# One login where customers see every quote, invoice and job update

> Customers log in to one place to see their quotes, invoices, job progress, documents and photos, instead of digging through old emails. Can be added to any plan; standard on Pro.

- Source: https://nerdsharks.com/features/customer-portal
- Publisher: Nerdsharks (Exeter, Devon, UK)
- Updated: 2026-09-27

A customer portal is a private area of your website where each customer logs in and sees everything to do with their work with you: the quote you sent, the invoice, where the job is up to, and any documents or photos you have shared. For a bathroom fitter that might be the design drawing, the signed quote and progress photos from each day on site. For an accountant it might be the engagement letter and last year’s accounts. It is different from customer accounts, which are built around rebooking a regular appointment; the portal is built around projects and paperwork. It means fewer "can you resend that?" emails and customers who feel kept in the loop. A customer portal can be added to any plan, priced on your call, and comes as standard on Pro.

## How it works

1. **Each customer gets a secure login** - When you take on a job, the customer is invited by email to set up a login. They only ever see their own jobs, quotes and files, never anyone else’s.
2. **Quotes and invoices in one list** - Quotes and invoices sent through your site appear in the portal automatically, with their status, so customers can see what is accepted, due or paid.
3. **You post job updates** - Mark a stage done, add a short note or upload photos from your phone. The customer sees the update next time they log in and gets an email to say something has changed.
4. **Documents stay in one place** - Drawings, certificates, warranties and guarantees are stored against the job, so the customer can find them months or years later without asking you.

## Why it matters

- **Fewer chasing messages** - Customers can check where things are up to themselves, so you spend less time answering "any news?" calls while you are trying to get the work done.
- **Paperwork is easy to find** - Gas safety certificates, electrical test results and product guarantees are all kept against the job, which helps the customer and saves you digging them out again.
- **Bigger jobs feel better run** - On a kitchen or extension costing thousands, a clear record of quotes, stages and photos reassures customers they chose an organised firm.

## Questions

### How is this different from customer accounts?

Customer accounts are for regular appointments: seeing bookings and rebooking the usual service. The customer portal is for jobs and projects: quotes, invoices, progress updates, documents and photos. Some businesses have both.

### Which plan includes the customer portal?

Any plan. The customer portal can be added to Monthly or Own It, priced on your call, and comes as standard on Pro. We tell you the price before any work starts.

### Are customer files kept secure?

Yes. Files are stored privately and only shown to the logged-in customer they belong to and to you. Logins are secure and your database is encrypted and backed up daily.

### Do customers get told when something changes?

Yes, by email. When you post an update, add a document or send a new invoice, the customer gets an email with a link to log in and see it.