The Customer Portal provides a way to review an Estimate or Order, approve a proof or request changes, sign an Invoice, and pay. The Customer Portal is available from a Customer Portal Link, and from an invitation after you sign in. While an Estimate is still being finished, prices show as TBD until the Estimate is ready to share, and an Order shows prices, the amount paid, and the balance.
Table of Contents
- Important Information
- Before You Begin
- Opening a Shared Link
- Signing In
- Home
- Approving and Requesting Changes
- Reviewing a Proof
- Signing an Invoice
- Paying from an Order
- Paying after Signing In
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Related Articles
Important Information
- A Customer Portal Link opens one Estimate or Order without an account. An invitation gives you a username so you can set a password and sign in to the full portal. You can also click Sign in from a shared link when you already have an account.
- While an Estimate is Pending, the line Amount and the Summary show TBD. Prices appear when the Estimate is ready to share, including when the status is Awaiting Approval.
- What you see depends on what the shop enabled. Search, history, reorder, and online payments may not appear for every shop.
Before You Begin
You need a Customer Portal Link or an invitation from the shop. If you do not have either, contact the shop.
Opening a Shared Link
When you open the link from the shop, you see that Order or Estimate. You do not need to sign in to review it.
a. Shop name and the Customer Portal navigation: Home, Orders, and Payments.
b. Sign in - Opens the login when the shop has granted you access.
c. The Order or Estimate number, the status beside the number, and the description under the number.
Note: Details lists Placed, Due date, Terms, Contact, and Company. PO number appears when the Order has one. Started as appears when the Order began as an Estimate. Estimates appears in the navigation after you sign in.
d. Items on this order - Each Line Item shows the item, a status, and an Amount. The Amount is the line total, with the quantity and unit price under it. A proof thumbnail appears when a file is attached. Details, comments, and files are on the line. Change and Approve appear when that line is waiting for your approval. An approved line shows Approved.
Note: On an Estimate, the heading is Items on this estimate. While the Estimate is Pending, Amount shows TBD until the Estimate is ready to share.
e. Invoice - Opens the Invoice. On an Estimate, this card is labeled Estimate and opens the Estimate.
f. Summary - Subtotal, Tax, Order total, Amount paid, Amount due, Balance, and Make a payment when there is a balance and the shop accepts online payments.
Note: On an Estimate that is ready to share, Summary shows Subtotal, Tax, and Total. While the Estimate is Pending, those amounts show TBD.
Signing In
Use Sign in from a shared link, or open the invitation from the shop and set your password first.
1. Click Sign in.
a. Email - The username from the invitation (usually your email).
b. Password.
c. Sign In - Signs you in to the full Customer Portal.
Note: If you do not have an account, the login screen tells you to contact the shop for full Customer Portal access.
Home
After you sign in, Home is the starting screen for your Company. Use Orders, Estimates, and Payments to find other documents and open balances.
a. Home, Orders, Estimates, and Payments.
b. Make a payment - Opens Payments when the Company has a balance. Start a reorder starts a reorder when the shop has enabled reordering.
c. Recent orders - Recent Orders for the Company. You can open an Order from this list.
d. Account Balance - Open balances for the Company, with Make a Payment and a link to payment history. Quick reorder lists recent completed products when reordering is enabled.
Note: If you are linked to more than one Company, you select the Company before these lists fill in.
Approving and Requesting Changes
When items are waiting for your approval, the list shows how many need your approval, plus Request changes and Approve. Change and Approve also appear on the line that is waiting. Open the proof thumbnail first if you want to review the artwork.
a. Proof thumbnail - Opens the artwork for that Line Item.
b. Request changes - Opens a dialog so you can tell the shop what to change. Type the request, then submit it. Cancel closes the dialog without sending a request.
c. Approve 1 item - Approves the items that are waiting. The number matches how many items need approval. You review the approval terms before you submit.
d. Change - On the line. Opens a dialog so you can tell the shop what to change on that Line Item.
e. Approve - Approves that Line Item.
Reviewing a Proof
The proof opens in a viewer. Close it when you are finished reviewing, then approve the item or request changes.
a. Proof - The artwork for that Line Item.
Signing an Invoice
When the Invoice includes a signature line, you can sign it from the Order.
1. Click Invoice.
The invoice opens. Click to sign is on the signature line.
2. On the signature line, click Click to sign.
The Sign this invoice window opens.
a. Your Name
b. Email for Confirmation. A confirmation is sent to this address.
c. Draw. Sign in the box. Clear removes the drawing.
d. Type. Enter the signature in Type Your Signature.
e. Select the checkbox to agree that the electronic signature is the legal equivalent of your handwritten signature on this invoice.
3. Click Sign invoice.
After you click Sign invoice, the signature is recorded and a confirmation is sent to the address in Email for Confirmation.
Note: If Click to sign is not on the invoice, the shop has not included a signature line. Contact the shop.
Paying from an Order
When an Order has a balance and the shop accepts online payments, you can pay from the shared link. The same Make a payment button appears when you open that Order after signing in.
1. Click Make a payment.
Note: The Apply Payment dialog opens. Choose a payment method, confirm the amount, then click Submit Payment. Click Cancel if you are not ready to pay.
Paying after Signing In
After you sign in, you can also pay from Payments. Select one or more open balances.
1. Select the Order or Invoice to pay. The payment amount fills with the balance due.
2. Click Pay now.
Note: The same Apply Payment dialog opens.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Do I need an account to open a Customer Portal Link?
Answer: No. A Customer Portal Link opens that Estimate or Order without an account. Sign in if the shop invited you to the full portal.
2. How do I get Home, Orders, Estimates, and Payments?
Answer: The shop grants Customer Portal access and sends an invitation. You set a password, then sign in. You can also click Sign in from a shared link after you have an account.
3. Why are Approve and Request changes unavailable?
Answer: Request changes and Approve appear when an item is waiting for your approval. Change and Approve appear on that line. If they are unavailable, the shop has not sent that item for approval, or it was already approved.
4. Why can I not pay from the portal?
Answer: Make a payment and Pay now appear when there is a balance and the shop accepts online payments. If you do not see them, contact the shop.
5. Why is Search unavailable on a shared link?
Answer: Search is available after you sign in. On a shared link, you are viewing one document.
6. Why do I not see Click to sign on the invoice?
Answer: Click to sign appears when the Invoice includes a signature line. If you do not see it, contact the shop.
7. Why does an Estimate show TBD instead of a price?
Answer: While the Estimate is still being finished, the line Amount and the Summary show TBD. Prices appear when the Estimate is ready to share.
Related Articles
Customer Portal Approval Process
How to Invite Customers to the Customer Portal
How to View a Customer Portal in CoreBridge