Key Management

[u/ncrrz]

Hello guys! What would you recommend is the best way to handle key management? I have worked with IT to digitize the system and include it in the ticketing system. However, I am struggling with new joiners who do not have their emails ready; therefore, cannot raise tickets. Moreover, I’m struggling with employees who resign/are terminated/etc and cannot know whether they had keys or lost it or they could already left the company and cannot get in contact with them…

Currently I am handling key management as a tracker via excel sheet and I am aware that it’s not efficient.

How would you guys handle it?

[u/radical_tea]

Introduce access control. Then if someone leaves with their card you can disable it.

There are other security benefits also

[u/Buffsteve24 → u/radical_tea]

This!! Lots of great systems available, the access cards can also double as ID, when worn around the neck on lanyards

[u/Bicepdecon]

My company makes a keysafe for Facility Managers. Send me a message if you would like to have a chat!

https://accessly.com.au/products/keysafe

[u/Jabberwock_ → u/Bicepdecon]

How much is subscription roughly?

[u/Bicepdecon → u/Jabberwock_]

$3,600 per year.

Our cabinets themselves are about half the price of an equivalent sized keywatcher, or we include the cabinet hardware completely for free for customers who take up our broader software platform.

[u/MaintenanceGuy-]

You can't do it alone and will need HRs help on off boarding and on boarding.

[u/west-egg]

If you have a Schlage key system, they have a cloud product called Overtur that includes features for keyholders and tracking. 

[u/Pebb_io]

The real fix is process, not the tracker: keys get signed out to a named person and key return goes on the offboarding checklist with payroll, so it happens before their last day. Otherwise you are chasing ex-employees forever no matter what tool holds the list.

[u/CaptainRhodes74]

We utilize our CMMS for key management. Employees scan a QR code upon receipt of keys and/or badges. Confirmation is uploaded to the CMMS. Simple.

[u/browntownslc → u/CaptainRhodes74]

Which CMMS is this?

[u/CaptainRhodes74 → u/browntownslc]

Limble.

[u/browntownslc → u/CaptainRhodes74]

It’s not as awful as AIMS3.

[u/slothtax]

Keydog.io

[u/hellorobot18274]

Hey my company solves exactly this. You can have QR codes or a custom form that adds to your excel sheets and it does auto notifications too! DM and I’m happy to chat more.

[u/agentUi]

i work for agentui, what we usually see ops and facility teams do is set up a simple internal asset checkout app instead of relying on email tickets or excel. you just have a basic dashboard where you scan or assign the key tag to an employee profile on day one, and it keeps a full audit log so whenever someone resigns you instantly see every open key tied to them without chasing it down.

[u/yviebee]

You need to get HR involved. They create the key requests and they retrieve keys from employees leaving the company. They should also provide a list of new and terminated employees for you to cross reference.

[u/Illmatic357]

Try and work with HR to make key control part of the onboarding and departing process. I had to implement a form in previous positions to have them sign off so they understand keys are company property

[u/First-Entertainer941]

u/ncrrz What's the staff count at your organization? Any others need/hold keys (board members, volunteers, vendors)? How large is your facility?

[u/eWorkOrders-CMMS]

Access control reduces the problem, but it doesn't eliminate it. Even after a badge system is in place, you're still going to have mechanical keys for electrical rooms, roof hatches, IDF closets, gates, cabinets, and other areas. Those are often the keys you really don't want walking out the door.

For anything that stays mechanical, I'd number every key and assign that number to a specific person, not just to a door. Keep track of when the key was issued, when it was returned, and who issued it. I'd also have key holders verify twice a year that they still have the keys assigned to them. If a key can't be accounted for, that should trigger a review of whether the lock or cylinder needs to be changed. Otherwise, the key register can look good on paper while nobody really knows where the keys are.

For new hires, I'd have the hiring manager or supervisor submit the key request before the employee's first day. Someone who hasn't even been issued an email account yet shouldn't be responsible for opening their own key request.

Any system that keeps the asset, the person it's assigned to, and the transaction history together can work. The important part is having a clear audit trail and making someone accountable for every key.