Overview
Product Learning Session 7 (PLS-7) is where you validate that everything you built actually works. After configuring YOUR production cycle in PLS-6, you'll now test it from the student perspective—experiencing the complete housing journey from application submission through room selection, document signing, and move-in preparation.
Who this is for: Super admins, housing directors, and anyone responsible for launching housing cycles to students.
What you'll accomplish: Test YOUR cycle end-to-end as if you were a student, identify configuration issues before students encounter them, document common problems for your support team, and iterate until your cycle is ready for launch.
Duration: 45-60 minutes for live training session; allow 2-3 hours for comprehensive testing with multiple test students.
Environment: All PLS-7 testing takes place in your sandbox environment during implementation (Month 4, Week 1). Test data created during this session stays in sandbox and does not migrate to production.
Critical Quality Control Checkpoint: PLS-7 is NOT a "nice to have" session—it's your final validation before real students use your system. Configuration errors caught here prevent support ticket chaos, student frustration, and emergency fixes during peak housing season. Never skip testing.
The Purpose of PLS-7: Testing & Validation
You already learned what cycles are (PLS-3) and how to configure them (PLS-6). PLS-7 is different—it's a hands-on testing workshop where you:
Experience what students experience: Log in as a student and walk through the complete housing journey using YOUR cycle configuration
Catch issues before launch: Identify form errors, tag misconfigurations, phase timing problems, and workflow gaps
Build support readiness: Document common problems and create troubleshooting guides for your team
Iterate and improve: Fix issues, retest, and refine until your cycle works flawlessly
Build empathy: Understand the student experience so you can provide better support
Why Testing Matters: The #1 cause of student support tickets during housing launch is configuration issues that could have been caught with testing. A single misconfigured applicability tag can prevent hundreds of students from seeing your cycle. A broken form validation can block submissions. Testing catches these issues while you can still fix them.
Session Modules
PLS-7 is organized into six focused testing modules that follow the student housing journey chronologically. Each module includes testing checklists, common issues, and troubleshooting guidance.
PLS-7A: Preparing Your Testing Environment
Set up test student accounts in sandbox, configure your cycle for testing with active date ranges, verify all components are ready, and create your testing plan.
Key topics: Creating test profiles in sandbox without login credentials, setting phase dates for testing, verifying forms and tags, testing checklist preparation
Time: 15 minutes
PLS-7B: Testing the Application Journey
Navigate the resident portal as a student in sandbox, locate YOUR cycle, complete YOUR application form, and verify that form responses create application records and apply tags correctly.
Key topics: Resident portal login in sandbox, cycle visibility, form completion, validation testing, tag verification, application submission workflow
Time: 15 minutes
PLS-7C: Testing Roommate Matching
Complete YOUR bio form, browse other students' profiles using YOUR tags, test compatibility filters, form roommate groups, and verify group size limits work correctly.
Key topics: Bio form completion, roommate finder navigation, tag-based filtering, compatibility display, roommate group formation, visibility settings
Time: 10 minutes
PLS-7D: Testing Room Selection
Browse available inventory in sandbox, test YOUR lottery configuration (if applicable), verify visibility rules control what rooms students see, and complete room selection as individual students and roommate groups.
Key topics: Room browsing, lottery timing, inventory visibility rules, pricing display, group selection workflow, assignment confirmation
Time: 15 minutes
PLS-7E: Testing Post-Selection Workflows
Sign YOUR documents, select from YOUR meal plans, schedule move-in appointments using YOUR moving groups, verify QR code generation, and test the complete residency dashboard.
Key topics: Document signing workflow, meal plan selection, move-in scheduling, moving group capacity, QR code access, residency dashboard features
Time: 10 minutes
PLS-7F: Troubleshooting, Iteration & Launch Preparation
Document all issues discovered during testing, make configuration fixes in the admin portal, retest to verify fixes worked, create support documentation, and complete your pre-launch checklist.
Key topics: Issue documentation, configuration fixes, retesting workflow, support team preparation, final pre-launch validation
Time: 20 minutes (plus additional time for fixes and retesting)
Learning Path
Complete the modules in order to systematically test your entire cycle:
PLS-7A: Preparing Your Testing Environment - Set up test accounts and configure for testing
PLS-7B: Testing the Application Journey - Verify application submission works correctly
PLS-7C: Testing Roommate Matching - Validate bio forms and roommate finder functionality
PLS-7D: Testing Room Selection - Ensure room browsing and selection works as expected
PLS-7E: Testing Post-Selection Workflows - Confirm documents, meal plans, and move-in work properly
PLS-7F: Troubleshooting, Iteration & Launch Preparation - Fix issues and finalize for launch
In a live 45-60 minute training session, we walk through the complete student journey together, identifying common issues and demonstrating the testing methodology. Teams then spend additional time testing independently with multiple test scenarios.
Prerequisites
Before starting PLS-7, you must complete:
PLS-3: Introduction to Housing Cycles - Understanding what cycles are and how they organize housing operations
PLS-4: Tags & Rulesets - You've created tags and rulesets for YOUR cycle in sandbox
PLS-5: Building Forms - You've built application forms and bio forms for YOUR cycle in sandbox
PLS-6: Creating YOUR Housing Cycle - Your production cycle is fully configured in sandbox and ready for testing
Cycle Must Be Fully Configured: Before starting PLS-7, ensure you've completed ALL tabs in PLS-6 (A through K). Testing a partially configured cycle wastes time and doesn't validate your actual student experience. If your cycle isn't complete, finish PLS-6 first.
What You'll Need for Testing
Before beginning PLS-7, ensure you have:
✓ YOUR production cycle fully configured in sandbox (all PLS-6 modules complete)
✓ YOUR application form published in sandbox
✓ YOUR bio form published in sandbox (if using roommate matching)
✓ YOUR documents created in sandbox (if using e-signatures)
✓ YOUR tags created and applied to test profiles and inventory in sandbox
✓ YOUR charge codes configured for room pricing in sandbox
✓ YOUR meal plans created in sandbox (if required)
✓ Access to your sandbox environment (typically yourschool.housing.cloud)
✓ Admin access to create test profiles in sandbox
✓ 2-3 hours set aside for thorough testing
Sandbox Testing Environment: All PLS-7 testing happens in your sandbox environment during implementation (typically Month 4, Week 1). Your sandbox is pre-populated with sample data from data migration, and any test data you create during PLS-7 stays in sandbox—it does not migrate to production. This gives you a safe environment to test, experiment, and iterate without any risk to production systems.
Key Takeaways
After completing PLS-7, you'll understand:
How to create test student profiles in sandbox for testing purposes
How to configure your cycle with testing-friendly date ranges
The complete student experience from application through move-in preparation
How to navigate the resident portal from a student perspective
What students see at each phase of the housing journey
Common configuration issues and how to troubleshoot them
How to verify that YOUR forms, tags, rulesets, and settings work correctly
How to test as both individual students and roommate groups
How to document issues for your support team
The iteration cycle: test → identify issues → fix → retest
How to validate your cycle is ready for real students
That sandbox test data stays in sandbox and doesn't migrate to production
Testing Complete = Launch Confidence: After completing PLS-7, you'll have tested every critical workflow in your cycle. You'll know your configuration works, you've documented common issues, and your support team is prepared. You're ready to open your cycle to real students with confidence.
The Testing Methodology
PLS-7 uses an iterative testing approach in your sandbox environment:
1. Test as a Student
Navigate the resident portal using test student accounts in sandbox. Experience each workflow exactly as students will experience it.
2. Identify Issues
Document everything that doesn't work as expected—form errors, missing buttons, confusing messaging, validation problems, workflow dead-ends.
3. Switch to Admin
Log back into the admin portal to investigate and fix the issues you discovered.
4. Make Configuration Fixes
Adjust cycle settings, form configurations, tag assignments, or phase dates based on what you found.
5. Iterate with Test Data
Create additional test students or modify existing test profiles to test different scenarios. Since this is your sandbox environment, test data doesn't need to be deleted—it won't migrate to production.
6. Retest
Log back in as a student and test again to verify your fixes worked.
7. Document for Support
Create notes for your support team about common issues students might encounter and how to resolve them.
Test with Multiple Scenarios: Don't just test the "happy path" of a student who meets all requirements. Test edge cases: students with different tags, students who don't meet applicability requirements, international students, transfer students, students with accommodations. Each scenario reveals different potential issues.
Testing Different Student Scenarios
For comprehensive testing, create test profiles in sandbox that represent different student populations:
Scenario 1: First-Year Student (Happy Path)
Has all required applicability tags
Meets all cycle requirements
Goes through the complete workflow start to finish
Tests the "everything works" scenario
Scenario 2: Returning Student with Roommate Group
Has different applicability tags than first-years
Forms a roommate group with 2-3 other test students
Tests group selection workflow
Validates roommate matching features
Scenario 3: Student Who Shouldn't See the Cycle
Missing required applicability tags
Has exclusion tags
Should NOT see your cycle in their portal
Tests that your eligibility rules work correctly
Scenario 4: Student with Special Requirements
Has accessibility tags
Requires specific room features
Tests that visibility rules show appropriate inventory
Validates accommodation workflows
Common Issues You'll Catch During Testing
Based on thousands of implementations, here are the most common issues discovered during PLS-7 testing:
Configuration Issues
Applicability tags misconfigured (wrong students see or don't see the cycle)
Phase dates in the past or future (students can't access current phase)
Forms not published (cycle can't find the form to display)
Forms not assigned to cycle (no form appears for students)
Documents not assigned to cycle (signature workflow doesn't trigger)
Meal plans not assigned to cycle (no meal plan options appear)
Form Issues
Required field validation not working
Conditional logic creating dead-ends
Confusing question wording
Missing help text on complex questions
File upload size limits not clear
Tag mapping not configured (tags don't apply after submission)
Roommate Finder Issues
Bio form visibility set to private (no profiles visible)
Tag filters not working as expected
Compatibility scoring confusing to students
Group size limits not enforced correctly
Room Selection Issues
Lottery dates not configured correctly
Inventory visibility rules too restrictive (no rooms visible)
Room pricing not displaying
Group selection workflow unclear
Re-selection toggle not working as expected
Post-Selection Issues
Document merge fields not populating correctly
Meal plan defaults not applying
Moving group capacity too small
QR code not generating
Move-in instructions missing
Every Issue is a Learning Opportunity: Finding issues during testing isn't a failure—it's the whole point. Each issue you catch and fix prevents student frustration and support tickets. Document everything you find and share it with your team.
How Testing Differs from PLS-3 (Student Experience Overview)
You may remember PLS-3D, which covered "The Student Experience" conceptually. PLS-7 is different:
PLS-3D (Conceptual Learning):
Explored a SAMPLE cycle to understand how cycles work
Learned what students see at each phase
Understood the housing journey theoretically
Didn't test YOUR specific configuration
PLS-7 (Hands-On Testing in Sandbox):
Tests YOUR production cycle with YOUR configuration in sandbox
Validates YOUR forms, tags, rulesets, and settings work correctly
Identifies issues specific to YOUR setup
Prepares YOUR team for launch
Results in a tested, validated cycle ready for students
All testing happens safely in sandbox without affecting production
Pre-Testing Checklist
Before starting PLS-7A, verify you've completed these items from PLS-6 in your sandbox:
☐ Cycle name and display name configured
☐ Residence start and end dates set
☐ External term code entered (if applicable)
☐ Applicability tags configured (And/Or/Exclude)
☐ Application form assigned and published
☐ Ruleset assigned (for resident cycles)
☐ Bio form assigned and published
☐ Application phase dates configured
☐ Roommate phase dates configured
☐ Room selection phase dates configured
☐ Move-in moving groups created
☐ Meal plans assigned to cycle (if required)
☐ Documents assigned to cycle (if using)
☐ Charge codes configured for pricing
☐ Tags created and applied to test profiles
☐ Tags applied to inventory for visibility testing
If any items are incomplete, finish PLS-6 configuration before proceeding with testing.
Post-Testing Deliverables
After completing PLS-7, you should have:
✓ Tested your cycle end-to-end in sandbox with at least 2 different student scenarios
✓ Documented all issues discovered during testing
✓ Fixed all critical issues and retested to verify fixes
✓ Created a troubleshooting guide for your support team
✓ Documented common student questions you anticipate
✓ Completed the final pre-launch checklist (PLS-7F)
✓ Confidence that your cycle is ready for real students in production
What's Next: PLS-8
Now that you've tested YOUR cycle from the student perspective in sandbox and validated it works correctly, you're ready to learn how to operate your cycle day-to-day.
In PLS-8: Managing Applications & Assignments, you'll learn:
How to review applications submitted by students
How to approve or deny applications based on YOUR criteria
How to manually assign students to rooms
How to run auto-assignment using YOUR rulesets
How to use occupancy reporting for tracking and planning
Why This Progression Works: By the time you reach PLS-8, you've CREATED the forms students fill out (PLS-5), you've CONFIGURED the cycle (PLS-6), and you've TESTED the application process (PLS-7). When you review applications in PLS-8, you'll understand exactly how they were created because you experienced it yourself as a student.
Getting Help
If you encounter issues during testing that you can't resolve:
Review specific modules: Each PLS-7 module (A through F) includes detailed troubleshooting guidance
Ask your trainer: Bring questions to your live PLS-7 training session
Contact your implementation team: Schedule office hours for cycle testing support
Submit a support ticket: Include specific details about what you're testing and what isn't working
When contacting support about testing issues, include:
Which module you're testing (e.g., "PLS-7B - Application Journey")
What workflow you're testing (e.g., "Application submission")
What you expected to happen vs. what actually happened
Screenshots showing the issue from the student perspective
Screenshots of your cycle configuration from the admin portal
Test student profile details (tags, status, etc.)
Note that you're testing in sandbox environment
Additional Resources
Product Learning Homework: Try It Yourself Exercises (PLS-0 through PLS-8.5) - Complete PLS-7 homework exercises
Product Learning Session Framework: Complete Onboarding Structure - Full PLS roadmap
PLS-6: Creating YOUR Housing Cycle - Review cycle configuration
PLS-3D: The Student Experience - Conceptual overview of the student journey
The Housing Selection Experience, for Students - Student-facing guide for reference
Resident Portal Feature Checklist - Complete feature reference