02 — What to build
What a custom client portal needs
Client workspaces with their own projects, contacts and files, strictly separated from other clients.
Project status with phase, milestones, next deliverable and your named owner.
Deliverables with versions and an approval action: approve, request changes or comment.
Two-way file exchange for client briefs and your shared work.
Request intake so new asks land in your team's queue, not someone's inbox.
An approval log showing who approved what, and when.
Internal-only fields your team sees and clients never do.
Typical roles: client viewer, client approver, account manager, delivery team and admin.
03 — How to build it
Building the portal in Henosia
Create a private project
Nothing is visible to clients, or anyone else, until you publish.
Add mock data
fictional clients, projects and deliverables as CSVs with your real column structure. Keep real client files out of the sandbox.
Connect a database for clients, projects, deliverables and approvals.
Plan in Plan mode
The agent asks clarifying questions and proposes a plan; nothing is built until you choose to build.
Build and test with two mock clients to prove neither can see the other's work.
Publish with access rules for your team and your invited client users.
An example Plan-mode prompt:
Plan a client portal for our agency. Each client company sees only its own projects, deliverables and files.
Deliverables have a version, due date and status: in progress, awaiting approval, approved, changes requested.
Client approvers can approve or request changes with a comment; client viewers can only read.
Account managers see all their clients and a list of deliverables waiting on client approval.
Internal notes on a deliverable are never visible to client users.Paste it into a private Henosia project in Plan mode. The agent asks questions and proposes a plan first.
04 — Before you go live
Letting clients in without losing control
A client portal means people outside your company inside your app. As described in a Henosia webinar, Henosia Authentication covers access for your own domain, more granular app-level access, optional IP restriction and the ability to give external parties access.
Before real client data goes in, decide how clients are invited, who removes them when an engagement ends, and what each client role can see. Confirm with IT whether your identity requirements are met. Scope integrations, for example with your project tracker or time tracking, per system, data direction and access level.
Start a private project in Henosia, model one real engagement with mock data, and plan your first client portal version.
Start a private project05 — FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is client portal software used for?
A client portal gives each client a secure, private view of their engagement: project status, deliverables, shared files and pending approvals. It replaces scattered emails and folder links, gives clients one place to act, and gives your team a record of who approved what and when it happened.
Is a custom client portal secure enough for client files?
Security depends on how you set up access and separation, not only on the tool. Henosia describes domain-based access, granular app-level access and controlled external access. Test client separation with mock data, decide who invites and removes client users, and review the setup with IT before real files go in.
Do I need developers to build a client portal app?
Not for a first version. Account or operations leads can plan and build it in Henosia without writing code themselves. Involve IT or a developer for integrations with your other systems, for reviewing external access, and before the portal becomes the official channel for client approvals.
How is a client portal different from a customer portal?
A client portal supports ongoing, collaborative work such as projects, deliverables and approvals with a limited number of clients. A customer portal is self-service for a larger customer base checking orders, cases and documents. The access model and data are different, so plan them as separate apps.