An application portal selectively provides a user selective access to data. A data access layer is included in the portal and includes a map associating the user with a permission and further associating a combination of the user and the permission with a data entity, whereby it may be determined whether the user is permitted to access data identified with the data entity. A data stage included in the portal selectively undergoes a synchronization with a remote data store, the synchronization providing data access information that is used to update the map.