In large, multi-building campuses such as medical centers, military bases or universities, it is not unusual for there to be thousands of doors, each with a lock that has a corresponding key. It is also not unusual for the facilities department to have responsibility for maintenance and servicing of the locks as well as having some responsibility for the keys — but not necessarily for the safekeeping or tracking of the keys. And therein lays a significant security issue which can readily be addressed with a high-volume automated key control and management system.

Knowing which keys belong with which doors, who is an authorized user, which keys are out and with whom, and where all the keys might be are just some of the issues that can affect safety when there is no formal key control policy or ownership of a controlled key storage system. Automated key control and management systems with tracking software, combined with written operational key control procedures, offer 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 can be recorded instantly 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.

To maximize effectiveness and functionality, management software can be added to the system. The software can run activity reports, sort based on different criteria and view and print reports. Key activity can be custom traced by time, date and user code or the pre-identified information can be scheduled to automatically download to a secure PC. Authorized users can monitor data from any computer connected to the network.

Computerized key control and management systems are an easy and effective way to ensure the safekeeping and tracking of multiple keys and are an essential element for a safe and secure environment.