PORTALS WORKSHOP
Join us for a one-day, hands-on workshop designed to boost your confidence and grow your Slate portal skills. By the end of the day, you’ll leave with a working portal you can use immediately and refer back to for future builds.
March 10, 2026
8:30AM–4:30PM
Virginia Commonwealth University (Richmond, VA)
Track 1: You’ve Never Built a Portal BeforeTrack 2: You’ve Built Portals & Want to Level UpChoose Your Track
As you complete the form, pick the path that matches your current skill level.
TRACK 1
You’ve Never Built a Portal Before
Learn the essentials of portal building and leave with a fully functioning portal. This track is perfect if you:
- Want a clear introduction
- Know your way around configurable joins
- Are looking for hands-on guidance on building portals
TRACK 2
YOU’VE BUILT PORTALS & WANT TO LEVEL UP
Explore advanced portal techniques like tabs, nodes, and pop-ups, and leave with a reference portal to use in your daily work. This track is ideal if you:
- Want to expand your expertise
- Are comfortable with configurable joins
- Have built at least one portal and know the core pieces
What to Know Before You Go
Which track is right for me?
Take this quick self-assessment (and note which questions you answer “yes” or “no” to).
– Have you built a portal before?
– Are you comfortable with configurable joins?
– Do you have some familiarity with editing static content in the source code?
– Can you describe what scope means in Slate?
– Have you created a table in Slate before?
– Have you used query string parameters?
– Have you updated an existing portal?
– Do you know what a merge field is and how to use it?
– Have you created a Slate form before?
– Have you created a Slate report before?
Track Recommendations:
TRACK 1: YOU’VE NEVER BUILT A PORTAL BEFORE
If you answered “No” to question 1, or if you answered “Yes” to question 1 but “No” to 5 or more of the other questions, this track will give you the foundational skills needed to become a confident portal builder.
TRACK 2: YOU’VE BUILT PORTALS & WANT TO LEVEL UP
If you answered “Yes” to question 1 and “Yes” to 5 or more of the remaining questions, this track is designed to level up your portal skills.
How much does it cost?
$175 for the one-day workshop.
What’s included in the workshop?
The workshop includes hands-on training, all materials, and networking opportunities with fellow Slate professionals. Light breakfast and lunch will also be provided. Please note any dietary restrictions during the registration process.
What will I leave with?
You will leave with a fully functioning portal that you built during the workshop, plus reference materials and documentation to help with future builds.
When and where is the workshop?
The workshop takes place on March 10, 2026 from 8:30AM to 4:30PM at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA. Detailed location information will be provided upon registration.
How do I register?
Click the Register Now button at the top or bottom of this page to complete your registration.
Is parking provided?
Parking information will be provided with your registration confirmation. Campus parking is available.
Traveling from out of town? Welcome!
Richmond has an international airport (RIC) with convenient access to the university. The Graduate Hotel is a 5 minute walk away from the meeting space.
WORKSHOP SCHEDULE
TRACK 1
You’ve Never Built a Portal Before
MORNING
Registration and light breakfast 7-8:30am
Welcome and Introductions
Module 1 – What is a portal
- Examples of internal and external portals
- When and why to use either
Activity – Portal vs backend of Slate worksheet
Module 2 – Portal Orientation
- Scopes and security of portals
- What are the key features of a portal
Module 3 – Portal Queries
- Refresher of configurable joins
- Identity variables
Practice – Creating a user portal
Module 4 – Views
- View options and creating the default view
- Walk through of widget options
- Merge field content block vs query merge fields
LUNCH
AFTERNOON
Practice – Creating views
Module 5 – Methods
- What are methods and what do they do?
Practice – Putting it all together
Strategy spotlight – Applying marketing strategy into your portal build
Conclusion of formal content at 4pm, open practice time 4-5pm.
TRACK 2
You’ve Built Portals &
Want to Level Up
MORNING
Registration and light breakfast 7-8:30am
Welcome, Introductions, and how marketing strategy shapes portal decisions
Module 1 – Portal Framework
- Scope and security
- Identity variable vs record variable
- Technolutions Web Framework
Module 2 – Methods and Views
- Method overview
- What is Slate’s grid layout and why does it matter
- The when and where of CSS
- Mobile responsive design
Practice – Creating a user portal with different frameworks
Module 3 – Liquid Looping
- When to use dictionary vs a node
- Why use a table widget vs liquid loop of query results
Practice – Using the table widget and looping query results
LUNCH
AFTERNOON
Module 4 – Tabs
- How to create tabs and subtabs
Practice – Adding tabs and sub-tabs to your portal
Module 5 – Parameters + Pop-ups
- How parameters work
- Where they go within a query
- Use cases for parameters
Practice – Create a pop-up using parameters
Module 6 – Advanced Styling
- Styling 2.0
- Styling a portal so it looks like it’s from your institution (not from Slate)
Conclusion of formal content at 4pm, open practice time 4-5pm.
You Don’t Want to Miss This
This is a hands-on, high-impact workshop with limited seats available.