Overview
In this module, you'll test all the workflows that happen after students select their rooms. You'll verify that YOUR document templates work correctly, YOUR meal plans are accessible, additional forms function properly, move-in scheduling operates smoothly, and the complete residency dashboard displays all necessary information.
What you'll learn:
How to test document signing workflows with YOUR document templates
How to verify meal plan selection with YOUR meal plan configuration
How to test additional forms assigned to YOUR cycle
How to test move-in scheduling with YOUR moving groups
How to verify QR code generation for move-in
How to validate the complete residency dashboard experience
Time: 10 minutes
Testing Reference: This module tests workflows documented in multiple student-facing articles including Completing and Signing Documents, for Students and Select and Manage Meal Plans, for Students.
What You're Testing
In this module, you're validating that:
Document signing workflow works with YOUR document templates
Document merge fields populate correctly with student data
Meal plan selection displays YOUR meal plan options
Meal plan pricing and details display correctly
Additional forms appear and can be completed (if configured)
Move-in scheduling works with YOUR moving groups
Moving group capacity limits are enforced
QR codes generate correctly for move-in
Residency dashboard shows complete assignment information
Prerequisites
Before starting PLS-7E, you must have completed PLS-7D with:
✓ At least 2-3 test students with room assignments (residency records created)
✓ Residencies in "Assigned" status
✓ Both individual and group room selections completed
If your test students haven't selected rooms yet, complete PLS-7D first.
Step 1: Test Document Signing Workflow
If your cycle includes document templates (configured in PLS-6I), test the e-signature workflow.
Accessing Documents
Access the resident portal as a test student with a room assignment (e.g., Johnny Test)
Check the dashboard for an action item: "Sign Documents" or similar
Click the action item OR navigate to Application › Manage › Additional Docs
Verify YOUR document appears (e.g., "Housing Contract 2025")
Setting Up Signature
The first time a student signs a document, they must set up their signature:
Click "Start Signing" or similar button
The signature setup screen appears
Draw a signature in the signature box (touch-responsive, works on desktop and mobile)
Click "I accept my signature"
Draw initials in the initials box
Click "I accept my initials for use in documents"
Check the "Consent" checkbox to confirm electronic signature acceptance
Signing the Document
After signature setup, click "Start Signing" to access the document
Scroll through the document content
Verify merge fields populated correctly: •
{{firstName}}shows "Johnny" •{{lastName}}shows "Test" •{{roomNumber}}shows the assigned room •{{buildingName}}shows the assigned building • Any other merge fields from YOUR document templateLocate signature boxes (highlighted in blue or green)
Click "Insert Signature" in each signature box
Complete any additional required fields (text inputs, checkboxes, dates)
Click "Submit" or "Complete Signing"
Verify you're redirected to a download page
Click to download the signed document as PDF
Open the PDF and verify: • Your signature appears • Merge fields are populated • Document is properly formatted
Merge Fields Not Populating? If merge fields show as {{fieldName}} instead of actual data, your document template may have incorrect field names or the data isn't available. Review your document template in Admin › Setup › Document Templates and verify merge field syntax.
Testing Checklist: Document Signing
☐ Document appears as action item on dashboard
☐ Document accessible from Applications section
☐ Signature setup workflow works (draw signature, draw initials, consent)
☐ Document content displays correctly
☐ Merge fields populate with correct student/room data
☐ Signature boxes are clearly marked
☐ Can insert signature in all required boxes
☐ Can complete any additional required fields
☐ Submit button works
☐ Download page appears after submission
☐ Can download signed PDF
☐ Downloaded PDF contains signature and populated data
☐ Document status updates to "Signed" in admin portal
Step 2: Test Additional Forms (If Configured)
If your cycle includes additional forms beyond the application (configured in PLS-6I), test that workflow.
What Are Additional Forms?
Additional forms are supplementary forms assigned to cycles:
ESA/Animal registration forms
Medical accommodation forms
Parking permit applications
Custom surveys or questionnaires
Testing Additional Forms
As a test student, check dashboard for additional form action items
Navigate to Application › Manage › Forms or similar section
Verify YOUR additional form appears
Click to open the form
Complete all questions
Submit the form
Verify confirmation message appears
Verify form shows as "Completed" in student portal
In admin portal, verify:
Navigate to Admin › Forms › YOUR additional form › Responses
Verify test student's response appears
Verify all answers were saved correctly
Additional Forms Are Optional: If your cycle doesn't use additional forms, you can skip this testing. Additional forms are configured in PLS-6I and are institution-specific.
Step 3: Test Meal Plan Selection
Test that students can select from YOUR meal plan options and that pricing displays correctly.
Accessing Meal Plans
Access the resident portal as a test student with a room assignment
Navigate to Application › Manage
Click "Meal Plan" in the navigation menu
Verify the Meal Plans screen loads
Meal Plans Not Appearing? If the Meal Plan section doesn't appear, check: (1) Meal plans are assigned to YOUR cycle in PLS-6G, (2) Meal plan phase is active (dates set to present), (3) Your institution has meal plans enabled.
Reviewing Meal Plan Options
Verify YOUR meal plan options display correctly:
Check that all meal plans assigned to YOUR cycle appear (e.g., "Unlimited Meals 2025", "14 Meals Per Week 2025")
Verify each meal plan shows: • Plan name • Pricing (per semester or per year) • Meals per week • Flex points included • Plan description
Click the arrow toggle to expand plan details
Verify detailed information displays correctly
Selecting a Meal Plan
Choose a meal plan option
Click "Select Plan"
Verify confirmation message appears
Verify the selected plan now shows as "Current Plan" or similar status
Verify pricing appears in your residency details
Testing Meal Plan Changes
If your cycle allows meal plan changes during the meal plan phase:
Click "Remove Plan" or "Change Plan"
Select a different meal plan
Verify the change is saved
Verify pricing updates if plans have different costs
Testing Default Meal Plans
If you configured a default meal plan in PLS-6G:
Create a new test student who doesn't manually select a meal plan
Wait for default assignment (may be automatic based on phase timing)
Verify the default meal plan is assigned automatically
Verify student can see their assigned default plan
Testing Checklist: Meal Plans
☐ Meal Plan section accessible from application
☐ All YOUR meal plans appear as options
☐ Plan names display correctly
☐ Pricing displays correctly for each plan
☐ Meals per week displays
☐ Flex points information displays (if applicable)
☐ Plan descriptions are clear and complete
☐ Can select a meal plan successfully
☐ Selected plan shows as "Current Plan"
☐ Can change meal plan (if enabled in YOUR cycle)
☐ Default meal plan applies automatically (if configured)
☐ Meal plan assignment appears in Admin › Residents › [Student] › Meal Plans
Step 4: Verify Meal Plan Data in Admin Portal
Confirm that meal plan selections are tracked correctly on the backend.
Checking Meal Plan Assignments
Navigate to Admin › Residents
Filter by YOUR cycle
Click on a test student who selected a meal plan (e.g., Johnny Test)
Find the "Meal Plans" section on the residency detail page
Verify: • Assigned meal plan name matches student's selection • Pricing is correct • Effective dates match cycle residence period • Status shows "Active" or "Assigned"
Checking Financial Transactions
On the same residency detail page, find "Transactions" or "Finance" section
Verify a transaction was created for the meal plan charge
Verify: • Charge code matches YOUR meal plan charge code • Amount matches meal plan pricing • Transaction date is appropriate
Finance Integration Working: If meal plan selections create transactions with correct charge codes and amounts, your meal plan configuration is working correctly and ready for SIS integration in production.
Step 5: Test Move-In Scheduling
Test that students can schedule move-in appointments using YOUR moving groups (configured in PLS-6F).
Accessing Move-In Scheduling
Access the resident portal as a test student with a room assignment
Navigate to Residency section in the navigation bar
Click "Move-In" or look for a "Schedule Move-In" action item
Selecting a Move-In Time
Verify YOUR moving groups display as available time slots
Each time slot should show: • Date • Time range (e.g., "9:00 AM - 12:00 PM") • Capacity (e.g., "15 of 50 spots available") • Moving group name (if configured)
Select a time slot
Click "Confirm" or "Schedule Move-In"
Verify confirmation message appears
Verify your scheduled time displays in the Move-In section
Testing Move-In Rescheduling
If your cycle allows rescheduling (configured in PLS-6F):
Look for "Change Time" or "Reschedule" button
Click to view available time slots again
Select a different time slot
Confirm the change
Verify your move-in time updates
Verify capacity updates for both old and new time slots
Test Capacity Limits: If you configured moving group capacity (e.g., 50 students per slot), test what happens when a slot fills up. You may need to create multiple test students scheduling the same time slot to test this fully.
Testing Checklist: Move-In Scheduling
☐ Move-In section accessible from Residency
☐ YOUR moving groups display as time slot options
☐ Date and time display correctly for each slot
☐ Capacity information displays (e.g., "15 of 50 spots")
☐ Can select a move-in time slot
☐ Confirmation message appears after scheduling
☐ Scheduled time displays in student's portal
☐ Can reschedule (if enabled in YOUR cycle)
☐ Capacity decreases when slots are booked
☐ Move-in instructions display (if configured)
Step 6: Verify QR Code Generation
Test that move-in QR codes generate correctly for streamlined check-in on move-in day.
How to Test QR Codes
After scheduling a move-in time, look for a "View QR Code" link or section
Click to view the QR code
Verify: • QR code image displays • Student name appears • Move-in date and time appear • Room assignment appears • Instructions for using QR code on move-in day
QR Code Timing: Some systems generate QR codes immediately upon scheduling; others generate them closer to move-in day. If you don't see a QR code yet, this may be expected behavior. Check with your implementation team about QR code generation timing.
Step 7: Test the Complete Residency Dashboard
Navigate to the Residency section to verify all assignment information displays correctly for students.
What to Verify on Residency Dashboard
Navigate to Residency in the resident portal navigation
Verify the following information displays:
Residency Overview:
Current residency status (e.g., "Assigned - Move-In Pending")
Residency dates (start and end dates from YOUR cycle)
Housing cycle name
Room Assignment:
Building name
Room number
Bed designation (e.g., "Bed A")
Room type (Single, Double, etc.)
Roommates (If Group Selection):
List of roommate names
Roommate contact information (if configured)
Ability to view roommate bios
Meal Plan:
Selected meal plan name
Meals per week
Flex points (if applicable)
Pricing
Move-In Information:
Scheduled move-in date and time
Moving group assignment
Move-in instructions
QR code access (if generated)
Furniture Inventory (If Configured):
List of furniture items in the room
Furniture condition (if RCR feature enabled)
Documents:
Signed documents list
Download signed documents
Testing Checklist: Residency Dashboard
☐ Residency section accessible
☐ Status displays correctly
☐ Residency dates match cycle residence period
☐ Cycle name displays
☐ Building and room assignment accurate
☐ Bed designation accurate
☐ Roommates display (for group selections)
☐ Meal plan information displays
☐ Move-in schedule displays
☐ QR code accessible (if generated)
☐ Furniture list displays (if applicable)
☐ Signed documents accessible for download
Step 8: Test Action Items Completion
Verify that action items on the dashboard update as students complete tasks.
Action Items Lifecycle
Return to the student dashboard (Home page)
Review the Action List
Verify completed actions are marked as complete or removed from the list
Expected progression:
Action Item | Status After Completion |
|---|---|
Apply for Housing | ✓ Completed (application submitted) |
Find a Roommate | ✓ Completed (roommate group formed) OR hidden if not required |
Select a Room | ✓ Completed (room assigned) |
Sign Documents | ✓ Completed (all documents signed) |
Select Meal Plan | ✓ Completed (meal plan assigned) |
Schedule Move-In | ✓ Completed (time slot booked) |
If all action items are complete, you should see an "All Clear" empty state or similar message.
Common Issues & How to Fix Them
Issue | Likely Cause | How to Fix |
|---|---|---|
Document signing not accessible | Documents not assigned to cycle | Go to Admin › Setup › Cycles › YOUR cycle › Documents tab, verify documents are assigned |
Merge fields show as {{fieldName}} | Incorrect merge field syntax in template | Go to Admin › Setup › Document Templates › YOUR template, verify merge field names match available data fields |
Can't draw signature | Browser compatibility or JavaScript issue | Try different browser (Chrome recommended), ensure JavaScript is enabled |
Meal Plan section doesn't appear | Meal plans not assigned to cycle | Go to Admin › Setup › Cycles › YOUR cycle › Meal Plans tab, verify meal plans are assigned |
Meal Plan section doesn't appear | Meal plan phase not active | Go to Admin › Setup › Cycles › YOUR cycle › Meal Plans tab, set phase start date to today or earlier |
Meal plan pricing shows $0 | Charge codes not configured | Go to Admin › Setup › Meal Plans, verify pricing is set; verify charge codes exist for meal plans |
Move-In section doesn't appear | No moving groups configured | Go to Admin › Setup › Cycles › YOUR cycle › Move-In tab, create moving groups with time slots |
No time slots available | All moving groups at capacity | Go to Admin › Setup › Cycles › YOUR cycle › Move-In tab, increase capacity for moving groups |
QR code doesn't generate | QR codes generate closer to move-in day | Expected behavior; verify with implementation team on QR code generation timing |
Action items don't mark as complete | System delay or refresh needed | Refresh the page, wait 1-2 minutes for updates, verify task was actually completed |
Additional forms not appearing | Forms not assigned to cycle | Go to Admin › Setup › Cycles › YOUR cycle › Forms tab, verify additional forms are assigned |
Step 9: Document Post-Selection Experience for Support
Create support documentation based on post-selection workflows:
Sample Support Documentation
Student Question | Answer/Resolution |
|---|---|
"Where do I sign my housing contract?" | Check your dashboard for a "Sign Documents" action item, or go to Application › Manage › Additional Docs. |
"My contract shows {{roomNumber}} instead of my actual room" | Contact housing support - this is a merge field error in the document template that needs admin correction. |
"How do I choose a meal plan?" | Go to Application › Manage › Meal Plan. Select your preferred plan and click "Select Plan." |
"Can I change my meal plan after selecting?" | Yes, during the meal plan selection period. Click "Remove Plan" and select a different option. After the deadline, contact housing for changes. |
"When do I schedule my move-in time?" | Go to Residency › Move-In. Select an available time slot. You'll receive a QR code to use on move-in day. |
"What if I can't make my scheduled move-in time?" | Click "Reschedule" to select a different time slot. If rescheduling isn't available, contact housing. |
"Where is my QR code for move-in?" | Go to Residency › Move-In. Your QR code will appear closer to your move-in date. If it's not showing yet, it will generate automatically. |
Testing Complete Checklist
Before moving to PLS-7F (Troubleshooting & Iteration), verify:
☐ Document signing workflow works end-to-end
☐ Merge fields populate correctly in documents
☐ Signed documents can be downloaded as PDFs
☐ Additional forms accessible and can be completed (if configured)
☐ Meal plan section accessible
☐ YOUR meal plans display with correct pricing
☐ Can select a meal plan successfully
☐ Can change meal plan (if enabled)
☐ Default meal plan applies (if configured)
☐ Meal plan assignments appear in Admin › Residents
☐ Meal plan transactions created in Finance
☐ Move-in scheduling accessible
☐ Moving groups display as time slot options
☐ Can schedule a move-in time
☐ Can reschedule (if enabled)
☐ Capacity limits are enforced
☐ QR code accessible or expected timing confirmed
☐ Residency dashboard shows complete assignment info
☐ Action items update as tasks are completed
☐ All workflows documented for support team
Key Takeaways
Document signing requires signature setup (one-time) then document review and signing
Document merge fields must be configured correctly to populate student/room data
Additional forms appear based on cycle configuration and are separate from the main application
Meal plan selection displays all meal plans assigned to YOUR cycle
Meal plan pricing comes from YOUR charge code configuration
Default meal plans apply automatically if configured in PLS-6G
Move-in scheduling displays YOUR moving groups as time slot options
Moving group capacity limits prevent overbooking
QR codes generate for streamlined check-in on move-in day
Residency dashboard consolidates all housing information in one place
Action items update automatically as students complete tasks
What's Next: PLS-7F
You've now tested the complete student journey from application through post-selection workflows. In the final module, you'll document all issues discovered, make fixes, retest, and prepare for launch.
In PLS-7F: Troubleshooting, Iteration & Launch Preparation, you'll:
Compile all issues discovered during PLS-7A through PLS-7E
Prioritize issues (critical vs. minor)
Make configuration fixes in the admin portal
Retest critical workflows to verify fixes
Create comprehensive support documentation
Complete the final pre-launch checklist
Additional Resources
Completing and Signing Documents, for Students - Student-facing document signing guide
Select and Manage Meal Plans, for Students - Student-facing meal plan guide
PLS-6I: Documents & Forms - Review document configuration
PLS-6G: Meal Plans Configuration - Review meal plan settings
PLS-6F: Move Management - Review moving group configuration