Moving from mechanical keys to key cards, fobs, codes, or phone-based access should start with an inventory of how access works today, not with a product. Before talking to any provider, write down four things: the doors involved and what each one does, the people who need in, the current key situation, and the routines the building runs on. Those notes decide what kind of system fits.
Which doors are involved, and what does each one do?
List doors by function, not only by location. 'Third floor, east' says where a door is. 'Stairwell door, used by everyone moving between floors' says how it is used. Useful labels include main entry, exterior service door, stairwell, shared corridor, suite entry, and storage.
Beside each door, note who goes through it and how often. A front door used all day and a storeroom opened twice a week are different problems. The busy door drives how many people need credentials. The quiet one may be fine on a key.
Mark the doors you lean toward keeping mechanical, and say why. On paper, a door you forgot to list looks the same as a door you chose to keep on keys unless you note the difference. Hardware condition is a separate check. This list is about use.
Who needs in, and where are the keys now?
Group people by what they need to open, not by job title. Daily users open the same doors on a routine. Occasional users, such as a bookkeeper, need a door now and then. Contractors need specific doors for a limited stretch. Emergency access covers anyone who must get in at any hour. For each group, write down the doors and the hours.
Then record the current keys: how many you can account for, who is believed to hold each one, and which ones nobody can find. If the building runs on a master key system, where one key opens several locks, note how many master keys exist. One missing master key affects every door it opens.
Unaccounted keys change the job. An electronic lock that keeps a key cylinder as a backup still opens for an old key if that cylinder is left as it is. A door that stays mechanical opens for every key ever cut to it. Matching missing keys to the doors they open shows which cylinders need rekeying, which means changing the pins inside so old keys stop working.
Settling decisions in order
Each answer narrows the next one, so the order matters.
- Door scope. Decide which doors go electronic now and which stay on keys. Everything else is built on this list.
- Access levels. Decide which group opens which doors, and when. These are your decisions. A provider can suggest ways to group them.
- Issuing and withdrawing credentials. Decide who adds and removes users, and how quickly removal has to happen. The answer shapes whether standalone locks are enough or central management makes more sense.
- Power or network loss. A fail-safe lock unlocks when it loses power. A fail-secure lock stays locked. Ask your provider, and whoever else is responsible for the building, which behavior each door needs instead of assuming.
- Credential type. Cards, fobs, codes, or phones come last, because the earlier answers have already narrowed the field.
A provider can explain what the hardware is able to do at each step. Who gets in, and where, stays your call, because you know the people and the routines.
What to hand a provider
Pull your notes into a short packet. A few pages is enough.
- Door list: function, users, traffic, and whether you lean electronic or keyed
- User groups: daily, occasional, contractor, and emergency, with the doors and hours for each
- Key notes: keys accounted for, believed holders, missing keys, and any master keys
- Schedule needs: opening hours, after-hours access, deliveries, and cleaning
- Open questions: anything undecided, including power-loss behavior for particular doors
Unknowns are acceptable when they are labeled. 'Unknown: maybe two keys with a former tenant' tells a provider where the risk sits. A blank tells them nothing.
Imperial Locksmith & Security, based in Midtown Manhattan, handles access control systems, smart lock installation, master key systems, and commercial door hardware, so one conversation can cover the doors that go electronic and the ones that stay keyed. Once your packet is ready, call Imperial Locksmith & Security at (917) 500-1145 to talk it through.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to replace every lock at once when moving to electronic credentials?
No. A move to electronic credentials can happen in phases. Starting with the doors that carry the most traffic or see the most key turnover, such as main entries, puts credentials where they change the most. Low-use interior doors can stay on keys for now. A phased plan holds together when the door list shows which doors belong to each phase, so nobody assumes a door is on the new system while it still runs on a key.
What if I don't know how many keys are out there?
An unknown key count is common and still useful. Start with whatever records exist: sign-out sheets, the previous manager, former staff or tenants you can still reach. Whatever stays unresolved, write it down as 'unknown' next to the doors those keys might open. A labeled gap lets a provider plan around it, while a guessed number hides the problem.
Can electronic credentials and mechanical keys be used together during the transition?
Yes. Electronic credentials and mechanical keys often run side by side while a building changes over, and some doors stay on keys for good. The catch is record-keeping. Card and fob access lives in the system, while keys are tracked only on paper. Keep one list that shows both, so you always know whether a person holds a credential, a key, or both.
Who should be involved in deciding who gets access to which doors?
Door access decisions belong with whoever is responsible for the people and the space. That means the owner or manager, plus team leads who know what their staff need. If some doors are shared with other tenants or controlled by building management, bring them in early. If the system will run over your network, the person who manages that network should see the plan too.