Before you configure anything, it helps to see exactly what a client sees. Every matter has a built-in read-only preview that shows you the client's portal — no client login required.
Before you start
- A matter with a client invited to the portal (View as client needs someone who can sign in to it)
The client experience
Clients sign in to a branded, secure portal limited to their own matters. From it they can track a matter's progress, view documents you've shared, message your team, complete forms you've sent, and pay invoices. Each area — progress, documents, messages, forms, invoices — is controlled per matter, so a client sees only what that matter grants them.
How clients get in
You invite a client from the matter's People tab (Invite, in the Client portal column), or from Settings › Connections › Client portal with Invite a client. They receive an email with a link to your portal and set up their own access from there. You never need a client's login to check what they'll see — that's what View as client is for.
-
1
View the matter as the client
On any matter that has a portal client, open ⋯ All actions and choose View as client (with more than one client, the matter's Client portal tab lets you pick whose view). This opens the client's portal exactly as they'd see it, but strictly read-only — a banner across the top says so, and nothing you do is sent to the client.
-
2
See the client's dashboard
The preview lands on the client's dashboard: their matters, any forms waiting to be completed, and open intake requests. This is the client's home base — everything they can reach hangs off here.
The dashboard lists only the matters and tasks this client has been granted. -
3
Look inside a matter: progress, documents, messages
Open one of the client's matters. The matter view has three tabs — Progress, Documents and Messages. Progress shows how far along their matter is, Documents lists the files you've shared and lets them upload, and Messages is a direct line to your team.
Inside a matter the client sees three tabs: Progress, Documents and Messages.
Tips & pitfalls
- The preview is genuinely read-only — nothing you click sends a message, uploads a file, or notifies the client.
- Clients only ever see matters they've been granted access to; each portal area is controlled per matter, not all-or-nothing.
- Invite clients from a matter's People tab, or with Invite a client in Settings › Connections › Client portal; they get an email link to your portal.
Key takeaways
- Clients see progress, shared documents, messages, forms and invoices — nothing else.
- Use View as client (in a matter's ⋯ All actions) to see the client's view without a client login.
- Visibility is set per matter, not a single on/off switch.
Put the lesson into practice.
Book a guided session and our team will help you configure MatterFirst for your own practice.
We can't find the internet Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong! Attempting to reconnect