Every question we get asked, on one page.
The ones from before the call, from getting started, the ones you'll ask yourself and the ones your client and your team will ask you, together so you only search once. Each one lives on its own page and is shown here as is, with the honest answer: also when it's “no”.
- 74 questions with an answer
- The same as on each page
- No sign-up, no form
About PortaliaFlow
What people usually ask us before the call: whether you can try it on your own, what clients see, what it connects to, where the data lives and what it doesn't do.
From the page Home page: «What people usually ask us.»
- Can I try it on my own, without talking to anyone?
- No. Each agency has its own instance, so there is no automatic sign-up. We start with a guided demo and, if it's a fit, we set it up for you.
- Do my clients see the team's internal notes?
- No. Internal conversations on a task are not shown in the client portal; the client only sees what concerns them.
- What if my client keeps sending me the OK over WhatsApp?
- It can happen, especially at the start. Then you or the account manager approve it from the piece itself, and it's recorded with your name and the date, not theirs. Paste their message into the piece's comments and it's clear where that OK came from. Reminders stop as soon as the piece is approved. The next piece reaches them by email again, on your domain, with the two buttons: tapping is less work than typing. What your client will see, and the message to let them know
- What if several people on the client side approve?
- You invite each of them with their own access to that client's space; they all see the same pieces. Every approval and every change request is recorded with the name of whoever made it and the date, so you can see whether the OK came from marketing or from the boss, and their notes stay on the same piece instead of in three chats. What the portal doesn't do is require two approvals: if one person decides at your client, invite only them, or agree in writing who approves and who gives their opinion beforehand. How to put it in writing: who approves and how many rounds are included
- What if my client approves a piece and then wants it changed?
- It happens, and the portal doesn't stop it: what it does is make it visible. The approval of that version stays in the history with their name, the date and the version, and it doesn't go away because they ask for something else later. If you decide to make the change, your team sends the piece back with corrections from the piece itself, the new delivery is another version and the round is numbered after the previous ones: you can see it was approved and how many rounds it has taken since. What the portal doesn't decide is whether that round is included in what you agreed or billed separately: it doesn't invoice, and that's settled beforehand. The guide has the rule to put in writing: a typo, yes; the concept or the message, a new piece. What can change after approval, in writing and before the first piece
- What about when a piece goes out late because the client took their time approving? It ends up being our fault.
- That's exactly what the portal puts in writing. Each piece records when it was sent for approval and with what deadline, when the client approved or requested changes and who did it, and how long it has spent in each status. The reminders that went out to them are in the email log, with whether they were delivered and opened. And you don't find out at the end: the approvals queue is ordered by due date, the calendar flags the ones past their deadline and, once the three reminders run out, the portal alerts the account manager and you. In the report you see how long each client takes to approve, on average, and every number opens its pieces. What the portal doesn't do is postpone the publication on its own or decide whose delay it was: postponing is a button for the team, and what happens to the date is agreed with the client beforehand. The guide has that rule and what to do when they don't reply. What to do when they don't reply: reminders, escalation and what was agreed
- What about my team? We already have our task board and our Drive.
- What changes for your team is where they deliver: the piece the client has to approve is created in the portal and the version is uploaded there, instead of being sent by chat or email. That alone gets the client their email and records the approval. The step-by-step workflow and the “My turn” filter are switched on client by client, whenever you want; the overdue notices, only if you turn them on. Each person sees their Drive folders from the Library if they connect their Google account. What there isn't: a sync with another board, or an API. Whatever you keep elsewhere stays there. What your team will see, and the questions they'll ask you
- What about the work the client doesn't have to approve? We also run campaigns, websites and reports.
- It goes in the same workshop. Tasks that aren't pieces for approval live in the same list or kanban as the rest, with the same statuses from draft to completed and grouped by person, under their own “Other tasks” tab, kept apart from content. Each one hangs from a project of that client, whether retainer, one-off or internal, and the client doesn't see it: their portal only shows the pieces that reach them for approval, their calendar and their files, never the team's tasks, costs or internal conversations. If a campaign includes pieces the client does approve, such as the ads, they follow their workflow just like a reel: there's a suggested workflow template for Ads alongside the one for Content. And for your freelancers, the cost is born with the task whether or not it goes through the client, and becomes payable on completion. What it doesn't do: measure campaign results. It doesn't connect to Meta, Google Ads or Analytics, and its reports are operational: approval times, pipeline and overdue work. What your team sees when they log in: list, kanban and “Other tasks”
- Does it connect to Meta, Google Ads or Analytics?
- Not today. PortaliaFlow focuses on approvals, production, freelancers and the client relationship. It does connect to Google Drive and Google Calendar, per user.
- Where is my data?
- In the European Union (Frankfurt), on an instance dedicated to your agency, encrypted and backed up daily. If you need a data processing agreement, we'll go through it on the call.
- Which languages is it in?
- English and Spanish. Each user picks their language and receives emails in it.
- Does it publish to social media or generate PDF reports?
- No. The calendar marks a piece as published when you say so, but it doesn't post to any network. Reports are viewed in the portal and exported to CSV; there is no PDF.
- What doesn't PortaliaFlow do, so there are no surprises?
- It doesn't invoice your clients, has no native app (it's a mobile-friendly web app), doesn't publish to social media, doesn't connect to Meta or Google Ads, and today has no two-factor or Google sign-in. What it does do, it does at a real agency every day. The full list of what it doesn't do
What you're probably wondering
The objections we hear most, each with the real feature that answers it and, when there isn't one, with what there is instead.
From the page Home page: «What you're probably wondering, with an honest answer.»
- “Did the client actually approve this, or did we just assume?”
- Every approval is stored with a name, a date and a version. If they asked for changes, they had to write a note: there is no ambiguous “ok”. Try it: this is how your client approvesApproval and version log
- “My clients won't log in to yet another tool.”
- They get an email from your sender with a link to the piece, on your domain and with your logo. Two buttons: approve or request changes. It works on a phone and, if they don't reply, the portal reminds them for you. Try it: this is what the portal does when your client doesn't replyBranded portal and reminders
- “With a portal we'll have the same endless revisions.”
- Requesting changes requires a note, every round is numbered and every delivery is a version. You can see how many rounds a piece has had and who asked for them. Try it: this is how a piece moves through your teamRevision history
- “My client has no idea what we do for them.”
- In their portal they see the month's calendar, what's planned for the next 30 days, the shared files and their health score. And every Monday they get a summary of their space by email. How to tell them every month, with or without a portalClient portal and weekly summary
- “Will migrating take us weeks?”
- There's nothing to import. You create a space per client, invite their people and start with the next piece. Most agencies start with one or two clients and add the rest. What getting started looks likeAccess by invitation, one space per client
- “What about my data? And my clients' data?”
- A dedicated instance for your agency in the EU: your own server, database and files, encrypted, with daily backups and an access log. You don't share a database with anyone. See the security and data sheetDedicated instance in the EU
Getting started
How long it takes, whether you can start with a single client, what happens if one doesn't want to use the portal and what happens to your data if you leave.
From the page From the first call to the first piece approved in your portal.
- How long does it take?
- It depends on how quickly we get your list and the domain records. We don't give a generic timeframe: we tell you on the call with your case in front of us.
- Can I start with a single client?
- Yes, and it's what we recommend. You create their space, invite their people and start with the next piece. The other clients join whenever you like, each with their own space.
- What if a client doesn't want to use the portal?
- You can approve on their behalf whatever they've confirmed through another channel. It's recorded under your name, not theirs, so it's clear how it was approved.
- Does my team have to drop what they use today?
- Not to get started. What has to be in the portal is the piece the client approves: it's created, the version is uploaded and the client gets their email. The step-by-step workflow and “My turn” are switched on client by client, whenever you want; the overdue notices, only if you turn them on. It doesn't sync with other boards: whatever you keep elsewhere stays there, and here you only need what the client sees and approves.
- Can I change the workflow after starting?
- Yes. Workflow templates are edited from settings, per client and per step, and can be applied to pieces that are still open.
- Can I change the email wording and the reminders?
- Yes. Each template is edited in English and Spanish, with a test send, and can be reset to the default. The three approval reminders are set in hours.
- What happens to my data if I leave?
- The instance is yours: your own server, database and files, not mixed with other agencies. What you get back and when it's switched off is put in writing before we start.
For you, the agency owner
The ones that usually come up on the call: how much you have to log in, what you can delegate, how you know a client is cooling off and what happens if a freelancer leaves.
From the page What you will see, from the dashboard to paying each freelancer.
- How much do I have to log in?
- What passes through your hands is approving the pieces that reach “My turn”, dealing with escalations and, at month end, approving costs and expenses. The rest the portal moves on its own and tells you about on Monday.
- Can I delegate almost everything to a manager?
- Yes. The manager approves, manages clients, projects, people and workflows, and receives escalations. What they don't see is what each person earns, the finances, the report or the email and branding settings.
- How do I know if a client is cooling off?
- By their health on the dashboard: 0 to 100, with a real trend calculated from a daily snapshot. And by their 0-to-10 rating in the portal survey, which you see with their comment on the feedback page. If you want to measure those same signals by hand before you have the portal, it's in the guide How to tell a client is cooling off before they leave.
- Can I see the portal as my client sees it?
- Yes: you open any client's portal exactly as they see it. It's what we show in the demo and what's worth looking at before a meeting.
- What happens if a freelancer leaves?
- You remove their access: resetting their password closes all their sessions and, if needed, we delete them. Their pieces, versions and costs stay in the history.
- What happens when I approve a piece?
- It moves to the next step in its workflow (in the suggested template, publication) and is recorded with your name and the date. It isn't published to any network: whoever publishes it today publishes it and marks the step as done.
- What if two people at a client approve?
- You invite both to their space, each with their own access, and both see the same pieces. Approvals and change requests are recorded with the name of whoever made them, so you know where each OK came from. The portal doesn't require two approvals or an order between them: if you want a single voice, invite only that person or settle it in the brief. How to put in writing who approves, who stands in for them and how many rounds are included is in the guide What to put in a brief so the piece comes out right first time.
- What if a client asks for changes after approving?
- The approval isn't erased: it stays in the history with their name, the date and the version they approved. If you decide to do it, you send the piece back with corrections, the new delivery is another version and the round is numbered after the previous ones, so the piece shows it was approved and how many rounds it has taken since. The portal doesn't decide whether that round is billed: it doesn't invoice. That belongs in your agreement with the client. What can change after approval and what can't, with the paragraph for the contract, is in the guide How to put your client approvals in order.
- What if we're late because the client took too long to approve?
- It's on record, piece by piece: when it was sent for approval and with what deadline, when they replied and who did, and how long it spent in each status. The reminders that went out to them are in the email log. And you don't find out at the end: the approvals queue is ordered by due date and, once the reminders run out, the portal alerts the account manager and you. In the report you see how long each client takes to approve, on average, and every number opens its pieces. What it doesn't do is postpone the publication on its own: postponing is a button for the team, and what happens to the date is agreed with the client beforehand. What to look at once a month, which clients take longest and what to change then, the brief, the agreement or who approves, is in the guide How to put your client approvals in order.
- Can I change a client's workflow midway?
- Yes. You edit their template (steps and people) and you can apply it to open pieces too. And every step can be marked on someone else's behalf, undone or sent back with corrections.
- What about the tasks that don't go through the client?
- They go in the same list or kanban, with the same statuses and under the “Other tasks” tab, kept apart from content. They hang from one of the client's projects, retainer, one-off or internal, and the client doesn't see them in their portal: they only see what reaches them for approval, their calendar and their files. The freelancer's cost is born with the task just the same and becomes payable on completion. What the portal doesn't measure is the results of those campaigns: it doesn't connect to Meta, Google Ads or Analytics. How your team sees that list, with “My turn”, the statuses and the “Other tasks” tab, is in their journey What your team will see.
- Can I change the email text?
- Yes, subject and body of each one, in Spanish and English, with a test send and a button to restore the defaults. They go out under your agency's name and reply to your address.
- Can I get my data out?
- Expenses, costs and the report export to CSV whenever you like. A full export of the instance is requested; there's no button. And the instance is yours: your own server, database and files, in the EU.
- Can I use it from my phone?
- It's the web, adapted to mobile: the dashboard, the approvals queue and the threads work in your phone's browser. There's no app in the stores.
The ones your client will ask you
Yet another password, what happens if they don't reply in time, whether they can see what they approved three months ago and how many emails they'll get. With the answer you can give them.
From the page What your client will see, from the first email to the approved piece.
- Do I have to install anything?
- No. It opens in the browser, on a computer or a phone, at the agency's address.
- Yet another password?
- Yes, one: you choose it when you accept the invitation, twelve characters or more. If you forget it, you reset it by email.
- Can I approve from my phone?
- Yes. You open the email, see the piece and approve or request changes from your phone's browser.
- What happens if I don't reply in time?
- The portal reminds you by email (by default, the next day, after three days and after a week) and then alerts your contact at the agency.
- Does the agency see how long I take to reply?
- Yes. Each piece records when it reached you and with what deadline, and when you approved or requested changes, with your name and the date. How you respond to approvals also counts towards the service health you see on your home page. Your pending pieces are on your home page and, with their deadline, under Approvals. If a deadline passes, what happens to the publication is what you agreed with the agency: the portal just keeps it on record.
- Can I request changes without explaining?
- No: to request changes you have to write what to change. That way the team knows what to do and nobody has to call you to ask.
- What if I change my mind after approving?
- Write it to the agency in the comments on the piece. Your approval stays in the history with your name, the date and the version you approved, and if the agency makes the change you'll see the new version next to the previous one. Whether that change is covered by what you agreed is between you and the agency: the portal doesn't decide it.
- Can I see what I approved three months ago?
- Yes. Every approval is stored with your name, the date and the version, and every piece keeps all its versions.
- What if I send the agency the OK over WhatsApp, like always?
- You can. Then someone at the agency approves the piece from the portal, and the history shows their name, not yours. If you want it on record that you approved it, press the button in the email: one tap, and it's stored with your name and the date.
- Can two people from my company log in?
- Yes. The agency invites each one with their own access; they all see the same space. When one of you approves or requests changes, it's recorded under their name, not the company's.
- Do I keep sending you materials by email?
- Yes, as you do now. The portal's Library is for what the agency shares with you; you download it.
- How many emails will I get?
- One when a piece is ready, the reminders if you don't reply, a summary on Mondays and, if the agency has your date, a greeting on your birthday. All from the agency's sender.
- Can I see what the agency has lined up for me?
- Yes: your home shows this month's calendar, what's planned for the next 30 days and the shared files. And to tell them, on top of that, what you've already done for them each month: How to show your client what you do for them every month.
The ones your team will ask you
Whether they have to look at every task, how they know what to change when a piece comes back, whether the client sees what they write and, if they're a freelancer, how they get paid.
From the page What your team will see, from the invitation to the completed piece.
- Do I have to install anything?
- No. It opens in the browser, on a computer or a phone, at the agency's address.
- Do I have to look at every task in the agency?
- No. You open your tasks with the “My turn” filter and see only the steps that depend on you. If you're an editor, you only see your own tasks anyway.
- Do we have to drop the board we already use?
- Not to get started. What has to be in the portal is the piece the client approves: you upload your version there and the client gets their email. If the owner switches on the workflow per piece for that client, you also see your steps under “My turn”. It doesn't sync with another board: whatever you keep elsewhere stays there.
- What about my tasks that aren't pieces for a client?
- They go in the same list, under the “Other tasks” tab, with the same statuses as the pieces. They hang from one of the client's projects, even an internal one, and the client doesn't see them in their portal. If you're a freelancer, the cost is born with the task just the same and becomes payable when you complete it.
- How do I know what to change when a piece comes back?
- Corrections arrive numbered by round, and the client's are kept separate from internal ones. And the client's note is kept in the piece's history.
- Does the client see what I write?
- Only what you write in the thread of the piece under approval. The task's conversation and @mentions are internal and never reach the client portal.
- Can I approve the piece myself if the client tells me over the phone?
- Not you: nobody approves their own piece. The owner or a manager does it from the approvals queue, and it's recorded with their name and the date, not the client's.
- I'm a freelancer: how do I get paid?
- Your rate is set per piece type. The cost is created with the task, under your name, and becomes payable when the piece is completed. You claim nothing: the owner sees what's pending per person, approves it and marks it paid. The payment rule worth putting in writing when you bring each freelancer on board, with a message to send them, is in the guide How to know what you owe each freelancer at month end.
- What if I pay for something upfront, like a stock image or a font?
- You submit it from the portal as an expense, with its category, the client and the currency, and the owner approves it.
- Can I work from my phone?
- It's the web adapted to phones: tasks, threads and approvals work in the phone's browser. There is no app in the stores.
- Can I keep using my Drive?
- Yes. If you connect your Google account, you see your Drive folders from the Library (names and links only, and only you). Whatever goes to the client is uploaded to the Library of their space.
- How many emails will I get?
- “Your turn” when a step depends on you, the alert when the client decides on one of your pieces, the agency summary on Mondays and, if the owner turns it on, one a day with your overdue work. All from the agency's sender.
Security and data
The ones that land on the owner from their client: where the data lives, who sees it, whether any artificial intelligence reads it and what happens to it if you leave.
From the page Where your data lives, who sees it and what's still missing.
- Where is my data?
- In Frankfurt (Germany), in the European Union, on an instance dedicated to your agency. It is not shared with other agencies.
- Who at the agency can see my files and my pieces?
- The people at your agency with access to their space, according to their role. Nobody from another client: each space is isolated.
- Can the agency's other clients see my data?
- No. Each client only sees their own space, and that separation is checked in the code with automated tests.
- Is there any artificial intelligence reading my content?
- No. There is no AI feature of any kind in the portal.
- Can I download my files?
- Yes, from the Library in their space, for as long as they have access. There is no automatic export of all the data in an account.
- What if I forget my password or share it by mistake?
- It's reset by email with a single-use link and, when that happens, every open session is closed. The agency owner can reset it too.
- Will my clients get emails from PortaliaFlow?
- No. Emails go out from your agency's sender, with your name, from a verified domain and in each person's language. PortaliaFlow doesn't appear.
- Do you sign a data processing agreement?
- We go through it on the call and, if needed, sign it outside the portal before we start. There is no agreement to accept inside the portal.
- What happens to the data if I leave PortaliaFlow?
- The instance is yours: your own server, database and files. What you get back and when it's switched off is put in writing before we start.
Your question isn't here?
Ask us. On the demo a person answers with the portal in front of them, and by email within one working day. If the answer is “no”, we'll say so as plainly as here.
Request a demoOr write to us at info@aceleranova.com
PortaliaFlow questions and answers, client portal for agencies · portaliaflow.com/en/faq · Each question links to the page it lives on.