> 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/customers-and-work/contacts/give-a-contact-access-to-the-customer-portal.md). # Give a contact access to the customer portal A contact can be given access to the customer portal so they can sign in and see their account. You grant it with the Customer Portal Access toggle (Enabled/Disabled) in the contact's Edit form. That toggle only appears once the customer account itself has the portal enabled; if it isn't, turn that on first (see [Turning on Customer Portal access for a customer](/customers-and-work/customers/turning-on-customer-portal-access-for-a-customer.md)). When the portal feature is on for your business, a Portal pill shows next to the contact's name. It's highlighted when the contact has portal access, the customer account has the portal enabled, and the customer is active; it shows greyed out otherwise. The pill is a useful summary, but greyed doesn't always mean the contact can't sign in: an inactive customer's contacts can still sign in and pay invoices through the portal, so the pill can read as disabled even though access still works. To be sure, check the contact's own toggle and the customer's portal setting directly rather than the pill alone. > **Where to find it:** On the contact page, the Portal pill by the contact's name; you grant access with the Customer Portal Access toggle in the contact's Edit form, and access also depends on the customer's settings ## Related guides * [Turning on Customer Portal access for a customer](/customers-and-work/customers/turning-on-customer-portal-access-for-a-customer.md) * [Creating a contact](/customers-and-work/contacts/creating-a-contact.md) * [Contact roles explained](/customers-and-work/contacts/contact-roles-explained.md) * [Edit a contact's details, or where their roles live](/customers-and-work/contacts/edit-a-contacts-details-or-where-their-roles-live.md) * [See and browse all your contacts](/customers-and-work/contacts/see-and-browse-all-your-contacts.md) * [What the contact page shows](/customers-and-work/contacts/what-the-contact-page-shows.md) --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the following URL with the `ask` and `goal` query parameters: ``` GET https://learn.withessential.com/customers-and-work/contacts/give-a-contact-access-to-the-customer-portal.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is what the user is ultimately trying to achieve, the reason they need the answer. Sharing it helps GitBook give you a better, more relevant answer. A goal is most helpful when it describes the outcome the user wants rather than restating the question. For example, with `ask=how do I create an API token`, a goal like `automate deployments from our CI pipeline` lets GitBook tailor the answer to that use case. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.