How the Contractor Portal Works
Available on: Solo add-on · Team 5 seats included · Firm unlimited seats
The contractor portal gives subcontractors, freelancers, and field workers a dedicated mobile interface to submit invoices and timesheets directly. No WhatsApp, no email attachments, no chasing. Everything flows into your Sumext review queue and syncs to Xero after approval.
How It Works - Overview
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Sumext AI extracts all fields
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You get WhatsApp notification
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You review in dashboard (30 seconds)
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Submit to Xero - bill created + PDF attached
Setting Up the Contractor Portal
Check Your Plan
Solo seats are $5/seat/month. Team includes 5 contractor seats. Firm includes unlimited contractor seats.
Go to Contractors
In the left sidebar, click Contractors. You will see your contractor list, empty if none have been added yet.
Invite a Contractor
Click + Invite Contractor, enter full name, email, optional phone number and notes, then click Send Invite.
Contractor Creates Account
The contractor clicks the email invitation, confirms their name, sets a password, and accesses app.sumext.com/portal.
What Your Contractor Sees
The portal shows Submit Invoice, My Submissions, and each submission status: Pending, Approved, or Paid.
They cannot see: your other invoices, financial data, other contractors' submissions, or Xero/accounting data.
How a Contractor Submits
- Open app.sumext.com/portal.
- Tap Submit Invoice.
- Take a photo, upload from files, or pick an email attachment.
- Add optional notes, such as May services - 18 sessions.
- Tap Submit.
The contractor sees a submitted-successfully message and can track the status in their portal.
Reviewing Contractor Submissions
Contractor submissions land in Costs → Review with a Contractor badge. Open a submission to see the original file, AI-extracted fields, notes, and dropdowns for ledger account and tax code. Click Submit to Xero once confirmed.
If the invoice has an issue, click Reject, add a reason, and the contractor can resubmit a corrected invoice.
Managing Your Contractors
Go to Contractors to view names, emails, status, submission count, and seat type. Deactivate a contractor when they leave; they lose portal access, submissions remain for records, and the seat becomes available for someone new. Reactivate from the Deactivated filter if they return.
Tips for Using the Portal
- Send the portal link by WhatsApp after inviting.
- Ask contractors to bookmark or add the portal to their home screen.
- Set payment terms expectations in the invitation.
- Encourage contractors to use notes for service periods or site visits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do contractors need to pay for Sumext?
No. Contractor accounts are free for contractors. Only the admin pays for contractor seats.
Can a contractor submit timesheets as well as invoices?
Yes. The upload accepts any file, including Word timesheets, Excel sheets, or PDF timesheets.
Can contractors see each other's submissions?
No. Each contractor only sees their own submissions.
What happens if a contractor submits the same invoice twice?
Sumext flags potential duplicates based on amount and vendor so you see a warning in review.
Is there a mobile app for contractors?
The portal is a mobile-optimised web app. No download required, and contractors can add it to their home screen.