---
title: "1.2 Overview of Application Configuration: Gateway"
slug: "12-overview-of-application-configuration-gateway-1"
updated: 2026-10-29T17:05:25Z
published: 2026-10-29T17:05:25Z
canonical: "wiki.cobblestonesoftware.com/12-overview-of-application-configuration-gateway-1"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://wiki.cobblestonesoftware.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# 1.2 Overview of Application Configuration: Gateway

**COBBLESTONE SOFTWARE**

Contract Insight — User Guide

**1.2 Overview of Application Configuration: Gateway**

*Module: Vendor/Client Gateway › Step 1: Vendor/Client Gateway Configuration › 1.2 Overview of Application Configuration: Gateway*

**Note:** Each procedure in this guide begins at the Contract Insight homepage, so any section can be followed on its own. Custom fields are configurable, so the exact field list on a contract category record may vary between environments.

# 1. Overview

Gateway configuration lives under **Administration → Vendor/Client Gateway (VCG)**: “The portal vendors and clients sign in to, and what they can see and do.” The page has five tabs: **Settings** for the Gateway's behavior toggles and content blocks, **Sign-in** for the Gateway login method and multifactor authentication, **Fields** for which fields the Gateway shows per area and record type, **Record tags** for the values shown across the top of a Gateway record, and **Sign-up forms** for the self-registration forms a new company can use.

# 2. Key Elements

- **Administration → Gateways & Portals → Vendor/Client Gateway (VCG)** is the single entry point.
- **Settings** groups its items under **Access**, **Content**, **Emails**, **General**, **Initial Setup**, **Notification**, and **Surveys**. Items marked **Managed by CobbleStone** can only be changed by CobbleStone support.
- **Discard** and **Save changes** sit at the top of the page. Changed items are marked **Changed** with an **Undo** link until you save.
- On the **Fields** and **Record tags** tabs, “Every change here saves as you make it.”
- **Sign-in** sets the **VCG Login Method** (Standard or Simplified) and links to **Multifactor authentication for Gateway users**.

# 3. Navigating to the Gateway Configuration

1. From the Contract Insight homepage, click the **Administration** icon at the bottom of the left navigation bar.
2. In **Search administration**, type **gateway** (or scroll to the **Gateways & Portals** category).
3. Click **Vendor/Client Gateway (VCG)**.

![Administration search showing Vendor/Client Gateway](https://cdn.document360.io/e3626857-1fb5-4e27-b278-2d3fc5508be4/Images/Documentation/01_admin_search(3).png)

# 4. Settings Tab

## 4a. Changing Settings

1. On the **Settings** tab, find the setting under its heading (Access, Content, Emails, General, Initial Setup, Notification, or Surveys).
2. Change it with its toggle, dropdown, or text box. For example, **Allow submission of Contract Requests** sets the authentication level vendors need to submit requests.
3. Click **Save changes** at the top of the page, or **Discard** to throw away unsaved changes.

![Gateway Settings tab](https://cdn.document360.io/e3626857-1fb5-4e27-b278-2d3fc5508be4/Images/Documentation/02_settings_tab.png)

## 4b. Editing Content Blocks

Content settings (such as the **Confidentiality Message**, **Welcome Page Content**, and **Help Page Content**) are edited in a rich-text editor. Shorter values, such as page titles and numbers, are typed directly into their box.

1. Click **Edit content** beside the setting.

![Settings content blocks with Edit content](https://cdn.document360.io/e3626857-1fb5-4e27-b278-2d3fc5508be4/Images/Documentation/03_settings_content.png)

1. Edit the text in the panel that opens, then click **Close**.

![Content editor panel](https://cdn.document360.io/e3626857-1fb5-4e27-b278-2d3fc5508be4/Images/Documentation/04_edit_content.png)

1. The setting is marked **Changed**. Click **Undo** to revert it, or **Save changes** at the top of the page to keep it.

![Changed setting with Undo](https://cdn.document360.io/e3626857-1fb5-4e27-b278-2d3fc5508be4/Images/Documentation/05_changed_undo.png)

**Note:** Opening a content block in the editor can mark it **Changed** even if you didn't edit it. If you only meant to look, click **Undo** before saving.

# 5. Sign-in Tab

1. Click the **Sign-in** tab.
2. Under **Gateway Login Method**, choose the **VCG Login Method**: **Standard** or **Simplified**.
3. If a warning lists contacts that share a sign-in name, Simplified sign-in can't be turned on until each has a name of their own. Click **Give each a name of their own** to rename them. Each person with an email address is emailed their new name.
4. Click **Multifactor authentication for Gateway users** to set up a second sign-in step.

![Gateway Sign-in tab](https://cdn.document360.io/e3626857-1fb5-4e27-b278-2d3fc5508be4/Images/Documentation/06_signin_tab.png)

## 5a. Multifactor Authentication for Gateway Users

1. Turn on **Require a second step at sign-in**. When it's off, nothing else on the screen has any effect.
2. Under **How people are verified**, tick one or more of **Email a code**, **Text a code**, **Text, then email**, or **Email, then text**.
3. Under **The verification code**, set the **Length** and character options (**Capitals only**, **Letters only**, **Digits only**, **Easy to read**).
4. Under **The email that carries the code**, click **Edit message**. The message must contain **###VERIFICATION_CODE###**; leave it empty to use the built-in message.
5. Click **Save** at the top of the page.

![Multifactor authentication for Gateway users](https://cdn.document360.io/e3626857-1fb5-4e27-b278-2d3fc5508be4/Images/Documentation/07_mfa.png)

# 6. Fields Tab

1. Click the **Fields** tab.
2. Choose an **Area** (for example, **Contract Details**, **Contract Requests**, or a sub-table), then a **Record Type**. Each area and record type has its own Gateway field set.
3. Under **On the Gateway**, tick **Search**, **Add**, **Edit**, and **Required** for each field, and drag rows to reorder them.
4. Click **« Add** beside a field under **Not shown** to add it, or use **Add every field** / **Remove all fields**.
5. To reuse another type's setup, choose it under **Start from another type** and click **Copy its fields here** (this replaces the current fields).
6. Use the **Requests they can raise** tab to choose which requests Gateway users can raise from this record type.

![Gateway Fields tab](https://cdn.document360.io/e3626857-1fb5-4e27-b278-2d3fc5508be4/Images/Documentation/08_fields_tab.png)

**Note:** Changes on this tab save as you make them. The “Worth including” line lists fields that help Gateway users identify a record.

# 7. Record Tags Tab

1. Click the **Record tags** tab.
2. Choose an **Area** (Contracts, Requests, Vendors / customers, or Employees) and a **Record Type**. **Default (every type)** applies to every record type that has no tags of its own.
3. Pick the field for each numbered tag, click **Add a tag** to add one, or click the trash icon to remove one. **Standard tags** resets to the standard set.

![Gateway Record tags tab](https://cdn.document360.io/e3626857-1fb5-4e27-b278-2d3fc5508be4/Images/Documentation/09_record_tags.png)

**Note:** Changes on this tab save as you make them.

# 8. Sign-up Forms Tab

1. Click the **Sign-up forms** tab. Each form is listed with what it **Creates**, its **Steps** and **Fields**, and whether it is offered **On the Gateway**.
2. Click **Add form** to create one, or **Open** to edit an existing form.

![Gateway Sign-up forms list](https://cdn.document360.io/e3626857-1fb5-4e27-b278-2d3fc5508be4/Images/Documentation/10_signup_forms.png)

1. On the form, enter a **Name** and **Description**, then add steps with **Add a step** and blocks with **Add a block**.
2. For each block, add fields from **Available** with **« Add**, and set **required** and **unique** for each field on the form.
3. When the form is ready, turn on **Offer this form on the Gateway**.

![Sign-up form editor](https://cdn.document360.io/e3626857-1fb5-4e27-b278-2d3fc5508be4/Images/Documentation/11_signup_form_detail.png)

**Note:** A form must include a block that fills in company contacts. Without one, people who register would have no way to sign in, and the Gateway won't offer the form.

# 9. Quick Reference Summary

| Task | How to Complete It |
| --- | --- |
| Open Gateway configuration | Administration → search “gateway” → **Vendor/Client Gateway (VCG)**. |
| Change a Gateway setting | **Settings** tab → change the value → **Save changes**. |
| Edit Gateway page text | **Settings** → **Edit content** → edit → **Close** → **Save changes**. |
| Change the Gateway login method | **Sign-in** tab → **VCG Login Method**. |
| Set up Gateway MFA | **Sign-in** → **Multifactor authentication for Gateway users**. |
| Choose fields the Gateway shows | **Fields** tab → Area → Record Type → tick or add fields. |
| Set record tags | **Record tags** tab → Area → Record Type → pick tags. |
| Build a sign-up form | **Sign-up forms** → **Add form** or **Open** → steps, blocks, fields → **Offer this form on the Gateway**. |