Get startedHow PortalTable works
Get started/How PortalTable works
5 min read·01 / 09

How PortalTable works

PortalTable turns an Airtable base into a branded portal your clients log in to. Your base stays the source of truth; clients get clean, scoped software with your name on it — never a raw table.

The mental model

There are three layers. Your Airtable base holds the data. The PortalTable sync layer reads that base, caches it, and applies per-client scoping rules. Each client portal renders a slice of that data as a finished app — projects, approvals, files, invoices — under your brand and your domain.

Your base
Tables, views, and records you already maintain in Airtable. Edit a record and the portal reflects it — no exports.
Sync layer
Reads your base on a schedule, caches for speed, and enforces row-level rules so a client only ever sees their own work.
Client portal
A branded web app per client. Blocks like Projects and Approvals turn records into an experience clients understand.
Airtable stays in charge
PortalTable never becomes a second database to maintain. It reads your base and writes structured changes back — approvals, comments, uploads, invoice status. Your base remains the single source of truth.

The agency console

Everything you manage lives in the console — the admin side only your team sees. The left rail splits into Workspace (Overview, Clients, Projects, Forms, Approvals) and Delivery (Files, Invoices, Messages), with portal settings below.

console / overview
The console Overview — your whole book of client work at a glance.
The console Overview — your whole book of client work at a glance.
  1. 1Workspace switcher — your agency and seat count.
  2. 2Primary nav, grouped Workspace and Delivery.
  3. 3New project and Invite client live top-right on every page.
  4. 4KPI cards summarize MRR, live portals, and outstanding invoices.

If you're brand new, start with Connect your Airtable base — nothing renders until a base is linked.

Terms you'll see

Base
An Airtable base connected to PortalTable. One base can power many portals.
Portal
A branded app for one client. Always free for unlimited client users.
Block
A feature module inside a portal — Projects, Approvals, Files, Invoices, Messages.
Scope
A row-level rule that filters a base down to a single client's records.
Client user
A person on the client side who signs in to a portal. Never billed.