What are the best access control system features?

Access control can do more than just allow credentials. The best systems also have built-in security and management features to streamline your operations and further protect your assets. Before having a new system installed, review the access control features and capabilities to ensure the solution has everything you need. These are some of the top-requested access control features to look for: 

• Real-time data and notifications—Knowing what’s happening at your facility, when it’s happening, is key to improving security and reducing response time to emergencies. Your access control dashboard should show you all access events in real time and be able to send alerts automatically to notify your admins of any issues.
• Detailed reports and audit trails—besides real-time data, the best access control systems lest you export detailed reporting and audit trails so you can improve your operations. This is also helpful with a security incident and is often a requirement to meet compliance standards.
• Custom dashboards—To improve security monitoring, users need to have direct, fast access to the data and controls that are most relevant to their day-to-day operations. The best custom dashboards are optimized for mobile, making them accessible on any device from anywhere in the world. Open-path’s easy-to-configure custom dashboard feature allows organizations to filter by site, org, and user to improve visibility at every level, with unlimited Entry Controls, User Access, Lockdown Plans, and Activity Feed widgets, plus Event Feed, Live Video Feed, Maps widgets, and Occupancy widgets currently in development.
• Remote management—Cloud-based access control platforms allow admins to access the system from anywhere, effectively centralizing your operations. Whether you have 20 employees or thousands, the best access control software makes managing all your locations easier. Remotely unlock a door, change user schedules, issue and revoke access, and see what’s happening at any building. The right platform can actually reduce your overhead and save you money over time, too.
• Integrations—A smarter building requires smarter systems. When your access control runs on an open platform, you can connect other building systems to centralize, streamline, and automate processes across locations. Look at the apps you use every day to run your business and make sure your access control system supports a seamless integration. In an increasingly IoT-connected world, native integrations are an essential feature of the best access control systems.
• Lockdown—Emergencies happen. After completing a thorough security audit of your building, be prepared with proactive strategies to handle emergency situations. When deciding what is the best access control system for your business is , see if the provider offers a lockdown feature? Standard plans let you trigger a system-wide lockdown in the event of an emergency. Open-path’s award-winning Flexible Lockdown capabilities allow you to create unlimited plans that lock specific doors, and even end information to first responders. Lockdowns are an important safety feature designed to further protect your people and property.
• Touchless access—Being able to unlock the door without touching a communal reader is not only more convenient, but an important safety feature in the post-pandemic world. As part of a COVID-19 building safety strategy, touchless access is a top-requested technology update. The best access control systems have contactless, wave-to-unlock options that don’t require users to take out their phones or even open an app.
• Built-in video capabilities—With access activity, seeing is believing. The most modern access control systems are equipped with built-in video cameras to give you visual verification of every access event, right where it’s happening. Open path’s Pro Series Video Readers, for example, help provide a more comprehensive view of who’s entering the space and when, with real-time video and fully remote monitoring for added flexibility and security.

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