Short answer
A keypad needs no management but the code leaks out by itself. A badge system lets you issue and revoke access per person, and records who came in when. Access via the phone is convenient but depends on internet and a service from the supplier. For a business or an owners' association (VvE) a badge system is usually the most sensible choice.
Who this article is for For businesses, owners' associations (VvE) and homes where more than a few people need to be able to get in.
The three ways
Code. A keypad at the door. Cheap, no management, works without internet. Drawback: a code that twenty people know is no longer security, and changing it means telling everyone again.
Badge or tag. Each person has their own card. Lost or left the company means: remove the card from the system, done. You can see who came in when. For most businesses this is the right choice.
Phone. Via Bluetooth or via an app. Convenient, because everyone has their phone with them. But it depends on internet and on the supplier's service, with the subscription costs that go with it.
What makes the difference in management
| Code | Badge | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revoking a person | change the code for everyone | that one card | that one user |
| Seeing who came in | no | yes | yes |
| Works during an internet outage | yes | yes | often not |
| Cost per user | none | card | often a subscription |
| Suitable from | a few people | ten or more | any number |
What I usually advise
For a business with staff: badges, with a reader at the doors that matter. The records are useful after incidents and issuing cards can be done by someone in the office.
For an owners' association (VvE): badges or tags for residents, plus a separate method for parcel services. A code for the postman that never changes is exactly how blocks of flats let unwanted visitors in.
For a home: a keypad or a smart lock is usually enough, provided you change the code now and then.
What it takes technically
- a reader at the door, weatherproof outside
- a controller inside, which decides whether the door may open, and which belongs inside and not outside
- a door release or motor lock and the power supply that goes with it
- an emergency provision: what happens if the power fails or the system plays up
The emergency provision is the point I always ask more about.
That last one is the point I always ask more about. An escape door has requirements; on an ordinary door you want a key as a backup.
Privacy when recording access
Keeping track of who came in when is processing personal data. A business may do that, provided you explain why you do it and how long you keep it. For an owners' association (VvE) it is more sensitive: you cannot simply track residents. I always put that choice explicitly in the quote, so the board consciously says yes to it.
From my own work
At a business in Sittard there had been a keypad on the back door for years. The code had never been changed in all that time and was by then also being used by two former employees and a supplier. With badges access can be revoked per person, and when a key goes missing you no longer need to replace a cylinder.
When to call an electrician
- Staff change and keys or codes go missing
- You want to know who has been inside when
- There are several doors that different people are allowed to open
I make a set-up that fits the number of doors and the number of people. See business.
Frequently asked questions
Which is more secure, a code or a badge?
A badge, because you can revoke it per person and you can see who came in when. A code that many people know is no longer security.
May I keep track of who comes in?
A business may, provided you explain why and how long you keep it. For an owners' association (VvE) it is more sensitive; I put that choice explicitly in the quote.
What happens when the power fails?
That depends on the set-up. That is why I discuss the emergency provision with you beforehand: a key as a backup or a door that opens by itself.
Further reading
Doorbell transformer: what it is for and why your doorbell is not working
If your doorbell is not working, it is usually the push button and not the transformer. Search in this order and you will usually have it within a quarter of an hour.
The intercom is not working: troubleshooting in four steps
If it does not work in one home, the problem is in that home. If it works for nobody, the problem is at the entrance or the power supply.
Intercom in a block of flats: how it is put together
In a block of flats the work is in the riser cable and the door entry panel, not in the handsets. That decides whether replacement turns out easier or harder than expected.
Questions and comments
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