User Guide: Portal Record Views & Role-Based Field Access

Last updated: January 15, 2026

Overview

The Permitting System displays different information to different users based on their role. This ensures:

Privacy Protection - Personal information is only visible to authorized users
Simplified Experience - Citizens see only what's relevant to their applications
Security - Sensitive administrative data is protected from public view
Compliance - Data visibility aligns with public records requirements

Understanding User Roles & Views

Three Types of Record Views

View Type	Who Sees It	Information Visible
Public View	Anyone searching public records	Limited, non-personal information
Applicant View	The permit holder/applicant	Full application details for their own permits
Staff View	County employees	All administrative and applicant data

Public Record View

What the Public Can See

When searching permit records without logging in, the public can view:

Visible Information:

Permit number/record ID
Property address (street address only)
Permit type (Building, Electrical, etc.)
Current status (Approved, In Review, etc.)
Issue date and expiration date
General project description
Inspection results (Pass/Fail)
Contractor company name (if licensed)

Not Visible to Public:

Applicant personal contact information
Social Security numbers
Financial details
Internal staff notes
Application fees paid
Detailed plan documents
Owner personal information

Accessing Public Records

Visit the Permits Portal
Click "Search Public Records" (no login required)
Search by:
- Property address
- Permit number
- Date range
- Permit type
View results in read-only mode

Applicant View

What You See as an Applicant

When logged in as the permit applicant, you have expanded access to your own permits:

Your Application Details:

All information you submitted
Current application status
Status history and timeline
Any revision requests from staff
Uploaded documents
Payment history and receipts
Scheduled inspections
Inspector assignments
Staff comments directed to you

Information Still Hidden:

Internal staff-only notes
Administrative routing details
Other applicants' information
System configuration details
Staff workflow assignments

Viewing Your Applications

Log in to the Citizen Portal
Navigate to Building, Fire, or Licenses in the sidebar (depending on your permit type)
Click the "My Permits" tab (only visible when logged in)
Click on any permit to view full details
Use tabs to navigate between:
- Record Info - Application form data
- Documents - Uploaded files
- Payments - Fee details and history
- Inspections - Scheduled and completed inspections
- Activity - Status changes and timeline

Making Edits (When Allowed)

As an applicant, you can edit your application when:

The record is not locked
The status allows applicant edits
Staff has requested additional information

To edit your application:

Open your permit record
Look for the "Edit" button or editable form fields
Make your changes
Click "Save" to submit updates

Note: Edits are only possible through dedicated forms, not inline field editing. This ensures data validation and proper tracking.

Protected Fields You Cannot Edit

Certain system fields are never editable by applicants:

Permit status
Workflow stage
Audit timestamps
Staff assignments
Internal notes
System-generated IDs
Inspection results

Staff View

What Staff Members See

County staff with appropriate permissions see comprehensive information:

Full Access:

All applicant-submitted data
Internal staff notes and comments
Workflow routing history
Administrative metadata
System audit trails
Other staff assignments
Configuration settings
Fee calculations and adjustments

Staff-Specific Features

Administrative Controls:

Lock/unlock records
Change permit status
Assign to other staff
Add internal notes
Override workflow rules
Adjust fees
Approve/deny applications

View Options:

Grid view for managing multiple permits
Kanban view for workflow tracking
Detail view for individual records

How Field Visibility Is Configured

For Administrators

County administrators configure which fields are visible to each role:

Per Entity Type: Each permit type (Building, Electrical, etc.) has its own visibility configuration:

Which fields appear in Public view
Which fields appear in Applicant view
Which fields are Staff-only

Portal View Attachment:

Public views are attached to entities for public-facing display
Applicant views define the citizen portal experience
Staff views show all available fields

Common Field Visibility Patterns

Field Type	Public	Applicant	Staff
Property Address	Yes	Yes	Yes
Permit Status	Yes	Yes	Yes
Project Description	Yes	Yes	Yes
Applicant Name	No	Yes	Yes
Phone/Email	No	Yes	Yes
Payment Amount	No	Yes	Yes
Internal Notes	No	No	Yes
Staff Assignments	No	No	Yes
Audit Trail	No	No	Yes

For Citizens: How to Request Information

Requesting Staff-Requested Revisions

When staff requests changes to your application:

You'll receive an email notification
Log in to the Citizen Portal
Go to Building, Fire, or Licenses (depending on your permit type)
Click the "My Permits" tab
Look for permits with a "Revision Requested" status
Click to open the permit
Review the staff's request in the Activity tab
Make the requested changes in the provided form
Submit your revisions

Understanding Form-Based Edits

The system uses dedicated forms for applicant edits because:

Validation - The form ensures all required information is provided
Tracking - Each submission is recorded in the audit trail
Security - Direct database edits are prevented
Consistency - Data format is maintained

Troubleshooting

For Citizens

Q: Why can't I see all the details on my permit? A: You may be viewing the public record version. Log in to your account to see full applicant details for permits you own.

Q: I'm logged in but still can't see certain fields. Why? A: Some fields are staff-only and not visible to applicants. This includes internal notes, routing assignments, and administrative metadata.

Q: How do I edit information on my application? A: Editing is done through dedicated forms, not inline. Look for an "Edit" button or "Update Information" link. If you don't see these options, the record may be locked or your edit window has closed.

Q: Can I see permits from previous property owners? A: You can view public record information for any property. However, detailed applicant information is only visible to the original applicant.

For Staff

Q: Why can't an applicant see a field I added? A: Check the field's visibility configuration in Entity Manager. The field may be set to "Staff Only" or not included in the portal view.

Q: How do I change what applicants can see? A: Contact your system administrator to modify the portal view configuration for that entity type.

Related Features

Permit Record Locking - Controlling edit access
Public Records Global Search - Searching public permit data
User Accounts & Profile - Managing your account

Technical Notes

Component Locations:

Public Form: /apps/entity-manager-app/src/pages/public/PublicForm/
Citizen Portal: /apps/citizen-portal-host/src/pages/AddApplicationForm/
Dynamic Field Renderer: RenderDynamicField.tsx

Key Concepts:

isViewMode - Controls read-only vs. edit rendering
Portal Views - Configuration attached to entities
Protected Fields - Status, workflow, audit fields always read-only for applicants

For additional assistance, contact your System Administrator.