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

Overview

This article shows you the everyday tools you'll use to find, organize, and manage data in the admin portal —from searching and filtering to bulk actions and exports.

What you'll learn: How to find what you need using tables and search, save time with filters and bulk actions, and export data for reports.

Time to complete: 20-25 minutes

 

Tables: Your Main View of Everything

Most sections in the admin portal show information in tables—rows and columns just like a spreadsheet. These tables let you view multiple records at once, search for specific items, filter down to what you need, and take action.

Every table has the same basic parts:

• Column headers at the top tell you what information each column shows
• Rows below show individual records (students, applications, rooms, etc.)
• Clickable names (blue and underlined) let you view full details for individual records
• Search box helps you find specific records quickly
• Filter button lets you narrow down what you see
• Action buttons like "Add New" or "Export" sit above the table
• Checkboxes on the left let you select multiple items to work with at once

Learn once, use everywhere: Once you know how to search and filter in the Profiles section, you already know how to do it in Residents, Applications, Inventory, and every other section. The system works the same way throughout.

 

Searching: Find Specific Records Fast

Nearly every table has a search box at the top. Just start typing and the table shows only matching records— no need to scroll through hundreds of rows.

What you can search for:

• In Profiles: name, email, or student ID
• In Residents: name, student ID, or room number
• In Inventory: building name, room number, or bed number
• In Tasks: task title, description, or task number

The table updates automatically as you type. Clear the search box to see everything again.

 

Filtering: Narrow Down to Exactly What You Need

When you need more than just search, use filters to show only records that match specific criteria.

How to Use Filters

1. Click the Filter button (usually near the search box)
2. A panel opens showing available filter options
3. Select your criteria (like class year, housing cycle, or status)
4. The table immediately updates to show only matching records
5. Add more filters to narrow results further
6. Click "Clear Filters" to remove all filters and see everything

Common Filter Types

Dropdowns: Pick from a list (Example: Class Year → First-year, Sophomore, Junior, Senior)

Date pickers: Choose date ranges (Example: applications submitted in the last 30 days)

Tags: Filter by labels you've assigned (Example: show only students tagged "Student-Athlete")

Status: Filter by where something is in the process (Example: Applications with status "Submitted")

Saved Views: Your Personal Shortcuts

When you use the same filters repeatedly, save them so you don't have to rebuild them every time.

1. Apply your filters
2. Click Save View
3. Give it a name you'll remember (like "First-Year Athletes" or "Fall 2024 - Pending Approval")
4. Click Save

Now you can select that view from a dropdown menu anytime—one click and your filters are applied.

Time saver: Instead of clicking "Class Year: First-year" AND "Tags: Student-Athlete" every time, save it as "First-Year Athletes" and apply it in one click.

 

Bulk Actions: Work with Multiple Records at Once

Bulk actions let you do the same thing to many records at once instead of editing them one by one—a huge time saver.

How Bulk Actions Work

1. Find the checkboxes on the left side of each table row
2. Click the checkbox next to each record you want to include
3. Or click the checkbox in the header to select all visible records at once
4. A Bulk Actions menu appears at the top of the table
5. Pick the action you want
6. Confirm in the dialog box
7. The system processes everything you selected

What You Can Do with Bulk Actions

Working with Profiles:

• Add or remove tags from multiple students
• Export selected profiles
• Send messages to selected students

Working with Applications:

• Approve many applications at once
• Deny multiple applications
• Auto-assign housing to approved applicants
• Add or remove tags

Working with Residents:

• Cancel multiple residencies
• Check in or check out multiple residents
• Roll over residents to a new housing cycle
• Assign residents to move-in time slots
• Send messages or forms to multiple residents

Working with Inventory:

• Update room or bed status for multiple items (In Service, Blocked, Out of Service)
• Change room types for multiple rooms
• Add tags to multiple rooms or beds

Be careful: Some bulk actions cannot be undone (like canceling residencies). Always double-check what you've selected before confirming.

 

Exporting Data: Get Your Information into Excel

Nearly every table has an Export button that downloads what you're viewing as a spreadsheet (CSV or Excel format).

How to Export

1. Use filters or search to show only the data you want
2. Click the Export button
3. Choose the file format if asked (CSV or Excel)
4. Wait a few seconds while the system generates your file
5. Your browser downloads the file automatically

What you get:

• All the columns you can see in the table
• Only records that match your current filters or search
• Sometimes just the records you selected with checkboxes

Pro tip: Filter first, then export. For example, filter to "Fall 2024 + Status: Submitted" before exporting applications—you'll get exactly the data you need without extra cleanup.

Common Reasons to Export

• Reports: Create resident lists for your director or finance team
• Analysis: Analyze application responses in Excel or Google Sheets
• Sharing: Share student contact lists with other departments
• Backups: Download data before making big changes
• Printing: Format data for printed reports or mailings

 

Customizing Your View

Make tables work the way you work—the system remembers your preferences.

Resizing Columns

Hover between two column headers until you see a double-headed arrow, then click and drag to make columns wider or narrower.

Reordering Columns

In some tables, you can drag column headers left or right to rearrange them. The system remembers your order for next time.

Showing or Hiding Columns

Look for a columns button (often a grid icon or "Columns" menu). Click it to check or uncheck which columns you want to see.

Your settings stay with you: Your column preferences save to your account. Other admins can set up tables their own way without affecting yours.

 

Sorting: Organize Information Your Way

Click any column header to sort the table by that column:

• First click: Sort A-Z, 0-9, or oldest to newest
• Second click: Sort Z-A, 9-0, or newest to oldest
• Third click: Return to the default order

Some tables let you sort by multiple columns—hold Shift while clicking additional headers.

 

Pagination and Scrolling

Tables with lots of records show them in manageable chunks to keep things fast:

Pagination: Shows a set number of rows per page (like 25, 50, or 100) with page numbers at the bottom to move between pages.

Infinite scrolling: Loads more records automatically as you scroll down. Keep scrolling to see more, or use filters to narrow results.

 

Putting It All Together: A Real Example

Here's how you'd use these tools for a typical task:

Goal: Find all first-year students who applied for Fall 2024 housing but haven't been approved yet, then approve them all at once.

1. Click Applications in the sidebar
2. Click Filter
3. Select Cycle: "Fall 2024"
4. Select Status: "Submitted"
5. Select Class Year: "First-year"
6. Click Save View and name it "Fall 2024 First-Years - Pending"
7. Review the list to make sure these are the right applications
8. Click the checkbox in the header to select all applications
9. Click Bulk Actions → Approve Applications
10. Confirm
11. Done—all selected applications are now approved

This workflow uses everything covered in this article: tables, filters, saved views, bulk actions, and checkboxes.

 

Viewing Individual Records

Once you've used search and filters to find what you need, you can click blue underlined names to view complete details for individual records. Detail pages show comprehensive information including tabs, history, and actions—far more than what fits in a table row.

 

What's Next

Continue your Product Learning Session 1 journey:

• PLS-1F: Navigating Tables and Detail Views—Learn how clicking names takes you to detail pages and how to navigate back
• PLS-1G: Understanding Inventory Hierarchy—See how the system organizes buildings, rooms, beds, and furniture
• Complete PLS-1: Product Learning Session 1: System Navigation & Core Concepts