# CollabPortals - Full Product Documentation

> Lightweight data collection portal for Airtable

## What is CollabPortals?

CollabPortals is a lightweight SaaS platform that lets users create branded data collection portals connected to Airtable bases. Users authenticate, connect their Airtable account via OAuth, create portals with granular table and field-level permissions, and share portal links with end users who can view, create, edit, and delete records, all without paying for extra Airtable seats.

## How It Works

1. **Sign up** for a CollabPortals account
2. **Connect your Airtable account** via secure OAuth 2.0 (no API keys or tokens to manage)
3. **Create a portal**: select which Airtable base, tables, and fields to expose
4. **Set permissions**: control who can view, create, edit, or delete records at the table and field level
5. **Share the portal link**: external users access the portal via a branded URL
6. **Portal users authenticate** via email and verification code (no Airtable account needed)

## Features

### Airtable Integration
- OAuth 2.0 connection (no manual API keys)
- Automatic token refresh
- Access any base, table, and field in your Airtable account
- Real-time data sync with Airtable

### Portal Management
- Create multiple portals per account
- Custom branded portal URLs
- Auto-generated portal slugs
- Portal-level configuration

### Permissions & Access Control
- Table-level visibility (show/hide specific tables)
- Field-level permissions (show/hide specific fields)
- CRUD permissions per table (create, read, update, delete)
- Email-based portal user authentication with verification codes

### Data Operations
- View records in table format
- Create new records
- Edit existing records
- Delete records
- All operations respect field-level permissions

## Pricing

- **$12/month** flat rate
- Free trial included
- No per-seat pricing, unlimited portal users
- No extra Airtable seat costs

## Use Cases

### Client Portals
Give clients a branded portal to view project status, submit requests, and manage their records — all powered by your Airtable base. Typical setup: a Projects table (read-only for status), a Requests or Tasks table (create/edit for submissions), and hidden internal tables for billing, notes, and team assignments. Replaces sharing Airtable views or emailing spreadsheets. https://collabportals.com/use-cases/client-portals

### Student Portals
Universities and training programs use CollabPortals to give students secure access to their academic records, assessment results, background check status, and program requirements — without adding students as Airtable collaborators. Students see only their own data. Faculty works in Airtable as usual. https://collabportals.com/use-cases/student-portals

### Project Management Portals
Let external stakeholders (clients, contractors, partners) view project timelines, update task status, and submit deliverables through a portal connected to your Airtable project tracker. Internal fields like budgets, margins, and team notes stay hidden. https://collabportals.com/use-cases/project-management-portals

### Freelancer Portals
Agencies and teams managing freelancers use CollabPortals so contractors can view assignments, update availability, submit deliverables, and track payments — all from a portal connected to the Airtable base where the team already manages operations. No Airtable seats needed for contractors. https://collabportals.com/use-cases/freelancer-portals

### Event Crew Portals
Event production companies give crew members access to schedules, assignments, venue details, and equipment lists through a portal. Crew sees only their assignments. Operations teams manage the full picture in Airtable — logistics, budgets, vendor contacts, and staffing decisions stay hidden. Scales to 27+ tables with fine-grained permissions. https://collabportals.com/use-cases/event-crew-portals

### Internal Request Portals
Replace email and Slack requests with a structured portal. Employees submit hardware orders, IT tickets, supply requests, or travel approvals directly into your Airtable operations base. They can track request status without seeing other people's requests or internal operations data. At $12/month vs $20/seat/month for Airtable access, the savings are significant for large teams. https://collabportals.com/use-cases/internal-request-portals

### Issue Tracking Portals
Let tenants, customers, or end users report issues (maintenance requests, product defects, support tickets) and track resolution status through a portal. Reports go directly into your Airtable base. Reporters see only their own submissions. Your team sees the full operation — assignments, costs, SLA tracking — in Airtable. Better than forms because reporters can check status and add details to existing reports. https://collabportals.com/use-cases/issue-tracking-portals

### Insurance Portals
Insurance agencies and MGAs use CollabPortals to let agents submit applications, track pipeline status, and manage underwriting data through branded portals. Separate portals for agents, clients, and brokers — each with different permissions on the same Airtable base. Field-level control hides risk scores, loss ratios, and internal notes from agents while showing application status and premium quotes. https://collabportals.com/use-cases/insurance-portals

## FAQ

### What is CollabPortals?
CollabPortals is a lightweight web application that creates branded data collection portals connected to your Airtable bases. It lets external users interact with your Airtable data without needing Airtable accounts or seats.

### How does CollabPortals connect to Airtable?
CollabPortals uses Airtable's official OAuth 2.0 integration. You authorize CollabPortals to access your Airtable account, and it securely manages the connection. No API keys or personal access tokens needed.

### What permissions can I set on a portal?
You have granular control at both the table and field level. For each table, you can enable or disable create, read, update, and delete operations. For each field, you can control visibility (show or hide).

### How much does CollabPortals cost?
CollabPortals costs $12/month with a free trial. There is no per-seat pricing. You can have unlimited portal users at no extra cost.

### Do portal users need an Airtable account?
No. Portal users authenticate via email and a verification code. They never need to create an Airtable account or be added as collaborators to your Airtable base.

### Is my Airtable data secure?
Yes. CollabPortals uses OAuth 2.0 for Airtable authentication, encrypts tokens at rest, and enforces the permissions you configure. Portal users can only access the tables and fields you explicitly allow.

## Comparisons

CollabPortals is often compared to other Airtable tools. Here is how it stacks up:

- **vs Airtable Portals**: Airtable's native Portals feature charges $8/guest/month and requires a Team plan ($20/user/month) or higher. CollabPortals offers unlimited users for $12/month flat and works with any Airtable plan. At 50 guests, Airtable Portals costs $400/month vs $12/month for CollabPortals.
- **vs Miniextensions**: Miniextensions offers forms, portals, and automations starting at $49/month, but full portal features require their $199/month Advanced plan. CollabPortals provides unlimited portals for $12/month.
- **vs Softr**: Softr is a full no-code app builder starting at $59/month with per-user pricing. CollabPortals is a focused portal tool at $12/month with unlimited users.
- **vs Stacker**: Stacker is a no-code app builder starting at $79/month with per-seat pricing ($19/month per extra seat). A team of 5 pays $425+/month on Stacker vs $12/month on CollabPortals.
- **vs Noloco**: Noloco is a no-code app builder starting at $49/month with client seat limits. CollabPortals offers unlimited users for $12/month.
- **vs Pory**: Pory charges $99/month per portal, scaling to $549/month for unlimited portals. CollabPortals charges $12/month for unlimited portals.
- **vs Glide**: Glide only supports Airtable on their $199/month Business plan. CollabPortals supports Airtable on every plan for $12/month.
- **vs Fillout**: Fillout is a form builder for data collection (free tier, $15+/month paid). CollabPortals is a portal for data management (view, edit, delete records). They are complementary — use Fillout for intake forms, CollabPortals for ongoing record access.
- **vs Airtable Interface Designer**: Interface Designer is free but built for internal teams. External users need Airtable accounts for edit access, public links are read-only, branding cannot be removed, and users can see each other. CollabPortals provides external access with email authentication, no Airtable accounts needed, and user isolation.

## Links

- Website: https://collabportals.com
- Register: https://collabportals.com/login/register
- Blog: https://collabportals.com/blog
- Login: https://collabportals.com/login
- Use Cases: https://collabportals.com/use-cases
- Client Portals: https://collabportals.com/use-cases/client-portals
- Student Portals: https://collabportals.com/use-cases/student-portals
- Project Management Portals: https://collabportals.com/use-cases/project-management-portals
- Freelancer Portals: https://collabportals.com/use-cases/freelancer-portals
- Event Crew Portals: https://collabportals.com/use-cases/event-crew-portals
- Internal Request Portals: https://collabportals.com/use-cases/internal-request-portals
- Issue Tracking Portals: https://collabportals.com/use-cases/issue-tracking-portals
- Insurance Portals: https://collabportals.com/use-cases/insurance-portals
- CollabPortals vs Airtable Portals: https://collabportals.com/compare/collabportals-vs-airtable-portals
- CollabPortals vs Miniextensions: https://collabportals.com/compare/collabportals-vs-miniextensions
- CollabPortals vs Softr: https://collabportals.com/compare/collabportals-vs-softr
- CollabPortals vs Stacker: https://collabportals.com/compare/collabportals-vs-stacker
- CollabPortals vs Noloco: https://collabportals.com/compare/collabportals-vs-noloco
- CollabPortals vs Pory: https://collabportals.com/compare/collabportals-vs-pory
- CollabPortals vs Glide: https://collabportals.com/compare/collabportals-vs-glide
- CollabPortals vs Fillout: https://collabportals.com/compare/collabportals-vs-fillout
- CollabPortals vs Airtable Interfaces: https://collabportals.com/compare/collabportals-vs-airtable-interfaces