Guide
Access control basics: what to plan before you install
Cards, fingerprints or face recognition, door hardware and software — the decisions to make first.
Access control lets you decide who can open which door, and when.
1. Which doors need control?
List every door, gate and barrier, and who should use each one. Start with entrances, server rooms, stores and offices.
2. How will people identify themselves?
Cards and key fobs are simple and easy to replace. Fingerprint and face recognition mean there is nothing to carry or lose. A PIN code can add a second check on sensitive doors.
3. What door hardware is needed?
Each door needs a suitable lock, such as an electromagnetic lock or an electric strike, plus an exit button and a door sensor. Glass, wooden and metal doors may need different locks.
4. Safety comes first
Plan how doors release in an emergency or a power cut, in line with fire safety requirements, and add backup power where it is needed.
5. Software and records
Decide who manages users, how time schedules work and how long entry records are kept. Some systems can also share data with time attendance.
6. Plan for growth
Choose controllers and software that can take more doors and more sites later.
