A method for operating a portal system includes providing a first instruction that is operable to cause the portal system to behave in a first way. A second instruction that is operable to cause the portal system to behave in a second way is provided. A first condition is defined using an editor. The first condition is associated with the first instruction. A request from a client system is received at the portal system for a session to access the portal system, the request being associated with given user information. Whether or not the first condition is satisfied is determined using the user information associated with the request. The portal system is caused to behave in the first way according to the first instruction if the first condition is satisfied, wherein the portal system behaves in the first way for the entire session.