Set up a User portal and service categories
The User portal gives signed-in people one place to find included services, resume saved or returned work and see their own submissions. It is included in every plan. Library administrators configure it from Builder → User portal.
Choose services and Collection programmes
Select Choose services or Manage services and cards. Include signed-in ordinary services and Collection programmes from the library. Patterns, anonymous services and individual managed Collection forms are not eligible; include the programme to bring its current and future Collections into the portal.
Edit each card's title, description and image, then set the homepage order. Provide alternative text for an informative image or mark it as decorative. Unavailable selections are hidden from respondents, and every service keeps its own access, review and resume rules.
Organise the homepage
Under Homepage → Show services as, choose:
| Layout | What people see |
|---|---|
| Service cards | Individual service and Collection programme cards. This is the default. |
| Category cards | Category cards that open their included services. Uncategorised services remain directly available. A service card can also be set to show on the homepage. |
| Grouped services | Included services grouped under category headings. |
Changing the layout keeps the categories and card settings you have already configured.
Create and maintain categories
- Select Manage categories → Add category.
- Give the category a clear title, an optional description and, if useful, an image.
- Select members from the services and programmes already included in the portal.
- Save the category, then adjust its service order and the homepage order.
A service or programme may belong to several categories without creating extra applications or duplicating overall activity totals. Search matches category names as well as services. Category pages let people view the related things to do and activity, with category filters retained through pagination.
Renaming a category preserves its ID and URL. Removing it keeps its services and applications; services without another category appear directly on the homepage. Empty categories stay in settings but are hidden from the homepage until a member is available.
Brand, preview and publish
Set the portal title and introduction; the logo, colours and sign-in come from the library. You can use an existing shared service domain, with an optional redirect from its root. Portal settings do not provision a new domain.
Use Preview portal to inspect the saved configuration in User view. Check desktop and mobile layouts, category membership, image alternatives, search, saved work and returned work. Deploy the portal separately to each configured environment and check that its deployed settings match Builder. Portal deployment does not deploy service definitions, authentication or branding.
Included signed-in services provide a return link to the portal. Each person sees only their own activity and assigned work. Status held in another system needs an integration.
For revision-safe automated configuration, including categories, see Read, update and deploy User portal settings. Try the fictional council example on Templates & demos.