Overview
What the portal is, how users enter it, and what the main journey looks like.
Purpose of the portal
The Uptown Med Spa Franchise Ordering Portal is a private, invite-only ordering and operations system. Franchise locations use it to browse the approved catalog, build carts, submit orders, pay by e-transfer, track status, and message Uptown Corporate.
Corporate uses the admin side to review orders, request information, accept orders, confirm payments, move orders to In Transit and Delivered, manage catalog products, manage users and locations, view reports, and maintain audit history.
Simple mental model
- Franchise side: order products and communicate with Corporate.
- Admin side: review, control, and report on all franchise activity.
- Location-based access: franchise users only see their assigned location.
- Backend authority: final pricing, tax, totals and permission checks are calculated and verified server-side.
Latest portal updates included in this guide
- Location minimum order value: each location can have a required cart subtotal before a franchise user can submit an order.
- Pending order edit: Corporate can edit items, quantities and totals while an order is still Pending Review. Franchise users see an “Order Updated by Corporate” notice and receive an email when real item or total changes are made.
- Additional charges: after payment is received or while an order is In Transit, Corporate can add a separate extra charge without modifying the original order subtotal, tax or total.
- Shared location cart: Franchise Owner and Franchise Team users at the same location share one cart.
- Tracking and notifications: tracking can be added, updated or cleared by Corporate; new order and payment-related email notification paths have been updated.
The PIN screen is the first access gate before user login. It protects the portal URL but does not replace individual user login.
The landing page separates Franchise Access from Corporate Admin so each user enters the correct portal path.
Access & Roles
How user permissions work and why each role sees different data.
Two gates before the app
- Portal PIN gate: a shared access code managed by Super Admin. It protects entry to the portal URL.
- Individual user login: Base44 authentication plus portal profile checks for role, account status, and location assignment.
The PIN is not the same as a user password. After entering the PIN, the user still needs to log in with their own account.
| Role | Who it is for | Main access | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Franchise Owner | Location owner/manager | Own location orders, cart, messages, team invites | Cannot change order status or access admin pages |
| Franchise Team | Staff at a franchise location | Same location orders/messages and ordering flow | Cannot invite users or manage location/team settings |
| Admin | Corporate operations | Orders, catalog, locations, users, reports, messages | Cannot manage PIN settings or Super Admin accounts |
| Super Admin | Highest corporate access | Everything Admin can do plus PIN and admin-level management | Protected from self-lockout rules |
Franchise User Walkthrough
The day-to-day ordering journey from dashboard to order detail.
Current franchise ordering behavior
- Shared cart by location: Franchise Owner and Franchise Team users assigned to the same location see the same cart. When one user updates it, the other user sees the updated cart after refresh. The cart clears after a successful order submission.
- Minimum order value: if Corporate sets a minimum order value for the location, the cart shows the required amount, current subtotal and how much more must be added. Orders cannot be submitted below the required subtotal.
- Order updated by Corporate: if Corporate edits a Pending Review order before accepting it, the franchise user sees an update notice on the order page and receives an email with the change details.
- Additional payment required: if Corporate adds a separate additional charge later, franchise users see a dedicated additional payment section with the amount, reason and proof-upload option.
- Tracking: tracking details only appear when Corporate adds them. If Corporate clears tracking, it should no longer appear on the franchise order page.
The dashboard gives franchise users quick access to recent orders, order history and the catalog.
The catalog shows only Active products. Quantity controls follow MOQ, stock quantity and order increment rules.
The cart explains quantity × unit price, calculates tax based on the location, and lets users add notes or mark an urgent order.
After submitting, franchise users can track progress, view totals, read next-step guidance, respond to queries, and see tracking if entered.
Order Workflow
How an order moves through review, payment, transit and delivery.
What is important to understand
Franchise users do not directly change order status. Corporate controls the workflow. Payment proof or a reference number does not automatically confirm payment; Corporate must verify the e-transfer before the order moves forward.
Pending Review edits: while an order is still Pending Review, Admin/Super Admin users can edit order items, quantities and totals. If real item or total changes are saved, the franchise side sees an Order Updated by Corporate notice and receives an email. Once the order is accepted or moved forward, the original order is no longer editable.
Additional charges: after payment has been received or while an order is In Transit, Corporate can add a separate extra charge, such as a shipping adjustment. This does not modify the original order items, subtotal, tax or total.
The order detail page preserves item snapshots, subtotal, tax, total, status history and timeline so old orders remain understandable even if product prices or tax settings change later.
Once tracking is saved, the franchise order detail page displays the tracking section with the current status and a direct Track Shipment button.
Corporate Admin Walkthrough
How Corporate reviews orders and manages the network.
New admin order controls
- Edit Pending Review orders: Corporate can update items, quantities and totals only while an order is Pending Review. Franchise users are notified and shown what changed.
- Additional Charge: Corporate can add a separate extra charge after payment is received or while the order is In Transit. This is used for adjustments such as extra shipping and does not change the original order total.
- Tracking: Admins can save carrier, tracking number and tracking URL. Tracking URLs should be stored with a valid
https://link, and cleared tracking should disappear from the franchise side. - Notification Settings: Super Admin can control new-order notification settings. Active Admin/Super Admin users receive new-order emails unless excluded, and extra recipients can be added if supported.
Corporate can edit items, quantities and recalculated totals while an order is still in Pending Review. Internal notes can also be recorded for the edit.
Corporate can save a tracking number alone, add carrier and tracking URL, or clear the fields to remove tracking from the franchise view.
The Corporate Dashboard summarizes pending orders, urgent orders, active products and active locations.
The order list lets Corporate search by location/order number and filter by status before opening an order for review.
The admin detail page is the main action screen: accept, query, reject, cancel, confirm payment, override status and review timeline.
The Team & Users page manages account status, roles, locations and user invitations.
Catalog, Inventory & Locations
How products, stock quantity, product lifecycle and location tax settings work.
Location minimum order value
Minimum Order Value is managed on each location, not in the product catalog. Open a location record and set the minimum dollar amount required before that location can submit an order.
- Product MOQ: minimum quantity for a specific product.
- Minimum Order Value: minimum cart subtotal, before tax, required for a location to submit an order.
- If the location minimum is disabled or set to zero, no minimum cart value restriction applies.
This screenshot documents the minimum order value feature from the franchise side. It shows the below-minimum warning, the remaining amount needed, and the disabled Continue to Review button in one view.
Admin catalog management keeps product visibility controlled through Active, Inactive and Archived states.
The product form controls MOQ, optional stock quantity, stock status, catalog status, price and image upload.
Locations define franchise identity and tax settings. Tax is based on the order location and saved on the order at creation time.
Product lifecycle
| Status | Meaning | Franchise visibility |
|---|---|---|
| Active | Visible and orderable | Shown in catalog |
| Inactive | Temporarily hidden but editable | Hidden |
| Archived | Retired/historical product | Hidden unless admin views archived filter |
| Deleted | Permanent removal for mistakes/test records | Removed |
Payments, Tax & Totals
How totals are calculated and how payment moves the order forward.
Tax and total calculation
Cart totals are previews, but the backend is the final source of truth. When an order is submitted, the backend fetches the real product prices and the authoritative location tax settings, then calculates:
subtotal = sum of line totals
tax = subtotal × location tax rate
total = subtotal + tax
These values are saved on the order so historical orders do not change if product pricing or tax rates change later.
E-transfer payment and contact email
Once an order is accepted, it moves to Accepted — Awaiting E-transfer. The franchise sends payment to skinbyuptown@gmail.com using the order number as the reference. This same email is used for order/payment/query contact guidance unless Corporate requests a different address.
Corporate manually verifies the e-transfer and marks Payment Received. The order does not move to In Transit until payment is confirmed.
Additional charges
If a separate cost comes up after payment has been received, such as an extra shipping charge, Corporate can add an Additional Charge. The franchise sees a separate additional payment request and can upload proof for that extra payment.
Additional charges do not change the original order subtotal, tax or total. They are tracked separately so the original paid order remains clear.
Use this panel to add a separate charge such as shipping or another post-payment fee. It does not modify the original order total.
Franchise users see the extra charge separately from the original order, along with the e-transfer email, payment reference, note field and proof upload button.
Messages & Notifications
Location-based conversations and per-user unread state.
Notification behavior
- New order submitted: Admin/Super Admin recipients are controlled through notification settings. Active corporate users receive emails unless excluded.
- Payment proof: when franchise users upload or update proof, corporate recipients are notified.
- Additional charges: franchise users are notified when a charge is added or confirmed; corporate users are notified when proof is uploaded.
- Pending order edits: franchise users receive an email when Corporate changes items, quantities or totals on a Pending Review order.
- Messages: unread counts are per user. Opening a thread marks it read only for that user.
When Corporate changes a Pending Review order, the franchise receives an email that summarizes what changed and links them back to the updated order.
Super Admin users can enable or mute new-order email notifications and control which active corporate users receive them.
Messages are shared at the location level. Franchise users at the same location see the same threads, while Corporate sees all locations.
Unread messages
Unread counts are per individual user, not shared by location. If one franchise team member opens a thread, that thread is marked as read only for that person. Other team members still see it unread until they open it.
Email notifications are sent for important order, message, invite and user events. Sending failures do not stop the actual portal action from being saved.
Reports & Security
Corporate reporting plus the most sensitive system settings.
Reporting and security updates
- Reports include Total Spend, Orders, Locations, Average Order Value, Location Spend Summary, Most Ordered Products, Order Status Breakdown and Location Spend Trend.
- Spend totals are based on confirmed/active order stages and exclude Pending Review, Needs Information, Rejected and Cancelled orders.
- Admins cannot invite other corporate Admin/Super Admin users. Corporate admin creation is reserved for Super Admin.
- Super Admin can manage PIN settings and notification settings. Franchise help should not expose internal notification routing or admin-only settings.
Reports summarize spend, orders, locations, top products and status breakdown by preset or custom date range.
PIN Settings is Super Admin only. The PIN is hidden by default and reveal/update actions are protected server-side.
Security summary
- PIN protects portal entry, but user login and role checks enforce real access.
- Franchise users are restricted to their assigned location.
- Backend functions re-check role/account status before sensitive actions.
- Order totals and tax are recalculated on the backend.
- Audit logs record important user, order, payment, tracking and PIN events.
Quick Reference
Short operating summary by user type.
Franchise Owner
Enter PIN, sign in, use the shared location cart, submit orders, review corporate edits, upload payment proof, respond to queries, view additional charges/tracking, send messages, and invite Franchise Team members.
Franchise Team
Enter PIN, sign in, browse catalog, use the shared location cart, submit orders, view shared location orders/messages, upload proofs where allowed, and respond where allowed.
Admin
Review orders, edit Pending Review orders, request clarification, accept orders, confirm payment, add separate additional charges, manage tracking, move orders to In Transit and Delivered, and manage catalog, franchise users, locations and reports.
Super Admin
Everything Admin can do, plus PIN settings, notification settings, Admin/Super Admin management, and highest-level account safeguards.
Screenshots refreshed in this update
The newly added features now have fresh screenshots in this guide. The reports image can remain as the existing one from the previous version.
- Minimum order value enforcement and below-minimum cart state are now shown together in one franchise review screenshot.
- Pending Review order edit modal has been added.
- Order Updated by Corporate email has been added.
- Additional Charges is shown on both the corporate and franchise sides.
- New Order Notification Settings has been added.
- Shipment Tracking is now shown on both the corporate and franchise sides.
- Reports can continue using the older screenshot already in the guide.