Your portal guide

1. First visit and signing in

1. Open the invitation sent to your invited email address. Select Accept the invite and follow the prompts to set your password.
2. Open portal.allcateringdesign.co.uk and select Sign in. Use the invited email address.
3. Open your workspace and choose the project you need. If you have access to more than one workspace, choose the relevant one from Your workspaces.

The invitation link works once. If it is missing or cannot be used, contact ACD using the contact details already supplied with your project. JavaScript must be enabled for sign-in. Never send ACD your password.

2. Finding a project

Select a project card to open it. Use Find a project to search by project name, code or revision. On a phone, open the project options to reach the filters and sorting controls.

Choose All or Current package as needed. Use Favourites when that option appears after starring a project. Other filters appear when relevant. Sort by project code, project name or latest issue. Clear filters restores the directory selection.

Select a project's star to add or remove a favourite. Favourites and the last-opened project are device preferences, not a shared project register. They may be unavailable if browser storage is blocked; they do not synchronise between devices.

If no results match, clear the search or choose All. If no projects are listed, use Help and contact. Ask ACD if you expected a project.

3. Choosing the current issue

In Overview, look for the package marked Current. Read its revision, suitability and issue date before using it. Select Download package to open the linked package; expand its contents where available.

P identifies a preliminary revision, T a tender revision and C a construction revision. The revision letter alone is not permission to construct. Read the suitability shown on the actual package and confirm with ACD if the intended use is unclear.

Files issued separately means individual documents are published without a single package. Use Documents and check each row. If a project says No package issued yet or No drawings yet, do not assume that an older file is an approved replacement.

4. Documents and earlier revisions

Open Documents for individual published files. Search by number or title, then use any file-type or state filters shown. Each row keeps its own revision, suitability and issue date.

Latest revision only hides a file revision when a later revision of that reference is listed. You can deliberately clear it to inspect earlier files. Clear filters clears the search, file-type and state filters and restores the default, including Latest revision only. Check every row's state, revision and suitability: the latest listed row may still be superseded and is not automatically authorised for your intended use.

Open History for earlier package issues. A superseded file is kept for reference. A row marked Later revision listed has a newer revision in the published list. Use the current issue for the purpose permitted by its suitability.

5. Opening and downloading files

1. Select Open PDF or Open DWG for a document, or Download package for a package. It opens the linked file in a new tab.
2. Check the project reference, revision and date in the file itself.
3. Use the file service's download control if you need a local copy. Keep its published filename and revision together.

Google Drive may ask you to sign in or request access. Portal access and Google Drive access are separate. Use the Google account intended for the shared file; choose Request access, or ask ACD to share it with the correct account.

An expired transfer link, an email attachment note or an unlinked file needs ACD's help. Quote the project code and file reference. The portal does not create a replacement download automatically.

6. Sending a project question

Use Ask a question in Help and contact, or the project's question controls, to prepare a draft with the project and selected reference identified. Check the reference and revision, explain your question, then review the draft in your email application.

You must send the email yourself. Preparing or copying a question does not submit it to ACD. A draft may be saved on this device where browser storage is available. Do not rely on it as a sent-message record.

7. Latest updates

Latest updates reflects data published to the portal. Use Refresh updates when available. If the connection is interrupted, return to the project files and check again when online.

An update feed is not a live view of design work and is not an agreed programme. Use the actual package and document rows for revision and suitability information. Without JavaScript, use the published project files and history.

8. Password recovery and signing out

If you forget your password, use the password-recovery option in the sign-in window with your invited email address. Open the resulting recovery email and select Reset your password. If you did not request a reset, ignore that email.

Your session may remain signed in between visits. Select Sign out in the account navigation when finished, especially on a shared device. Closing a tab is not the same as signing out.

9. When something is missing

Expected project is absent

Check that you selected the correct workspace. Contact ACD with the project code if it is still missing.

Search returns no results

Clear the search and filters. Check Documents and History before asking for a replacement.

File cannot be opened

Check the invited portal account and the file service account separately. Quote the file reference and the message shown.

Session has expired

Sign in again with the invited email address, then reopen the project.

Use the portal's Help and contact section or your existing ACD project contact. Include the project code, file reference, revision and a description of the problem. Exclude passwords and invitation or recovery links.

This guide covers issued packages, documents and account use. Model Room operation is outside this guide's reviewed scope.