What is access control and do I actually need it?
Access control is any system that manages who can enter a building or site, and keeps a record of it. In practice that means fobs, cards, keypads, intercoms, app-based entry or number plate recognition, replacing physical keys.
You probably need it if any of these apply:
- You've lost track of who holds keys. Every ex-employee, contractor or tenant with a key is an open door. Fobs can be cancelled in seconds; keys can't.
- Different people need different access. Staff who should reach the workshop but not the office, or a tenant who should reach their unit but not the rest of the yard.
- You need a record. Knowing who entered and when settles disputes, supports insurance claims and satisfies auditors.
- You're letting people onto your site outside working hours. Storage tenants, deliveries, contractors.
How does an automatic gate work with an alarm system?
This is where integration genuinely changes things, and it's worth understanding because most installers quote gates and alarms as separate jobs.
A properly integrated setup does this: a tenant arrives at 6am, presents a fob, the gate opens, the alarm automatically disarms only the zone they're entitled to enter, a camera at the gate photographs the vehicle and records whether access was granted or denied, the site lighting comes on, and the owner gets an alert on their phone.
Everything is logged. Nobody has to be woken up. The rest of the site stays armed. And if someone tries a fob that's been cancelled, that attempt is recorded too, with a photograph attached.
Without integration, you'd have a gate that opens and an alarm that goes off — and a customer ringing you at 6am.
What types of access control are available?
Fob and card readers — the most common choice. Quick to issue, instant to cancel, cheap to replace.
Keypads — no hardware to hand out, but codes get shared. Better combined with another method for higher-security areas.
Intercoms and video entry — for premises where visitors need to be let in by someone inside. Video entry lets you see who you're admitting.
ANPR (number plate recognition) — the gate opens automatically for recognised vehicles. Excellent for regular staff and tenants, and it also builds a log of every plate that arrives. There's more on how plate cameras actually work on our number plates and vehicle security page.
App-based access — entry from a smartphone, useful for managing access remotely.
Can gates and access control be added to an existing system?
Usually yes. Existing gates can often be automated, and access control can frequently be integrated with an existing alarm or CCTV system rather than replacing it. A survey will confirm what your current setup can support.