How To Use Dubsado’s Client Portal For Easy Organization
Your Clients Are Lost in Emails…The Dubsado Client Portal Fixes That
How To Set Up Your Dubsado Client Portal
First things first: you’ll need a paid Dubsado plan to unlock the client portal. (Good news, both the Starter and Premier plans include it.)
Next, you’ll want to customize your client portal in the settings tab. Add your portal banner, brand colors, and welcome message so your entire client portal matches your business.
Finally, when you’re ready to activate your client’s portal, you’ll need to open the project and scroll down to the ‘portal’ section on the left-hand side of your screen. From there:
- Activate your portal and create a custom password for your client.
- Send a link to the client portal and the password to your clients. Both of these are available as Smart Fields when you write your email.
Pro tip: You can automate portal activation in a workflow—just note, passwords still need to be created manually.
What’s Included in the Dubsado Client Portal
- Contact information for your business
- Contact information for the client
- Emails sent and received through Dubsado
- Project information sent and received through Dubsado
- Proposals
- Contracts
- Invoices
- Questionnaires
- Appointment Schedulers
- Past and Upcoming Appointments
- Welcome packages
- Client portal guides
- One-time forms
- Access to external platforms (like a shared Google Drive) using one-time links.
How the Dubsado Client Portal Creates a Smoother Client Experience
So now you know how to set up your client portal and what’s inside, it’s time to discuss how your portal makes a difference for your business and your clients.
Before setting up Dubsado’s client portals, many of my past clients were using and paying for multiple project management tools. Once they set up their portal though, they had one central place for all their important project documents and could cancel those other subscriptions. They’re not only saving energy by only managing one system, but they’re also saving money on their business tools!
The client portal also becomes the go-to resource for their clients, where they have access to everything they need for the project: from questionnaires to invoices. No more inbox scavenger hunts or “where’s that link again?” DMs. Your clients know exactly where to go when they need something.
Plus, return clients can easily sort through multiple projects to keep track of their work with you!
‘The client portal is the one-stop-shop for clients during the design process. Instead of logging into Asana, checking emails, checking Google Drive, and messaging me when they can’t remember where something is – they just check their portal!’ – Samara, web designer
Finally, the client portal is an accessible place to provide your clients with extra resources and forms. Some entrepreneurs include Client Portal Guides or Expectations Guides to set boundaries with their clients while others create a memorable offboarding process with feedback requests, additional support, or referral information in their portal.
With everything centralized in the Dubsado client portal, your client experience instantly feels more polished, professional, and stress-free.
Using the Dubsado Client Portal in Your Day-to-Day Workflows
Convinced the client portal is worth it? Trust me, once you have a grasp on it, you’ll be amazed at how it streamlines your projects.
The one piece we haven’t touched on yet is getting your clients onboard and comfortable with the portal. After all, introducing a new system to your clients may feel overwhelming.
So, here are a few of my top tips for incorporating Dubsado’s client portal into your work processes:
- Create a simple PDF guide with information about the portal and include it in every client portal. Pssst – did you know Dubsado has a free Client Portal Guide template you can upload and use?
- Link external resources (like a shared Google Drive) to your client’s portal using a one-time link.
- Introduce the client portal to your client in your onboarding phase with a simple email linking the portal and sharing your client’s password.
- Suggest that your client bookmark the portal for easy access in the future.
- Explain that the client portal is their go-to spot for everything important, including invoices, emails, forms, and upcoming meetings.
Dubsado’s client portal may feel a little confusing for you and your client the first time you access it. It’s one of the most underrated tools in Dubsado, and the one that makes the biggest day-to-day difference for both you and your clients.
With the client portal, past clients are no longer wasting time responding to repetitive emails, wasting money on countless platforms, and wasting energy on tasks their portal takes care of.
Want a Dubsado client portal that feels on-brand, easy to use, and way less clunky? I’ve got you.
Book a free Discovery Call and we’ll chat about your business, your goals, and the best next step for you.