If you’ve ever had your airline text or email you with notice of a change in your flight status, then you know the value of electronic messaging as a service. A similar email and text messaging function for key control systems provides management with timely alerts for any action that has been pre-programmed into the system.

Key control systems incorporating this functionality can send emails to specific recipients, with options to include CC and/or BCC fields. Emails can be sent securely from an external or Web-hosted email service. Time stamps are specific down to the second and emails are pushed to the server and delivered faster, providing accurate information that can be more effectively and quickly acted upon. For example, a key for a cash box may be pre-programmed so that management is sent an alert when this key is removed. An individual trying to leave the building without returning a key to the key cabinet can also be denied exit with their access card, prompting an alert to security. In addition to email there are also options for SMS notifications, formatted to the 180-character limit. Notifications can be assigned to users or keys, and transactional emails can also be created for various alarms, keys, users, etc.

Along with electronic messaging, the ability to integrate multiple locations with common usage of databases and programming provides a true enterprise-wide solution. Compatibility with other security systems offers added richness and usability to a key control and management system and built-in RS-232 communication ports allow ease of use for direct connectivity to printers or other devices. Systems can be tailored to individual requirements; key control cabinets and locker modules can be added where and when as needed and each additional module can be controlled by a single console and monitored by the software. All these features add up to create more value than ever for key control users.