Growing security, cost-management and compliance demands are placing greater pressure on building managers. A new whitepaper explores how programmable keys and compatible cylinders can support a gradual move from mechanical locking to smarter digital access management. As organisations change size, add locations and rely more heavily on third-party service providers, facilities managers need to grant and amend access quickly while keeping premises secure. Access solutions must also justify their total cost of ownership and return on investment. Organisations must address physical, cyber and hybrid security threats while meeting regulatory requirements, including the EU’s NIS2 guidance and forthcoming Cyber Resilience Act. These obligations are particularly relevant to infrastructure, finance and banking, healthcare, energy, transport and ICT sites such as data centres. Programmable key access management Mechanical keys remain familiar and may still be appropriate in some cases. However, digital access systems allow time-based authorisations to be assigned, amended or withdrawn quickly. A smart key can be programmed or de-authorised in seconds, reducing the risks and costs associated with lost keys, cylinder replacement and re-keying. Digital systems also automate audit records for locks and users, supporting compliance requirements such as access tracking and tracing under NIS2. “Of course, switching from mechanical to digital access management is not as simple as flicking a switch,” says Jochen Wizemann, Head of Business Development for Key-based Digital Cylinders at ASSA ABLOY. “Many organizations have large systems which they cannot change all at once, so digital systems must be scalable gradually over time as budgets allow. The right programmable smart key system can offer this.” Electronic or electromechanical cylinders can replace existing mechanical devices without wiring or door damage. Programmable keys and management software then give facilities teams granular control over staff and contractor access. ASSA ABLOY CLIQ® ASSA ABLOY’s CLIQ key-based digital access management system enables access rights to be personalised according to an individual’s needs and authority. Every access event is logged, allowing audit trails to be generated through the software control panel. The CLIQ ecosystem includes more than 60 cylinder and padlock types, supporting a wide range of access requirements. “Adaptability, scalability, security, convenience and trust are just some of the reasons CLIQ has been adopted in some of the most demanding environments for access management,” adds Jochen Wizemann. “CLIQ is trusted to manage access and protect secure spaces by the London Ambulance Service, at Düsseldorf’s 55,000-capacity stadium, at sensitive and dispersed water and electricity utilities sites, in Amsterdam’s World Trade Center, and at small offices, hospitals and schools all over Europe. It provides reliable, flexible security and can deliver a concrete ROI, as modelling in the new whitepaper illustrates, alongside advice and checklists for decision-makers looking to upgrade from mechanical to digital access management.” Simple to use and manage An authorised user inserts a programmable CLIQ key into a cylinder, and the lock opens when the required authorisation is present. Administrators can assign rights to individual doors or groups of openings through the software. Keys can be updated using a remote updater or optional Bluetooth® functionality. Power is contained within each key, avoiding wiring, wall alterations and mains electricity use. Standard user keys use a single battery with a lifetime of up to 10 years. CLIQ can be managed locally with CLIQ Local Manager, online through CLIQ Web Manager, or through the CLIQ Go app for small businesses. Together, its programmable keys, compatible cylinders and software options support a flexible transition from mechanical to digital access management.