CoPortalDocs

Client portal

The client portal

Every workspace gets a branded client portal — a private web app where clients can track projects, view files, read and reply to messages, accept quotes, sign contracts, and pay invoices. No client account needed.

Portal URL

Your portal lives at a unique URL based on your workspace slug:

app.coportal.io/portal/your-slug

Find and copy your portal URL from Settings → Workspace. The URL is automatically included in all invoice and notification emails sent to clients.

Note: On Studio and Agency plans you get a branded subdomain: your-slug.portal.coportal.io. This is set automatically when your plan is activated.

How clients log in

Clients use magic links — no username or password. When a client needs to log in:

  • •They go to your portal URL and enter their email address
  • •CoPortal sends a magic link to their inbox
  • •They click the link and are logged in immediately

Magic links are single-use and expire after 1 hour. If a link expires, the client just requests a new one from the portal login page — no action required from you.

Tip: You can also send a portal invite directly from the client detail page. Click Invite to portal and CoPortal sends a branded welcome email with a login link. This is the best way to onboard a new client for the first time.

What clients see

When a client logs into their portal they see a dashboard with all their active projects. Clicking a project opens everything related to it:

Projects

  • •Task board in read-only view — they can see what's To Do, In Progress, in Review, complete, or in Query
  • •Overall project completion percentage based on task status
  • •Project status and due date

Files

  • •Any file marked as visible to client in the Files panel appears here
  • •Clients can download files directly — briefs, designs, deliverables, whatever you share
  • •Files not marked as client-visible are hidden (your internal documents, work in progress, etc.)

Messages

  • •Clients can read all message threads in the project
  • •They can reply to any thread — their reply notifies you by email
  • •Create named threads to keep conversations organised (e.g. “Design feedback”, “Content review”)

Time logs

  • •Clients can see billable time entries — what work was done and how long it took
  • •This helps justify invoice line items — clients can see the hours behind each charge

Quotes (proposals)

  • •All sent quotes for this client appear in their portal
  • •Clients can read the quote in full — line items, totals, notes, expiry date
  • •They can click Accept to approve the quote — this notifies you and auto-creates a project
  • •They can click Request changes to flag what they'd like adjusted before accepting
  • •CoPortal records when the quote was first viewed and how many times it was opened

Contracts

  • •Contracts sent for signature appear in the portal
  • •Clients can read the full contract text and sign with a typed or drawn signature
  • •Once signed, both parties receive a PDF copy by email
  • •The contract status updates to Signed in your dashboard

Invoices

  • •All invoices for the client — Draft excluded, Sent and Paid included
  • •Each unpaid invoice shows a Pay now button if Paystack is configured
  • •Clients can download any invoice as a PDF
  • •Paid invoices are clearly marked so clients can see their payment history

Feedback

  • •When a project is complete and you've sent a feedback request, the rating form appears in the portal
  • •Clients give a star rating (1–5) and optional written comment
  • •Responses are saved to the project activity feed in your dashboard

Branding the portal

Go to Settings → Branding to customise how the portal looks to clients:

LogoShown in the portal header and all email notifications. PNG or SVG, under 2 MB.
Brand colourUsed for the portal header, buttons, progress bars, and invoice PDFs.
Business nameShown as the portal title and in email sender names.
Portal URLCopyable slug — share this with clients or put it in your email signature.
Tip: Clients never see CoPortal's branding while inside your portal. To them, it looks like your own platform. Upload a logo and set a brand colour to make it feel completely native to your business.

What clients cannot see

  • •Internal notes or private messages between your team members
  • •Files not marked as client-visible
  • •Other clients' projects, invoices, or data
  • •Your workspace settings, billing, or team members
  • •Draft invoices
  • •Non-billable time entries

Sending portal invites

There are two ways to send a client their portal access:

  • •From the client page — open any client and click Invite to portal. Sends a branded welcome email.
  • •Share the URL directly — paste your portal URL into WhatsApp, email, or your email signature. Clients can request their own magic link from the portal login page.

There is no limit to how many times you can resend a portal invite. If a client says they can't log in, click Invite to portal again to send a fresh link.

Intake forms in the portal

If you've set up intake forms (under Settings → Intake forms), clients who are not yet in your system can submit a form directly from your portal. This captures their details and enquiry as a lead in your pipeline. See Intake forms.

Related

Clients →Contracts →Invoices →Intake forms →Payments →