> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://learn.withessential.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://learn.withessential.com/administration/what-your-customers-see-in-the-customer-portal.md).

# Customer Portal Concepts

The Customer Portal is the signed-in site your customers use. When a customer and contact both have portal access enabled, they can see the work and paperwork shared with them.

**Action Required** lists unsigned quotes to approve and unpaid invoices to pay online; each row opens the customer action in a new tab. Expired quotes are not shown there. Reactivating an expired quote makes it available for the customer to review and sign again.

**Upcoming Services Due** shows recurring services and their next due dates. A service due within 60 days is marked **Due Soon** unless an upcoming visit already marks it **Scheduled**.

**Service History & Reports** lists past visits newest first, with the work-order type, technician, and a **Completed**, **In progress**, or **Scheduled** status. Customers can open or download each inspection report and any work-acknowledgment files. When a visit has more than one report, **Download All Reports** downloads them together.

The **Paid invoices** and **Signed quotes** settings control whether billing history appears. Depending on which settings are enabled, the portal tab is labeled **Invoices**, **Quotes**, or **Invoices & Quotes**. **Files** provides customer-visible Property Files and Asset Group Files. When the **Asset group information** setting is enabled, the portal shows an **Asset Groups** tab. It groups asset groups by type and property; a customer can open one to see its individual assets and their attributes.

**Your Properties** lists each property with its address and tracked asset-group types. **Portal Users** manages the customer's other users.

When the business has the Customer Portal service-request capability and a published portal service-request form, the portal also shows **Request service**. The customer account and sign-in email are supplied automatically. The contact chooses an allowed existing property; a customer-level portal contact can also request service at a new property by entering an address, while a property-limited contact is restricted to assigned properties. Required questions must be answered before sending. The submission creates a task under **Tasks > Service Requests > All** marked **Submitted through the Customer Portal**. The portal form has its own versions and does not change the public website intake form.

When a contact has access to more than one property, **All Properties** covers everything their access permits and choosing one property scopes the portal. If the person belongs to more than one customer account, the **Viewing** switcher changes accounts.

An inspection report appears only when it has been published with a PDF, belongs to a past visit, and falls within the contact's allowed properties. A draft, a report with no PDF, or one not tied to a visit does not appear. Direct report email and Job Summary sharing are separate from the portal: **Send Report** emails only the report PDF, while **Send Job Summary** emails a no-login recap that can include the report with other job information.

> **Where to find it:** The portal your customers sign into; set its address and branding in Settings -> Customer Portal, and turn a customer's access on from their customer page

## Related guides

* [Set your Customer Portal heading and URL](/administration/settings/set-your-customer-portal-heading-and-url.md)
* [Editing a quote or invoice through the Assistant](/administration/using-the-essential-assistant/editing-a-quote-or-invoice-through-the-assistant.md)
* [How your customers sign in to the Customer Portal](/administration/what-your-customers-see-in-the-customer-portal/how-your-customers-sign-in-to-the-customer-portal.md)
* [Managing portal users (inviting, access scope, and editing)](/administration/what-your-customers-see-in-the-customer-portal/managing-portal-users-inviting-access-scope-and-editing.md)
* [Download or email an inspection report](/field-operations/inspection-reports/download-or-email-an-inspection-report.md)
* [Let customers request service from the Customer Portal](/administration/settings/let-customers-request-service-from-the-customer-portal.md)


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