Beginner Requires 1.0.5-beta Updated March 2026

Portal Foundation Setup Checklist

Use this checklist to get your portal mode, branding, routes, features, and shell settings configured in the right order.

Portal Foundation is where Mankai stores the settings that define how the portal behaves. If you want a stable install, configure this before you start adding live client data.

Mankai admin dashboard overview
Your admin side becomes much easier to navigate once Portal Foundation is configured and the correct mode is selected.

Recommended Order

  1. Choose portal mode.
  2. Set the portal base slug. Default is usually account.
  3. Review feature toggles.
  4. Set branding and shell.
  5. Set booking and gift card page slugs if you use those flows.
  6. Review session types if you are in photographer mode.
  7. Save everything and verify the managed pages exist.

Portal Mode

Mankai supports both developer and photographer modes. This choice changes labels, menu emphasis, and some route behavior. It does not stop the plugin from loading its core systems.

Routing

The portal base slug controls the front of your managed client area. If the base slug is account, Mankai generates routes like:

  • /account/ for the dashboard
  • /account/bill-pay/ for billing
  • /account/documents/ for documents
  • /account/quotes/ for quotes

In photographer mode, Mankai also creates routes for galleries, deliverables, and print orders.

Feature Toggles

Feature toggles decide what the client actually sees. If you do not use a section, turn it off. A cleaner portal converts better and creates fewer support questions.

Shell and Menu Items

Portal Foundation stores shell settings such as:

  • Brand text
  • Logo URL
  • Whether menu labels are shown
  • Sidebar CTA settings
  • Support CTA content
  • Menu item order and visibility

Save and Verify

  • Open the generated portal dashboard in an incognito window.
  • Check that the correct routes exist.
  • Make sure disabled sections are not still visible.
  • Test one client login before inviting a real person.

If your managed pages look incomplete, resave Portal Foundation once more so Mankai can refresh route syncing.