A door entry system enables you to control who has access to your building and when.
Locks and keys also provide access to your building however, when keys are lost or stolen, the inconvenience and expense of changing locks and re-issuing keys can be considerable.
It is common in buildings that are secured by lock and keys for doors to be left unlocked all day providing the opportunity for theft and malicious damage.
Door entry systems come in many guises. These range from a simple standalone keypad entry, an intercom with a door release button to a more complex PC based system controlling access through multiple doors by presenting an access token to a proximity reader. They have the added benefit of granting different permissions for individual or groups of users. For example, all staff can gain access through the main door of a building, but access to internal areas may be restricted to those with a specific need to be there. Access may also be restricted by time, only granting access to users at certain times of day or night.
Once registered on the system, tokens are issued to allow access through the controlled doors and are easily de-registered if they are lost, stolen or just not returned by someone who leaves your company.
With a door entry system in place, all controlled doors will automatically lock when the door is closed and anyone without a PIN or access token is unable to enter.
PC based systems are great for medium to large sites as they make managing large numbers of doors and users easy. The system can be extended very simply, and advanced features such as event reporting and integration with CCTV and other systems make such a system much more than just a replacement for a bunch of keys.