How to choose key management software: the criteria that matter
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As soon as an organization hands keys to several people, the notebook reaches its limits and the question of software comes up. But not every tool solves the same problem: some keep a simple register, others handle the loan, the proof of handover and the alerts. Here are the criteria to check before choosing, so you know what each tool really does.
Identify a key ring in a few seconds
The first criterion is speed at the front desk. A good tool lets you find a key ring by scanning it, or by typing its name or number, without scrolling through a list of several hundred lines. Also check what you need to buy to scan: a tool that uses the camera of a phone or a tablet avoids a dedicated reader.
In Fluxalyo, each key ring gets a QR code label to print, and the front desk offers two big buttons, Lend keys and Return keys, which open the camera on a phone or a tablet.
Know what each key ring contains
Knowing who has a key ring is not enough if nobody knows what is on it. Look for a tool that describes each key ring key by key, with a photo, and compares the contents at departure and at return. That is what shows a key is missing, and whether it was already missing when the loan started.
Proof of handover, not just a line in a register
A name and a date in a table prove very little. Ask whether the tool lets you have a handover contract signed, on screen or by attaching the signed paper version, and whether the PDF stays linked to the loan. Also check that it tells a person from a company, because the contract is not the same.
Alerts that warn you, without manual checking
An overdue key discovered by chance is always discovered too late. The right reflex is to check that the tool flags overdue loans without you opening a table, and that it also handles lost or damaged keys in a separate list, with the origin of the problem. Find out who receives the alert and through which channel.
Rights per account, so not everyone sees everything
In an organization with several sites or teams, not everyone needs to see or change the same keys. Check whether access to the module and the right to lend can be set account by account, and whether the history keeps the name of each author.
The price, and what is really included
Compare the price with what it covers: number of key rings, number of accounts, contracts, alerts, separate modules. A subscription that includes the Keys module with no paid option on top, and that depends only on the number of managers, is easier to plan than a price that grows with every key ring.
Frequently asked questions
?When is a spreadsheet no longer enough to manage keys?
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As soon as several people lend keys, or the number of key rings goes beyond what one person can keep in mind. At that point the spreadsheet flags neither overdue keys nor missing keys, and nobody can prove what was handed over.
?What equipment do you need to buy to scan keys?
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None with Fluxalyo: you only need labels to print and the camera of a phone or a tablet. On a computer, you find a key ring by typing its name or number.
?How long does it take to start with key management software?
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The time to create your first key rings and print their labels. There is no need to enter everything before starting: you add the other key rings as you go.
See Fluxalyo, the key management software →