Today’s advanced and scalable key control systems are designed to enable a fully integrated access control solution that can be tailored to individual requirements both now and in the future. This allows organizations to prepare for and adapt to change with minimal or no disruption to the daily operation. Key control cabinets can be added where and when as needed to support organizational growth while the overall system maintains high reliability and performance including the common usage of databases and programming.

As a result of this scalability, organizations can benefit from cost savings because system restructuring is not required when growth demands additional locations or users. Even changes to access procedures such as adding biometric readers can be implemented with minimal interruption to procedures. Additionally, software upgrades are quickly and easily implemented from a central control point to minimize operational disruptions.

Scalable key control systems with tracking software, combined with written operational key control procedures, offer multi-site facilities increased security and control and can help prevent unauthorized key access while reducing the number of lost or misplaced keys. The access history of each key is instantly recorded to provide management with information as to who has which key and when it was taken. Computerized control and real-time accountability can also offer management increased productivity and added protection from liability issues.

Scalable key control and management systems are an easy and effective way to plan for growth that keeps pace with the growth of an organization.

Using a municipal government fleet as an example, authorized drivers can access keys from the fleet key cabinet by simply entering their personal identification number and/or biometric information. If the entered information coincides with the information in the system, the key cabinet will unlock and the key can be removed or returned — all without the assistance of paid personnel to administer the system.

Each individual key is secured to a locking mechanism with built-in memory chip and data from the chip is stored every time a key is inserted into a key slot. At any time, fleet operations can view who currently has which keys/vehicles out and when they are scheduled to be returned; or who has had keys/vehicles out and when. This remotely accessible data trail can also serve to monitor an employee’s work schedule and productivity, help to eliminate false overtime claims or enable faster resolution of unreported damages.

Fleet operations that network their key control systems can experience additional benefits in managing vehicle usage. Networked systems allow keys to be returned to any fleet key cabinet in the system. For instance, an employee picks up keys for a car and then drives to another building located across town. The car is parked there and the keys are returned to the key system cabinet in that building. The system will record the location and time so anyone looking for those keys will know where they are currently located. This benefit allows vehicles to be moved around and located as needed.

Fleet management operations rely on best practices for optimum use of vehicles and automated key control systems can help achieve those goals.

But quickly accessing keys to move cars out of inclement weather is only one of the many ways that automotive key control systems can benefit today’s car dealership day to day operations. Keys put into the system can be moved around the facility as the car moves, with a full data trail available at all times. For instance, if the vehicle goes into the service bay for maintenance, the key will be placed in the service bay’s locked key control system cabinet. Then, when the car comes back to the used car lot, the key will be returned to the system in that location. At all times, the system records the whereabouts and access history of each key.

In another example of the benefits of automotive key management systems, reservations can be made for a specific key in the system to ensure that that a particular car is available for a scheduled test drive. Key tracking systems can also provide management with data regarding the status and location of vehicle inventory. Vehicle history reports can be generated to help analyze sales force performance on demos, fast/slow movers and even track the source of mystery mileage.

Dealership key control systems work by attaching keys to a locking mechanism that is virtually tamper proof. Access and return of keys is electronically monitored. This type of locking system can thwart a thief who would attempt to keep the key after test driving a demo car and replace it with a counterfeit key, the purpose being to return later and drive off with the demo car. In other cases, key banks with electronic monitoring will prevent an employee from inadvertently taking a key home at the end of the day instead of returning it.

Car key management systems are a great way to integrate business operations and security – and provide some extra help in dealing with Mother Nature.

Capacitive-type touch screens are designed with a front cover made of glass that is rated at 7 Mohs hardness for scratch resistance, yet only requires an activation force barely above 0 grams for operation. This superior durability is especially important in automated key control systems because of the heavy usage the systems can be subjected to. For instance, key cabinets used at an automotive dealership are subject to repeated access activity throughout the day as vehicles are taken out for test drives or moved around the compound.

Automated key control systems designed with capacitive touch screens also provide the user with a convenient interface for querying key activity. With just a few touches to the screen, security management can quickly and easily determine who has which key(s) out or when a particular key is scheduled to be returned. Notes can also be written and left for users accessing a key, such as “leave lights on when exiting room.”

Key control is especially important for end-user markets such as casinos and gaming, correctional facilities, health care institutions, hospitality businesses, multi-family buildings and educational facilities. It is also a critical function for anyone overseeing security at conference centers, government agencies, control rooms, automotive businesses and corporate buildings. These users always need to know who has possession of a key and when it was taken. They are markets that have in common a need for complete control over their keys, with a system that seamlessly manages and monitors keys and that interoperates with access control and other security systems.

Key control and management systems are proven access control solutions that can help organizations take control of their physical keys. Computerized key control and management systems are designed to securely and safely store keys in controlled key boxes and only release them to authorized users. In other words, access control for access control items.

To ensure the security of the system, each key is locked into place inside the access controlled key cabinet using a locking device which has an integrated chip. This unique feature ensures that each time a key is taken from or returned to the key cabinet, the activity is recorded. Users have access to keys only as approved by the system administrator. The other keys remain locked in place when the user accesses the key cabinet to remove or return a key.

In addition to these security measures, key control systems are designed so that users must enter their pre-programmed PIN code on the cabinet’s built-in keypad or scan their access card or biometric identification to access the cabinet. New technology provides other security measures such as network connectivity to allow online monitoring, updating and reporting capabilities as well as integration with other access control systems.

Access control is a highly regarded and proven security measure and controlling access to keys and key cards heightens its value and effectiveness.

Health care security in the form of a key control and management system is also a step toward compliance with various government regulations such as JCAHO (Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations) and IAHSS (International Association for Healthcare Security & Safety).

Key control and management systems are designed to record the access history of each key, including user, date and time of checkout and return. Using PIN codes or biometric authentication, these systems make it easier for authorized users to access keys when needed and for security management to perform forensic audits at any time. For added convenience, key control systems can also be integrated with other hospital security measures such as card access systems and connected to the network via Ethernet for faster and easier administration.

Many hospitals and health care facilities are also configuring their key control cabinets with automated asset control lockers. Identical in purpose to a key locker, asset lockers are used to store and safeguard valuable items such as laptop computers, cell phones etc. They may also be used to safeguard weapons that have been confiscated from patients brought in to emergency or for temporarily storing a handgun or Taser belonging to law enforcement officers.

Key control and asset management systems are a fundamental, cost effective hospital access control solution that can help to ensure the deterrence and detection of unwarranted access to controlled areas within the hospital or medical care facility.

Regardless of the name given though, the automated systems address security issues related to the management and control of keys, credit cards and other valuable items that need to be accounted for and secured when not in use. The systems are designed so that only pre-authorized users can access the cabinet and all transactions are recorded to provide an audit trail of who accessed the system and when.

Knowing who took which key and when is fundamental to a key control system. The audit trail provides critical data of every user who accesses the system and at any time security management can view who has keys out or who has had keys out and when.  Systems can even be programmed to send e-mail alerts when keys are not returned on schedule. The additional use of software can provide more complete activity reports or sort the data based on defined criteria for more comprehensive analyzing and control.

From single key cabinets to those used for securing hundreds of keys, solutions for key security, key control and key management can be tailored to a variety of management and application needs. Their smart, tamper-proof designs help to reduce wall space and they can be optionally accessed with pass codes, access cards or biometrics. Securing personal computers, cash trays, weapons, cell phones, hand-held radios and other larger objects is also easy and convenient when locker-style modules are built into the solution.

Key control and management systems, by any name, are a valuable and reliable way to manage and secure physical keys.

Building on their widespread use and popularity as a security management tool, key control systems’ functionality has been expanded to include custom modules to accommodate valuable items. Lockers, available in various sizes, can be used for storing small firearms, cell phones, 2-way radios and other valuables. Items can be returned to any open locker for convenience, and systems can be set up as a personal storage space for one or multiple users. The systems are also engineered to alert security management when something is wrong. An open door, the use of force to gain access, a power failure or even the misuse of the keypad will trigger an alarm and record the event in the log file.

These asset management systems can also be configured with additional security features to help maintain the integrity of the system. For example, where protection of asset lockers itself is mission-critical, installation of a remote access device provides an additional layer of protection by enabling the locker system to be placed in a secure room. A second individual’s PIN input and verification is then required in order for an authorized employee to access the contents of a locker.

When integrated with monitoring software, the data tracking information provides reliable confirmation of all access transactions. And when the system is integrated with an access control system, alerts can inform management if someone tries to leave the building without returning an item taken from a locker.

Locker modules provide effective control either as a stand-alone system or as part of an integrated solution and are a valuable enhancement to a physical security strategy.

Key control and management solutions provide an added layer of security in both control and accountability by providing electronic storage and automated tracking of keys, including Folger Adam keys. Keys held in the key control cabinet are secured with special, tamper-proof stainless steel key locking rings for additional security and functionality. The key control system will sound an alarm if a user tries to force the cabinet door open or dislodge a key with force.

Guards and other authorized users have access to keys only as approved by the system administrator. For example, day shift personnel are not able to access keys outside of their regularly scheduled working hours or have access to keys which they are not authorized to use, such as pharmacy or medical areas. Personnel cannot simply exchange keys with one another during or at the end of a shift; they always have to return keys to the cabinet because otherwise the system will record that a key was not returned or that it was returned by a different user.

Storage locker cabinets operate under the same premise as key control systems.  Available in various sizes and configurations, they are a secure method of controlling and tracking valuable items such as weapons, notebook-type computers, cell phones, etc.

The additional use of key control management software allows management to more easily control the system and maximize its reporting and programmable access capabilities. Key control software can run activity reports, sort based on different criteria, view and print reports and more, making it possible to generate useful and practical information to help maintain maximum control of access and security issues.

Key control and asset management systems are a cost-effective and proven security solution for today’s correctional institution management.

Key control systems can readily answer the twin demands of risk management and increased accountability by securing keys in a tamper-proof cabinet, releasing them only to authorized users and providing pertinent usage information to management. For example, automated key control systems can help reduce costs associated with lost keys or unmanaged access, since management will always know who removed or returned any key and when. A user who can be held individually accountable for actions is less likely to disregard procedures or take other actions that might compromise operations.

Security breaches, which have the potential for creating several kinds of losses, can also be minimized with the use of key control systems when they are integrated with a building’s access control system or video surveillance system. With computerized key storage systems, individual keys need not be labeled as to their purpose. If a key is lost, not only does the system flag the missing key, but it also eliminates any immediate identity issues.

The same benefits are seen with key control systems configured with lockers. Smaller items such as notebook computers, cell phones or even weapons can be safely stored in a security locker and accessed only by authorized personnel. These asset management systems can be configured with biometric identification protocols or additional security features to help maintain the integrity of the system.

Today’s updated approach to key management security is one of the most simple yet effective measures that can be implemented in any organization when the goal is to provide a safer and more secure environment.