Overview
The Customer Portal in Softbase Evolution allows your customers to access information about their work orders, invoices, equipment, and other services offered by your dealership.
Customers can view open and invoiced work orders, review equipment history, submit service requests, and access additional features depending on the permissions assigned to their account.
Each Customer Portal user is created and managed within Evolution. Your dealership controls which customer account the user is associated with and which areas of the portal they can access.
Customer Portal Setup and Workflow
Creating a Customer Portal User
Before creating a Customer Portal user, confirm that the customer has been set up in Evolution and that the person who needs access has a Contact record associated with the customer account.
To create a new Customer Portal user:
Navigate to User Management > Customer Portal Users.
Select + Customer Portal User.
Enter the user's name, username, and password.
Search for and select the appropriate Customer account.
Select the Contact associated with the user. If the contact does not exist, a new contact can be created.
Select the Permissions that determine which sections of the portal the user can access.
Select a Branch, if applicable.
Review the Notifications tab to configure the user's notification preferences.
Select Save to create the user.
Once the user has been created, they can sign in using your dealership's Customer Portal URL and their assigned login credentials.
Managing Customer Portal Permissions
Permissions determine which areas of the Customer Portal are available to each user.
When creating or editing a Customer Portal user, select the Permissions that correspond to the features they should be able to access.
For example, a customer may only need access to their open work orders, invoices, and equipment history, while another customer may also need the ability to submit service requests or make rental reservations.
Permissions can be updated at any time by editing the Customer Portal user in Evolution.
Note: The sections available to each customer depend on the permissions assigned to their user account and the features configured by your dealership.
Customer Portal Branding
Currently the logo saved on the Company Page in Softbase Evolution is what will be displayed to your customer on the login page and in the upper right hand corner of the Customer Portal when logged in.
Customer Portal Features
Open Orders
The Open Orders section allows customers to view open work orders associated with their customer account.
Customers can review their open orders and check the status of work currently in progress.
This provides customers with visibility into their ongoing service activity without needing to contact the dealership for routine updates.
Invoiced Orders
The Invoiced Orders section allows customers to review previously invoiced work orders.
Customers can:
View invoiced work orders associated with their account.
Preview and download invoices.
Review previous service activity.
If your dealership uses PayJunction and online payments are available, customers may also have the option to select Pay Now to make a payment.
Equipment / My Units
The Equipment / My Units section allows customers to view equipment associated with their customer account.
Customers can select an individual unit to review its information and associated work order history.
This provides a convenient way for customers to review previous service activity for their equipment.
PM Schedule
The PM Schedule section allows customers to review preventive maintenance schedules for their equipment.
Customers can view scheduled maintenance information and search for equipment using the unit number.
Access to this section is controlled through the Customer Portal user's permissions.
Service Requests
The Service Requests section allows customers to view service requests and, when permitted, submit new requests directly to your dealership.
When creating a service request, customers can provide information such as:
Equipment requiring service.
Contact information.
Service location.
Description of the service needed.
The ability to view service requests and create new service requests is controlled by separate permissions.
Once submitted, the request is available for your dealership to review and process within Evolution.
Equipment On Sale
The Equipment On Sale section allows customers to browse equipment your dealership has available for sale.
Customers can review available equipment and submit a request for a quote on equipment they are interested in purchasing.
Access to this feature is controlled through the Customer Portal user's permissions.
Rental Reservation
The Rental Reservation section allows customers to submit rental reservation requests for available rental equipment.
Customers with the appropriate permission can access the rental reservation feature and submit requests to your dealership.
Submitted reservations can be reviewed and processed by your dealership within Evolution.
Announcements and Promotions
The Customer Portal can also display announcements and promotions created by your dealership.
These can be used to communicate important information, advertise equipment, or promote dealership services.
Promotions can be configured to appear throughout the portal or on specific pages, including:
Rental Reservation
Equipment On Sale
Service Requests
Customer Portal Notifications
Notifications for Dealership Users
Certain actions performed by customers in the Customer Portal can generate Activities within Evolution.
Examples include:
Submitting a new service request.
Requesting a quote for equipment listed for sale.
Submitting a rental reservation.
When the appropriate Activity Triggers have been configured, Evolution can create an Activity and assign it to the designated dealership user.
Assigned users can receive notifications based on their notification preferences, including email or SMS when enabled.
Note: Activity Triggers must be configured for the applicable actions. Simply viewing information in the Customer Portal does not automatically generate a notification.
Notifications for Customer Portal Users
Customer Portal users can receive notifications about changes to their service requests.
Depending on the notification settings, customers can be notified when:
A new service request is created.
A service request is converted into a work order.
The associated work order is invoiced.
Notifications can be delivered by email or SMS based on the user's preferences and the notification templates enabled by your dealership.
Configuring Notification Settings
Notification preferences can be managed when creating or editing a user in Evolution.
To review the settings:
Open the Customer Portal User record.
Select the Notifications tab.
Review and enable the appropriate notification options.
Select Save to apply the changes.
Customer Portal users can also review their available notification preferences under User Profile > My Settings.
For dealership users, notification settings can be managed from their Evolution user records.
Administrators can review and manage notification message templates under Administration > Notification Center.
Verifying Customer Portal Access
After creating a Customer Portal user, it is recommended to verify their access and permissions.
The Customer Portal will be able to be accessed via the adding your Company ID to the beginning of the below URL
dms.softbasecustomerportal.com/account/login
For example if your Company ID is SBS999 the URL would be
https://SBS999.dms.softbasecustomerportal.com/account/login
Have the customer sign in using your dealership's Customer Portal URL and confirm the following:
The customer can successfully sign in
They will need to know their Customer Number from Softbase Evolution and their username and password you have setup for them.
The correct customer account information is displayed.
The user can access the sections assigned through their permissions.
Work orders, invoices, and equipment information display as expected.
If service requests or other interactive features are enabled, confirm the customer can submit the appropriate requests.
If notifications have been configured, you can also test an applicable action, such as submitting a service request, to confirm notifications are being delivered as expected.
Note: If a customer cannot access a particular feature, review their assigned permissions under User Management > Customer Portal Users and confirm the feature is available for your dealership.
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