Accessing the Customer Portal

How your customers view invoices, estimates, and other documents through secure portal links.

What Is a Portal Link?

Portal links are secure URLs that give customers direct access to their documents. Each link:

• Opens a specific document (invoice, estimate, or change order)
• Requires no login or password
• Works on any device with a web browser
• Is unique and hard to guess

How Customers Receive Links

Email Delivery

When you send a document, customers receive an email containing:

1. Subject line - Indicates document type and your business name
2. Document summary - Amount, date, and key details
3. View button - Opens the document in the portal
4. Your branding - Logo and contact information

Manual Link Sharing

You can also share links directly:

1. Open the invoice, estimate, or change order
2. Click Share or Copy Link
3. Send via text message, chat, or other method
4. Customer clicks link to access

Opening a Portal Link

When a customer clicks a portal link:

1. Browser opens - Works in any modern browser
2. Document loads - Shows full document details
3. Actions available - Pay, approve, download, etc.
4. No login required - Immediate access

What Customers See

The portal displays:

Element	Description
Your logo	Company branding at top
Document details	Number, date, amounts
Line items	Full breakdown of charges
Action buttons	Pay Now, Approve, Download
Contact info	How to reach you

Viewing Invoices

When a customer opens an invoice link:

Invoice Information Displayed

• Invoice number and date
• Due date
• Your business name and contact
• Customer billing information
• Itemized list of charges
• Subtotal, taxes, and total
• Amount paid (if any)
• Balance due

Available Actions

Action	Description
Pay Now	Make a payment (if online payments enabled)
Download PDF	Save a copy of the invoice
Print	Print the invoice
Contact	Send a message about the invoice

Invoice Status Indicators

Customers see their invoice status:

Status	Meaning
Due	Payment expected by due date
Paid	Fully paid
Partial	Some payment received, balance remaining
Overdue	Past due date, payment needed

Viewing Estimates

When a customer opens an estimate link:

Estimate Information Displayed

• Estimate number and date
• Valid until date (expiration)
• Your business information
• Customer information
• Scope of work details
• Itemized pricing
• Total estimate amount
• Deposit required (if any)
• Terms and conditions

Available Actions

Action	Description
Approve	Accept and sign the estimate
Decline	Reject the estimate
Download PDF	Save a copy
Ask a Question	Send you a message

Estimate Status Indicators

Status	Meaning
Pending	Awaiting customer decision
Approved	Customer accepted
Declined	Customer rejected
Expired	Past valid date

Viewing Change Orders

When a customer opens a change order link:

Change Order Information

• Original estimate reference
• Changes to scope
• Price adjustments (additions/removals)
• New total if approved
• Reason for changes

Available Actions

• Approve - Accept the changes
• Decline - Reject the changes
• Download PDF - Save a copy
• Ask a Question - Request clarification

Downloading Documents

Customers can save PDF copies of any document:

How to Download

1. Open the document link
2. Click Download PDF or the download icon
3. PDF saves to device
4. Open with any PDF reader

PDF Contents

Downloaded PDFs include:

• Full document details
• Your branding
• All line items
• Totals and calculations
• Terms (if applicable)
• Professional formatting

Uses for Downloaded PDFs

Customers download PDFs for:

• Record keeping
• Expense reports
• Tax documentation
• Sharing with others (spouse, accountant)
• Printing

Mobile Portal Experience

The portal works on phones and tablets:

Mobile Features

• Responsive design adapts to screen size
• Touch-friendly buttons
• Easy scrolling through line items
• Signature works on touchscreen
• Payment forms optimized for mobile

Best Experience

For best mobile experience:

• Use latest browser version
• Rotate to landscape for detailed views
• Stable internet connection recommended
• Allow pop-ups if prompted for payment

Link Security

How Links Are Secured

Security Feature	Protection Provided
Unique tokens	Each link has a random, unguessable code
HTTPS encryption	All data encrypted in transit
No stored passwords	Nothing to steal or phish
Single document	Each link shows only one document
Expiration	Some links expire after set time

Customer Responsibilities

Customers should:

• Not share links publicly
• Not forward to unintended recipients
• Bookmark or save links if needed again
• Request new link if concerned about security

Link Expiration

When Links Expire

Document Type	Expiration Behavior
Estimates	May expire when estimate expires
Invoices	Generally active until paid
Change orders	May expire with linked estimate

If a Link Doesn't Work

When customers encounter an expired or invalid link:

1. Contact you to request a new link
2. You can resend the document
3. New link is generated automatically

Viewing History

Customers may be able to access their document history:

Through Customer Portal

If you've enabled a customer portal dashboard:

• All invoices sent to them
• All estimates sent to them
• Payment history
• Outstanding balances

Through Individual Links

Each document link shows:

• That specific document only
• Payment status for invoices
• Approval status for estimates

What Happens After Viewing

For Invoices

When a customer views an invoice:

1. Invoice status may update to "Viewed"
2. You may receive notification
3. View is tracked for your records

For Estimates

When a customer views an estimate:

1. View is tracked
2. Estimate awaits their action (approve/decline)
3. You may receive notification

Troubleshooting Access Issues

Link Not Working

If the link doesn't open:

• Check for typos if manually entered
• Try clicking directly from email (don't copy/paste)
• Clear browser cache
• Try different browser
• Request new link

Page Won't Load

If the portal page won't load:

• Check internet connection
• Refresh the page
• Disable ad blockers temporarily
• Try incognito/private mode
• Try different device

Wrong Document Showing

If unexpected content appears:

• Verify the link is from you
• May be viewing old/different document
• Request correct link

Tips for Business Owners

Helping Customers Access Documents

1. Test links yourself - Send test documents to yourself first
2. Clear subject lines - Help emails avoid spam filters
3. Provide instructions - Tell customers what to expect
4. Be available - Respond quickly to access questions
5. Resend promptly - If link issues, resend immediately

Tracking Document Views

You can see when customers view documents:

• Check document detail page
• View tracking shows date/time
• Helps with follow-up timing

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