidance on what that process would entail in Azure?

I have seen that Azure can poll an FTP server and import files but what components of Azure I use to do the storage and running the script I am at a loss on...

Any help putting the pieces together would be greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

The simplest process would be to ingest the word-files into azure using logic app with ftp-trigger (https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/connectors/ftp/#triggers)

To run the powershell script I would create a azure function with a http-trigger(https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-functions/functions-reference-powershell?tabs=portal) Depending on your script and the size of the file you might have to store the Word-file in azure blob storage as the second step your Logic app. Instead of sending the content over http you then pass a reference to the file in blob-storage to the function.

The last action in the logic app will be to save the csv back to ftp-server.

You could aslo create a more moduler design by splitting the process of ingesting, converting to csv and saving back to ftp by using blob-triggers both for incoming Word-file and outgoing csv (https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-functions/functions-bindings-storage-blob-trigger?tabs=csharp)