Electronic key cabinet or key management software: which to choose?
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When you want to put your keys in order, the electronic key cabinet comes to mind quickly. It is a good tool, but it is a cabinet fitted with a locking system, not a complete tracking system. Key management software locks nothing, but it keeps the memory of every loan. Here is what each solution does, so you choose without buying beside the need.
What an electronic key cabinet does
An electronic cabinet controls access to the keys: only authorized people open it, with a code or a badge, and the cabinet generally records who took which key. Its real strength is physical security: the keys are locked away, and nobody gets past without being identified.
In return, it is a hardware purchase, with an installation, in one specific place. It only tracks what is inside the cabinet.
What key management software does
Software like Fluxalyo locks nothing. It records who has which key ring, since when, with what return date, what the key ring contains and in what condition it comes back. It gets a handover contract signed, flags overdue keys and keeps the history of every action.
It works with a phone, a tablet or a computer and labels to print, with nothing to install. It also tracks the keys that are never in a cabinet: those you hand to a company or keep on a site.
What the cabinet does not solve
A cabinet does not say who had the keys before, why a key ring came back incomplete, or whether the person signed anything. It does not warn that a key ring should have been back three days ago, unless extra equipment is added, and it does not help with keys that leave the building.
What the software does not solve
Software does not stop someone from taking a key hanging on a wall. If your real problem is theft or unauthorized access, a secured cabinet answers better. If your problem is knowing who has what, proving a handover and chasing overdue keys, software covers the need without buying hardware.
When to use both together
The two complement each other. The cabinet keeps the most sensitive keys safe, the software keeps the memory of loans, contracts and overdue keys, including for keys that leave. Fluxalyo also works alongside a cabinet or key board you already own: it requires no equipment.
Frequently asked questions
?Does an electronic key cabinet replace key management software?
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No, they do not answer the same need. The cabinet controls physical access to the keys. The software keeps the memory of every loan, the signed contract, overdue keys and the condition of key rings, even for keys that leave the building.
?How do you use a key cabinet and software together?
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You store the sensitive keys in the cabinet, and you record every loan in the software by scanning the key ring label. The cabinet secures, the software keeps the trace and chases overdue keys.
?How much does a key cabinet cost compared with software?
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A cabinet is a hardware purchase with its installation, and its price varies a lot with its size and options: compare quotes rather than an average price. Software like Fluxalyo is a monthly subscription that starts with a phone and labels to print.
See Fluxalyo, the key management software →