Overview
In this final module, you'll learn how to visualize your complete cycle timeline, understand the critical concept of "active cycles," and master what you can and cannot edit once your cycle goes live.
What you'll learn:
How to use the phase calendar to visualize your complete timeline
What makes a cycle "active" and why it matters
What you CAN edit after a cycle becomes active
What you CANNOT edit once active
How to avoid accidental cycle activation
How to copy cycles for future terms
Time: 12 minutes
Most Critical Module: This module contains the single most important concept in PLS-6: understanding active cycles. The decisions you make here determine whether you can edit your cycle configuration in the future. Read every section carefully.
The Phase Calendar Tab
The Phase Calendar provides a visual timeline of all phases and dates in your housing cycle, making it easy to spot conflicts, gaps, or timing issues before activation.
Navigation: In the cycle editor, click the Phase Calendar tab.
Resident Cycles Only: The Phase Calendar tab only appears for resident cycles with the NEW_PHASES_VIEW feature enabled.
Using the Phase Calendar
What the Phase Calendar Shows
The phase calendar displays a visual timeline with color-coded bars representing each phase and the residence period:
Residence Period: The housing timeframe from PLS-6A (the cycle container itself)
Application Phase: When students can apply (typically shown in green)
Roommate Phases: When students can find roommates (typically blue)
Room Selection Phases: When students can select rooms (typically purple)
Meal Plan Phases: When students can select meal plans (typically orange)
Move-In Groups: Move-in appointment windows (typically red)
Move-Out Groups: Move-out appointment windows
Room Swap Phases: When students can request room changes (typically yellow)
Visualizing the Framework: The phase calendar shows you how your cycle organizes and connects the entire housing process. You'll see the residence period (the container) with all the activity windows (phases) positioned throughout the timeline—most occurring months before residence actually begins.
Checking Your Timeline
Use the phase calendar to verify your cycle's organization:
✓ Intentional gaps between phases:
Application closes: April 15
Roommate phase opens: April 21
Gap: April 16-20 (5 days)
Intentional? Yes—buffer time for admin application approval
✓ No problematic overlaps:
Application and room selection should NOT overlap (students need approval first)
Roommate and meal plan selection CAN overlap (no conflict)
Multiple room selection phases should be sequential or intentionally overlapping
✓ Phases occur in logical order:
Application phase (first interaction with cycle)
Roommate phase (after application approval)
Room selection phase (after roommate groups formed)
Meal plan phase (can overlap earlier phases)
Move-in scheduling phase (closer to residence period)
Move-in groups (at residence period start)
Residence period (the actual housing timeframe)
Room swap phases (during residence period)
Move-out groups (at residence period end)
✓ Sufficient time for each phase:
Application: 4-6 weeks minimum (allows time for decisions and submissions)
Roommate selection: 2-4 weeks (time to browse and form groups)
Room selection: 1-3 weeks (depending on lottery timing and population size)
Meal plan selection: 2-4 months (long window reduces forgotten selections)
Visual Verification: The phase calendar is your final quality check before activating your cycle. Take a screenshot and share with your housing team, bursar, and SIS team to verify the timeline makes sense for your institution's housing operations.
Understanding Active Cycles: The Most Critical Concept
This is the single most important concept in all of PLS-6. Understanding what makes a cycle "active" and what happens at activation is essential for successful cycle management.
When Does a Cycle Become Active?
A housing cycle becomes active when ANY of its phase start dates passes.
Example 1:
Today's date: March 1, 2025
Application phase starts: March 1, 2025
Result: The cycle is now ACTIVE
Example 2:
Today's date: March 1, 2025
Application phase starts: March 10, 2025 (9 days in future)
Result: The cycle is still DRAFT (not active yet)
Important Distinction: The cycle becomes active based on PHASE dates, not the residence period dates. Your residence period might not start until August 15, 2025, but if your application phase starts March 1, 2025, the cycle becomes active on March 1.
This means:
Your residence period is months away (August)
But your cycle is already active (March)
Because phase activity begins before the residence period
The Active Cycle Warning
When you save a cycle that will become active, you'll see this critical warning message:
"This housing cycle has one or more phases that start before today's date. If you save, this cycle will become active and you will only be able to edit the phase dates afterwards."
This is your last chance to review all configuration before it locks permanently.
Point of No Return: When you see this warning and click "Save," almost everything in your cycle configuration becomes read-only and cannot be changed. Only phase dates and release dates remain editable. This action is NOT reversible—there's no "undo" or "unlock" option.
What You CAN Edit in an Active Cycle
Once your cycle is active, you can ONLY edit two types of settings:
1. Phase Dates
You can adjust the start and end dates for all phase types:
Application phase dates
Roommate phase dates
Room selection phase dates
Meal plan phase dates
Room swap phase dates
Move-in and move-out group dates and times
Common reasons to edit phase dates in active cycles:
Extend application deadline due to low enrollment or student requests
Adjust room selection window to accommodate more students or resolve technical issues
Shift move-in dates due to academic calendar changes or facility delays
Add additional time for roommate matching if groups haven't fully formed
2. Release Dates
You can adjust when information becomes visible to students:
Housing selection release date
Residency information release date
Meal plan release date
Room swap release date
Use when: You need to delay or advance when students can see housing assignments, selection interfaces, or other information.
Flexibility Where It Matters: Phase dates and release dates are the two configuration areas that most commonly need adjustment during an active cycle. Housing.Cloud allows editing precisely these fields because timing often needs to adapt to real-world situations, enrollment shifts, or institutional changes.
What You CANNOT Edit in an Active Cycle
Once active, these settings lock permanently and cannot be changed:
Identity and Structure
✗ Cycle name (internal name)
✗ Display name on resident portal
✗ Residence start and end dates (the cycle's housing period)
✗ External term code (SIS integration mapping)
✗ Applicability tags (And/Or/Exclude logic)
Forms and Components
✗ Application form template
✗ Ruleset assignment
✗ Bio/questionnaire form template
✗ Documents (cannot add, remove, or change assigned documents)
✗ Additional forms (cannot add or remove)
✗ Meal plans (cannot add or remove available plans from cycle)
Settings and Toggles
✗ Auto-accept applications
✗ Allow room browsing for non-approved applications
✗ Allow room re-assignment
✗ Show room costs
✗ Min/max roommate counts
✗ Require link to apply
✗ All other toggles and checkboxes
Finance and Logistics
✗ Fees (cannot add, remove, or edit fee amounts or triggers)
✗ Automated costs and charge codes
✗ Bed type cost overrides
✗ Moving groups (cannot create new or delete existing groups)
✗ Moving group capacity
Advanced Configuration
✗ RCR settings (flow type, auto-create, SLA)
✗ Lottery configuration and priority rules
✗ Integration transaction dates (except release dates which CAN be edited)
✗ Hard rule enforcement toggles
Why These Settings Lock
Once students begin interacting with your cycle—submitting applications, forming roommate groups, selecting rooms, receiving assignments—changing core configuration would:
Create data inconsistencies: Students would have different form questions and answers
Break existing assignments: Ruleset changes could invalidate existing roommate matches
Cause billing errors: Fee changes affect who was charged and when
Violate fairness: Rules changing mid-process creates unfair treatment
Disrupt student experience: Expectations set at application time would be violated
Locking configuration maintains data integrity and ensures fair, consistent treatment of all students throughout the cycle.
No Workarounds Exist: There is no admin override to unlock an active cycle. If you need to change locked settings, you may need to create a new cycle or contact support for guidance on complex migration scenarios. Prevention through thorough pre-activation review is essential.
Pre-Activation Checklist: Your Final Review
Before setting any phase dates that will activate your cycle, verify EVERY setting is correct. Use this comprehensive checklist:
General Settings (PLS-6A)
□ Cycle name is correct and follows institutional naming convention
□ Display name is clear and student-friendly
□ Residence dates match academic calendar and housing contracts
□ External term code matches SIS exactly (verified with registrar/SIS team)
□ Applicability tags (And) are correct
□ Applicability tags (Or) are correct
□ Exclusion tags include "Commuter" and other necessary exclusions
□ Tag logic tested with sample student accounts
□ "Require Link to Apply" toggle set correctly for public or private launch
Application Configuration (PLS-6B)
□ Correct application form is assigned (published, tested)
□ Correct ruleset is assigned (resident cycles only)
□ Auto-accept toggle set per your institutional policy
□ Max submitted applicants configured
□ Max reselection attempts and days configured
□ Application phase dates allow sufficient time and proper timing
Roommate and Room Selection (PLS-6C, 6D)
□ Bio/questionnaire form assigned (published, tested)
□ Min/max roommates match your inventory (verified against actual room sizes)
□ Roommate phase dates set with proper buffer after application closes
□ Room selection phases created with correct dates and tags
□ Lottery configured correctly (if using lottery-based selection)
□ Allow room re-assignment toggle set per policy
□ Show room costs toggle set per transparency policy
Additional Phases (PLS-6E)
□ Room swap phases created (if enabling swaps)
□ Swap phase dates avoid blackout periods
□ Hard rule enforcement configured for swaps
Logistics and Services (PLS-6F, 6G)
□ Moving groups created with sufficient total capacity
□ Move-in dates align with residence period start
□ Move-out dates align with residence period end
□ Staff early check-in buffer set if needed
□ Meal plans assigned to cycle
□ Meal plan phases created with appropriate dates
□ Default meal plans set if required for populations
Finance and Documents (PLS-6H, 6I)
□ All fees created (application fee, deposit, etc.)
□ Fee amounts are correct and approved by finance
□ Fee triggers configured properly (application submitted, approved, etc.)
□ External item codes match SIS billing codes
□ Documents assigned (housing contract at minimum)
□ Required vs. optional documents designated correctly
□ Legal counsel reviewed all contracts and agreements
□ Automated costs verified with finance team
Integration and Advanced (PLS-6J)
□ SIS integration egress dates coordinated with bursar
□ Transaction effective due date set correctly
□ RCR settings configured per institutional policy
□ Release dates set (if using release date controls)
□ Inventory preview date set (if allowing early browsing)
Testing and Validation
□ Test student accounts created with various tag combinations
□ Tag logic verified (correct students see the cycle, wrong students don't)
□ Sample application submitted and tested end-to-end
□ All forms preview correctly and conditional logic works
□ Documents appear and e-signature workflow tested
□ Roommate finder tested with bio form responses
□ Room selection interface tested (if preview enabled)
Triple-Check Before Activation: Once you set phase dates that activate your cycle and click Save, you cannot change most of these settings ever again for this cycle. Review this checklist with your entire housing team, finance team, and SIS team before activating.
How to Avoid Accidental Activation
Strategy 1: Keep All Phase Dates in the Future
While configuring your cycle, set all phase dates well into the future:
Example:
Today: January 15, 2025
Set application phase: March 1, 2025 (6 weeks in future)
Result: Cycle remains fully editable until March 1
This gives you 6 weeks to review, test, get stakeholder approval, and adjust configuration before the cycle locks.
Strategy 2: Use "Require Link to Apply" During Configuration
Enable this toggle while building your cycle:
Cycle remains hidden from public listing
Only test users with direct link can access
You can set realistic phase dates for testing purposes
Disable the toggle when ready for public launch
This allows you to work with real dates without accidentally making the cycle visible to all students.
Strategy 3: Save Frequently with Future Dates
Save your work often to prevent data loss, but always keep dates in the future until final review is complete:
Configure all tabs with dates set 2-4 weeks in the future
Save configuration regularly
Test with sample students using the future dates
Complete full team review
Only when everything is verified and approved, set actual launch dates
Save one final time to activate
What to Do If You Accidentally Activate
If you save your cycle and realize it's now active when you didn't intend to activate it:
Option 1: Move Phase Dates Forward
You CAN still edit phase dates even in active cycles. Move all phase dates into the future to temporarily "deactivate":
Example:
Application phase accidentally started: March 1-April 15 (already began)
Change to: March 20-April 30 (moves start into future)
Result: Cycle becomes "draft" again until March 20
Critical limitation: This only works if students haven't started applying yet. If applications already exist, changing dates creates confusion and potential data issues.
Option 2: Copy the Cycle and Start Fresh
If you need to change locked settings and students have already begun applying:
Use Copy Cycle feature to duplicate the accidentally activated cycle
All configuration copies to the new cycle
Make necessary changes in the copied cycle (forms, fees, settings)
Keep original cycle for students who already applied
Launch the new corrected cycle when ready
Coordinate with students about which cycle to use
Option 3: Contact Support for Guidance
If you need to change critical locked settings (forms, fees, rulesets) in an active cycle with existing student data, contact Housing.Cloud support immediately. There may be backend options available, but expect this to be a complex process requiring careful data migration.
Prevention is Everything: It's exponentially easier to configure correctly BEFORE activation than to fix an accidentally activated cycle with student data. Use the pre-activation checklist and involve your entire team in final review before setting phase dates.
Copying Cycles for Future Terms
Once you've successfully configured and run a housing cycle, you can copy it to create future term cycles quickly, maintaining consistency year over year.
How to Copy a Cycle
Navigate to Admin › Setup › Cycles
Find the cycle you want to copy
Click the menu (⋮) next to the cycle name
Select "Copy Cycle" (requires CYCLE_COPY feature)
System creates a duplicate with all settings copied
What Gets Copied
When you copy a cycle, these settings transfer to the new cycle:
✓ Cycle name (with "Copy" appended—you'll want to rename)
✓ All applicability tags (And/Or/Exclude)
✓ Form assignments (application, bio, additional forms)
✓ Ruleset assignment
✓ All phase configurations and settings
✓ Meal plans assigned to cycle
✓ Documents assigned
✓ Fees (amounts, triggers, tags)
✓ Moving groups (names, times, capacity)
✓ All toggles and settings
✓ Integration date offsets
✓ RCR configuration
What Does NOT Get Copied
✗ External term code (intentionally resets to blank to avoid SIS conflicts)
✗ Specific dates (you'll set new dates for the new term)
✗ Actual applications and student data (only configuration copies)
✗ Actual assignments and residency records
After Copying a Cycle
After copying, you must update these settings before activating the new cycle:
Update cycle name: "Fall 2025 Housing" → "Spring 2026 Housing"
Update display name: Make it clear for the new term
Update residence dates: New housing period for next term
Set new external term code: Must match the new term in your SIS
Update ALL phase dates: Application, roommate, room selection, meal plan, swap, move dates
Update moving group dates: New move-in and move-out appointment dates
Review integration dates: Update egress dates relative to new residence period
Update any term-specific fees: Adjust amounts if pricing changed
Review phase calendar: Verify new timeline makes sense
Test thoroughly: Use test accounts to verify the copied cycle works correctly
Copying Saves Hours: After running your first successful housing cycle, copying it for next term saves 90% of configuration time. You only need to update dates, term codes, and term-specific details—all the complex settings, forms, rulesets, and structure carry over automatically.
The Five-Person Review Before Activation
Before activating your cycle, have five different stakeholders review it:
Housing Director: Overall policy, timeline, student experience
Finance/Bursar Representative: All fees, charge codes, billing dates, integration timing
Residence Life Coordinator: Forms, phases, student workflows, communication plan
IT/SIS Administrator: Integration dates, external term codes, data sync settings
Student Representative or Test User: Complete student experience, clarity, usability
Each person should verify their area of expertise and provide written sign-off before you set activation dates.
The 24-Hour Rule: After completing all configuration, don't activate immediately. Let the configuration sit for 24 hours. Come back with fresh eyes, review the phase calendar one final time, and THEN set activation dates. This cooling-off period helps catch errors you might miss in the rush to finish.
Configuration Complete: Activation Steps
You've now configured every tab in your housing cycle. When you're ready to activate:
Final Activation Steps
Complete pre-activation checklist: Verify every item above
Get stakeholder sign-offs: Housing, Finance, IT, Residence Life all approve
Set final phase dates: Update all phase start/end dates to actual launch timeline
Review phase calendar: Final visual check of complete timeline
Prepare launch communications: Have announcements ready to send
Click Save: If any phase starts today or in the past, you'll see the active cycle warning
Read warning carefully: Verify you're ready for configuration to lock
Confirm save: Click through the warning to activate
Monitor closely: Watch applications for first 48 hours, be ready to adjust phase dates if needed
Your Cycle is Ready: You've successfully configured a complete production housing cycle that organizes applications, assignments, billing, and move management under one framework. You're ready to test this cycle from the student perspective in PLS-7.
Key Takeaways
Phase calendar visualizes your complete cycle timeline and helps spot issues
Shows residence period (container) with all phases (activity windows) positioned throughout
A cycle becomes active when ANY phase start date passes—not residence dates
Active cycles can ONLY edit phase dates and release dates
Active cycles CANNOT edit forms, fees, settings, tags, or most configuration
The active cycle warning is your last chance to review before permanent locking
Use comprehensive pre-activation checklist to verify all settings
Involve multiple stakeholders in final review before activation
Keep phase dates in future while configuring to prevent accidental activation
Copying cycles saves significant time for future terms—only update dates and term codes
Prevention is essential—configure correctly before activation, no unlocking exists
Common Questions
Can I "unpublish" or "deactivate" an active cycle?
Not directly. You can move all phase dates into the future, which technically makes the cycle inactive until those dates pass again. However, if students have already applied or been assigned, this creates significant confusion. Contact support if you need to deactivate an active cycle with existing student data.
How do I know if my cycle is currently active?
Look for these signs: (1) Edit button displays message "Applications can not be changed when a cycle is active," (2) Most fields appear grayed out or read-only when you try to edit, (3) Only phase dates and release dates are editable, (4) System warns you when saving that settings are locked.
What happens to students if I change phase dates in an active cycle?
If you extend dates (move end date later), students get more time to complete that phase. If you shorten dates (move end date earlier), students may lose access mid-phase. Always communicate date changes clearly to students before making them.
Can I delete or archive a cycle after the residence period ends?
Cycles cannot be deleted—they're part of your institution's permanent housing record. You can archive completed cycles to remove them from active lists while preserving historical data for reporting and reference.
Should I create next term's cycle before the current term ends?
Yes, absolutely. Most institutions create and configure next term's cycle (using Copy Cycle) 2-3 months before the current term ends. This allows thorough testing, team review, and early student communication. Keep all phase dates in the future until ready to activate.
What if I notice an error after activation but students haven't applied yet?
If the cycle is active but no student data exists yet, you have two options: (1) Move phase dates forward to regain draft status temporarily, make changes, then re-activate, or (2) Copy the cycle, fix the error in the copy, and use the new cycle instead. Choose based on complexity of the error.
What's Next: PLS-7
Congratulations! You've built a complete housing cycle configured for your institution. Now it's time to test it before students experience it.
In PLS-7: The Complete Housing Selection Journey, you'll:
Experience YOUR cycle from the student perspective
Submit an application using YOUR form
Complete a roommate bio and search for compatible matches
Select a room using YOUR lottery or selection configuration
Sign YOUR documents and complete the full journey
Identify and fix configuration issues before real students experience them
Testing is Not Optional: Never activate a cycle for real students without testing the complete experience first. PLS-7 is where you catch configuration errors, timing issues, form logic problems, and workflow gaps in a safe environment. Thorough testing prevents support ticket chaos and student frustration.