Your clients just emailed again asking where the latest project files are. Sound familiar? Service businesses, agencies, and consultants waste up to 15 hours weekly on manual data entry, email follow-ups, and status updates that could be automated. With Adalo's no-code platform and Airtable's flexible database, you can build a professional client portal without writing a single line of code.
Key Takeaways
- Build a functional client portal in 15-20 minutes for initial connection, with complete setup taking additional configuration time
- Starting cost: $36/month billed annually with Professional plan at $52/month billed annually or $65/month billed monthly for full API access
- Organizations save up to 15 hours weekly on client management tasks with automated portals
Understanding the Need for a Client Portal
Every service business faces the same chaos: scattered email threads, lost file attachments, and endless "where's my project status?" requests. Your clients deserve better access to their information, and your team deserves freedom from repetitive administrative tasks.
A client portal solves these problems by providing:
- Self-service access — Clients view project status, documents, and updates without contacting your team
- Centralized communication — All client interactions happen in one branded location
- Automated workflows — Approvals, notifications, and status updates trigger automatically
- Secure data access — Role-based permissions ensure clients see only their information
The business impact is measurable. Marketing agencies report up to 15 hours weekly saved on email follow-ups, with client approval times dropping from 5 days to 1.5 days average. When clients input their own information through portal forms, data accuracy improves significantly.
Why Adalo and Airtable Are Your Go-To No-Code Stack
Combining Adalo for visual app building with Airtable for data management creates a powerful stack that requires no technical expertise. This pairing delivers enterprise-grade capabilities at a fraction of custom development costs.
Adalo: Visual App Building Made Easy
Adalo handles the client-facing experience through its drag-and-drop builder. You create screens, add components, and configure logic visually—no flexbox knowledge or coding required. The platform supports:
- Native iOS and Android app publishing from a single build
- Responsive web app deployment with custom domains
- 25+ pre-built components including lists, forms, and navigation elements
- Built-in user authentication with role-based permissions
With 1 million apps created on the platform, Adalo has proven its ability to handle everything from simple directories to complex multi-user applications.
Airtable: Flexible Data Management
Airtable serves as your backend database, offering spreadsheet-like simplicity with relational database power. Your team manages client records directly in Airtable's familiar interface while the Adalo app displays this data to clients in real-time.
Key Airtable capabilities include:
- Unlimited databases with customizable views and formulas
- Linked records for connecting clients to projects and documents
- Built-in automation for notifications and workflow triggers
- Granular permission levels from Owner to Read-only access
The synergy between platforms means your team works in Airtable while clients interact through a branded Adalo app—each using the interface best suited to their needs.
Setting Up Your Airtable Database for Client Data
Database structure determines your portal's success. 50% of time should be spent designing your Airtable base before connecting to Adalo—changing structure after connection requires 15-30 minutes of reconfiguration per table.
Designing Tables for Clients and Projects
Start with these essential tables:
Clients Table
- First Name, Last Name, Email (required for login matching)
- Phone, Company, Status (Active/Inactive)
- Profile photo, Notes, Created date
Projects Table
- Project Name, Description, Status
- Start Date, Due Date, Budget
- Link to Clients table (one client has many projects)
Deliverables Table
- File attachments, Approval status
- Version number, Upload date
- Link to Projects table
Critical step: Add at least one complete record with ALL fields populated. Adalo won't import empty columns, so sample data in every field is mandatory before connecting.
Connecting Files and User Permissions
Create filtered Views in Airtable to optimize performance and security:
- Client Portal View — Shows only approved, active records
- Admin View — Full access for your team's internal management
- Project Status View — Groups by status for quick filtering
Using Views rather than full tables reduces API calls and helps you stay within Airtable's 5 requests/second rate limit.
Building Your Client Portal Interface in Adalo
With your Airtable structure complete, it's time to build the client-facing experience. Adalo's visual builder makes this process intuitive for anyone who's created a slide deck.
Designing the Client Dashboard
Create a dashboard screen that displays:
- Welcome message with client name (dynamic text)
- Active projects list showing status and due dates
- Recent activity feed with latest updates
- Quick action buttons for common tasks
Use Adalo's List component connected to your External Collection (Airtable data) to display project information. Add filters to show only records where the Client Email matches the logged-in user's email.
Implementing User Login and Profiles
Adalo includes built-in user authentication that handles:
- Email/password registration and login
- Forgot password functionality
- Profile screens for account management
- Session persistence across app visits
Configure your Users collection to store the client's Airtable record ID, enabling seamless data matching between platforms. This connection ensures clients only see their own projects and documents.
Customizing with Adalo's Drag-and-Drop Builder
Build additional screens for specific functions:
- Project Details — Full project information with file viewer
- Document Library — All deliverables with download capabilities
- Message Center — Communication history and new message forms
- Settings — Profile updates and notification preferences
Adalo's feature templates accelerate development by providing pre-built screen layouts for common portal features.
Integrating Airtable with Your Adalo Client Portal
The integration between platforms happens through Adalo's External Collections feature, which connects to Airtable's API without coding.
Connecting Adalo to Your Airtable Base
Follow these steps for a successful connection:
- Generate Personal Access Token — In Airtable, navigate to Developer Hub → Create Token → Select scopes for data.records:read and data.records:write → Copy the token immediately (it only displays once)
- Get Base URL — Open your Airtable base → Help icon → API Documentation → Copy the URL up to the table name (format: https://api.airtable.com/v0/YOUR_BASE_ID/TABLE_NAME)
- Configure External Collection — In Adalo's Database tab → Add External Collection → Paste Base URL → Add Authorization header with value: Bearer [your token]
- Set Results Key — Enter records in the Results Key field (Airtable-specific requirement)
- Change Update Method — For the "Update a Record" endpoint, switch from PUT to PATCH—this prevents data loss when updating single fields
Displaying and Sending Data
Once connected, your Airtable data appears in Adalo's component options:
- Lists and Cards — Set data source to your External Collection, then bind fields to display project names, statuses, and dates
- Forms — Create records that write directly to Airtable when clients submit information
- Conditional Display — Show or hide elements based on Airtable field values (e.g., only show approved documents)
Expect some sync delay between Airtable updates and app display—set user expectations accordingly and add loading states to your UI.
Implementing Secure User Authentication and Permissions
Security matters when handling client data. Adalo and Airtable together provide enterprise-grade protection.
Creating User Accounts
Adalo's authentication system supports:
- Email verification — Confirm user identity before granting access
- Password requirements — Enforce minimum complexity standards
- Session management — Control timeout periods and concurrent logins
- Social login options — Google and Apple sign-in on supported plans
Managing Client-Specific Data Access
Implement these security measures:
- Filtered External Collections — Add email-matching filters so clients only retrieve their own records
- Conditional screen visibility — Hide admin features from client accounts using visibility rules
- Role-based navigation — Display different menus based on user type stored in your database
Ensuring Data Security
Both platforms provide security infrastructure:
- TLS/SSL encryption for all data in transit
- AES-256 encryption for Airtable data at rest
- SOC 2 Type 2 certification
- 2FA available for admin accounts
For enterprise security requirements, the Adalo Business plan ($250/month) provides additional security features.
Enhancing Your Client Portal with Advanced Features
Basic portals display data. Great portals automate workflows and delight clients.
Adding Document Sharing Capabilities
Airtable's attachment fields store files directly in records. Configure Adalo to display these files with:
- Thumbnail previews for images
- Download buttons for PDFs and documents
- File type icons for quick identification
- Upload components for clients to submit deliverables
Integrating Communication Tools
Add messaging features using Adalo's component marketplace:
- In-app notifications for status changes
- Message threads linked to specific projects
- Push notifications for urgent updates (native apps only)
Automating Client Workflows
Connect Zapier or Make for advanced automation:
- Email clients when new deliverables upload to their project
- Create Airtable records when clients submit portal forms
- Update project status when approval buttons are clicked
- Generate invoices when projects reach completion milestones
For complex backend logic, consider Xano integration as an alternative to Airtable that handles custom API endpoints and advanced calculations.
Publishing Your Adalo Client Portal App
With your portal built and tested, it's time to launch.
Launching to the Web
Adalo's web publishing deploys your portal as a responsive web application:
- Custom domain setup (yourcompany.com/portal)
- SSL certificate included automatically
- No app store approval required
- Instant updates when you modify the app
Web apps work across all devices without installation, making them ideal for client portals where universal access matters.
Mobile App Considerations
For native mobile apps, budget for:
- Apple Developer license: $99/year
- Google Play Developer: $25 one-time
- App store review time: 1-7 days for initial approval
Mobile apps offer push notifications and better offline caching but require ongoing maintenance for platform updates.
Ongoing Maintenance and Updates
Plan for regular portal maintenance:
- Monthly permission reviews (remove inactive client accounts)
- Quarterly security audits of access logs
- Regular CSV exports for disaster recovery
- Monitor Airtable automation run counts to avoid plan limits
If you need implementation help, Adalo Experts offer professional development services.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between using Airtable versus Adalo's built-in database?
Airtable excels when your team needs to manage data directly in a spreadsheet-like interface while clients access the same information through your Adalo app. Adalo's internal database works better for simpler applications where all data management happens within the app itself. Choose Airtable when you need collaborative backend access, Views for different team roles, or complex automations. Choose Adalo's database when you want simpler setup and don't need external data management.
Can I white-label the portal for multiple clients as an agency?
Yes, but plan costs carefully. Adalo charges per published app—managing multiple client portals means multiple subscriptions. The Team plan ($200/month or $160/month annually) includes 5 published apps, while Business ($250/month or $200/month annually) offers 10 apps with special add-on pricing. For agency models serving 10+ clients, calculate per-client hosting fees into your pricing structure. Each portal can have completely custom branding, domains, and feature sets.
What happens if Airtable or Adalo experiences downtime?
Adalo reports 99%+ average uptime over the last year. Both platforms run on redundant cloud infrastructure with automatic failover. During Airtable API outages, your Adalo app displays cached data but won't sync new changes until service restores. For mission-critical applications, implement webhook-based alerts via Zapier that notify your team of integration failures, and maintain a backup communication channel (email) for urgent client needs.
How do I migrate existing client data from spreadsheets or another system?
Export current data to CSV format, then import directly into Airtable using their import wizard. Data migration complexity scales with volume and may require API scripts or consultant assistance for larger datasets. Clean data during migration by standardizing field formats, removing duplicates, and verifying referential integrity between linked tables before connecting to Adalo.
