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Sanne van Opstal-Brakel
Employee
Employee
March 31, 2026

Say hello to the new Self-Service Portal

Related products:Self-Service Portal
  • March 31, 2026
  • 60 replies
  • 2129 views

Update: June 15th 2026

Say hello to the new Self-Service Portal

We’re excited to share that the new Self-Service Portal (new SSP) is now available for all application managers. After months of development, testing, and gathering feedback, the new SSP is ready for you to explore and ready for your employees whenever you decide to switch it on.

The new SSP was built with one clear goal: make it easier for employees to quickly find what they need.
 

What the new SSP is

The Self-Service Portal should be the first place that employees go when something’s wrong or when they need to request something. And with today’s expectations for modern tools, the classic SSP no longer matched how users prefer to work.

That’s why we rebuilt it from the ground up.

The new SSP brings:

  • A cleaner, modern design

The interface feels lighter, clearer, and more intuitive even for users who rarely open the portal.

  • Improved navigation

Instead of searching through tiles or guessing where to click, users follow a clearer, more structured flow. It’s easier to discover services, forms, and knowledge items without digging.

  • A more user-friendly experience

The layout helps users focus on what matters: describing their needs and getting an answer. The new structure works better on all devices, supports accessibility improvements, and feels more like the tools people use in their day-to-day life.

  • A foundation for new capabilities

Some of our upcoming AI capabilities — like AI Search — are designed to work specifically with the new SSP layout and architecture. Switching to the new SSP means you're ready for what’s coming next.

 

You decide when to make it available to your users

From today onward, application managers can enable the new SSP whenever it suits their organization.

The new SSP is optional at launch. You can test it quietly with a small group, and open it up for everyone when you're ready.

When you enable it as your default SSP, all classic SSP links automatically redirect, including links inside email templates. No manual updates are needed.

 

A smooth transition

Not all SSP components have been fully redesigned yet. That means some pages will still be redirected to the classic Self-Service Portal. This is intentional and important:

  • Users never hit a dead end
  • All workflows stay functional
  • You can adopt the new SSP gradually, without risk

We’ll keep releasing improvements from now on until the entire flow is ready to stand on its own.

 

How to get started

You can enable the new SSP right now. Documentation and setup guidance will continue to expand over the coming updates.

 

What do you think?

Have you already enabled the new SSP in your environment? How are your users responding to the refreshed design and improved navigation? Share your experiences below!

 

FAQ

As we see a lot of similar questions about the new SSP we try to answer them all at the same time in this FAQ. 

Am I forced to switch?
No. Switching is optional, your current setup stays in place, and you can move back to the old portal at any time.
​​​​​​

What happens to my existing links when I switch?
When you enable the new SSP as your default, all classic SSP links redirect automatically, including links in email templates. No manual updates needed.
Note: some pages (such as reservations management) will still temporarily redirect to the classic SSP while the migration is in progress. Users will never hit a dead end.

What do I actually gain right now?
For your end users: a faster, clearer portal prominent search, quick links up top, and a clearer services overview. From the Engaged package onwards, this also unlocks access to AI Search.
 

Why is customization more limited, and how do I handle images in the new SSP?
We chose to release the new SSP early and in parts so you get new features sooner. The SSP Designer still runs on the older version, so options for adjusting layout, tile sizes, and branding are more limited today expanding it is something we're working on.

In the meantime, images behave differently in the new SSP: they're responsive and cropped rather than scaled, so images from your old setup may not transfer cleanly. The recommended sizes are 300×200 or 200×200 px for tiles and 2784×480 px for banners (keep essential content centered, as edges may crop on smaller screens). Knowledge item KI 19224 has the full details.

Before switching, we recommend reviewing the Update Guide — it helps you assess whether the new SSP already fits your organization's needs.

Does my feedback go anywhere?
Yes, it's directly setting the order of what we build next. Submit via the feedback button inside the new SSP, or via TIP.


 

60 replies

Robin Noppert
Contributor
June 16, 2026

Our goal is to go live on the first of july, we are a bit scared about the look and feel, with the same reasons as given by others, the resolution and centering seems off… but we are looking foreward to it! (and hope there will be a new editor soon hehe)

Groetjes en een fijne werkdag, Robin
New Member ⭐⭐⭐
June 19, 2026

We will wait; this version is far from what we expect from TOPdesk. This would be a decrease in level of maturity or professionalism in my opinion. 
Too many little issues and you need a SSP Designer active first, so that you can tweak it like you can with the current version. 

Magne B.
Explorer ⭐⭐
June 22, 2026

 Alongside the release, we published an Update Guide to help you make an informed decision about whether the new SSP is ready to set as the default for your organization.

 

The link doesn’t seem to work, ​@Simon Rupp 

 

Sanne van Opstal-Brakel
Employee
Employee
June 22, 2026

@Magne B. thanks for flagging this, unfortunately for us the URL has been updated again. 
This is the correct URL now https://docs.topdesk.com/en/update-guide.html 

Sanne van Opstal-Brakel, your TOPdesk Community Fairy Godmother
Sanne van Opstal-Brakel
Employee
Employee
June 22, 2026

Helaas vind ik het geen verbetering in z'n totaal:

Op een standaard laptopscherm met een resolutie van 1920 x 1200 zie ik slechts 1 rijtje tegels op de hoofdpagina. Op een 4K scherm met een resolutie van 3840 x 2160 zie ik dan wel 3 rijen tegels maar zie ik weer aan beide zijkanten 20% witruimte (daarmee is 40% van mijn scherm leeg).  Hebben de ontwerpers het effect in beide situaties bekeken? 

Zoals hierboven al gemeld volstaan de plaatjes uit de huidige versie niet meer. Daarmee moet ik al mijn plaatjes aanpassen/vernieuwen/bijsnijden?

Ook ik vind de weergave van ons bedrijfslogo te klein.

Het zoekvenster beslaat circa 1/3 van het scherm.  Het zoekvenster zou van mij wel helemaal weg mogen en de optie zoeken zou prima in de tekstkeuze balk boven aan kunnen. Dat levert een 2e rij tegels op. 

Heb ik de mogelijkheid om mijn huidige versie te publiceren terwijl ik een nieuwe versie ontwerp in mijn productieversie? Want van test naar productie overzetten kan niet (toch?) 

De menubalk bovenaan is ook geen verbetering:  het woord ‘aanvragen’ slaat de plank mis. Ik zou daar liever lezen:  Mijn verzoeken. Kun je zelf de tekst van deze woorden aanpassen? Kun je ook keuzes weglaten, want wij werken niet met goedkeuringen.

Daarnaast moet je nu moeite doe om verstoringen aan te klikken.  Ik vond het juist zo mooi dat je bij het openen van de SSP direct de headlines kon lezen van nieuws en storingen.

 

Unfortunately, I do not consider it an overall improvement:

On a standard laptop screen with a resolution of 1920 x 1200, I see only 1 row of tiles on the main page. On a 4K screen with a resolution of 3840 x 2160, I do see 3 rows of tiles, but I see 20% white space on both sides (meaning 40% of my screen is empty). Have the designers examined the effect in both situations?

As mentioned above, the images from the current version are no longer sufficient. Does this mean I have to adjust/refresh/crop all my images?

I also think the display of our company logo is too small.

The search window takes up approximately 1/3 of the screen. I would prefer the search window to be removed entirely, and the search option could easily be placed in the text selection bar at the top. That would result in a 2nd row of tiles.

Do I have the option to publish my current version while I design a new version in my production version? Because transferring from test to production isn't possible (right?)

The menu bar at the top isn't an improvement either: the word ‘requests’ misses the mark. I would prefer to read: My requests. Can you adjust the text of these words yourself? Can you also omit choices, because we don't work with approvals.

Additionally, you now have to go to the trouble of clicking on outages. I actually thought it was so nice that you could read the headlines of news and outages immediately upon opening the SSP.




Hi ​@Marcel_B,
 

Thank you for taking the time to share such detailed feedback, we genuinely appreciate it.

The new Self-Service Portal was designed based on extensive UX research, usability testing, and input from a wide range of TOPdesk customers. The decisions behind the layout, navigation, search placement, and visual structure were deliberate and grounded in that research. That doesn't mean every choice will feel like an improvement for every organization straight away, and we understand that.

To address a few of your points directly:

  • Screen resolution & whitespace: the design is optimized for a range of common screen sizes and resolutions. Different display setups may result in a different experience.
  • Images: the new SSP handles images differently: they're responsive and cropped rather than scaled, so images from your previous setup may not transfer cleanly. The recommended sizes are 300×200 or 200×200 px for tiles and 2784×480 px for banners (keep essential content centred, as edges may crop on smaller screens). The Update Guide is a great place to start, and Knowledge Item KI 19224 has the full details.
  • Customizable labels and layout: we released the new SSP early and in parts so customers get new features sooner. This means the SSP Designer still runs on the older version, so options for adjusting layout, tile sizes, branding, and labels are more limited today. We cannot make promises about what will become customizable in the future.
  • Publishing a current version while designing a new one: we recommend using a test environment to trial the new SSP before switching over in production.
  • Outages and news visibility: we understand the appeal of having that information immediately visible. If you'd like to see this surface more prominently in a future version, we'd encourage you to submit a TIP so it reaches the right team.

For all specific feedback and feature requests, the best place to share these is via the feedback button in the SSP itself, or by submitting a TIP. That ensures your input reaches the right people and gets properly tracked.

The community is a great place to share experiences and learn from each other, for direct product influence, TIP is the way to go

Sanne van Opstal-Brakel, your TOPdesk Community Fairy Godmother
Joost Oostindie
Contributor
June 22, 2026

@Sanne van Opstal-Brakel I saw the link you mentioned for the update guide was not working, this is the correct one: Update guide

Joost mag het weten, jij ook!
Christiaan Fousert
Contributor
July 6, 2026

Our goal is to go live on the first of july, we are a bit scared about the look and feel, with the same reasons as given by others, the resolution and centering seems off… but we are looking foreward to it! (and hope there will be a new editor soon hehe)

Ik vroeg me af of jullie al live zijn met de nieuwe SSP en wat je ervaringen er mee zijn.

Anneke Ligthart
Explorer ⭐⭐⭐
July 30, 2026

Goedemorgen,

Na verdieping in de informatie vanuit TOPdesk, de Updategids en de reacties op de Community hebben wij de conclusie getrokken om voorlopig nog niet over te gaan naar de nieuwe SSP.

Op hoofdlijnen zijn onze bevindingen:

* De nieuwe SSP is nog volop in ontwikkeling. De SSP Designer biedt op dit moment nog niet alle mogelijkheden om de omgeving volledig aan te passen aan de huisstijl en wensen van VRNHN.
* Er zijn nog functionele beperkingen en wijzigingen ten opzichte van de huidige SSP, bijvoorbeeld rondom het persoonlijke profiel, zoekfunctionaliteit, tegelindeling en bepaalde gebruikersacties.
* Er is nog onvoldoende inzicht in de impact op onze huidige inrichting, documentatie, kennisitems, koppelingen en communicatie richting gebruikers.
* De nieuwe SSP vraagt om een uitgebreide controle van de huidige content, afbeeldingen, tegels en diensten om te bepalen of deze goed worden weergegeven.
* De nieuwe SSP moet eerst getest worden door Functioneel Beheer en de key users.

Er is op dit moment geen deadline voor de overstap heb ik begrepen, waardoor wij ervoor kiezen om dit rustig aan te pakken. Na de zomer zal ik de ontwikkelingen verder volgen via de Updategids en de Community

Wanneer de SSP Designer verder is ontwikkeld en er meer duidelijkheid is over de mogelijkheden en impact, bepalen we opnieuw wanneer een overstap voor VRNHN passend is.

Sanne van Opstal-Brakel
Employee
Employee
September 4, 2026

We are currently working on the breadcrumbs in the new SSP and I wanted to share an update about it: 

 

Sanne van Opstal-Brakel, your TOPdesk Community Fairy Godmother
New Member ⭐
September 17, 2026

We hebben er even een blik op geworpen maar (zoals door meerdere mensen aangegeven): heel veel plaatjes / knoppen worden niet goed weergegeven in de nieuwe SSP. Verder hebben we gezocht naar de instelling om de taal om te zetten (in onze instelling hebben we alles 2-talig ingericht), deze instelling lijkt (nog?) niet in de nieuwe SSP te zitten, waardoor je naar de ‘oude’ SSP moet om de taal om te zetten. Of hebben we niet goed gekeken? Voor ons nu een no-go om verder te gaan, deze instelling is redelijk basaal, en dit moet gewoon in de nieuwe SSP zitten, anders gaat dat voor verwarring zorgen.