Portal Overview
Portals are secure, branded interfaces where your external users can access data, complete tasks, and interact with your business.
What is a Portal?
A portal is a self-service web application where your customers, partners, vendors, or contractors can securely access information and perform actions relevant to their relationship with your organization.
Unlike giving users access to your internal tools, portals provide a controlled, branded experience where each user sees only what they're permitted to see.
Hover for details, or click to open the matching guide.
Working in the builder
Portal work happens in threads — one conversation per build or refinement pass — while the customer UI stays visible in a live preview. You need an active thread to change the portal; open the builder panel, click New chat, describe what you want, and watch the preview update as the agent works.
Name the portal in your prompt. If your app has more than one portal, say which one you mean — e.g. "On the Partner portal, add a contracts page" — or switch to that portal's tab in the center navigation first. See Multiple portals per app.
Live portal preview
Updates from your thread appear here as the agent edits pages and layout.
Illustrative layout — not a live screenshot. Thread on the left, portal preview in the main panel.
How the builder is laid out
Builder thread (left)
Navigation (top)
Portal preview (main panel)
Agents tab (portal slides right)
Portal features
Once you understand the journey above, these guides cover how you build, structure, sign users in, and control what each person sees.
Using the AI builder
Start a builder thread (New chat), name which portal to update if you have several, and describe the experience you want in plain language.
Customizing layouts
Shape individual pages in the builder: sections, components, and structure when you want direct control beyond AI.
Portal authentication
How external users sign in: magic links, OTP, open sign-up, SSO, and previewing the login screen.
Permissions
Who can see and do what in the portal—including record-level rules so each user only accesses the data that belongs to them.
Common Use Cases
Portals can be used for virtually any external-facing business process:
Client Portals
Agencies, consultants, and service providers use portals to share project updates, deliverables, and invoices with clients.
Partner Portals
Channel partners can register deals, track approvals, access marketing materials, and view commission reports.
Vendor Portals
Suppliers submit invoices, track payment status, update contact information, and access purchase orders.
Contractor Portals
Freelancers and contractors can submit timesheets, view assigned tasks, and access project documentation.
Customer Support Portals
Customers submit tickets, track resolution status, and access knowledge base articles.
Application Portals
Applicants submit applications, upload documents, and track their application status.