How to Create a WordPress Client Portal with a Front-End Dashboard using Elementor

Managing a WordPress website’s backend can be confusing for clients. A front-end dashboard simplifies the user experience, making tasks like editing posts intuitive. This guide will show you how to set up such a system using plugins and Elementor.

---

Features of the Front-End Dashboard

1. Edit Posts on the FrontEnd: Users can edit content directly from the website.
2. Add New Posts via a Custom Form: Simplifies the content creation process.
3. Restricted Access: Users can only manage their content.
4. Dedicated Media Library: Shows only the images uploaded by each user.
5. Admin Approval for New Content: Optional feature for controlled publishing.

---

Step 1: Prerequisites

You’ll need the following plugins installed on your WordPress site:

1. Elementor and Elementor Pro (for templates and loop functionality).
2. Frontend Admin (for form-based front-end editing).
3. Elementor Custom Skin (to create post loops).
4. User Menus (to customize menu visibility for user roles).

---

Step 2: Set Up Editing Posts on the Front-End

1. Install Plugins:
   • Navigate to Plugins > Add New.
   • Search for Frontend Admin and Elementor Custom Skin. Install and activate them.
2. Create a Post Loop:
   • Go to Templates > Add New Template in Elementor.
   • Choose Loop, name it, and click Create Template.
   • Design your loop (e.g., post image, title, excerpt, and an edit button).
   • Save the loop.
3. Add an Edit Button:
   • Use Frontend Admin to add an Edit Post button.
   • Set visibility permissions so only authorized users see it.
   • Link the button to an editing page you’ll create next.
4. Create an Edit Post Form:
   • Go to Frontend Admin > Forms > Add New.
   • Select Edit Post Form and save.
   • Copy the generated shortcode.
   • Create a new page named “Edit Post” and paste the shortcode.

---

Step 3: Add a New Post Form

1. Create a New Post Form:
   • In Frontend Admin, create a New Post Form.
   • Add necessary fields like title, content, excerpt, category, and featured image.
   • Save and copy the shortcode.
2. Create a Page:
   • Name the page “Create a New Post.”
   • Paste the shortcode into the page content.
3. Update the Menu:
   • Use the User Menus plugin to add a “Create New Post” menu item visible only to logged-in users.

---

Step 4: User-Specific Content Management

1. Show Only User-Specific Posts:
   • Install the Advanced Queries plugin.
   • In the Elementor Posts widget, enable Dynamic User Query under query settings.
   • Set it to display posts authored by the current user.
2. Create a “My Posts” Page:
   • Add a Posts widget to a new page named “My Posts.”
   • Use your custom post loop for the widget.
   • Restrict it to display only the logged-in user’s posts.

---

Step 5: Media Library Privacy

1. Enable media privacy in Frontend Admin:
   • Go to Frontend Admin > Settings > Uploads Privacy.
   • Toggle Media Upload Privacy to restrict users to their media.

---

Optional: Admin Approval for New Posts

1. Go to the New Post Form settings.
2. Under Submission Requirements, enable Admin Approval.
3. Pending posts will require admin review before publication.

---

With these steps, your WordPress site now includes a front-end dashboard, simplifying content management for clients and writers. Experiment with additional features in the Frontend Admin plugin to further customize the experience.

Let us know how it works for you in the comments!