PLS 1: System Navigation & Core Concepts – Housing.Cloud Help Center

Overview

Product Learning Session 1 (PLS-1) provides comprehensive training on navigating the Housing.Cloud admin portal and understanding core system concepts. This session builds the foundation you need to confidently use all features throughout the platform.

Who this is for: All admin users—housing directors, residence life staff, operations teams, and anyone who will use the admin portal regularly.

What you'll learn: How to navigate the admin portal, use tables and detail pages effectively, manage profiles and inventory, and leverage the system's hierarchical structure for efficient housing management.

Total time to complete: 90-120 minutes (or complete modules individually at your own pace)

Session Modules

PLS-1 is broken into focused modules that you can complete individually or as part of the full session. Each module builds on the previous one.

PLS-1A: Logging In and Basic System Navigation

Learn how to access the admin portal using SSO authentication, understand the dashboard layout with Overview and Calendar tabs, and troubleshoot common login issues. Covers universal search, user settings, and what to do if you see limited navigation after login.

Key concepts: Admin portal URL format, SSO authentication, Dashboard widgets, role-based navigation visibility

Time: 10-15 minutes

Go to PLS-1A

PLS-1B: Navigating the Admin Portal

Understand the navigation sidebar and all the main sections available: Dashboard, Profiles, Applications, Residents, Inventory, Student Staff, Tasks, Communications, Events, Finance, Reports, and Setup. Learn how Inventory and Setup subsections help you get to specific areas quickly, and how permission-based visibility controls what you see.

Key concepts: Navigation structure, Inventory and Setup subsections, permission-based visibility, mobile navigation, keyboard shortcuts

Time: 15-20 minutes

Go to PLS-1B

PLS-1D: Quick Search

Master Quick Search—your fastest way to find students, rooms, tasks, and more without navigating through menus. Learn the Cmd/Ctrl+K keyboard shortcut, how to perform actions directly on search results, and how to use navigation shortcuts to jump instantly to any admin section.

Key concepts: Keyboard shortcuts, resource search, contextual actions, navigation shortcuts

Time: 10-15 minutes

Go to PLS-1D

PLS-1E: Working with Tables, Filters, and Bulk Actions

Understand the consistent design patterns used throughout the admin portal: tables with sorting and filtering, clickable blue underlined names, detail page structure with breadcrumbs and section tabs, bulk actions, and export functionality.

Key concepts: Tables, filters, saved views, bulk actions, export functionality

Time: 20-25 minutes

Go to PLS-1E

PLS-1F: Navigating Tables and Detail Views

Learn the core navigation pattern used everywhere in Housing.Cloud: start with a list view, click a name to see details, use breadcrumbs to navigate back. This pattern applies to profiles, residents, applications, inventory, and all other sections.

Key concepts: Table-to-detail navigation, clickable blue underlined names, breadcrumb usage, section tabs on detail pages

Time: 10-15 minutes

Go to PLS-1F

PLS-1G: Understanding Inventory Hierarchy

Learn how Housing.Cloud organizes inventory in a hierarchical structure from Building → Suite → Room → Bed → Furniture. Understand how to drill down through levels, use breadcrumbs to navigate back up, and jump directly to any level using the Inventory subsections.

Key concepts: Inventory hierarchy, hierarchical navigation, detail pages at every level

Time: 15-20 minutes

Go to PLS-1G

Learning Path

We recommend completing the modules in order:

Each module takes 10-25 minutes to complete. You can complete them all in one session or spread them across multiple days.

Hands-On Practice

After completing the conceptual modules, reinforce your learning with hands-on exercises:

PLS-1 Self-Guided Practice: Mastering Admin Portal Navigation

Complete structured exercises in your sandbox environment to practice logging in, navigating menus, using Quick Search, working with tables, and exploring the inventory hierarchy. Includes checkpoints, troubleshooting scenarios, and a final comprehensive challenge.

Time: 60-90 minutes

Key Takeaways

After completing PLS-1, you'll understand:

How to navigate between all sections of the admin portal using the sidebar
How Inventory and Setup subsections help you access specific areas quickly
The list-to-detail pattern that appears everywhere in the system
How to use breadcrumbs to navigate hierarchical structures efficiently
How Quick Search accelerates your workflow with keyboard shortcuts and instant navigation
The inventory hierarchy from buildings down to individual furniture items
How to work with tables, filters, saved views, and bulk actions
How permission-based visibility controls what you see and can do

Foundation for success: Mastering these navigation fundamentals will make every other Housing.Cloud task easier. Users who complete PLS-1 report significantly higher confidence and efficiency when working in the admin portal.

What's Next

After completing PLS-1, continue with:

PLS-2: Managing Your Housing Data—Learn how to work with profiles, applications, residents, inventory, and tags
PLS-3: Forms & Application Configuration—Build application forms and configure housing cycles
PLS-4: Managing Housing Assignments—Master manual assignment, auto-assignment, rulesets, and occupancy reporting

Getting Help

If you encounter issues while completing PLS-1:

Review specific modules: Revisit the module article that covers the concept you're struggling with
Ask your implementation team: Bring questions to your next training session or office hours
Contact Housing.Cloud support: Submit a ticket if you encounter technical issues or need clarification

When contacting support, include:

Which PLS-1 module you were working on
The specific step or concept that's unclear
Screenshots of what you see vs. what you expected
Your role and permissions in the system