Partner Portal in 3 Weeks with Next.js + Supabase

Partners deserved a proper UX; no more endless spreadsheets.

Context

Our channel partners are an indispensable engine for our growth, consistently contributing a significant 35% of our overall pipeline. Despite their critical role, our previous engagement model was far from optimal. Partners were often left navigating a labyrinth of disparate communication channels, relying on outdated email threads, and struggling with manual, spreadsheet-based processes to manage shared deals. This fragmented approach led to slow response times, a lack of transparency into deal statuses, and ultimately, a suboptimal experience for both our partners and our end customers. The absence of a centralized, intuitive platform was a major bottleneck, hindering our ability to scale our partner program and maximize its potential.

Recognizing these inefficiencies, I spearheaded the rapid development of a dedicated partner portal. The core motivation was clear: we needed to inject speed and transparency into every aspect of our partner interactions. My vision was to create a proper user experience for our partners, moving beyond the archaic reliance on "endless spreadsheets" and manual updates. This portal was designed to be a single source of truth, providing partners with real-time access to shared deal pipelines, marketing assets, training materials, and performance metrics. By streamlining communication, automating key processes, and offering a clear view of incentives, the portal has transformed our partner program, fostering stronger relationships, accelerating deal cycles, and significantly boosting our channel-driven revenue.

Stack I leaned on

• Next.js App Router + Tailwind: We built the partner portal using Next.js with the App Router for a modern, performant, and scalable frontend. This allowed us to leverage server components for better performance and SEO. Tailwind CSS was chosen for rapid UI development and consistent styling, allowing us to quickly iterate on the user experience while maintaining a clean, branded look without writing custom CSS.
• Supabase Auth and RLS: Supabase provided a robust and secure backend for our portal. We leveraged Supabase Auth for seamless user authentication, including social logins and email/password, and Row Level Security (RLS) to ensure that partners only had access to their specific data. This granular control was critical for maintaining strict data privacy and security, preventing partners from seeing each other's deals.
• Attio + Notion APIs: To integrate with our existing sales and knowledge management systems, we utilized the APIs of Attio (our CRM) and Notion. This allowed us to pull in real-time deal data, partner-specific notes, and access to a curated content hub directly within the portal. This created a single source of truth, eliminating data silos and manual data entry for our internal teams.
• Resend for notifications: Resend was integrated to handle all transactional and automated notifications within the portal. This ensured reliable delivery of critical updates, such as new deal assignments, status changes, or important announcements, keeping partners informed and engaged. Its developer-friendly API and focus on deliverability were key factors in its selection.

Playbook

1. Designed role model (Admin, Sales, Marketing) with Supabase policies: The first step involved meticulously designing a role-based access control model within Supabase. This defined distinct permissions for different user types (e.g., Partner Admins, Sales Reps, Marketing Managers), ensuring that each partner only had access to relevant data and functionalities, enforced by Supabase's Row Level Security (RLS) policies. This was crucial for data security and compliance.
2. Built modules: shared deals, content hub, incentives, support: We developed the portal as a collection of modular components, allowing for independent development and deployment. Key modules included a "Shared Deals" section for collaborative deal management, a "Content Hub" for marketing assets and training, an "Incentives" module to transparently display commission structures, and a "Support" module for easy access to help resources.
3. Synced Attio webhooks to keep statuses aligned: To maintain real-time data consistency, we implemented webhooks from Attio (our CRM) to trigger updates within the partner portal. This ensured that deal statuses, ownership changes, and other critical information were always aligned between the CRM and the portal, eliminating discrepancies and manual updates.
4. Added Metabase dashboards for channel metrics: For comprehensive performance tracking, we integrated Metabase dashboards directly into the portal. These dashboards provided partners with real-time visibility into their channel metrics, including pipeline contribution, conversion rates, and incentive payouts, fostering transparency and data-driven decision-making.
5. Tested releases with real partners via feature flags: To ensure a smooth rollout and gather early feedback, we adopted a phased release strategy using feature flags. New features and updates were first tested with a small group of "beta" partners, allowing us to iterate and refine the experience based on real-world usage before a broader launch. This minimized disruption and maximized adoption.

Key Principles of a High-Impact Partner Portal

• Single source of truth: Centralize all partner-related information, from deal registration to marketing assets, in one accessible platform. This eliminates confusion and ensures everyone is working with the latest data.
• Seamless CRM integration: Ensure real-time synchronization with the CRM to provide partners with up-to-date deal statuses and performance metrics. Bidirectional sync is ideal for efficiency.
• Robust authentication and authorization: Implement secure user authentication and granular access controls (e.g., RLS) to protect sensitive data and ensure partners only see what they're authorized to see.
• Intuitive user experience: Design a user-friendly interface that minimizes friction, making it easy for partners to find information and perform key actions. A poor UX leads to low adoption.
• Clear incentives and performance tracking: Transparently display incentive structures, commission calculations, and individual partner performance. This motivates partners and builds trust.
• Automated notifications and communication: Leverage automated alerts and personalized communications to keep partners informed and engaged without manual effort from your team.
• Scalability and extensibility: Build the portal on a flexible architecture that can easily accommodate new features, integrations, and a growing partner ecosystem. Future-proofing is key.

Common Failure Modes (and Fixes)

1. Lack of partner adoption:
   • Problem: A portal, no matter how well-built, is useless if partners don't use it, often due to a poor user experience or lack of perceived value.
   • Fix: Involve partners in the design and testing phases. Prioritize features that directly address their pain points (e.g., easy deal registration, clear incentive tracking). Provide comprehensive onboarding and ongoing support, highlighting the benefits to them.
2. Stale or outdated content:
   • Problem: If the content hub isn't regularly updated with fresh marketing materials, product information, or training resources, partners will stop relying on it, leading to them using outdated information.
   • Fix: Establish a clear content governance strategy with assigned owners and a regular review cadence. Automate content updates where possible (e.g., syncing with a CMS or Notion). Implement content freshness checks.
3. Data synchronization issues:
   • Problem: Discrepancies between the portal and the CRM (e.g., deal statuses, partner information) can lead to confusion, distrust, and operational inefficiencies, requiring manual reconciliation.
   • Fix: Implement robust, real-time, bidirectional data synchronization using webhooks and APIs. Establish clear data ownership and validation rules. Implement monitoring and alerting for sync failures to catch issues immediately.
4. Security vulnerabilities:
   • Problem: Partner portals often handle sensitive deal and partner data, making them attractive targets for security breaches if not properly secured. A breach can severely damage trust.
   • Fix: Implement strong authentication (e.g., MFA), granular authorization (e.g., RLS), and regular security audits. Educate partners on security best practices. Use secure coding practices and keep dependencies updated.
5. Ignoring partner feedback:
   • Problem: Building a portal without a mechanism for partners to provide feedback can lead to features that don't meet their needs and a lack of engagement, making the portal irrelevant.
   • Fix: Implement clear channels for partner feedback (e.g., in-app surveys, dedicated feedback forms, partner advisory boards). Regularly review feedback and prioritize improvements based on partner needs and business impact.

Metrics & Telemetry

The impact of the Partner Portal was rigorously tracked through several key metrics, demonstrating its value:

• Reduced partner response time: Partner response time has been drastically cut from an average of 24 hours to less than 4 hours, significantly accelerating deal cycles and improving overall responsiveness. This was measured by tracking the time from an internal request to a partner's action.
• Increased shared deals per month: We've seen a 52% increase in shared deals per month, indicating greater partner engagement and pipeline contribution. This directly translates to increased revenue opportunities.
• High quarterly partner satisfaction: Achieved a strong quarterly partner satisfaction score of 9.1/10, reflecting the positive impact of the portal on partner experience and their perception of our partnership. This was gathered via anonymous surveys.
• Partner self-service rate: Increased by 70%, meaning partners were able to find answers and manage deals independently, reducing the load on our internal support teams.
• Time to partner onboarding: Reduced by 40%, as new partners could quickly access all necessary resources and training materials through the portal.
• Content hub utilization: Marketing asset downloads and training material views increased by 150%, indicating partners were actively leveraging the provided resources.

What stuck with me

• Partners crave clarity in incentives; expose calculations and statuses: A key learning was the profound impact of transparency on partner engagement. Partners are highly motivated by incentives, but ambiguity around how commissions are calculated or the current status of their payouts can breed distrust and frustration. By clearly exposing incentive calculations, deal statuses, and payment timelines directly within the portal, we fostered trust and empowered partners to understand their earnings potential, leading to increased motivation and performance. This also significantly reduced inbound queries to our finance and partner ops teams.
• Documenting APIs and flows reduced random support tickets: Before the portal, our support channels were often flooded with ad-hoc questions about API usage, data flows, or how to integrate with our systems. By meticulously documenting all relevant APIs, data flows, and integration points within the partner portal's content hub, we significantly reduced the volume of these "random support tickets." This self-serve approach empowered partners to find answers independently, freeing up our support team to focus on more complex issues and strategic initiatives.

Cost Snapshot

The Partner Portal was developed with a focus on leveraging cost-effective, modern technologies to deliver high impact.

• Next.js Hosting (Vercel): ~$20/month (for hobby/pro plan, scales with traffic).
• Supabase (Pro Plan): ~$25/month (for authentication, database, and RLS).
• Attio API usage: Included in our existing Attio CRM subscription.
• Notion API usage: Included in our existing Notion subscription.
• Resend (email delivery): ~$30/month (for transactional emails and notifications).
• Tailwind CSS: Free (open-source utility-first CSS framework).
• Metabase (self-hosted/cloud): ~$150/month (for embedded analytics dashboards, cost varies by plan).
• Engineering time: Approximately 3 weeks of dedicated development time for the initial build, followed by ongoing maintenance and feature development (estimated 0.5 days/week).

The total incremental tooling cost is approximately $225/month. This is a highly efficient investment, especially when considering the significant increase in partner-driven pipeline and the reduction in manual administrative work for our internal teams. The ROI was evident within the first quarter of deployment.

FAQ

Q: How do you ensure data security and privacy for partners? A: We leverage Supabase's robust Row Level Security (RLS) to ensure each partner can only access their own data. All data is encrypted in transit and at rest. We also implement strong authentication measures, including multi-factor authentication (MFA), and conduct regular security audits.

Q: Can partners register new deals directly through the portal? A: Yes, the portal includes a streamlined deal registration process. Partners can submit new opportunities, and these are automatically pushed into Attio via API, triggering our internal sales workflows. This ensures quick processing and reduces friction.

Q: How are marketing assets kept up-to-date in the content hub? A: The content hub is integrated with our internal content management system (CMS) or Notion, allowing our marketing team to update assets centrally. Changes are automatically reflected in the partner portal, ensuring partners always have access to the latest collateral.

Q: What kind of support is available for partners using the portal? A: The portal includes a dedicated support module with FAQs, video tutorials (Loom), and a direct contact form that routes inquiries to our partner success team. We also offer live chat support during business hours.

Q: Is the portal mobile-friendly? A: Yes, the portal is built with Next.js and Tailwind CSS, making it fully responsive and optimized for various screen sizes, including mobile devices. Partners can access and manage their deals on the go.

What I'm building next

I'm currently preparing a comprehensive starter kit specifically tailored for teams looking to build their own partner portals or similar B2B applications using Attio as their CRM. This kit will include templated Next.js code, Supabase configurations, and pre-built integrations with Attio and Resend, along with detailed documentation and best practices. The goal is to significantly accelerate development time and provide a robust foundation for building powerful, data-driven partner experiences. Additionally, I'm exploring integrating AI-powered lead scoring directly into the portal, allowing partners to prioritize their efforts on the most promising opportunities. If you're an Attio user interested in getting early access to this starter kit and contributing to its development, please ping me. Your feedback would be invaluable.

Want me to help you replicate this module? Drop me a note and we’ll build it together.