Ethos Integration Setup and Testing

Ethos integration testing is an essential step in ensuring that Housing.Cloud and your institution’s student information system (SIS) can reliably exchange data. This testing phase confirms that both inbound (ingress) and outbound (egress) data flows work as intended, that all necessary SIS entities are indexed correctly in Housing.Cloud, and that record syncs happen without errors. By running structured tests with your IT team and Housing.Cloud engineers, you can validate your configuration, catch potential issues early, and ensure your housing operations remain in sync with institutional records.

This article outlines the preparation steps, prerequisites, and testing process for your Ethos integration, including sandbox environment setup and key test scenarios for profiles, assignments, transactions, and more.

Sandbox Provisioning Prerequisite

Before testing can begin, Housing.Cloud requires the institution’s housing administrators and IT department to complete the sandbox provisioning process. This includes providing key records and configuration files so Housing.Cloud can create a dedicated testing environment. The sandbox is used for training, integration development, and verification, and remains accessible for ongoing testing needs. For details, see the Sandbox Provisioning Guide.

Ethos Integration Overview

Understanding how Ethos works is the foundation of a successful integration test. The Ethos Integration Overview article explains the platform’s role, how data moves between systems, and the importance of indexing for accurate record matching. Click here to learn more about the Ethos Integration Overview.

Required Ethos Endpoints

Testing requires confirming that all necessary Ethos endpoints are accessible. The Required Ethos Endpoints article lists the specific API endpoints Housing.Cloud uses for profiles, assignments, meal plans, and transactions, along with their HTTP methods and requirements. Click here to learn more about the Required Ethos Endpoints.

Ethos Egress: Occupancies (a.k.a Housing Assignments)

Occupancy egress testing confirms that Housing Assignments are successfully exported to your SIS. The Ethos Egress: Occupancies article describes the Housing Assignment and, optionally, the Housing Requests data model, configuration options, and endpoint requirements. Click here to learn more about Ethos Egress: Occupancies.

Ethos Egress: Meal Plan Assignments

Meal Plan Assignment egress testing confirms that Meal Plan Assignments are successfully exported to your SIS. The Ethos Egress: Meal Plan Assignment article describes the Meal Plan Assignment and, optionally, the Meal Plan Requests data model, configuration options, and endpoint requirements. Click here to learn more about Ethos Egress: Meal Plan Assignment.

Ethos Egress: Transactions

Transaction egress testing confirms that housing and dining charges, refunds, incidentals and much more are successfully exported to your SIS. The Ethos Egress: Transactions article describes the transaction data model, configuration options, and endpoint requirements. Click here to learn more about Ethos Egress: Transactions.

Ethos Ingress: Profiles

Profile ingress testing ensures that student and staff data flows correctly from your SIS into Housing.Cloud. The Ethos Ingress: Profiles article outlines the required data formats and fields, and how they are mapped in Housing.Cloud. Click here to learn more about Ethos Ingress: Profiles.

Ethos Ingress: Custom Profile Fields

If your institution uses custom profile fields in Housing.Cloud, these must be tested to confirm accurate data import. The Ethos Ingress: Custom Profile Fields article details supported fields, dependencies, and data mapping requirements. Click here to learn more about Ethos Ingress: Custom Profile Fields.