How to build a SharePoint Client Portal using Microsoft Power Pages

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A Brief History of SharePoint Client Portals

Before diving into Power Pages, it’s worth noting the evolution of SharePoint’s public website capabilities. Back in 2013, Office 365 offered a feature called Office 365 Public Sites, which allowed users to create public-facing websites via SharePoint. However, this feature was discontinued by Microsoft in 2017 due to lack of customer adoption and other reasons, leaving many searching for alternative solutions.

The Advent of Power Pages

The introduction of Power Pages in 2022 marks a significant advancement. This service, previously known as Power Apps portals and Dynamics 365 portals, allows users to create public-facing websites with a wide range of features, including custom forms, login capabilities, and various integrations with SharePoint, Dynamics 365, and even Microsoft’s AI assistant, Copilot.

Getting Started with Power Pages

1. Sign Up for Power Pages

• Visit the Power Pages landing page and sign up for a free trial. You’ll need a Microsoft 365 business account to proceed.
• Follow the prompts to enter your email, country, and phone number.

2. Create Your First Power Pages Site

• After signing up, you’ll be guided to select a template for your site. Choose “No, I’ve never built one before” to simplify the setup.
• Pick a template that suits your needs, such as “Starter layout 1,” and set your site’s name and web address. If desired, use a custom domain name.

3. Customize Your Site

• Once your site is set up, you can add your logo and adjust the brand colors to match your business’s identity.
• To change your logo, go to the Home page, select the header, and upload your image.
• Adjust brand colors by navigating to the “Edit site header” option and configuring the color settings.

4. Add a New Page

• To create a new page, click the “+ Page” button and choose a default layout or start from blank.
• Name your page (e.g., “Client Portal”) and add it to the main navigation if needed.

5. Make Your Site Public

• By default, your site is private. To make it public, click on your site’s name, select “Manage site visibility,” and check the “Public” option.

Creating a SharePoint Client Portal

With your Power Pages site ready, you can now create a client portal for SharePoint:

1. Set Up a Dataset

• Create a dataset to collect client information such as email, name, and address. Enable “SharePoint document management” to organize files by client email.

2. Add Columns for Additional Information

• Add columns to capture extra details like phone number or file descriptions. Configure each column with appropriate settings and save.

3. Configure Email Column

• Ensure the email column is set as a required field and validated correctly for proper file organization in SharePoint.

4. Design the Client File Upload Form

• Use the “Form” component to build a file upload form where clients can securely submit their files. Ensure the form integrates with SharePoint for seamless document management.

With these steps, you can effectively set up and customize a SharePoint client portal using Microsoft Power Pages. This guide provides a comprehensive overview, ensuring you have all the tools needed to create a functional and secure client portal.

Creating a New Page in Power Pages with a Multi-Step Form

To begin, add a “Multi-Step Form” to your page. Click the three dots to reveal hidden components, then select “Multistep form.” In the dialog that appears, choose “New multistep form” and name it “Client Portal Document Upload Form.”

The form will now appear on the page. Click on the form and select “Add Step” (repeat this twice).

Configuring Steps for the Multi-Step Form

For each step, select “Client Portal Files.” Configure the first step as “Client Portal Upload Form (Information)” and the second as “Client Portal Upload Form (Documents).” Before testing your client portal, configure the permissions for the multi-step form. Click on the form, then the three dots in the popup menu, and select “Permissions.”

Setting Permissions for the Multi-Step Form

You’ll configure two types of permissions: “basic” and “child.” Follow these steps:

1. Basic Permissions:

• Click “New table permission.”
• Name it “Client Info.”
• Set the Table to “Client Portal Files.”
• Set Access Type to “Global Access.”
• Select all permissions and add all three roles: Administrators, Anonymous Users, and Authenticated Users.

2. Child Permissions:

• Click the “Child permissions” tab.
• Click “New” to add a new child permission.
• Name it “Document Locations.”
• Set the Table to “Document Location.”
• Select the relationship with “SharePointDocumentLocations.”
• Select all permissions.

Testing Your SharePoint Client Portal

Your SharePoint client portal is now ready to receive files. Share the Client Portal page link with your clients via email or on your Power Pages site.

How to Use the SharePoint Customer Portal

Clients will first enter their basic details, followed by uploading files. The “Client Documents” grid will initially be empty, but clients can upload files by clicking “Add files.” After submission, clients will see a confirmation screen. Files are stored in a new SharePoint folder tagged with the client’s email address.

Viewing Uploaded Files as an Administrator

Log in to your Microsoft work/business account, navigate to the SharePoint site, and select the “Client Portal Files” option from the dropdown next to “Documents.” You can view and access all client-uploaded files. To find specific client information, locate the record in the Power Pages dataset viewer that matches the folder’s unique identifier.

Enhancing Your Power Pages SharePoint Client Portal

To improve client experience, consider adding these features:

• Create an administrator or staff dashboard for easier file and client information management.
• Require clients to create accounts before file submissions to reduce spam.
• Enable email notifications for file uploads.

By following this guide, you can build a functional and secure SharePoint client portal using Microsoft Power Pages. For more advanced customizations and integrations, AVASOFT is here to help. Contact us to learn how we can assist you in creating a client portal that meets your unique business needs.