Tags vs. Profile Fields
Last updated: August 28, 2026
Housing.Cloud provides two methods to customize and extend Profile data: tags and profile fields. Both features are designed to enhance your institution’s business processes and reporting capabilities. While they share the goal of providing flexibility, tags and profile fields serve different purposes and have unique visual representations within the platform.
Overview of Tags and Profile Fields
Tags and profile fields allow administrators to go beyond standard profile information to meet specific institutional needs.
| Profile Fields | Tags | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Enhance reporting and provide additional Profile details on profile-centric pages. | Automate processes, such as creating rulesets or filtering for room or roommate assignments. |
| Visibility | Displayed in the vertical card on the left-hand side of profile-centric details pages. | Displayed as colorful pills in a dedicated section of profile pages. |
| Examples | Preferred Contact Method, Personal Contact Information, Age, Date of Birth, Guardian Contact Information, | Special Assignment Tags, Housing Preferences, Moving Groups, Lifestyle Characteristics |
| Use Case |
Best for capturing additional data points that are important for reporting and quick reference, such as emergency contact preferences or parent information. |
Ideal for automating workflows, such as assigning students to specific rooms or assignments, and filtering profiles based on defined criteria. |
Profile Field and Tags Interactions
When creating a Profile Field, administrators define the response type, such as free text, single choice, or multi-select checkboxes. For choice-based responses, administrators can assign Tags to one or more answer options. This allows Tags to be automatically applied based on user responses, creating a seamless connection between data collection and process automation.
For example:
- A profile field might collect a student’s academic program upon integration.
- Profiles with "Chemistry" or "Biology" could automatically assign the STEM Track tag to their profile tags.