---
title: "Introduction to Periods and Rounds"
slug: "period-and-round-structure"
description: "A primer on the two fundamental concepts in Slate applications: periods and rounds."
tags: ["Application Building", "Application Structure", "Applications", "Periods", "Rounds"]
updated: 2026-08-21T20:54:54Z
published: 2026-08-21T20:54:54Z
canonical: "knowledge.technolutions.net/period-and-round-structure"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://knowledge.technolutions.net/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Introduction to Periods and Rounds

> [!NOTE]
> 📚 Part of the series **Application Building Phase I:** [**Core components**](https://knowledge.technolutions.net/docs/application-building-checklist#phase-1-core-components)

**Periods** and **rounds** are foundational structural elements in Slate applications.

Whether you plan on using a Slate-hosted application or importing applications, you must configure periods and rounds to collect application data.

[Embedded content](https://player.vimeo.com/video/758791988)

## Application periods

Periods are like an **on/off switch** for applications, and usually correspond to your application year.

Slate databases are provisioned with one application period: `20## - 20## Application`.

Applicants will only be able to select active periods when they apply. Inactive periods cannot be selected and are used to store completed applications.

Find and configure application periods in **Database → Application Periods.**

## Application rounds

Rounds give applicants **options to select from** when they create a new application, like *Undergraduate* or *Graduate*.

Having a round for each of your application types saves you from having to use complicated conditional logic on application pages.

Rounds must be associated with a period.

Find and configure application rounds in **Database → Application Rounds**.

## How you can structure your rounds

Applications can only be created by selecting or importing data to a round associated with an active period. Completed applications can be moved to a round associated with an inactive (archive) period.

When an applicant starts their application, they see the default application landing page, with a URL like `yourinstitution.edu/apply`. Here, they select the application period and round:

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/bkccpdp0cc2zka55hbnqmceclip0.png)

Your process may call for more than one period and round.

Some example setups include:

#### By degree type

A single database can contain both undergraduate and graduate programs or have decentralized admissions processes. This example shows the different rounds to be activated and inactivated on different timelines.

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/4bawm5fxh0cvjzhrw4agdgmceclip1.png)

#### By decision type

Your database may only need undergraduate admissions. In this case, you might have your rounds represent Early Decision, Early Action, Regular Decision, and Transfer Applications.

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/nzlms4bm8e6sgpg01rhcqmceclip2.png)

#### By graduate school

Graduate institutions can create separate rounds for their different schools, such as School of Business, School of Arts and Sciences, and School of Nursing.

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/rq6pirjeaykmbuimmrhwmceclip3.png)

> [!NOTE]
> 💡 Tip
> 
> Use [Slate.org to share applicant data](/v1/docs/slateorg-application-sharing-settings) between undergraduate admission offices and high school counselors, independent counselors, and community-based organizations.

## ➡️ Up next: Creating application periods

Now that you have a general understanding of the relationship between periods and rounds, we can get started by creating your application periods.

> [!NOTE]
> 📚 **Next article in this series:** [Creating application periods](/v1/docs/creating-application-periods)