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

Overview

This self-guided practice guide helps you master the foundational navigation skills taught in Product Learning Session 1. Complete these hands-on exercises in your sandbox environment to build confidence navigating the Housing.Cloud admin portal before advancing to more complex configuration tasks.

Who this is for: All admin users completing PLS-1 training—housing directors, residence life staff, operations teams, and anyone new to the admin portal.

What you'll practice: Logging in, navigating primary and secondary menus, using Quick Search, working with tables and detail pages, understanding the list-to-detail pattern, and exploring the inventory hierarchy.

Time required: 60-90 minutes

Companion resources:

Before You Begin

Ensure you have:

  • Sandbox access: Login credentials for your institution's sandbox environment (yourschool.housing.cloud/admin)

  • Admin permissions: At least read access to Profiles, Applications, Residents, and Inventory sections

  • Sample data: Your sandbox should contain test student profiles, buildings, and rooms

  • Notebook or document: For recording your observations and questions

Pro Tip: Complete these exercises sequentially—each builds on skills from the previous one. Take screenshots as you go to document your progress and reference later.

Exercise Set 1: Logging In and Exploring the Dashboard

Related Module: PLS-1A: Logging In and Basic System Navigation

Time: 10-15 minutes

1.1 Access the Admin Portal

  1. Open your browser and navigate to your sandbox admin portal: yourschool.housing.cloud/admin (replace "yourschool" with your institution's subdomain)

  2. Log in using your SSO credentials or email/password

  3. Observe the landing page—you should see the Dashboard with two tabs: Overview and Calendar

  4. Document: Which tab opens by default? What widgets do you see on the Overview tab?

1.2 Explore Dashboard Widgets

  1. On the Overview tab, identify at least three widgets (examples: Recent Applications, Occupancy Summary, Open Tasks)

  2. Click on a widget to see if it navigates you to a detailed view

  3. Use your browser's back button to return to the Dashboard

  4. Document: List the widgets you see. Do they display real-time data or static placeholders?

1.3 Switch Between Dashboard Tabs

  1. Click the Calendar tab

  2. Observe the calendar view—what events or milestones are displayed?

  3. Click the Overview tab to return to the widget view

  4. Document: What types of events appear on the Calendar tab? (Examples: housing cycle phases, move-in dates, application deadlines)

1.4 Access User Settings

  1. Locate your user avatar or initials in the top-right corner

  2. Click to open the user menu

  3. Identify options available: Profile, Settings, Sign Out

  4. Click "Profile" or "Settings" to view your account details

  5. Return to the Dashboard using the "Dashboard" link in the primary navigation

Checkpoint: You've successfully logged in, explored the Dashboard, and accessed user settings. You're ready to navigate the primary sidebar.

Exercise Set 2: Navigating the Primary Sidebar

Related Module: PLS-1B: Navigation Panel (Primary Sidebar)

Time: 15-20 minutes

2.1 Identify Primary Navigation Sections

  1. Locate the primary navigation sidebar on the left side of the screen

  2. Scroll through the sidebar and list all visible sections (examples: Dashboard, Profiles, Applications, Residents, Inventory, Setup)

  3. Document: How many primary sections do you see? Which sections have an icon next to the name?

Note: The sections you see depend on your role and permissions. Super admins see all sections; other roles see a subset based on their assigned permissions.

2.2 Navigate to Profiles Section

  1. Click "Profiles" in the primary sidebar

  2. Observe the main content area—you should see a table of student profiles

  3. Notice the breadcrumb trail at the top: "Profiles"

  4. Document: How many student profiles are displayed? What columns appear in the table?

2.3 Navigate to Applications Section

  1. Click "Applications" in the primary sidebar

  2. Observe the Applications table

  3. Document: What is the default filter or status shown? (Examples: "All Applications," "Under Review," "Approved")

2.4 Navigate to Residents Section

  1. Click "Residents" in the primary sidebar

  2. Observe the Residents table

  3. Document: What columns appear? How is this different from the Profiles table?

2.5 Test Mobile Navigation (Optional)

  1. If you have access to a mobile device or can resize your browser window to simulate mobile, do so

  2. Observe how the primary sidebar collapses into a "hamburger menu" (three horizontal lines)

  3. Tap or click the hamburger icon to expand the navigation menu

  4. Navigate to a different section and verify the menu auto-collapses

Checkpoint: You've explored the primary navigation sidebar and visited at least three major sections. You understand how to move between sections using the sidebar.

Exercise Set 3: Using Secondary Navigation

Related Module: PLS-1C: Secondary Navigation

Time: 10-15 minutes

3.1 Access Inventory Secondary Navigation

  1. Click "Inventory" in the primary sidebar

  2. Observe a secondary navigation menu appear (usually to the right of the primary sidebar or as a horizontal submenu)

  3. Identify subsections available: Buildings, Suites, Rooms, Beds, Furniture, Keys, RCR, etc.

  4. Document: List all subsections visible under Inventory. Which subsection is selected by default?

3.2 Navigate Between Inventory Subsections

  1. Click "Buildings" in the secondary navigation

  2. Observe the Buildings table

  3. Click "Rooms" in the secondary navigation

  4. Observe how the main content area updates to show the Rooms table

  5. Click "Beds" in the secondary navigation

  6. Observe the Beds table

  7. Document: Notice how the breadcrumb changes: "Inventory › Buildings" vs. "Inventory › Rooms" vs. "Inventory › Beds"

3.3 Access Setup Secondary Navigation

  1. Click "Setup" in the primary sidebar

  2. Observe the secondary navigation menu with subsections: Housing Cycles, Forms, Tags, Roles, Integrations, etc.

  3. Click "Housing Cycles"

  4. Observe the Housing Cycles list

  5. Click "Tags"

  6. Observe the Tags configuration page

  7. Document: How many subsections are under Setup? Which ones are most relevant to your role?

Navigation Tip: Secondary navigation only appears for Inventory and Setup sections. All other sections (Profiles, Applications, Residents) display their content directly without a secondary menu.

Checkpoint: You've mastered secondary navigation in Inventory and Setup sections. You can confidently navigate between subsections without getting lost.

Exercise Set 4: Mastering Quick Search

Related Module: PLS-1D: Quick Search

Time: 15-20 minutes

4.1 Open Quick Search with Keyboard Shortcut

  1. Press Cmd+K (Mac) or Ctrl+K (Windows/Linux) on your keyboard

  2. A Quick Search modal should appear overlaying the screen

  3. Observe the search input field and placeholder text

  4. Document: What placeholder text appears? (Example: "Search for students, rooms, tasks...")

4.2 Search for a Student Profile

  1. In the Quick Search field, type a student's first or last name (or a partial name if you don't know full names)

  2. Observe search results populate below the input field

  3. Results should show student names with their profile information

  4. Click on a student's name to navigate directly to their profile detail page

  5. Document: How quickly did results appear? What information is displayed for each result? (Examples: name, student ID, email)

4.3 Search for a Room or Building

  1. Open Quick Search again (Cmd/Ctrl+K)

  2. Type a building name or room number (example: "East Hall" or "201")

  3. Observe search results for inventory items

  4. Click on a room to navigate to its detail page

  5. Document: Did the search return buildings, rooms, or both? What additional details are shown?

4.4 Use Navigation Shortcuts

  1. Open Quick Search again

  2. Instead of typing a search term, look for navigation shortcuts (example: "Go to Profiles," "Go to Applications")

  3. Click on "Go to Profiles" (or type "Profiles" and select the navigation shortcut)

  4. Verify you're instantly navigated to the Profiles section

  5. Document: List at least three navigation shortcuts you can access via Quick Search

4.5 Close Quick Search

  1. Open Quick Search

  2. Press Esc to close the modal without selecting a result

  3. Verify you remain on your current page

Power User Tip: Quick Search is your fastest way to navigate. Memorize Cmd/Ctrl+K and use it instead of clicking through menus. This saves significant time during daily workflows.

Checkpoint: You've mastered Quick Search and can find students, rooms, and navigate to any section using keyboard shortcuts. This will dramatically speed up your daily work.

Exercise Set 5: Working with Tables and Filters

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

Time: 20-25 minutes

5.1 Explore the Profiles Table

  1. Navigate to Profiles

  2. Observe the table columns: Name, Email, Student ID, Class Year, etc.

  3. Click on a column header to sort ascending

  4. Click the same column header again to sort descending

  5. Document: Which columns are sortable? What happens when you click a column header twice?

5.2 Apply a Simple Filter

  1. Locate the "Filters" button or panel (usually above or to the side of the table)

  2. Click to expand the filter panel

  3. Apply a filter by class year (example: select "First-year" or "Freshman")

  4. Observe the table update to show only filtered results

  5. Document: How many results appear after filtering? What indicator shows a filter is active?

5.3 Apply Multiple Filters

  1. Keep your class year filter active

  2. Add a second filter: housing status (example: "Applied" or "Resident")

  3. Observe the table narrow to show only students matching both criteria

  4. Clear filters by clicking "Clear All Filters" or removing filters individually

  5. Document: How does the table change when you apply multiple filters? Where is the "Clear Filters" button located?

5.4 Create and Save a Custom View

  1. Apply filters for a specific use case (example: First-year students with housing status "Applied")

  2. Locate the "Save View" button (usually near the filter controls)

  3. Click "Save View" and enter a descriptive name: "First-Year Applicants"

  4. Save the view

  5. Clear your filters

  6. Locate the "Saved Views" dropdown

  7. Select "First-Year Applicants" to reload your saved filter configuration

  8. Document: Where are saved views stored? Can you edit or delete a saved view?

5.5 Export Table Data to CSV

  1. Apply any filter or load a saved view

  2. Locate the "Export" button (usually top-right of the table)

  3. Click "Export" and select "CSV" format

  4. Download the file

  5. Open the CSV in Excel or Google Sheets

  6. Document: Do the exported rows match your filtered view? What columns are included in the export?

5.6 Select Rows for Bulk Actions

  1. In the Profiles table, use checkboxes to select 2-3 student profiles

  2. Observe a "Bulk Actions" button or menu appear

  3. Click "Bulk Actions" to see available operations (examples: Add Tags, Send Message, Export Selected)

  4. Do NOT execute any actions—just explore the menu options

  5. Deselect all rows by clicking the checkbox in the table header

  6. Document: What bulk actions are available? How many rows can you select at once?

Important: During practice, avoid executing bulk actions like "Delete" or "Send Message" to prevent accidental changes to sandbox data. Only explore the menus without confirming actions.

Checkpoint: You've mastered table sorting, filtering, saved views, CSV exports, and bulk action selection. These skills apply across all table views in Housing.Cloud.

Exercise Set 6: The List-to-Detail Pattern

Related Module: PLS-1F: The List-to-Detail Pattern

Time: 15-20 minutes

6.1 Navigate from Profiles List to Profile Detail

  1. Navigate to Profiles

  2. Observe the table of student names—names should be blue and underlined (clickable links)

  3. Click on a student's name

  4. Observe you're navigated to the student's profile detail page

  5. Notice the breadcrumb trail at the top: "Profiles › [Student Name]"

  6. Document: What sections or tabs appear on the profile detail page? (Examples: Overview, Tags, Applications, Residencies)

6.2 Use Breadcrumbs to Navigate Back

  1. While on a student's profile detail page, locate the breadcrumb trail

  2. Click "Profiles" in the breadcrumb

  3. Verify you return to the Profiles list view

  4. Document: Do breadcrumbs always show your navigation path? What happens if you use your browser's back button instead?

6.3 Explore Section Tabs on Detail Pages

  1. Navigate to a student's profile detail page again

  2. Observe section tabs (sticky navigation below the student's name): Overview, Tags, Applications, Residencies, etc.

  3. Click each tab and observe the content area update

  4. Scroll down the page and notice the tabs remain visible at the top (sticky behavior)

  5. Document: How many tabs are available? What type of information is displayed in each tab?

6.4 Navigate from Residents List to Residency Detail

  1. Navigate to Residents

  2. Click on a resident's name (blue underlined link)

  3. Observe the residency detail page

  4. Notice section tabs: Overview, Assignment, Meal Plan, Documents, etc.

  5. Click through tabs to explore available information

  6. Use breadcrumbs to return to the Residents list

  7. Document: How is a residency detail page different from a profile detail page?

6.5 Navigate from Inventory List to Item Detail

  1. Navigate to Inventory › Buildings

  2. Click on a building name

  3. Observe the building detail page

  4. Notice breadcrumb: "Inventory › Buildings › [Building Name]"

  5. Explore available tabs on the building detail page

  6. Click "Buildings" in the breadcrumb to return to the list

  7. Document: What information is displayed on a building detail page? Are there section tabs like on profile pages?

Pattern Recognition: The list-to-detail pattern is universal in Housing.Cloud. Anytime you see a blue underlined name in a table, you can click it to view details. Breadcrumbs always provide a path back to the list.

Checkpoint: You've mastered the list-to-detail navigation pattern and can confidently drill down into records, explore detail pages, and navigate back using breadcrumbs.

Exercise Set 7: Understanding Inventory Hierarchy

Related Module: PLS-1G: Understanding Inventory Hierarchy

Time: 20-25 minutes

7.1 View the Buildings List

  1. Navigate to Inventory › Buildings

  2. Observe the table of buildings with columns: Building Name, Code, Capacity, etc.

  3. Document: How many buildings are in your sandbox? What information is displayed for each building?

7.2 Drill Down: Building → Suites

  1. Click on a building name to view its detail page

  2. Locate the "Suites" section or tab (if your building has suites)

  3. Click on a suite name (if available) to view suite details

  4. Notice the breadcrumb: "Inventory › Buildings › [Building Name] › Suites › [Suite Name]"

  5. Document: Does your building use suites? If not, proceed directly to rooms.

7.3 Drill Down: Suite → Rooms (or Building → Rooms)

  1. From a building or suite detail page, locate the "Rooms" section or tab

  2. Click on a room number to view the room detail page

  3. Notice the breadcrumb extends: "Inventory › Buildings › [Building] › Rooms › [Room Number]"

  4. Document: What information is displayed on the room detail page? (Examples: room type, capacity, status, amenities)

7.4 Drill Down: Room → Beds

  1. From a room detail page, locate the "Beds" section or tab

  2. Observe the list of beds in this room (example: Bed A, Bed B for a double room)

  3. Click on a bed name to view the bed detail page

  4. Notice the breadcrumb: "Inventory › Buildings › [Building] › Rooms › [Room] › Beds › [Bed Name]"

  5. Document: What information is displayed on the bed detail page? Can you see who is currently assigned to this bed?

7.5 Drill Down: Bed → Furniture

  1. From a bed detail page, locate the "Furniture" section or tab

  2. Observe the list of furniture items assigned to this bed (examples: mattress, desk, chair, dresser)

  3. Click on a furniture item name to view its detail page

  4. Notice the breadcrumb hierarchy extends to show the full path

  5. Document: What details are tracked for furniture items? (Examples: furniture type, condition, serial number)

7.6 Navigate Back Up the Hierarchy Using Breadcrumbs

  1. While viewing a furniture item detail page, use breadcrumbs to navigate back

  2. Click "Beds" in the breadcrumb to return to the bed list

  3. Click "Rooms" to return to the room list

  4. Click "Buildings" to return to the buildings list

  5. Document: Can you navigate to any level of the hierarchy by clicking breadcrumbs? Is this faster than using the back button?

7.7 Navigate Directly Using Secondary Navigation

  1. While deep in the hierarchy (viewing a bed or furniture item), use the secondary navigation menu

  2. Click "Rooms" in the secondary navigation

  3. Observe you jump directly to the Rooms list view (across all buildings)

  4. Click "Beds" in the secondary navigation

  5. Observe you jump directly to the Beds list view (across all buildings and rooms)

  6. Document: How is secondary navigation different from breadcrumb navigation? When would you use each?

7.8 Document Your Institution's Inventory Structure

  1. Choose one building from your sandbox

  2. Navigate through all levels: Building → Suite (if applicable) → Room → Bed → Furniture

  3. Take screenshots at each level

  4. Document: Create a visual diagram or list showing your institution's inventory hierarchy with example names at each level. Example:

    • Building: East Hall (Code: EH)

    • Suite: 2A (if applicable)

    • Room: 201 (Code: EH-201)

    • Beds: Bed A, Bed B

    • Furniture: Mattress, Desk, Chair, Dresser

Understanding the Hierarchy: Housing.Cloud uses a strict hierarchy: Building → Suite → Room → Bed → Furniture. Every item has its own detail page. This structure ensures accurate occupancy tracking and assignment management.

Checkpoint: You've mastered the inventory hierarchy and can confidently navigate from buildings down to individual furniture items and back. This foundational understanding is critical for managing housing assignments and occupancy.

Final Practice Challenge

Test your mastery of all PLS-1 navigation skills with this comprehensive challenge:

Challenge: Complete a Full Workflow Using Only Navigation Skills

  1. Find a student: Use Quick Search (Cmd/Ctrl+K) to find a specific student by name

  2. View their profile: Click the student's name from search results to open their profile detail page

  3. Check their application: Navigate to the "Applications" tab on their profile

  4. View their residency: Navigate to the "Residencies" tab to see their housing assignment

  5. Locate their room: Click the room number link to navigate to the room detail page

  6. View the bed: Navigate to the "Beds" tab and click their assigned bed

  7. Check furniture: Navigate to the "Furniture" tab to see items assigned to their bed

  8. Return to Dashboard: Use the primary sidebar to click "Dashboard"

  9. Create a saved view: Navigate to Residents, apply a filter (example: "Current residents in East Hall"), and save the view as "East Hall Residents"

  10. Export the data: With your saved view loaded, export the data to CSV

  11. Navigate to Setup: Click "Setup" in the primary sidebar, then "Tags" in secondary navigation

  12. Return to start: Click "Dashboard" to return to where you began

Time yourself: How long did it take to complete the full challenge? Aim to complete it in under 5 minutes as you build proficiency.

Success! If you completed the challenge without getting lost or confused, you've mastered PLS-1 navigation. You're ready to advance to PLS-2 configuration tasks.

Common Navigation Challenges and Solutions

Challenge: "I can't find a section I need"

Solution: Your role may not have permission to access that section. Contact your super admin to verify your role assignments and request additional permissions if needed.

Challenge: "I'm lost and don't know how to get back"

Solution: Click "Dashboard" in the primary sidebar to reset to the home screen. Or use breadcrumbs to navigate back step-by-step.

Challenge: "Quick Search isn't returning results"

Solution: Ensure you're typing at least 3 characters. Quick Search requires a minimum query length. If still no results, verify you have data in your sandbox (contact your implementation team if sandbox is empty).

Challenge: "I accidentally deleted a saved view"

Solution: Saved views can be recreated. Simply reapply your filters and save a new view with the same name. There's no way to recover a deleted view, so document your important filter configurations externally.

Challenge: "The secondary navigation disappeared"

Solution: Secondary navigation only appears for Inventory and Setup sections. If you navigate to Profiles, Applications, or Residents, you won't see secondary navigation—this is expected behavior.

Challenge: "Breadcrumbs are too long and get cut off"

Solution: On narrow screens, breadcrumbs may truncate. Hover over breadcrumb items to see the full text, or widen your browser window.

What's Next

After completing these self-guided practice exercises, you should feel confident navigating the admin portal. Next steps:

  1. Complete PLS-1 Homework: Move on to the configuration exercises in the PLS-1 homework section (creating table views, adding admin users, documenting inventory hierarchy)

  2. Advance to PLS-2: Begin learning about housing cycles, phases, and cycle configuration

  3. Practice daily: Use Quick Search and saved views in your daily workflow to reinforce these navigation patterns

  4. Help colleagues: Share navigation tips with team members who are also learning the system

Continued Learning: Navigation mastery comes with repetition. Spend 10-15 minutes each day exploring different sections, creating saved views, and using Quick Search. Within a week, navigation will feel natural and intuitive.

Need Help?

If you encounter issues while completing these practice exercises:

  • Review module articles: Revisit the specific PLS-1 module that covers the skill you're practicing

  • Ask your implementation team: Bring questions to your next training session or office hours

  • Check for sample data: If your sandbox seems empty, contact your implementation team to request sample student profiles, buildings, and rooms

  • Submit a support ticket: Contact Housing.Cloud support if you encounter technical issues or error messages

When contacting support, include:

  • Which exercise you were attempting (example: "Exercise Set 4.2 - Searching for a student")

  • Specific step where you encountered an issue

  • Error messages or unexpected behavior

  • Screenshots showing what you see vs. what you expected

  • Your role and permissions in the system

Congratulations on completing the PLS-1 Self-Guided Practice! Your hands-on navigation skills are now ready to support all configuration and operational tasks ahead.

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