How to Enable Public Case Lookup
Case Lookup lets people search your portal by case number and review associated events. Configure its access and filters in the portal editor so visitors can find the cases your agency makes available and subscribe to notifications when allowed.
Overview
Go to Admin > Portals, open a portal, and select Search in Portal Preview. The Case Search settings control lookup access, subscription access, which case types and statuses appear, and whether a case number must match exactly.
Lookup and subscriptions have separate access settings:
| Setting | Disabled (default) | Public | Private |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allow Case Search | Case Lookup is unavailable. | Anyone can search without signing in. | Only signed-in clients can search. |
| Allow Case Subscriptions | New case and event subscriptions are unavailable. | Visitors can subscribe without signing in. | Only signed-in clients can subscribe. |
Subscribing from a case search result requires both settings to allow that visitor. For example, public lookup with private subscriptions lets anyone search, but only signed-in clients can follow a case. Allow Case Subscriptions also controls Subscribe to Event on individual event pages and calendar entries, independently of lookup access.
Prerequisites
- The
update_portalspermission - An existing portal under Admin > Portals
- Case records or events with case numbers to look up
- Client login configured if you plan to use Private access (see How to Allow Clients to Login to a Portal)
How-To Steps
Configure Lookup and Subscriptions
- Go to Admin > Portals.
- Click Edit beside the portal you want to configure.
- Click Search in Portal Preview.
- Select Public in Allow Case Search to let visitors search without signing in, or Private to require client login.
- Select Public, Private, or Disabled (default) in Allow Case Subscriptions.
- Select the types to publish in Enabled Case Types, or leave the field empty to allow every type.
- Select the statuses to publish in Enabled Case Statuses, or leave the field empty to allow every status.
- Select Partial Match (default) or Exact Match in Case Number Operator.
- Click Save.
- Click View Portal while the Search tab is selected to open Case Lookup.
- Enter a known case number in Case Number.
- Click Search to check the results and associated events.
Share the Lookup Page
- Click Copy Link above Portal Preview while Search is selected.
- Share the copied address, which ends in
/search. - Enter a label such as Case Lookup in Link text under Portal menu if you also want a sidebar link.
- Select Search in Goes to.
- Select Visitors not signed in or Signed-in clients in Who sees it.
- Click Add link.
A menu entry appears for one audience. Add a second entry for the other audience if both should see the link. Menu visibility does not change the access rules in Case Search.
What to Expect
The access dropdowns and case filters save when changed. Allow about a minute for changes to reach the live portal, then reload it to check the current configuration.
Lookup returns up to 10 matching cases, with up to 10 events per case. Archived and trashed records are excluded. Partial Match (default) finds case numbers containing the entered text; Exact Match requires the full case number. Results show available case details and event information, rather than the complete staff case record.
An agency that stores case numbers only on events can still offer lookup. Those results contain the case number and events, and require Enabled Case Types and Enabled Case Statuses to be empty because there is no case record to match those filters.
Best Practices
- Test with a case that should appear and one that should be excluded by your filters.
- Check public access while signed out and private access while signed in as a client.
- Use Exact Match when visitors should enter a complete case number.
- Test case subscriptions and individual event subscriptions separately because they follow different records.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can anyone search while only signed-in clients subscribe?
Yes. Set Allow Case Search to Public and Allow Case Subscriptions to Private. Configure client login so people can sign in before subscribing.
Does leaving the type or status field empty hide every case?
No. An empty Enabled Case Types or Enabled Case Statuses field allows every value for that filter. Selecting values restricts results to those values.
Does adding a Case Lookup menu link enable lookup?
No. The link provides navigation. Allow Case Search decides whether visitors can actually use the page.
Can visitors follow one event without enabling case lookup?
Yes. Allow Case Subscriptions also enables the subscription form on individual event pages and calendar entries. Those forms do not require Allow Case Search to be enabled.
Troubleshooting
The lookup link returns to the portal home page.
Symptoms: Opening the /search address does not display Case Lookup.
Solution: Check Allow Case Search under Admin > Portals > Edit > Search. Select Public for signed-out visitors, or sign in as a client when the setting is Private.
A known case is missing from the results.
Symptoms: The search shows no results or omits the case you expected.
Solution: Enter the full case number, check Case Number Operator, and confirm that the case is neither archived nor trashed. Check the enabled type and status filters. For a case number stored only on events, clear both filters and clear any Agency or Location filter on the lookup page.
Lookup works but subscribing fails.
Symptoms: A visitor can find a case but cannot complete Subscribe to Notifications.
Solution: Check both access settings. Signed-out case subscriptions need Public for both; signed-in subscriptions need both settings to be Public or Private. Also correct any contact or Party Type errors shown on the form.