Prelaunch Environment Reference Guide

Overview of Environments

There are three WebAdMIT environments that are used for specific purposes:

Environment	What is it?	When do I use this environment?	Who can use this environment?	Where does the data come from?
Production	The "live environment" is where you perform your applicant review processes.	Daily or as required – this is the environment you use to perform your admissions review processes.	All users	Because this is the live environment, the data comes directly from your applicants via the information they enter into their application.
Sandbox	Sandbox is a copy of the WebAdMIT production environment with obfuscated sensitive applicant data (e.g., surnames, email addresses, etc.).	As needed – you can use sandbox to test new workflow configurations, etc. Sandbox is useful for current CAS/WebAdMIT schools that are live and accepting applications; prospective CAS schools that are not live or accepting applications may find that there is limited value in using sandbox due to a lack of applicant data. Review the Sandbox Environment Reference Guide for more information.	Schools with programs in the production environment.	The data that appears in sandbox is copied from the data in production. Sensitive information such as surnames is obfuscated. Since it's isolated from production, sandbox is useful for testing and training purposes; any actions performed in sandbox will have no effect on the live data in production. This provides users with a safe, "near-production" environment for testing or training purposes. For example, you can submit test applications and run sample exports.
Prelaunch	Prelaunch is a "staging" environment that allows you to configure programs for the new cycle without impacting the current cycle.	Prior to "going live" with your cycle – this is the environment you use to "stage" your program in the Configuration Portal for the new cycle before it goes live. Once you’re ready to launch the cycle, these programs are "promoted" to production. Note that only your programs built in the Configuration Portal are promoted to the live environment. User accounts and WebAdMIT templates, such as Lists, Exports, Email Templates, etc., aren't moved into production.	Schools that are configuring their programs during the CAS's standard configuration period. Additionally, first-time schools that don't have programs in production.	Any data that appears in prelaunch is data that is generated in prelaunch. Since it's isolated from production, prelaunch is useful for testing and training purposes; any actions performed in prelaunch will have no effect on the live data in production. This provides users with a safe, "near-production" environment for testing or training purposes. For example, you can submit test applications and run sample exports.

Environment

What is it?

When do I use this environment?

Who can use this environment?

Where does the data come from?

Production

The "live environment" is where you perform your applicant review processes.

Daily or as required – this is the environment you use to perform your admissions review processes.

All users

Because this is the live environment, the data comes directly from your applicants via the information they enter into their application.

Sandbox

Sandbox is a copy of the WebAdMIT production environment with obfuscated sensitive applicant data (e.g., surnames, email addresses, etc.).

As needed – you can use sandbox to test new workflow configurations, etc. Sandbox is useful for current CAS/WebAdMIT schools that are live and accepting applications; prospective CAS schools that are not live or accepting applications may find that there is limited value in using sandbox due to a lack of applicant data.

Review the Sandbox Environment Reference Guide for more information.

Schools with programs in the production environment.

The data that appears in sandbox is copied from the data in production. Sensitive information such as surnames is obfuscated.

Since it's isolated from production, sandbox is useful for testing and training purposes; any actions performed in sandbox will have no effect on the live data in production. This provides users with a safe, "near-production" environment for testing or training purposes. For example, you can submit test applications and run sample exports.

Prelaunch

Prelaunch is a "staging" environment that allows you to configure programs for the new cycle without impacting the current cycle.

Prior to "going live" with your cycle – this is the environment you use to "stage" your program in the Configuration Portal for the new cycle before it goes live. Once you’re ready to launch the cycle, these programs are "promoted" to production.

Note that only your programs built in the Configuration Portal are promoted to the live environment. User accounts and WebAdMIT templates, such as Lists, Exports, Email Templates, etc., aren't moved into production.

Schools that are configuring their programs during the CAS's standard configuration period.

Additionally, first-time schools that don't have programs in production.

Any data that appears in prelaunch is data that is generated in prelaunch.

Since it's isolated from production, prelaunch is useful for testing and training purposes; any actions performed in prelaunch will have no effect on the live data in production. This provides users with a safe, "near-production" environment for testing or training purposes. For example, you can submit test applications and run sample exports.

Accessing Prelaunch

When preparing for a cycle rollover, you now configure programs in the WebAdMIT prelaunch environment ("prelaunch"). You can access prelaunch after your CAS opens the Configuration Portal. This timeframe is generally determined and communicated by your CAS's association and/or a member of your account team.

When your CAS's Configuration Portal opens, you can access prelaunch by:

Visiting https://prelaunch.webadmit.org and using your existing WebAdMIT credentials to log in.
- If you forgot your password, you can click Forgot username or password? to have a password reset email sent to you.
From the Dashboard, click CAS Configuration Portal under the Management (or Administration) panel.

Functionality

The following functionality is fully enabled in prelaunch, and you can perform actions as you normally would in production:

Applicants panel:

Perform Search functions
- Search for applicants
- Search Assignments
- Search Interviews
- Search Correspondence
Add applicants to the Clipboard

Applicant Lists panel:

Use the List Manager to generate Field and Composite Lists

Reports & Exports panel:

Run Reports and Exports
Use the Destination Manager

Management panel:

Manage Work Groups and Admissions Users
Create, manage, and use Local Statuses, Custom Fields, Requirements, Assignments, Interviews, and Scoring Models
Create and manage Email Templates and Email Addresses
Modify the Applicant Header
Use the Schedule Manager
Use the Configuration Portal
Use the WebAdMIT API and CAS API (the root of API calls must be changed to prelaunch.webadmit.org instead of api.webadmit.org)

The following functionality is disabled in prelaunch:

Document Downloads & PDF Generation, except for documents that are part of prelaunch test applications that you created (described below)
Liaison Transcript Scanning & Processing
Sending Emails
SSN Downloads

Deployment Window

Prelaunch is deployed between 8 and 11 AM ET every Monday; if Monday is a US or Canadian holiday, deployment is the next business day. During this time, you can access prelaunch but may experience slow performance or brief service interruptions. This deployment includes all system changes from the preceding release.

Configuring Programs in Prelaunch

Review the Configuration Portal Quick Start Guide for more information on configuring your programs in prelaunch.

Note that all program pages from the current cycle will be automatically rolled over to the new cycle. The academic year for these rolled-over programs will be set to the new cycle and the program will be set to draft status for you to edit. When reviewing the Configuration Portal guide, you can jump to the Edit Program Data, Deadlines, and Details section for information on editing the rolled-over pages; however, we recommend reviewing the entire guide to help you determine what edits to make.

Previewing Programs in Prelaunch

There are several ways to preview how your program page will appear to applicants in the application. Review the Preview Your Programs page for more information.

Moving Programs from Prelaunch to Production

When configuring your programs in prelaunch, it's important to note the following:

Outside of the Configuration Portal, anything you create will not carry over when the program is pushed to production. For example, any users, Exports, and Lists that you create in prelaunch will not carry forward into the next cycle.
Any programs that include the "TEST –" prefix in the WebAdMIT name (e.g., “TEST – Fall Program”) will not be pushed to production. Conversely, any programs that exclude this prefix will be pushed to production and will become available to applicants.