Topic: What are you using for physical key management? Or have you gone to keyless

I see older threads mentioning Keylink, Keyper, and KeyWatcher but it hasn't been updated in a while and tech changes rapidly.

If you're still using keys, how are you tracking them and keeping them safe? Do you like/love/hate your system?


Or have you gone keyless? Are the building access and apartment access devices the same? What software/hardware are you using?

I know we had a vendor (who sold traditional keys) tell us we needed a master to everything in a knox box for the fire department.... how did you handle that concern?

We've got plenty of old stock that we're considering going to keyless but some new build also.

We use a Schlage keyfob system for all 3 of my properties. We only have physical keys for storage closets and garages, for those they are all mastered and individually keyed with copies secured in the key cabinet.

Most older apartment buildings would originally have had a master key system. The main problem is that the developers/landlords don't like to pay for extra mastered locks at construction. These are needed to facilitate lock changes when a tenant moves out. Without extra mastered locks available, non system locks are used. Sure, they use the same key type, and may even be pinned for the master key, but they are not part of the system. Eventually a tenants key will open several other units, because of the master pinning in the locks. Unless you have a maintenance tech who knows how a master key systems works, and can add extra locks to the system, it's going to be a mess.