> For the complete user guide index, see [llms.txt](https://portraitresearch.com/documentation/llms.txt).

# Capabilities by surface

[Canonical page](https://portraitresearch.com/documentation/reference/capabilities-by-surface/)

## Applicability

- **Task:** Determine which surface supports a required capability
- **Access:** Portrait account; full Easel access for Slack, Teams, and linked-account email; separate approval for the email-only trial; full Easel access plus the Easel CLI bridge for Easel ask and session commands in CLI; account or administrator setup for some surfaces
- **Audience:** Portrait users and technical teams choosing where to work
- **Surfaces:** web; ios; slack; teams; email; cli; mcp
- **Availability:** Mixed by surface and account
- **Content type:** reference
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-10-08

Portrait surfaces expose different contracts. Do not infer that a capability available in the web app is also available on iOS, through MCP, or in an Easel bridge.

| Surface | Primary use | Material boundaries |
|---|---|---|
| Web app | Full research workspace | Broadest surface; beta and account-gated features still depend on access |
| iOS | Easel, Deep Research, Monitors, Companies, Screening, Inbox, and scheduled-task run history and answers | Create, edit, and run screens with the conversational filter builder; review company results, export CSV, and create a Project from the result set. Use web for manual filter controls and automatic-run schedules. Companies and company subpages are supported. Inbox opens Screening runs and Monitor items without a Project. General Scheduled Research creation/management, Mosaic, Charts, My Library, and Settings remain web workflows. Mobile Monitor source controls are narrower; Monitor **Pause/Resume** changes notification delivery rather than evaluation |
| Slack | Use Easel from a direct message or channel mention | Requires full Easel access, workspace installation, and a linked Portrait user; message formatting and file behaviour differ from the web app |
| Microsoft Teams | Use Easel from chat or a channel mention | Requires full Easel access plus organization or custom-app installation; Portrait cannot read arbitrary Teams files |
| Email | Use Easel from a linked email address or approved email-only trial | A linked product account requires full Easel access. The separate [email-only trial](https://portraitresearch.com/documentation/integrations/email-trial/) has no app login and its own message cap. Thread ownership, attachment, recipient, and size limits apply |
| CLI | Use Easel and selected file, Monitor, and session operations from a terminal | Easel `ask` and `sessions` require full Easel access, an account-enabled Easel CLI bridge, and OAuth; file and direct Monitor commands use their own access checks; `install-skill` is local; operational commands support JSON output when stdout is non-interactive |
| MCP | Give a compatible AI client selected Portrait data and workflow tools | Beta; no Easel or direct My Library browse/read tools. Deep Research can attach known My Library IDs and includes available company-associated My Library context. Document search excludes news; direct Third Bridge and FactSet documents are unavailable. Licensed-source text can be returned as a summary. OAuth rather than API keys |
| MCP inside Easel | Let an eligible Easel session use supported connected providers | Separate from external-client MCP; connect in web Settings and start or restart the session. BIA setup exists but its tools are not enabled. See [MCP inside Easel](https://portraitresearch.com/documentation/integrations/mcp-in-easel/) |
| Partner API | Read provisioned partner company, document, and generated-content data | Separate audience, scopes, organization entitlement, and schema; not the Easel API. See [Partner API](https://portraitresearch.com/documentation/integrations/partner-api/) |

## Web and iOS are not equivalent

Use the web app when a task needs the full workspace or configuration controls. Use iOS to continue supported research and review work. If a configuration option is absent on iOS, open the web app rather than assuming the account lacks access.

My Library's file organization, version history, direct workbook adjustments, and file-based **Schedule research** are web workflows with account and version-dependent controls. Viewing a workbook or scheduled answer through another surface does not establish those editing or task-management capabilities.

For mobile Monitor creation, open **Monitors → New monitor** when available, complete the form, and verify the saved Monitor in the list. If submission reports an uncertain result, check the list before retrying to avoid creating a duplicate. The Monitors list and current Inbox links can open updates and summaries for a Monitor without a Project.

For mobile Screening, open **Screening → New screen**, or open a saved screen and choose **Filters → Edit filters**. Confirm suggested additions and updates before choosing **Run screen**. See [Build a screen on iOS](https://portraitresearch.com/documentation/screening/build-with-ai-assistant/#build-or-edit-a-screen-on-ios). For Scheduled Research, opening a run's answer on mobile does not establish availability of the web task-management controls.

Deep Research has copy and PDF export controls on supported mobile report pages. Other export controls differ by surface; use [Research outputs and file formats](https://portraitresearch.com/documentation/reference/output-formats/) to choose a supported delivery path. Export options can differ by app version; use the web app if the required mobile control is absent.

## MCP and Easel bridges are different

Slack, Teams, email, and the CLI expose Easel through surface-specific bridges. MCP exposes a separate collection of Portrait tools to a connected AI client. Connecting Portrait MCP does not add Easel to that client.

Connecting a provider **inside Easel** is a separate account-gated workflow. Do not use the external-client limitation to conclude that Easel cannot use its supported MCP connections.

## Access has several layers

A surface can be generally available while a workflow, source, or usage bucket remains account-dependent. See [Availability and access](https://portraitresearch.com/documentation/reference/availability-and-access/) before diagnosing a missing option.

## Organization-provided portals

If your organization gives you a separate Portrait portal, follow the controls available in that portal. Its navigation and capabilities can differ from the main web app and depend on the deployed version and your access.

A portal that shows **Deep Research** or **Monitors** can provide readers for existing reports, Monitor updates, and their sources. Those readers do not imply controls to create or edit research, change a Monitor, or schedule work. Use the main Portrait app for those controls when your account has access; otherwise ask your account team which workflow your portal supports.

Where the reader offers **Copy** or **Download PDF**, select a readable completed report or update first. A generating report may not yet be exportable; preparing a PDF and downloading it are separate steps, and the download link expires. A missing item or an unavailable-content message can reflect access or an invalid link rather than deletion. Reopen the item from the portal list, refresh when appropriate, and sign in again if the portal reports an expired session. Do not guess another item's address or assume that a portal grant also enables every main-app feature.