Retrieving portal users in Zoho CRM allows you to view, manage, and control access for external stakeholders such as customers, partners, and investors who interact with your organization through a dedicated portal. Portal users are distinct from internal hub users and require specific management workflows.
Why this matters
Portal users represent a critical extension of your Zoho CRM environment, enabling you to share selective data with external parties while maintaining security and control. Understanding how to retrieve and view these users is essential when you need to audit portal access, manage permissions, troubleshoot user issues, or prepare for bulk operations like importing users into other Zoho applications.
Step-by-step
Step 1. Access the portal management interface
Log into your Zoho CRM account and navigate to the portal settings or custom portals section. The exact location depends on your Zoho product variant—some organizations manage portals through dedicated admin panels, while others access them via the main navigation menu. [5]
Step 2. Locate the Users tab
Once you have opened your portal, look for the Users tab. This tab displays all active portal users associated with that specific portal instance. [5] Portal users are external individuals whom you have chosen to share organizational knowledge or project data with, typically including partners, customers, investors, and other external stakeholders. [4]
Step 3. Review the user list
The Users tab will present a list of all portal users currently assigned to that portal. Each entry typically shows the user's email address and associated metadata. You can view user details, including their profile type and assigned role. [2] Portal users have a distinct user type designation (for example, "Client Portal User") and are assigned to a portal-specific profile and role, which differs from regular internal users. [2]
Step 4. Use filtering or search (if available)
If your portal contains many users, use any available search or filter functionality to narrow the list by email, name, or status. This helps you quickly locate specific users without scrolling through the entire roster.
Step 5. Check user status and roles
From the user list, you can identify each user's current status (active or inactive) and their assigned role within the portal. Click the More Options icon next to a user's email address to view additional actions. [5]
Step 6. Export or document the list
If you need to retrieve portal users for reporting, auditing, or integration purposes, take note of the user details or export the list if your Zoho CRM instance supports CSV export functionality. This is particularly useful if you plan to import these users into other Zoho applications like Zoho Projects. [1]
Common pitfalls
- Confusing portal users with hub users: Portal users are external stakeholders, while hub users are internal organization members. [4] Ensure you are viewing the correct user type for your use case.
- Overlooking user status: A user may appear in the list but be deactivated. Always check the status column to confirm whether a user is active before troubleshooting access issues. [5]
- Forgetting permission requirements: Only users with the appropriate administrative role can view and manage portal users. If you cannot see the Users tab, verify that your account has the necessary permissions.
What to check
- Confirm that all expected portal users appear in the Users tab and that their status (active/inactive) matches your records.
- Verify that each user's assigned role aligns with the access level they should have within the portal.
- If you plan to import these users into another Zoho product, ensure you have documented their email addresses and any custom field values required by the destination application.
---
*This article is provided by Beam Help — independent expert support for Zoho. We are not official Zoho support.*