Start with what the client needs to see
A client asking for a project update usually needs a small set of answers: what they requested, what is happening now and whether you need anything from them. Decide which issues answer those questions before sharing access.
Lucidlane uses a portal linked to a Linear Customer. The client opens the portal to follow their requests; your team continues managing the issues in Linear. This gives the client a separate interface without adding them to your Linear workspace.
1. Link the work to the right Customer
Connect your workspace using the Linear setup guide. Identify the Customer that represents your client and check the requests associated with it. A project name alone is not the Customer association Lucidlane uses for the portal.
If you have several clients, use the multi-client organization guide to plan Customer mapping and project filters.
2. Choose the client-visible work
The portal shows issues linked to its Customer. Use project and status settings to narrow which requests appear. Labels control which tags are shown, and priorities control intake choices; neither hides a whole request. For example, include the client’s maintenance project and exclude other projects. Requests with no project can still appear, so check those separately.
Use a client account to check an included request, an excluded request and an issue linked only to a different Customer. Review descriptions, attachments and comments on shared issues. Comments can sync into the portal: keep internal-only discussion outside those threads.
3. Share the portal and explain access
Choose the portal’s name, branding and address, then review who can open it. Send the client that address and explain how to access it. A portal link is the entry point to their view; access is governed by the portal’s configuration.
The client does not need a Linear account for this workflow. Ask them to open one existing request and find its status before relying on the portal for day-to-day communication.
4. Keep updates attached to the request
Maintain issue status in Linear. Clients can check progress and reply through the portal; their replies are posted as attributed comments in Linear. When you need clarification, keep the client-facing conversation tied to the relevant request.
For a bug, ask the client to reply after trying the fix. For a change request, agree scope and priority before treating it as committed work.
What if the client keeps emailing?
Introduce the portal around a useful task, such as checking an open request. Explain which conversations belong there and include the portal address in your normal handoff. Calls and relationship conversations can stay in your existing process.
Lucidlane’s email and messaging channels add-on is coming soon. The workflow described here uses portal requests; it does not depend on automatic email intake.
Would a read-only link or a guest account be enough?
Decide whether the client needs viewing only, request submission or collaboration inside Linear. Those are different access requirements. Compare native guests, Asks and a client portal, then test the chosen experience with the first-portal checklist.