Overview
The assignment lifecycle describes how students move from submitting a housing application to becoming active residents living in assigned spaces. Understanding this lifecycle—and the statuses that mark each stage—is essential for managing housing operations efficiently and troubleshooting issues when students get stuck.
Who this is for: Housing staff who need to understand how applications flow through the system and what each status means.
What you'll learn: The complete journey from application to residency, all application and residency statuses, what triggers status changes, and how your forms, tags, and rulesets connect to the assignment process.
Duration: 15 minutes
The Complete Assignment Lifecycle
Students progress through predictable stages as they move from applicant to resident:
Stage 1: Application Submission
What happens: Student completes and submits YOUR application form (the one you built in PLS-5).
Behind the scenes:
Form responses are saved to the application record
Tags are automatically applied based on student answers (configured in your form)
Application status changes from "In Progress" to "Under Review"
Student can see their application in the resident portal
Example: Emma starts an application on July 1 but doesn't submit. Status: In Progress. On July 5, she completes and submits. Status: Under Review.
Stage 2: Application Review & Approval
What happens: Housing staff review the application and either approve, deny, waitlist, or return it for edits.
Behind the scenes:
Staff can view all form responses from YOUR application form
Staff can see all tags that were applied based on answers
Application status changes to "Approved" (or other status based on decision)
Approved students become eligible for assignment
Example: Staff verify Emma meets eligibility requirements and payment is received. They approve her application on July 10. Status: Approved.
Stage 3: Assignment (Manual or Auto)
What happens: Student is assigned to a specific bed in a specific room.
Behind the scenes:
A residency record is created linking the student to a bed
Application status changes from "Approved" to "Resident"
Residency status is "Assigned" (before move-in date) or "Current" (after check-in)
Bed status changes to "Occupied" or "Assigned"
Housing charges are generated based on YOUR charge codes
Example: On July 15, Emma is assigned to East Hall, Room 201, Bed A for Fall 2025. Her application shows "Resident" and a new residency record is created with status "Assigned."
Stage 4: Move-In & Occupancy
What happens: Student arrives on campus and checks in.
Behind the scenes:
Residency status changes from "Assigned" to "Current"
Check-in date is recorded
Keys are issued and tracked
Student can access their residency dashboard in the portal
Example: Emma checks in on August 20. Her residency status changes from "Assigned" to "Current."
Stage 5: End of Term or Changes
What happens: Student either completes their housing term normally, or their assignment changes mid-cycle.
Possible outcomes:
Normal check-out: Residency status → "Moved Out"
Cancellation: Residency status → "Canceled"
Early departure mid-cycle: Residency status → "Early Termination"
Room change: Original residency status → "Transferred", new residency created
No checkout recorded: Residency status → "Overstay" after end date passes
Example: Emma completes spring semester and checks out on May 10. Her residency status changes to "Moved Out."
Application Statuses Explained
Application statuses show where a student's housing application sits in the review and assignment process. All statuses are visible to students in the resident portal.
Status |
Meaning |
Common Triggers |
|---|---|---|
In Progress |
Student has started but not submitted the application, or it was returned for edits |
Student begins application; admin returns from Under Review for edits |
Under Review |
Application is submitted and ready for staff review |
Student submits; admin revokes approval; resubmission after edits |
Approved |
Application is approved and student is eligible for assignment |
Admin marks Approved after review |
Resident |
Student has an active housing assignment linked to this application |
Assignment created from Approved application |
Waitlist |
Student is in holding state; cannot reapply to same cycle while waitlisted |
Admin places on Waitlist due to capacity or program hold |
Archived |
Application is closed from active processing; cannot reapply to same cycle |
Admin archives after term or for internal cleanup |
Rejected |
Application is denied; cannot resubmit for same cycle; blocks payments and room selection |
Admin sets to Rejected after review |
Canceled |
Application is canceled; no longer active; student CAN reapply to same cycle |
Admin uses Cancel Application action |
Reapplication Rules: Waitlist, Archived, and Rejected all prevent students from reapplying to the same cycle. Canceled allows reapplication. Choose carefully based on whether you want the student to be able to submit a new application.
Status Workflow Examples
Normal Flow: In Progress → Under Review → Approved → Resident
Requires Edits: In Progress → Under Review → (returned to) In Progress → Under Review → Approved → Resident
Capacity Hold: In Progress → Under Review → Waitlist → (when space opens) Approved → Resident
Student Withdraws: Approved → Canceled (if they withdraw before assignment) or Resident → (residency canceled separately)
See complete Application Status Definitions article →
Residency Statuses Explained
Residency statuses show the current state of a student's housing assignment. They update automatically when certain actions occur.
Status |
Meaning |
Common Triggers |
|---|---|---|
Assigned |
Student has housing assignment; start date has not yet arrived |
Manual assignment, room selection, or import before start date |
Current |
Student has checked in and is actively living in assigned space |
Admin or student check-in completed |
Incoming |
Start date has arrived but student hasn't checked in; no move-in scheduled |
Start date reached; no check-in and no move-in date set |
Move In Scheduled |
Student has future move-in date after residency start date |
Move-in scheduled in admin portal |
Move Out Scheduled |
Student has future move-out date |
Move-out scheduled in admin portal |
Moved Out |
Student has been checked out and no longer occupies space |
Admin or student check-out completed |
Overstay |
End date has passed but student hasn't been checked out |
End date reached without check-out action |
Canceled |
Residency was canceled and is no longer active |
Cancel Residency action completed |
Transferred |
Residency ended due to space change; new residency created for new space |
Change Bed or Swap Residency action completed |
Early Termination |
Residency ended early before scheduled end date (student left mid-cycle) |
Cancel Residency action with "Early Termination" option selected |
Status Timeline: A typical residency progresses: Assigned (before move-in) → Current (after check-in) → Moved Out (after check-out). Deviations from this path indicate special circumstances like cancellations, early terminations, transfers, or missed check-ins.
Status Workflow Examples
Normal Flow: Assigned → Current → Moved Out
Student Arrives Late: Assigned → Incoming → Move In Scheduled → Current → Moved Out
Mid-Term Room Change: Assigned → Current → Transferred (original room) + Assigned → Current (new room)
Student Withdraws Before Move-In: Assigned → Canceled
Student Leaves Mid-Semester: Assigned → Current → Early Termination
Missed Check-Out: Assigned → Current → (end date passes) Overstay
See complete Residency Status Definitions article →
Canceled vs. Early Termination: Both end a residency, but Early Termination specifically indicates the student occupied the space before leaving mid-cycle. Canceled is used when students never move in or leave before occupancy. You'll learn when to choose each option and the complete cancel workflow in PLS-8E.
How YOUR Forms and Tags Drive the Process
Everything you built in PLS 3-6 connects to the assignment lifecycle:
YOUR Application Form (PLS-5)
Students complete YOUR form questions
Their answers appear in the Applications section for review
Tags are automatically applied based on their answers
You review these responses when deciding to approve or deny
Example: Your form asks "Are you an international student?" If they answer "Yes," the "International" tag is applied. You can filter by this tag when reviewing applications.
YOUR Tags (PLS-4)
Tags applied from form answers categorize students
You use tags to filter applications (show me all international students)
Tags control auto-assignment matching via YOUR rulesets
Tags can control inventory visibility (students with X tag see Y rooms)
Example: You filter applications to show only students tagged "First-Year" to process all first-year applications together.
YOUR Rulesets (PLS-4)
Rulesets use tags to match students with compatible roommates and rooms
Auto-assignment runs YOUR ruleset to generate proposals
Manual assignments can still show rule violations as warnings
Example: Your ruleset says "Students tagged 'Quiet Hours' must match with roommates also tagged 'Quiet Hours.'" Auto-assignment respects this rule.
YOUR Housing Cycle (PLS-6)
Applicability tags control who can see and apply to your cycle
Application phase dates control when students can apply
The assigned ruleset determines auto-assignment logic
Example: Your Fall 2025 cycle has applicability tag "Undergraduate" with "AND" logic. Only undergrads see this cycle in their portal.
Common Lifecycle Issues and Solutions
Issue: Applications Stuck in "In Progress"
Cause: Student started but never clicked submit, or application was returned for edits and student hasn't resubmitted.
Solution: Filter by status "In Progress" and send reminder emails. During peak cycles, run weekly reports to prompt student action.
Issue: Large "Under Review" Backlog
Cause: Staff aren't regularly processing submissions.
Solution: Establish review cadence during peak times. Use filters to see newly submitted applications first.
Issue: Student Shows "Resident" but Has No Bed Assignment
Cause: Data error or residency was created but later canceled/removed without updating application status.
Solution: Check the student's profile Residencies tab to see residency history. If canceled, manually update application status to Approved or Canceled as appropriate.
Issue: Residency Shows "Overstay"
Cause: Student's contract ended but check-out was never processed.
Solution: Process check-out now to change status to "Moved Out." Review Overstay residents regularly during closing periods.
Issue: Can't Assign Student to Bed - Says "Occupied"
Cause: Bed still has an active residency (status is Current, Assigned, or Incoming).
Solution: Cancel or check-out the existing resident first, or choose a different available bed.
Connecting Lifecycle to Your Operations
Understanding the lifecycle helps you troubleshoot and optimize:
When reviewing applications (PLS-8B): You'll know which status to set based on your decision and whether the student should be able to reapply.
When making assignments (PLS-8C): You'll understand why approved students can be assigned but waitlisted students cannot.
When running auto-assignment (PLS-8D): You'll know that only "Approved" applications are eligible, and creating assignments changes them to "Resident."
When managing changes (PLS-8E): You'll know when to cancel vs. transfer vs. swap based on the desired outcome.
What's Next
Continue your Product Learning Session 8 journey:
PLS-8B: Reviewing & Approving Applications - Learn how to process application submissions and change statuses
PLS-8C: Manual Assignment Methods - Master the three ways to assign students to beds
PLS-8D: Auto-Assignment Workflow - Use automated matching to assign large batches
PLS-8E: Managing Residency Changes - Handle cancellations, transfers, and swaps
Complete PLS-8: PLS-8: Managing Applications & Assignments
Lifecycle Mastery: Now that you understand how students move from applicant to resident and what each status means, you're ready to learn the hands-on workflows for reviewing applications and making assignments.