Capture the lead
Record the prospect, source, preferred unit type, budget, move-in timing, communication preference, and next action. Clean lead data keeps follow-up queues and conversion reports useful.
Property operations manual
Entrata End-User Guide
A practical guide for team members who use Entrata to manage leads, applications, leases, residents, payments, maintenance requests, collections activity, reporting, and integrations.
Important: Entrata is configurable. Menu names, roles, approval routing, documents, screening rules, charges, integrations, and resident-facing options can vary by company and property. Use this guide as a baseline and align it with your internal operating procedures.
Start here
Quick Start: The Resident Lifecycle
Most Entrata work starts with a lead or resident request and ends when the next action is clearly documented. Good records connect leasing, onsite operations, maintenance, accounting, and resident service.
Clickable Process Workflow
Click each hotspot to see what the learner should know before moving to the next step.
Choose a daily lens
Role-Based Daily View
Each team sees the same resident lifecycle from a different angle. Use the tabs to focus on the records, checks, and handoffs that matter most for that role.
Keep the prospect pipeline clean
Leasing users protect the top of the lifecycle. The goal is to turn every inquiry into a complete, searchable, reportable record with a clear next step.
- Search before creating a new guest card or applicant.
- Keep source, preferences, quote, tour, and follow-up dates current.
- Move to application only when the prospect understands pricing, terms, fees, and availability.
If you are a leasing user
If you are an operations user
Access and expectations
Before You Begin
Entrata can hold sensitive prospect, applicant, resident, financial, maintenance, and vendor data. Work only in records you are authorized to access.
Know your role
Your access may be limited by property, portfolio, job function, or module. If a menu or action is missing, confirm whether your role should have it before requesting changes.
Protect resident data
Do not place Social Security numbers, full payment details, medical information, or private dispute details in general notes unless your policy explicitly allows it.
Use one source of truth
Keep lead, resident, ledger, document, and work order updates inside Entrata. Avoid side spreadsheets for operational status unless they are approved controls.
Minimum information to work cleanly
- Correct property and unit.
- Correct prospect, applicant, or resident record.
- Accurate dates, statuses, amounts, and contacts.
- Required documents, notes, photos, or approvals.
- A clear next action and owner.
Orientation
Login and Navigation
Most users sign in through a company URL or single sign-on, then select the property, dashboard, or module that matches their work. Your company may rename modules or restrict access.
Navigation habits
Start from the dashboard or task queue, verify the property context, search for the correct person or unit, and open the record from the most relevant module. Use browser tabs carefully because account and property context can change.
Search habits
Search by exact resident name, prospect name, unit, application, work order, phone number, or email when available. If you cannot find a record, check spelling, prior names, transfer status, and archived or inactive records before creating a duplicate.
Common navigation issues
If a page appears empty, confirm property selection, date filters, assigned-to filters, role permissions, and whether the record is archived, canceled, transferred, or resident-facing only.
Search review
Resident Search Hotspots
Click a marker to review what to confirm before opening a result or creating a new record.
Use enough information to avoid duplicates
Search with the most specific details you have: full name, phone, email, unit, application, or work order number. If the record is not obvious, check the result type and property before creating anything new.
Daily work
Dashboard and Daily Work
The dashboard is the starting point for task-driven work: leads, applications, move-ins, notices, delinquency, maintenance, resident messages, expiring leases, and operational metrics.
How to work the dashboard
Start with aging work
Prioritize overdue tasks, unanswered messages, unassigned work orders, pending applications, and move-ins due soon.
Confirm filters
Check property, team, date range, status, and ownership filters before assuming a metric is wrong.
Document completion
Closing a task should leave a clear record of who acted, what changed, and what follow-up remains.
Daily dashboard triage routine
- Check property and team filters before reading the queue counts.
- Clear urgent safety, move-in, application, and payment exceptions first.
- Assign unowned work so every item has a responsible person.
- Record the decision, result, or next action before leaving the task.
- Re-run the dashboard after major updates so the team is not working stale counts.
Leasing pipeline
Leads, Tours, and Quotes
Leasing activity should make the prospect journey clear: how the lead arrived, what the prospect wants, what was offered, and what happens next.
Automated lead intake
Elise AI Guest Cards and Tour Scheduling
When Elise AI is configured with Entrata, it can respond to prospect inquiries, gather qualifying details, create or update guest cards, and schedule tours based on availability rules exposed to the integration.
Prospect starts the conversation
Elise may collect name, contact details, desired move-in date, bedroom type, budget, pets, and preferred tour timing through chat, SMS, email, or web lead channels.
Entrata guest card is created
The integration can pass the lead into Entrata with source, preferences, notes, and contact information so staff see the prospect in normal leasing queues.
Tour is scheduled from availability
If tour scheduling is enabled, Elise uses configured availability, leasing hours, appointment types, and property rules to place a tour on the calendar.
Staff reviews and follows up
Leasing staff should review the guest card, appointment, AI notes, contact consent, and unit preferences before the tour or next outreach.
Staff checks for AI-created guest cards
- Confirm the guest card did not duplicate an existing lead, applicant, or resident.
- Verify source, preferred property, unit type, budget, move-in window, and contact preference.
- Review the scheduled tour date, appointment owner, tour type, and property calendar capacity.
- Read AI conversation notes for special requests, accessibility needs, roommate questions, pets, parking, or guarantor concerns.
- Correct incomplete fields and document any human follow-up so reporting stays reliable.
Create or update a lead
- Search first to avoid duplicate prospect records.
- Capture name, contact information, source, desired unit type, budget, pet needs, and move-in timing.
- Add notes that explain the prospect's decision criteria and questions.
- Schedule the next action: call, email, SMS, tour, quote, application, or close reason.
- Update status after each interaction so pipeline reports stay accurate.
Quote good practice
Quote the correct unit, term, rent, fees, concessions, deposit requirements, and expiration. If pricing changes, create a new approved quote rather than relying on an old message.
When to close or nurture a lead
Close a lead only when the prospect is no longer active, selected another property, is unqualified under approved policy, or requested no further contact. Nurture a lead when the prospect still has intent but needs a later move-in date, a different unit type, roommate coordination, guarantor details, or manager follow-up.
Application review
Applications and Screening
Application work typically combines applicant information, identity checks, screening results, fees, documents, and policy decisions. Your company should define exactly who can approve, conditionally approve, deny, or request more information.
Review checklist
- Applicant and co-applicant information is complete.
- Required application fees and deposits are posted or pending according to policy.
- Screening result, conditions, guarantor needs, and adverse action steps are handled by authorized users.
- Required documents are attached and legible.
- Lease terms match the approved application and quote.
What to watch
Never override screening, income, identity, occupancy, or fair housing controls without documented authority. Notes should be factual, professional, and consistent with company policy.
Move an application forward
- Open the application from the applicant, lead, or dashboard queue.
- Confirm all applicants are attached to the correct unit and property.
- Review missing items, screening status, and required fees.
- Resolve conditions, documents, or comments before lease generation.
- Update status only when the application is ready for the next step.
Move-in readiness
Leases and Move-ins
Lease generation and move-in work should align the approved application, pricing, unit, dates, addenda, signatures, deposits, utilities, insurance, and resident account setup.
Before sending the lease
Verify unit, lease term, rent, fees, concessions, occupants, pets, vehicles, deposits, guarantors, addenda, and document package. Escalate mismatches before sending signatures.
Before move-in
Confirm signed documents, move-in money, insurance, utilities, keys or access credentials, inspection status, and resident portal setup. Do not mark move-in complete until your company criteria are met.
Screenshot
Add a document
Use the document modal to select the approved document type and route electronic signatures when your workflow requires it.
Screenshot
Review documents
Confirm which documents are resident-facing, signed, pending, uploaded, or missing before moving the lease or move-in forward.
Screenshot
Check ledger setup
Review balances, deposits, charges, credits, and pending activity before marking move-in tasks complete.
Optional video practice
Leasing and Calendar Walkthroughs
Use the videos to connect the written steps to the rhythm of real leasing work: appointments, record updates, documents, and move-in handoffs.
What to watch for
- Where the user confirms record context before taking action.
- How the next action is captured so another team member can continue the work.
- Which lease, document, or applicant details should be reviewed before the workflow advances.
What to watch for
- How appointments connect to lead follow-up and daily coverage.
- Where timing, owner, and notes reduce missed tours or duplicate outreach.
- How calendar activity should be reconciled with the prospect or resident record.
Move-in checklist example
- Confirm lease package is fully signed and countersigned.
- Verify all deposits, fees, and first charges are correct on the ledger.
- Confirm unit readiness and make-ready completion.
- Activate portal access and communication preferences.
- Document key release, access device issue, and resident-facing instructions.
Resident account
Residents and Ledgers
The resident profile connects contact information, lease details, documents, messages, work orders, payments, charges, credits, balances, and renewal activity.
Read the account before acting
Review lease status, current balance, pending payments, deposits, concessions, notices, messages, documents, and open work orders before answering resident questions.
Keep notes useful
Notes should state what happened, who requested it, what you did, and what follows next. Avoid emotional language, unsupported claims, or sensitive data that belongs in restricted documents.
Resident self-service
ResidentPortal
ResidentPortal gives residents a self-service path for payments, maintenance requests, documents, messages, announcements, and account information when enabled by the company.
Payments
Residents may be able to make one-time payments, set up autopay, review balances, and see payment confirmations. Staff should check pending payments before changing balances.
Maintenance
Residents may submit service requests with descriptions, permissions to enter, photos, pets, and preferred contact details. Staff should avoid closing requests without clear resolution notes.
Messages and documents
Resident-facing documents and messages should be approved, accurate, and written in company voice. Confirm the audience before publishing anything broadly.
Service requests
Maintenance Work Orders
Maintenance records should show the request, priority, permission to enter, photos, assignment, parts, labor, notes, completion, and resident communication.
Screenshot
Make ready queue
Use make-ready status to track units that need cleaning, inspection, repair, assignment, or scheduling before move-in.
Screenshot
Bulk update status
Bulk updates can save time, but review each order first when requirements, assignments, notes, or resident communication differ.
Screenshot
Status choices
Choose statuses that reflect the actual state: new, open, awaiting parts, completed, cancelled, duplicate, on hold, or awaiting vendor.
Screenshot
Mobile inspections
Mobile inspections are useful for onsite notes, photos, pass/fail items, and completion evidence while the condition is still visible.
Screenshot
Assign work orders
Assignments should show whether the request belongs with an employee, vendor, scheduled date, or due date.
Screenshot
Update status
Status menus help teams communicate whether work is new, open, waiting, completed, cancelled, duplicated, or on hold.
Screenshot
Update the order
Use problem details, status, visibility, notes, attachments, expenses, and history to keep the record complete.
Animated example
Work order queue
The maintenance queue should be reviewed by priority, age, assignment, status, due date, and resident impact.
Animated example
Offline mode
Offline workflows require users to sync once they are connected again so notes, photos, and status changes reach Entrata.
Status practice
Work Order Status Decision Helper
Select a status to see when it fits and what should be documented before saving the update.
Request received, not yet worked
Use New when the request has been created but has not been assigned or started. Confirm category, priority, resident permission, photos, and safety concerns before dispatch.
Facilities media practice
Facilities Video Library
Use these short demos when training maintenance users. Each tab groups videos by the workflow decision the learner is practicing.
Entrata Facilities intro
Use as the starting demo for facilities users who need to understand where work orders, make-ready, inspections, and offline tools fit.
Navigate to make-ready
Shows how the make-ready board is reached from the operational dashboard and why property context matters.
Resident submits a maintenance request
Shows the resident-facing intake path so onsite teams understand what information may arrive from ResidentPortal.
Creating a work order overview
Use as a quick orientation before comparing the dashboard, residents tab, and facilities app entry paths.
Create from the Entrata dashboard
Practice creating work from dashboard queues while keeping the property, category, priority, and owner clear.
Create from the residents tab
Use when the work starts from a resident profile and the user must confirm the unit, lease status, and contact context.
Create from the Facilities app
Shows how field users can create requests while capturing the details needed for assignment and follow-up.
Create from the dashboard
Practice creating a work order from dashboard work queues while preserving property, priority, and assignment context.
Create from ResidentPortal
Use when teaching how resident-submitted requests become work order records with resident-facing details.
Create from SiteTablet
Use when the field team needs to create requests away from a desktop while still capturing useful notes and location details.
Reviewing work orders
Use for learners who need to scan open, suspended, aging, and assigned work before deciding what to update.
Track work order statuses
Shows how status tracking helps the team distinguish active work, blockers, resident updates, and closeout.
Work order priorities
Use when teaching how urgency, safety, resident impact, and scheduled timing should influence queue handling.
Resident visibility
Explains why resident-facing visibility should match company policy and the message the team intends to send.
Work order assignments
Shows how to assign requests to an employee or vendor and why schedule and due dates should be clear.
Work order statuses
Use with the status decision helper above so learners connect each status to documentation expectations.
Updating a work order
Demonstrates how record updates, visibility, notes, and history support resident service and audits.
Go codes and completion
Use where coded completion details are part of your company's maintenance closeout process.
Reviewing make-ready history
Use to show how prior activity, inspection findings, and notes explain why a unit is or is not ready.
Updating make-ready assignment
Shows how ownership changes should be documented when tasks move between employees, teams, or vendors.
Updating make-ready status
Use when teaching how blockers, due dates, completion evidence, and move-in timing affect status choices.
Printing a make-ready punch list
Use for teams that still need printed checklists while preserving updates and completion notes in Entrata.
Managing the make-ready board
Use for supervisors who need to see how make-ready status, assignments, blockers, and move-in deadlines connect.
Completing make-ready workflow
Shows how task completion should connect to the operational readiness decision before move-in.
Completing make-ready
Shows the closeout mindset for completing make-ready tasks before the next resident move-in date.
Completing inspections
Use with move-in, move-out, and recurring inspection learners who need to attach notes, photos, and findings.
Offline mode
Use for field teams who may lose connectivity and need to understand what must sync afterward.
Create or update a work order
- Confirm the correct property, unit, resident, location, category, and priority.
- Record issue details, permission to enter, pets, photos, access notes, and safety concerns.
- Assign the technician or team and add any required vendor or parts notes.
- Update status as work moves from new to assigned, in progress, waiting, or complete.
- Close only when resolution notes, charges, photos, and resident communication are complete.
Balances and follow-up
Collections
Collections work should follow company policy, lease rules, local law, approved notice language, and documented timing. Entrata records help staff track balances, promises to pay, notices, payment plans, and escalation status.
Compliance note: Collections rules can be legal and jurisdiction-specific. This guide is a workflow aid, not legal advice. Use approved company scripts, notices, and escalation paths.
No past-due action needed beyond normal monitoring.
Review balance, pending payments, notices, and communication history.
Manager, legal, or approved third-party process may be required.
Payment, adjustment, plan, or approved resolution has been documented.
Collections review steps
- Open the resident ledger and verify balance, pending payments, credits, deposits, and disputed items.
- Review prior messages, notices, payment plans, promises, and manager notes.
- Use approved communication templates and timing.
- Document the outcome and next action in the resident record.
- Escalate only through the approved company process.
Financial operations
Accounting and Purchasing
Depending on configuration, Entrata may support property accounting, payables, purchasing, budgets, invoices, deposits, journal entries, bank activity, and financial reporting.
Resident charges and credits
Only authorized users should post, reverse, adjust, waive, or transfer ledger activity. Each change should have a reason, supporting evidence, and approval when required.
Invoices and payables
Verify vendor, invoice number, property, GL coding, amount, approval status, attachments, and duplicate risk before approving or submitting payable activity.
Deposits and batches
Batch deposits and payment activity should reconcile to source records. Resolve exceptions before month-end close.
Visibility
Search and Reporting
Reports help teams audit activity, manage exceptions, and explain performance. The best reports have clear filters, known definitions, and a repeatable review cadence.
Traffic source report
Use to understand which marketing sources generate leads, tours, applications, and leases.
Availability report
Use to confirm rentable units, notice units, make-ready status, pricing, and exposure.
Application status
Use to find incomplete applications, screening exceptions, pending fees, and approved applicants awaiting lease.
Delinquency aging
Use for balance review, payment plan follow-up, notice timing, and manager escalation.
Work order aging
Use to identify unassigned, overdue, waiting-parts, vendor, emergency, and reopened requests.
Renewal exposure
Use to track expirations, renewal offers, signed renewals, notices, and retention risk.
Ledger audit
Use to review manual adjustments, reversals, write-offs, deposits, payment reversals, and user activity.
ResidentPortal adoption
Use to monitor registration, online payments, autopay, service requests, and message engagement.
Report setup
Filter Builder by Use Case
Choose the report family that matches the question you are trying to answer. The best report is the one with the right filters and a clear follow-up owner.
Pipeline and conversion
Use leasing reports to find where prospects are slowing down and whether follow-up is being completed on time.
- Filter by property, source, lead date, tour date, application date, and current status.
- Compare lead-to-tour, tour-to-application, and application-to-lease movement.
- Review open next actions before assuming a lead is inactive.
Mobile work
Mobile and SiteTablet
Mobile and tablet access can support tours, inspections, maintenance updates, photos, package notes, and quick task review. Access should be role-based and device security should be enforced.
Good mobile use
Use mobile tools when they improve onsite accuracy: photo evidence, inspection checklists, work order updates, make-ready status, and tour notes entered while details are fresh.
Security expectations
Use approved devices, lock screens, MFA or SSO when required, and avoid downloading resident data outside approved apps. Report lost devices immediately.
Connected systems
Integrations and App Store
Entrata integrations can connect resident, property, leasing, payment, marketing, utility, screening, document, and vendor tools. Users should understand what data is shared and who owns the relationship.
Integration review checklist
- Business owner and support owner are identified.
- Property scope and data scope are approved.
- Resident-facing impacts are understood.
- Authentication, vendor access, and expiration are documented.
- Testing, rollback, and audit trail expectations are clear.
Fix common issues
Troubleshooting
When something looks wrong, first confirm context, filters, permissions, duplicate records, pending syncs, and whether another module owns the data.
| Issue | Check first | Typical owner |
|---|---|---|
| Cannot find a resident | Property, archived status, prior name, transfer, unit history, duplicate records. | Leasing or resident services. |
| Balance looks wrong | Pending payments, reversals, deposits, manual charges, move-in setup, concessions. | Accounting or property manager. |
| Work order not visible | Status, assigned team, date filters, property, resident portal submission, permissions. | Maintenance supervisor. |
| Applicant stuck | Missing documents, screening status, payment, guarantor, quote mismatch, policy hold. | Leasing manager. |
| Report does not match | Date range, definitions, properties, user permissions, scheduled report settings. | Reporting/admin team. |
Reference
Glossary
Applicant
A person applying for residency, often connected to screening, documents, and application fees.
Guest card
A prospect or lead record used to track preferences, source, communications, tours, and follow-up.
Ledger
The resident account record showing charges, credits, payments, deposits, balances, and adjustments.
Make-ready
The operational process of preparing a unit for move-in, often involving inspections, cleaning, repairs, and status updates.
ResidentPortal
Resident-facing self-service experience for payments, maintenance, documents, messages, and account activity when enabled.
Work order
A maintenance request or service task with category, priority, assignment, notes, photos, and completion status.
Control mindset
Governance and Good Practice
A strong Entrata guide should teach the workflow and the control mindset. The goal is not just to click the right button; it is to create clean, fair, auditable property records.
Accuracy
Use the correct person, property, unit, amount, date, status, and module before saving.
Privacy
Limit sensitive details to approved fields, documents, and restricted workflows.
Fairness
Follow approved leasing, screening, collections, and resident communication policies consistently.
Auditability
Leave a clear record of actions, approvals, documents, and next steps.