PLS-1A: Logging In and Basic System Navigation

Overview

What you'll learn: How to log in using SSO, navigate the dashboard, and resolve common login issues.

Time to complete: 10-15 minutes

The admin portal is where you manage applications, assignments, resident communications, and housing operations. This article walks you through logging in via SSO, understanding the dashboard layout, and troubleshooting common access issues.

Before You Begin

Make sure you have the following before starting:

• Admin account created: Your Housing.Cloud system owner must have created your admin account in the system
• SSO credentials: Your campus login credentials configured for Housing.Cloud access

Accessing the Admin Portal

Your admin portal is accessed through your institution's unique Housing.Cloud URL:

Admin Portal: yourschool.housing.cloud/admin

Student Portal: yourschool.housing.cloud

The /admin path is required for admin access. Without it, you'll land on the student portal instead.

Logging In with SSO

Housing.Cloud uses Single Sign-On (SSO) authentication, meaning you'll use the same campus credentials you use for other institutional systems.

1. Navigate to your admin portal URL
2. Click Sign in with SSO
3. You're redirected to your institution's authentication page
4. Enter your campus username and password
5. Complete any multi-factor authentication (MFA) if required
6. You're automatically redirected back to the admin portal and logged in

Dashboard Overview

After login, you arrive at the Dashboard—your command center providing quick access to key housing metrics, recent activity, and important upcoming dates.

The Two-Tab Layout

The Dashboard has two tabs:

Overview Tab displays operational metrics:

• Occupancy metrics—Current occupancy rate, total beds, occupied beds, available beds
• Application statistics—Pending applications, approved applications, applications requiring review
• Move-in activity—Upcoming move-ins for the next 7–30 days
• Recent activity feed—Latest applications submitted, assignments made, and resident updates
• System notifications—Important announcements from Housing.Cloud
• Quick actions—Shortcuts to frequently-used tasks based on your role

Calendar Tab shows important housing dates:

• Move-in dates—Scheduled move-in days color-coded by building or cohort
• Move-out dates—Scheduled move-out days and check-out deadlines
• Housing cycle milestones—Application open/close dates, room selection windows, phase transitions

 

Your dashboard is personalized: The widgets you see depend on your assigned role and permissions. Different users see different widgets based on what's relevant to their responsibilities.

Key Navigation Elements

Universal Search

The search bar at the top of the admin portal lets you quickly locate:

• Student profiles (by name or student ID)
• Tasks (by task ID)
• Applications and residencies
• Inventory items (room or key names)

User Settings

Click your profile icon in the top right corner to access:

• Compact Mode / Normal Mode—Adjust spacing in tables
• Light Mode / Dark Mode—Switch visual themes
• Accessibility Settings—Toggle the accessibility widget
• Keyboard Shortcuts—Access system shortcuts
• View Profile—Go to your profile
• Logout—Exit the admin portal

Troubleshooting Login Issues

Limited Navigation After Login

Symptom: You can log in but only see Dashboard and Profiles in the sidebar.

Cause: Your account doesn't have a role assigned. Being able to log in doesn't automatically grant permissions—your profile needs a role that specifies what you can see and do.

Solution: Contact your institution's Housing.Cloud super admin and request they assign you an appropriate role. After the role is assigned, log out and log back in to see updated navigation.

"You do not have a valid account" Warning

Symptom: SSO authentication succeeds but you receive a warning about not having a valid account.

Cause: SSO authentication and Housing.Cloud account access are separate. Your campus SSO credentials work, but you don't have a Housing.Cloud admin account yet.

Solution: Contact your institution's Housing.Cloud system owner and request they create an admin account for you.

SSO Authentication Fails

Symptom: SSO authentication fails or redirects incorrectly.

Solution:

• Verify you can log into other campus systems using SSO
• Contact your IT/networking team to ensure your email is configured in the SAML configuration for Housing.Cloud
• Check if campus SSO is experiencing downtime

Infinite Redirect Loop

Symptom: The system keeps redirecting you between Housing.Cloud and your institution's SSO page.

Solution: Clear your browser cookies and cache for both housing.cloud and your institution's SSO domain, then try again. If the issue persists, try a different browser or incognito mode. Contact your IT department if the problem continues.

Blank Screen After Login

Symptom: You log in successfully but see a blank screen instead of the Dashboard.

Solution: Check your browser compatibility—Housing.Cloud works best on recent versions of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge. Try clearing your cache or using a different browser. Contact Housing.Cloud support if the issue persists.

What's Next

Now that you can log in and understand the Dashboard, continue with:

• PLS-1B: Navigating the Admin Portal—Learn the main navigation sections and how permission-based visibility works
• PLS-1C: Quick Search—Master the fastest way to find anything in the system
• Complete PLS-1: Product Learning Session 1: System Navigation & Core Concepts