Overview

There is no separate "partner account type" on Human Cloud. Any user with a standard HC account can become a partner when a buyer organization invites them. The partner role is defined by having one or more active delegations, not by an account setting.

How to Get Started as a Partner

Step 1: Have a Human Cloud Account

Partners need a standard Human Cloud account. If the partner doesn't have one when they're invited, there are two paths:

Partner already has an account: The invitation is linked to their existing account via their email address. They'll see the invitation the next time they log in.

Partner doesn't have an account: A stub user record is created when the buyer sends the invitation. When the partner clicks the invitation link and signs up, the stub is linked to their new account automatically. No manual setup required.

Step 2: Accept an Invitation

Once invited by a buyer organization, the partner receives:

An in-app notification — visible in the HC notification center
An invitation email — sent to the email address the buyer used when inviting

The email includes:

Who invited them (the buyer organization name)
What permissions they'll have (shortlists, briefs, notes)
A call-to-action button: "Accept Invitation"

Clicking the button takes the partner to Human Cloud where they can accept the invitation. If they're not logged in, they'll be prompted to log in or create an account first.

Step 3: Start Working

After accepting, the partner is immediately active. They can:

Access the Partner Dashboard — shows all buyer organizations they partner with
Switch between buyer contexts using the Partner Switcher dropdown in the header
Create shortlists, send briefs, and add notes for the buyer organization (based on their granted permissions)

The Partner Dashboard

The Partner Dashboard is the partner's home base. It shows:

Active Buyer Accounts

A card grid of all buyer organizations the partner has active delegations with. Each card displays:

Buyer organization name and logo
Granted permissions (Shortlists, Briefs, Notes)
Quick action buttons (Create Shortlist, Start RFP, Send Brief)

Pending Invitations

Any invitations the partner hasn't accepted yet, with Accept and Decline buttons.

Working in a Buyer's Workspace

When a partner enters a buyer's workspace (by clicking on a buyer card or using the Partner Switcher), they see the same workspace interface that buyers see — shortlists, briefs, saved solutions — but scoped to that buyer's organization and filtered by the partner's permissions.

Key differences from the buyer's own view:

Feature	Behavior in Partner Mode
Shortlists	Partner-created shortlists start as drafts. A "Publish" action makes them visible to the buyer.
Briefs	Partners can create and send briefs/RFIs on behalf of the buyer.
Notes	Partners can add personal notes (only they see) or shared notes (buyer also sees).
Tabs without permission	Tabs for capabilities the partner doesn't have are hidden entirely.
"Acting as" banner	A persistent banner at the top confirms which buyer organization the partner is managing.

Managing Multiple Buyer Relationships

Partners can work with multiple buyer organizations simultaneously. Each delegation is independent:

Different permissions per buyer (e.g., full shortlist + brief access for one, notes-only for another)
Different identity modes per buyer (transparent for one, as-buyer for another)
Different data visibility per buyer

The Partner Switcher dropdown makes it easy to jump between buyer contexts without logging out or switching accounts.

Account vs. Role

To summarize the distinction:

Account — A standard Human Cloud user account. Created via normal signup. One per person.
Partner role — Defined by having active delegations. Not a permanent account attribute. Granted when invited, removed when revoked.
A user can be both — A user can have their own buyer organization (My Cloud) AND be a partner for other organizations (Partner Cloud). These are separate workspaces with separate data.