Electronic Access Control Systems for Business

Electronic access control systems are effective security systems that either grant or prevent entry based on credentials or identity. Business owners who are considering implementing an electronic access control system should consider several factors when deciding whether or not additional security is needed.

First, one must ask him or herself whether it is important to know who opened which doors and when. In an instance of theft or compromised confidential information, it could easily be important to know who entered where and when. This is called an audit trail, and it is an electronic record of the time and date of every attempted or actual entry to a secured space. Depending on what types of materials are stored behind a secured area, this may be absolutely necessary for the success and safety of the business and its customers.

Secondly, a business owner must consider whether all employees at a facility may have the same type of access, or whether it’s more appropriate for some employees to be granted access to all areas while others are restricted only to select areas. What’s further is that many business owners would like to control not only who may be in what areas, but also what time of day those individuals may inhabit those spaces. For example, there may be no reason for the receptionist of a business to be present in the office space in the middle of the night. Therefore, his or her access could be controlled using an electronic access control system so that he or she may only enter the space when is necessary for his or her job duties.

And finally, it’s important to consider whether or not a lost or stolen key would cause an emergency threat to the security and safety of the facility. Lost or stolen keys almost always present some type of issue for the business owner. Often, a lost or stolen key results in a need to replace all of the locks and keys to the building in question. This is not only financially prohibitive, but it can very often be time consuming. Depending on the sensitivity of one’s business, in the time spent replacing the locks, a culprit could enter the space with a stolen key.

If any of the points above caused positive thought, an electronic access control security system is likely the right answer for the space.

An electronic access control system keeps track of all entry to a space, relegates access as necessary, and eliminates the need for key replacement. Those wishing to implement an electronic access control system may either choose a networked system, which is hooked up to a computer, or a standalone system, which is not. A networked system communicates with a central computer, allowing all access points to be controlled from one place. This is especially appropriate for large areas with high security needs.