Start with your doors and people, not the product. Then choose credentials, decide between wired and wire-free locks, confirm the reporting you need and compare the total cost over several years.
1. Map your doors and people
Walk the building and list every door you want to control: entrances, offices, server rooms, storerooms and so on. For each one, note who needs access and when. This becomes your access plan and keeps the project focused on real needs.
2. Rank doors by risk
Not every door needs the same level of security. Main entrances and server rooms usually need tighter control and better reporting than a meeting room. Ranking doors helps you put budget where it matters most.
3. Choose your credentials
- Cards and fobs: familiar, affordable and easy to issue.
- Mobile keys: convenient, and nothing to lose (availability depends on the system).
- PIN codes: useful as a second factor or for shared spaces.
- Biometrics: strong identity checks, often used for attendance as well.
4. Wired or wire-free?
Traditional systems wire every door back to a controller, which is reliable but disruptive and costly in existing buildings. Wire-free smart locks, such as many SALTO models, are battery-powered and fit directly on the door. That makes it practical to secure many more doors with less disruption. Most projects use a mix: wired controllers at key entrances and wire-free locks elsewhere.
5. Check your doors
Door type matters. Fire-rated doors, glass doors, sliding doors and very old frames may need specific lock models. A site survey avoids surprises after you’ve bought the hardware.
6. Decide what you need to see
Do you need a full audit trail of who opened which door? Alerts for doors left open? Reports for security or HR? Agree on this up front, because it affects which system and setup you need.
7. Think about integrations
Access control works best alongside your other systems. Common pairings include time and attendance, CCTV and, for hotels, the property management system.
8. Compare the total cost
Look beyond the price per lock. Include installation, credentials, software, batteries and maintenance, plus the cost you save by not re-keying doors when keys go missing.
Next step
Share your floor plan or a list of doors, and we’ll recommend the right SALTO setup for your building, anywhere in the UAE or GCC.