What is access control?

Access control is the combination of credentials (cards, mobile apps, PINs, and other supported credential types), readers, electrified door hardware, and software that decides who can open which doors, when, and produces a record of every event.

Can access control replace keys?

Yes — for most openings. Some doors still need mechanical key override for emergency access. The right approach is to keep mechanical keying coordinated with electronic credentials, not run them as two parallel systems.

Can existing doors be retrofitted?

Most can. The question is what hardware is already in place, whether the frame can accept a strike or mag lock, whether power and cabling can be routed, and how the door behaves under egress and fire code. We evaluate this opening by opening rather than promising every door is the same.

Can cameras be tied to access events?

Yes. When access control and video are integrated, a card swipe, denied attempt, or forced-door alarm can pull up the matching camera clip automatically — making investigation and audits much faster.

What happens during a power outage?

It depends on whether each door is fail-safe (unlocks on power loss) or fail-secure (stays locked). The right choice depends on egress requirements, area sensitivity, and life-safety code. Backup power keeps controllers and critical hardware running through short outages.

How do we manage credentials for staff, vendors, and visitors?

We help define a credential lifecycle: who can issue, who revokes, what happens on a lost card, and how vendor and visitor access is scoped. The software is just the tool — the workflow is what keeps the system useful.

Access & Entry

Access control systems designed around real doors, real users, and real facilities.

Card, keypad, mobile, and other credential options where supported by the selected platform — designed, installed, and integrated with the door hardware, cabling, and reporting that make it work every day.

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Doors

Users

Video

Events

Intro

What this service is, and what it isn't.

Access control is only as reliable as the doors, hardware, cabling, programming, and maintenance behind it. Access Tech designs access systems around the way your facility actually operates, then integrates the readers, locks, cameras, alarms, and reporting needed to keep access controlled and visible.

/SYSHow the system works

From credential at the door to event in the audit log.

Every access decision is a chain of physical and digital events. A reliable system gets each link right — and writes every link to the audit trail.

/01

Read

Credential at the reader

Card, fob, mobile credential, PIN, or other supported credential type is presented at the door reader.

/02

Verify

Controller checks rules

Reader forwards the credential to the door controller. Controller checks user, group, schedule, holiday calendar, and door permissions.

/03

Decide

Grant or deny

Decision is made in milliseconds. Granted → controller energizes the lock. Denied → event logged, optional alert.

/04

Release

Door hardware unlocks

Electric strike, mag lock, or electrified lockset releases. Door-position sensor and request-to-exit monitor the opening.

/05

Confirm

Door event recorded

Opened, closed, held-open, forced-open — every state change becomes a structured event with timestamp and credential context.

/06

Correlate

Linked to video + alarms

When integrated, the event surfaces the matching camera clip and updates intrusion arming state. One trail of evidence, not three.

01
Read
Credential at the reader
Card, fob, mobile credential, PIN, or other supported credential type is presented at the door reader.
02
Verify
Controller checks rules
Reader forwards the credential to the door controller. Controller checks user, group, schedule, holiday calendar, and door permissions.
03
Decide
Grant or deny
Decision is made in milliseconds. Granted → controller energizes the lock. Denied → event logged, optional alert.
04
Release
Door hardware unlocks
Electric strike, mag lock, or electrified lockset releases. Door-position sensor and request-to-exit monitor the opening.
05
Confirm
Door event recorded
Opened, closed, held-open, forced-open — every state change becomes a structured event with timestamp and credential context.
06
Correlate
Linked to video + alarms
When integrated, the event surfaces the matching camera clip and updates intrusion arming state. One trail of evidence, not three.

Doors with electrified hardware coordinate with life-safety and egress requirements. Hardware selection happens per opening, not per spec sheet.

System schematic

How an access decision moves through the system.

Every credential becomes a chain of events — read, verified, decided, released, confirmed, recorded.

What it solves

The problems this service addresses.

Lost keys and uncontrolled key duplication
Uncontrolled or undocumented access to sensitive areas
No audit trail of who entered, when, or where
Manual lock and unlock routines that get missed
Disconnected door hardware that does not integrate with credentials
Outdated, shared, or unmanaged credentials
No reliable way to manage staff, vendors, visitors, or after-hours access

Capabilities

What we design and install.

Credential design

Card, key fob, mobile credential, and PIN reader options chosen for your environment and user base, with additional credential types available where supported by the selected platform.

Door & opening strategy

Per-door decisions on lock type, request-to-exit, door position monitoring, and fail behavior under power loss.

Cloud or on-premise platforms

Cloud-managed or server-based access platforms scaled to the number of doors, users, and sites you need to administer.

Schedules & permissions

User groups, time schedules, holiday calendars, and exception handling built around how your team actually works.

Components

What's typically in the system.

Hardware & components

Card and keypad readers
Mobile credential readers
Biometric readers (where appropriate)
Door controllers and access control panels
Credential databases and schedules
Door position switches (DPS)
Request-to-exit (REX) devices
Electric strikes and electrified locksets
Magnetic locks and electrified panic hardware
Power supplies and backup batteries
Cloud or server-based access platforms

Integrates with

Video surveillance for event-to-video lookup
Intrusion detection for after-hours arming
Intercom and visitor entry
Lockdown workflows and mass-notification
Gate operators and parking access
Identity and HR systems (where supported)
Audit logs and reporting

Use cases

Where this service shows up.

Main office and administrative entries
Staff-only and back-of-house entrances
IT closets, server rooms, and equipment yards
Classroom and academic building doors
Vendor and after-hours access
Commercial tenant suites and shared spaces
Multi-site door standardization

Process

How a project moves.

Step 01
Site walk
Survey every door in scope, document conditions, and confirm goals.
Step 02
Design
Per-opening hardware, reader, and cabling design with integration plan.
Step 03
Proposal & phasing
Scope, phasing options, and budget aligned to procurement realities.
Step 04
Install
Hardware, cabling, panels, and power coordinated with other trades.
Step 05
Programming
Schedules, users, groups, and integrations configured and tested.
Step 06
Training & documentation
Admin training, as-built drawings, and credential ownership handed over.

Planning

What to think about before the work starts.

Planning considerations

Door type and frame condition (fire, egress, hollow-metal, aluminum, wood)
Life-safety and egress code coordination
Credential policy: who issues, who revokes, how lost cards are handled
Network readiness, VLAN segmentation, and PoE availability
Power, conduit, and pathway to each opening
User groups, schedules, and exception workflows
Long-term administration: who owns the system day-to-day
Service access for future maintenance and expansion

Maintenance considerations

Battery replacement on backup supplies
Reader and lock inspection
Credential database cleanup (terminated staff, lost cards)
Firmware and configuration coordination
Door alignment and strike adjustment
Audit-trail review for security or HR follow-up

FAQ

Common questions.

Access control is the combination of credentials (cards, mobile apps, PINs, and other supported credential types), readers, electrified door hardware, and software that decides who can open which doors, when, and produces a record of every event.
Yes — for most openings. Some doors still need mechanical key override for emergency access. The right approach is to keep mechanical keying coordinated with electronic credentials, not run them as two parallel systems.
Most can. The question is what hardware is already in place, whether the frame can accept a strike or mag lock, whether power and cabling can be routed, and how the door behaves under egress and fire code. We evaluate this opening by opening rather than promising every door is the same.
Yes. When access control and video are integrated, a card swipe, denied attempt, or forced-door alarm can pull up the matching camera clip automatically — making investigation and audits much faster.
It depends on whether each door is fail-safe (unlocks on power loss) or fail-secure (stays locked). The right choice depends on egress requirements, area sensitivity, and life-safety code. Backup power keeps controllers and critical hardware running through short outages.
We help define a credential lifecycle: who can issue, who revokes, what happens on a lost card, and how vendor and visitor access is scoped. The software is just the tool — the workflow is what keeps the system useful.