Start with the questions clients ask
How much stock is available? Has the inbound receipt been recorded? What is the order's status? Which invoice needs review? A portal is useful when those answers use the same operational records the warehouse team works with. It can reduce repeated status requests, but that benefit depends on staff keeping the workflow current.
Separate the stock owner from the warehouse operator
Client users should not inherit warehouse management access. Configure the client's account, users and enabled modules, then test the records that are visible. The portal must preserve ownership when two clients use the same product or physical facility. A client with several sites needs an agreed scope across those sites.
| Person | Useful view |
|---|---|
| Client stock owner | Its authorised stock, orders, documents and invoices |
| Warehouse manager | The operational work and exceptions at assigned sites |
| Warehouse owner | Oversight of the warehouses and clients they manage |
Use documents to resolve the detail
An invoice or stock report should identify the business, site, period and client where applicable. Agree which documents the client needs and validate a sample download during onboarding. Access to an order does not mean every internal note, employee record or piece of evidence should be shared with the client.
Pilot with one real client journey
Use a redacted example from receipt to dispatch and invoice review. Sign in as the client, search the expected records, inspect a partial shipment and download a scoped report. Also try another client's reference and a removed permission. Complete this review before inviting the wider client team.
Common questions
Can a client see other clients' stock?
Client access is scoped to the authorised client account and enabled workflows. Validate isolation with separate client logins as part of the pilot.
Does the portal eliminate all client calls?
No. It provides a self-service path for recorded information. Exceptions, commercial decisions and missing operational updates still need people to resolve them.
