Manufacturing Visitor Management Software

In the past, manufacturing sites often relied on paper logs or basic computer systems to track personnel and visitor access. While these systems served their purpose, they have inherent limitations—manual entry, human error, and inefficiency. In today's fast-paced, security-conscious world, these outdated methods are no longer enough.

Enter Gate Sentry’s tablet-based access control system: a modern, efficient, and secure alternative that brings your site into the future of security management. With integrated visitor management software, the system helps streamline operations, saves time, and improves the overall management solution of your facility. Additionally, Gate Sentry tracks ID cards and license plates, providing an added layer of security and accountability. In this blog, we'll explain why moving from paper or computer logs to a tablet-based system is a game-changer for manufacturing sites.

Challenges with Paper and Computer Logs in Manufacturing Sites

1. Inefficiency and Delays

Paper Logs: Paper logs require security personnel to manually write down each entry and exit, which can be time-consuming, prone to mistakes, and easily lost or damaged. In a busy manufacturing environment, this creates unnecessary delays, especially in the check-in process for visitors. Visitor tracking systems based on paper are prone to human error, which compromises the visitor management process. .

Legacy Systems: Despite being more efficient than paper-based logs, legacy access control systems are still slow to update and difficult to manage. A recent study by Intoware found that 74% of manufacturing and engineering companies continue to rely on outdated legacy systems and spreadsheets for security management. These systems often lack the flexibility and real-time capabilities that modern visitor management solutions provide, making them inefficient for today's fast-paced environment.

2. Lack of Real-Time Data

Both paper and computer logs are often updated manually, making it difficult to track access in real time. This can leave critical gaps in monitoring, which might lead to unauthorized access or security breaches. Real-time data and reporting and analytics help businesses make informed decisions quickly.

3. Increased Risk of Human Error

Human error is inevitable in any manual system. Incorrect entries, missed logs, and lost records can compromise the integrity of your security data. This is particularly concerning when tracking the entry of visitors, contractors, or sensitive materials. Visitor check-in systems are especially vulnerable to human error, which can compromise visitor information and disrupt the check-in process.

Why a Tablet-Based Access Control System is the Smart Choice

Switching from paper or computer logs to Gate Sentry’s tablet-based system offers significant improvements in efficiency, security, and operations. Here’s how:

1. Real-Time Access and Instant Updates

Instant Tracking: Gate Sentry’s tablet system allows security personnel to log entries and exits in real time, ensuring up-to-the-minute tracking of everyone on site. The tablet-based system integrates seamlessly with other manufacturing systems, providing immediate, actionable data that can optimize production processes. Gate Sentry also tracks IDs and license plates, ensuring that personnel and vehicles are properly accounted for, adding an extra layer of security.

Cloud-Based Data: The system’s cloud integration ensures that access logs are automatically updated and securely stored, accessible at any time from anywhere. This removes delays and human errors often associated with paper or computer logs.

2. Improved Efficiency and Streamlined Operations

Faster Check-Ins: With the tablet-based system, visitors and employees can check in quickly via QR codes or mobile passes, eliminating the need for handwritten logs or manual data entry. Mobile-based systems cut entry delays by up to 70% compared to traditional methods.

Centralized Control: Security teams can manage all access points from a single location. With just a few taps on the tablet, security staff can approve or deny access, view live data, and generate reports without switching between different computer systems or worrying about missing paper logs. This capability is shown to reduce response time by 50% in high-traffic environments.

3. Enhanced Security

Real-Time Alerts: The tablet system sends instant alerts if unauthorized access is attempted, providing security personnel with immediate information to address potential breaches. The Global Association for Access Control Systems found that sites with real-time alerting capabilities experienced a 40% reduction in unauthorized access attempts.

Audit Trail: The tablet creates a comprehensive, time-stamped log of all entries and exits, making it easy to track who accessed what and when, thus ensuring full accountability and transparency. Additionally, Gate Sentry’s ability to track IDs and license plates further enhances this accountability. Audit trails significantly enhance accountability, with over 80% of surveyed businesses reporting increased confidence in their security systems.

4. Reduced Operational Costs

No More Paper: By eliminating paper logs, your manufacturing site reduces the ongoing costs of paper, ink, and filing systems. You also save time by eliminating the need for staff to manually update and maintain paper logs. Businesses switching from paper-based to electronic record-keeping systems save an average of 30% annually in administrative costs.

Minimal Hardware: With a tablet-based system, you reduce the need for traditional access control hardware, like keycard readers, card swipes, computer systems, and expensive kiosks. The simplicity of a mobile device or tablet makes the system more affordable and scalable. Businesses using mobile access systems reduce capital expenditures by up to 25%.

Benefits of Switching to Gate Sentry’s Tablet System for Manufacturing Sites

• Time Efficiency: Quickly log access without delays, reducing bottlenecks and improving security workflows across your site.
• Accuracy and Accountability: Automatic updates and real-time notifications reduce human error, ensuring your logs are always up-to-date and accurate.
• Streamlined Operations: Improve security management by consolidating data into a single tablet-based system, eliminating paper and computer-based logbook inefficiencies.
• Reduced Costs: Save on paper, ink, filing systems, and costly hardware with a modern, tablet-based visitor management system.
• Enhanced Security: Track both IDs and license plates, providing a comprehensive approach to securing your facility and enhancing the visitor tracking system.

Comprehensive Administrator Reporting Dashboard

With Gate Sentry’s tablet-based system, administrators gain access to a comprehensive reporting dashboard. This user-friendly portal enables security teams to:

• View a list of all visitor entries in real time.
• Generate detailed reports for audit purposes or operational review.
• Track access patterns to identify potential security risks or inefficiencies.
• Easily manage user permissions, access points, and security alerts from one centralized location.

This powerful tool ensures that your security management is both efficient and transparent, helping administrators stay ahead of potential issues while maintaining full oversight of the facility’s access control system.

Conclusion

For manufacturing sites, moving from paper or computer logs to Gate Sentry’s tablet-based access control system is a crucial step toward improving security, operational efficiency, and cost savings. Not only does this transition enhance real-time monitoring and reduce human error, but it also saves valuable time and money. With the added benefits of a cloud-based, mobile-first solution, and the ability to track IDs and license plates, your manufacturing site will be better equipped to handle security challenges today and in the future.

Ready to leave paper and computer logs behind? Contact us today to learn more about how Gate Sentry’s tablet system can improve security at your manufacturing site.

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Sources

• Intoware