1. Establish the basics
Begin with the settings staff will notice first. You can preview changes while the portal remains in setup mode.
- Open Appearance and confirm the portal name, welcome message, contact address, time zone, and accent color.
- Choose a header layout. Upload an optional image, then position and zoom it in the live preview.
- Open the portal homepage and verify that the header remains readable on desktop and mobile widths.
2. Decide how staff get access
For most organizations, SSO-only access is the safest default. Approved network access can expose general portal content without exposing personal account features.
- Open People and roles and select Signed-in staff only or Approved networks or signed-in staff.
- If approved networks are used, enter only public IP addresses or CIDR ranges controlled by the organization.
- Create plain-language roles and grant only the modules each role needs.
- Configure and test an SSO connection before requiring it for staff.
3. Connect communication and people systems
- Choose shared email delivery or save and test the organization’s SMTP connection.
- Add a directory source and narrow its scope to staff groups, organizational units, or approved domains.
- Review exclusions for students, contractors, service accounts, shared mailboxes, and disabled accounts.
- Keep directory-managed fields locked if those values should remain authoritative.
4. Prepare content and launch
- Publish a short welcome announcement and at least one useful staff resource.
- Review the staff directory for unexpected accounts or missing contact information.
- Test sign-in with a non-administrator staff account and verify its school and role assignments.
- Confirm email delivery, portal access, and the managed HTTPS address before leaving setup mode.