How To Add And Edit The Foreman Portal On An Event
The Foreman portal is what your crew sees on the Exterio mobile app when they arrive at a job — the scope of work, material delivery details, a checklist to work through, and questions to answer. You attach it when scheduling the event and can tailor it to the specific project.
When would I use this?
- Scheduling an installation and giving the crew the scope they’ll work from
- Attaching a work order and inspection report the foreman will need on site
- Adding job-specific checklist items beyond your standard template
- Updating a portal after the event is already booked
Before you start
The portal option appears on three event types only: jobs, inspections, and installations.
Portal templates are built in your project settings. You select one here and adjust it for this project — you’re not building from scratch.
Where do I add a portal to an event?
- Open the Schedule Event modal, from either the project page or the calendar page.
- Select an event type of job, inspection, or installation.
- Scroll to the bottom to portal template.
- Select the template you want from the dropdown.
- Click Edit to adjust it for this project.
What can I include in the portal?
Your template’s defaults load in, and each option can be adjusted for this project:
| Option | What it does |
|---|---|
| Customer name | Show or hide the customer’s name |
| Clock in / clock out | Require time tracking from the crew |
| Work order link | Choose from the work orders created and sent for this project |
| Inspection report | Choose from inspection reports created for this project |
| Project notes | Include or exclude project notes |
| Material delivery | Choose which supplier order’s delivery information to share |
| Scope of work | Pull from the attached work order, or use custom content from your template |
| Field notes | Let field users write free-form notes back |
How do I edit the checklist?
The checklist is the to-do list your crew works through. Each item is completed either by check mark or by photo capture.
- Rename an item — edit the name before sending
- Remove an item — click the delete icon to its right
- Add an item — click Add Checklist Item
How do I edit the questionnaire?
Questions come from your template and can be adjusted per project.
For each question you can change:
- The question text
- The type — free field or multiple choice
- The answer options, if multiple choice
Delete a question with the delete icon to its right, or click Add Question to add one.
Can I edit the text in the portal?
Yes. Every text field is editable — add items, reword instructions, or change formatting however the job requires.
When you’re finished, click Save and Return.
How do I preview the portal?
Once the event is booked, click the event on the calendar or in upcoming events, then click the portal or preview field portal button.
You’ll see a snapshot of what the field user gets on the Exterio app — the sections you chose to share, the checklist, the questions, field notes, and links to the work order and inspection report.
The preview isn’t actionable. It’s a view of the layout. The field user interacts with the real thing on the mobile app.
How do I change the portal on an event that’s already booked?
- Click the event to open the Edit Event modal.
- Click Edit on the portal.
- Switch the portal out, or add and remove sections.
- Click Save and Return, then update the event.
Changes reach the crew once you save and update the event.
Tips and gotchas
- Attach the work order and inspection report. The portal can link both, and they’re the two documents a foreman actually needs mid-job. A crew that has to call the office to ask what the scope was is a crew losing an hour.
- Preview before the crew arrives. The preview shows what they’ll actually see. It’s faster than finding out on install morning that the scope section was empty.
- Edit the portal, not the template, for one-off jobs. Template changes affect every future event. If this house has an access issue or an unusual sequence, adjust the portal for this event and leave the template alone.
- Use photo capture on anything you’d want proof of. A check mark says someone said it was done. A photo says it was. For underlayment, flashing, or anything that gets covered up, require the photo.
- Share material delivery details. The crew knowing what’s arriving and when prevents the morning where they’re standing around waiting on a truck nobody told them about.
- Update the event after editing the portal. Saving the portal isn’t the last step — the event has to be updated for the crew to get the change. If a foreman says they’re seeing the old version, that’s usually why.
- Write the checklist for someone who wasn’t on the sales call. The person reading it is on a roof with gloves on. Short, specific items beat thorough paragraphs.