Working with portals

Update multiple portals at once with pattern syncing

What pattern syncing does

Pattern syncing lets you update content across multiple portals simultaneously. When you create a synced pattern from a portal section (like a phase, module, or custom block group), any changes you make to that pattern automatically appear in every portal where it's used.

This is perfect for:

  • Standard onboarding phases that appear in every client portal

  • Legal disclaimers or terms that need consistent updates

  • Project milestones that follow the same structure across clients

  • Company branding sections that should stay identical

Synced patterns use WordPress's built-in pattern system (formerly called reusable blocks). Changes sync automatically—no manual updates needed.

How it works

When you create a synced pattern, WordPress saves it as a reusable template. Every time you insert that pattern into a portal, you're inserting a reference to the original—not a copy. Edit the original pattern once, and the changes propagate to all instances across your site.

This is different from portal templates, which create one-time copies. Templates don't sync changes to portals created from them. Synced patterns inside templates, however, do continue syncing even after the portal is created.

Creating a synced pattern

Step 1: Select the content to save

  1. Open any portal or template in the WordPress editor

  2. Click the List View icon (three horizontal lines) in the toolbar

  3. Select the blocks you want to turn into a pattern—this could be an entire phase, a group of modules, or custom content sections

Use List View for precise selection. It shows your portal's structure clearly and lets you select parent containers (like phase groups) instead of individual blocks.

Step 2: Create the pattern

  1. With your content selected, click the three-dot menu in the block toolbar

  2. Choose "Create pattern"

  3. Name your pattern (use descriptive names like "Onboarding Phase - Week 1" or "Legal Footer")

  4. Make sure the "Synced" toggle is turned ON

  5. Select the "Client Portal" category to keep it organized

  6. Click "Create"

The "Synced" toggle is critical. If it's off, you'll create a regular pattern that won't update across portals when edited.

Using synced patterns in portals

Inserting a synced pattern

  1. Open the portal where you want to add the pattern

  2. Click the block inserter (+ icon) in the toolbar

  3. Go to the "Patterns" tab

  4. Open the "Client Portal" folder

  5. Click on your synced pattern to insert it

The pattern appears with a subtle outline indicating it's synced. You can insert the same pattern into as many portals as you need.

Pre-built patterns

Client Portal includes 6 ready-to-use patterns in the "Client Portal" category:

  • Header

  • Call To Action

  • General Information

  • Project Status

  • Phases Boxes

  • Footer Contact

These are regular (non-synced) patterns by default. To make them sync across portals, insert one, customize it, then save it as a new synced pattern following the steps above.

Updating synced patterns

Once you've created a synced pattern, updating it is straightforward:

Method 1: Edit from any portal

  1. Open a portal that contains the synced pattern

  2. Click on the synced pattern block—you'll see an "Edit Original" button appear

  3. Click "Edit Original" to modify the pattern

  4. Make your changes

  5. Click "Save" in the editor

Your changes now appear in every portal using that pattern.

Method 2: Edit from the Patterns manager

  1. In WordPress admin, go to Appearance > Editor > Patterns

  2. Click the "Client Portal" folder

  3. Find your synced pattern and click to edit it

  4. Make your changes and save

This method is faster if you're updating multiple patterns at once or need to see all your patterns in one place.

Updates happen instantly. As soon as you save the pattern, it updates across all portals—no need to refresh or manually sync.

When to detach a synced pattern

Sometimes you need to customize a synced pattern for a specific client without affecting other portals. That's when you detach it.

Detaching a pattern

  1. Open the portal with the pattern you want to customize

  2. Click on the synced pattern

  3. In the block toolbar, click the three-dot menu

  4. Select "Detach pattern" (or "Convert to regular blocks")

  5. Make your client-specific changes

The detached content becomes independent. Future updates to the original synced pattern won't affect this portal, but other portals still receive updates.

Detaching is permanent for that instance. You can't re-sync it later—you'd need to delete the detached blocks and re-insert the synced pattern.

Synced patterns vs. templates

Understanding the difference prevents confusion:

Feature

Synced Patterns

Templates

What they save

Individual sections (phases, modules, groups)

Entire portals

Update behavior

Changes sync to all instances automatically

Changes don't sync to portals created from them

Best for

Repeating content that needs consistency

Starting new portals quickly

Can combine?

Yes—use synced patterns inside templates

Yes—templates can contain synced patterns

Pro tip: Build templates that include synced patterns. When you create a portal from the template, the synced patterns continue updating even though the template itself doesn't sync.

Troubleshooting

My pattern isn't syncing

  • Check the "Synced" toggle: Edit the pattern (Appearance > Editor > Patterns > Client Portal) and verify it was created with syncing enabled. If not, create a new synced version.

  • Custom blocks limitations: Client Portal's custom blocks (like specific portal modules) have reusable functionality disabled. To sync these, select them together in a Group block, then save the group as a synced pattern.

I can't find my synced pattern

  • Go to Appearance > Editor > Patterns and check if it's in the "Client Portal" category

  • If it's in a different category, you can still use it—just look in the Patterns tab under that category name

  • Make sure you're on WordPress 5.8 or later (Gutenberg is required for pattern syncing)

Changes aren't appearing in a portal

  • Verify the portal actually contains the synced pattern, not a detached version or manual copy

  • Refresh the portal edit page—browsers sometimes cache the editor interface

  • Check if someone detached the pattern in that specific portal

Best practices

  • Name patterns clearly: Use names like "Phase 1 - Discovery" or "Standard Legal Footer" so you know what they contain 6 months from now

  • Start with templates, enhance with patterns: Create a portal template for your typical project structure, then insert synced patterns for the sections that need ongoing updates

  • Don't over-sync: Only sync content that truly needs consistency across portals. Client-specific details should stay independent

  • Document which patterns are synced: Keep a list (even just in a doc) of your active synced patterns and what they're used for, especially on teams where multiple people manage portals

  • Test before deploying: Create a test portal to verify pattern changes look correct before they go live to all clients

Was this helpful?
Was this helpful?