HIFIS is software that captures and shares comprehensive data about homelessness in real time. This one-pager describes how the Homeless Individuals and Families Information System (HIFIS) is used as a tool for understanding homelessness. Communities can improve their understanding of homelessness by analyzing aggregate data at the individual, service, and system levels. Communities that maximize their use of HIFIS can improve the availability, use, and quality of their data.