Client Connect Portal

Wednesday, 20 November 2019 by Alex McAndrew

The existing Client Connect sample Web Application has been replaced by the new Client Connect Portal. Using our recently released Portals module, the Client Connect Portal sample has been completed to demonstrate the use of a Portal and could be used as is, or customised further.

New functionality has been added to support the Client Connect Portal, and will be available from version 3.02.03 of finPOWER Connect and Web Services.

The demo Client Connect Portal can be previewed on the web here:

Client Connect Demo

  • Client Id: C10000
  • Password: Password1

The Client Connect Portal can also be found in the installation directory of finPOWER Connect: ...\finPowerConnect3\Templates\Portals\Portal_ClientConnect.xml

Note that if importing to run from your own database, you must be licenced for the Portals module.

Overview

Client Connect provides a website where Clients of a finance company can log in and do the following:

  • See their Accounts (basic details and Transactions).
    • The Portal currently supports:
      • Account Applications
      • Accounts (all statuses)
      • Accounts the Client is Guarantor for
  • Send and receive Web-Mail.
  • View and update personal information (address and contact methods).
  • See contact information.

Conversation Thread Web Mail

The Web Mail interface for Client Connect has been styled to match text messaging on modern mobile phones. This will ensure Clients are already familiar with sending Web Mail messages, even if they have not logged in to Client Connect before.

Update Requests

The My Details page allows Clients to update their address and contact information. However, to prevent incorrect data being saved to the database this process makes use of Update Requests. This allows a Client to submit an updated address or contact method, and then it will need to be approved either within finPOWER Connect Desktop or finPOWER Connect Cloud.

Prior to approval, the old address / contact method still remains current and the Client will see the following banner on the My Details page of the Portal:

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Once the change is approved internally, the new details become current.

Approving Update Requests

Update Requests can be approved from either finPOWER Connect Desktop or finPOWER Connect Cloud.

When requested by the Client, the request is saved as a Client Log with a special type of "Update Request". When the finPOWER User opens the Log, they can navigate to the Update Requests page, where they are prompted to open the Action Update Request wizard. From here, requests can be approved or declined as required.

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Responsive Design

Client Connect has been designed to work in three 'modes'; desktop, tablet and mobile. The Portal will automatically reorient itself so the content is displayed as efficiently as possible given the screen size.

Mobile

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Whilst some of the responsive design can be demonstrated simply by changing the size of your desktop browser window, other parts require the page to be refreshed to display correctly; e.g. when viewing the Account Transactions grid.

Customisation

As Client Connect has been built as a Portal, it comes with the ability to update styles and logos without changing any of the Portal's VB.NET, JavaScript, HTML or CSS code.

The Theme page of the Portal Admin Library allows you to change the colours and logos used throughout the Portal.

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The background image can be changed by updating the LoginBackground Image Resource on the Resources page.

Constants

Functionality can by dynamically controlled by use of the many Constants added for use with this Portal.

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Advanced Customisation

Advanced customisation can be done if you are prepared to modify the Portal's VB.NET, JavaScript, HTML and CSS code. This will allow you to modify the content on the pages or add new pages. To get started with this, become familiar with the Portals Developer documentation as this will help you structure your Portal code.

Portals Developer Documentation

We intend to continue adding features to Client Connect in the future. If you have any suggestions on new functionality which would benefit the Portal, please contact the development team via email at developer@intersoft.co.nz.