This article will discuss building a custom Applicant Status Portal using the Portal Editor in Database. Slate delivers an out of the box Status Portal, however, each institution may decide to make customizations. An Applicant Status Portal will be displayed to all applicants in Slate, this includes Slate applications as well as imported applications.

Create the Portal

1. Select Database on the top navigation bar and select Portals.

2. Select New Portal.

3. Enter the following User configurations:

• Status - Set the status to Active.

• Key - Type status as the key. 
  
  If more than one status portal will be created, the keys must be different. For example, if the application will include an undergraduate specific and a graduate specific portal, the keys should read something like 'ug_status' and 'gr_status'.

  • Name - Provide a descriptive name, such as Applicant Status Portal. 

  • Default View - Leave this blank for now. This will be completed last.

  • Security - Set this to Application. This will require an applicant to sign in before seeing their application status page.

4. Select Save.

Create the View

1. Select New View.

2. Enter the following View configurations:

• Status - Set the status to Active.

• Name - Provide a descriptive name, such as Applicant Portal View. 

• Layout - By default, a portal will have two columns, however, the view can be set to one, two with a header, or three columns.

3. Select Save.

4. Drag the sections that applicants should see when visiting their application status page from the right-hand side palette. The options include:

• Static Content - Conditionally display custom content.

• Form - Display forms to obtain additional information post application submission.
  Do not display reply forms as embedded forms in the portal view. Reply forms should be displayed via checklists rules in the Form checklist section. For more on displaying Decision Reply forms click here.

• Activity - Display any activity on an application record that is set to Public.

• Address - Display, edit and delete student address information.

• Application Proof - Download a copy of the application.

• Checklist - Display the application checklist.

• Checklist By Section - Display post-admit checklist items. 

• Form Checklist - Display forms configured as checklist items.

• Decisions - Display decision letter update link related to a released decision.

• Help - Display help text including an application reference number. Custom help text can also be added.

• Materials - Allow students to upload Word and PDF materials.

• Portfolio - Allow students to upload web links, pictures, audio, and video files.

• Payments - Display a link to complete a payment due.

All options located in the right-hand side palette contain a Filters section. This section can be used to define the populations who should see each section.

Create the Method

1. Select New Method.

2. Enter the following Method configurations:

• Status - Set the status to Active.

• Name - Provide a descriptive name, such as Applicants. 

• Type - Set the type to GET.

• View - Select the view that was just created.

• Output Type - Set the output type to Default Branding.

3. Select Save.

4. Select Edit Query.

5. Enter the following Method configurations:

• Name - Provide a descriptive name, such as Applicants. 

• Population - Select Applications 

6. Enter the following Method configurations:

• Exports - Any export dragged and dropped can be referenced as a merge field (At this time, Merge Fields can be utilized throughout static content only. Merge fields cannot be referenced in sections such as instruction blocks for widgets).

• Filters - Include any filters that help define the population that should see this portal.

🔔 Important!

Do not remove the filter Portal Identity.

Edit the Portal

1. Now that the View and Method have been created, go back to the Portal configurations and select the view from the Default View dropdown.

2. Select Save.

Update Rounds/Periods

With the applicant status portal fully built, it is now time to connect the portal to the appropriate Round(s) or Period(s). The portal setting set within the Application Round tool will take precedence over a portal set at the Application Period tool. A custom Status Portal is not required. If the Custom Status Portal setting is left blank, the Slate delivered Status Portal will be fully functional without the need to create a custom Status Page.

Setting a Portal within the Application Round tool:

1. Go to Application Rounds and select the Round(s) that should be using the newly built application status portal.

2. Select the portal from the Custom Status Portal list.

3. Select Save.

Setting a Portal within the Application Period tool:

1. Go to Application Periods and select the Period(s) that should be using the newly built application status portal.

2. Select the portal from the Custom Status Portal list.

3. Select Save.

Test the Portal

With the Applicant Status Portal built, and connected to the appropriate Round(s), it is now time to test the status page. To test:

1. Select Lookup on the top navigation bar.

2. Search for a record that has an application associated with the appropriate rounds.

3. Select Impersonate > Status Page.

If configured properly, the status page should appear like the example shown below: