Kindoo Access Control System

[swigginton]

@swigginton On our Kindoo system one door can be unlocked remotely. I'm assuming this means there is a device on the church building network that has Bluetooth capability. Do you know what that device is and what it looks like? I've been asked to power cycle one and and would LOVE to know what I'm looking for

Can you share how you do that? We recently got Kindoo system in our building. I’m trying to set it up where I can unlock our church main door from home for individuals going to clean at a certain time. I know I can set a time period if I’m within the KIN range but can I do that from home as well and it will work? How can you get it to work remotely? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

There are a few different options, which depend on a few different things:

• If they also installed a Kindoo Controller (a Raspberry Pi box with custom software hardwired to the network), it can signal the kindoo door to unlock. We moved away from those, since they were not very reliable. You can remotely tell the controller to unlock the door. You can also define a schedule to have the door unlock at a specific time. Not a great idea, in my opinion, since you don't know for sure that a trusted person is at the door when it unlocks.
• To tell the controller to unlock, you need to be a Kindoo manager and the admin needs to have configured the site such that managers can access the controllers. We disabled that capability on all our sites so only admins could remotely unlock.
• For building cleaning, it's probably better to set up temporary users. You can choose start/end dates and times for their kindoo access. They can then use the app to unlock the building within that time frame. After their time expires, the user license goes back into the pool of available licenses.

[russellhltn]

You can also define a schedule to have the door unlock at a specific time. Not a great idea, in my opinion, since you don't know for sure that a trusted person is at the door when it unlocks.

True. It's tempting to tell it to unlock each Sunday, but then there's General Conference, Stake Conference, and extreme weather days.

For building cleaning, it's probably better to set up temporary users. You can choose start/end dates and times for their kindoo access. They can then use the app to unlock the building within that time frame. After their time expires, the user license goes back into the pool of available licenses.

I wonder what happens to the license if they're put on a repeating schedule - like every Saturday? Is it freed up on other days of the week?

[swigginton]

I wonder what happens to the license if they're put on a repeating schedule - like every Saturday? Is it freed up on other days of the week?

You can't configure a repeating schedule for a temporary user. You can only set the start and end dates/times. As soon as you configure that user, the license is removed from the pool to ensure it will be available at the start time, but they won't have access until that time arrives. When the end time arrives, the license is returned to the pool and the user is removed from the site.

[russellhltn]

You can't configure a repeating schedule for a temporary user.

Does it allow repeating schedules for non-temporary users? I'd think it would have to unless all authorized users are able to open at anytime.

[swigginton]

Does it allow repeating schedules for non-temporary users? I'd think it would have to unless all authorized users are able to open at anytime.

Yes. You configure "Access rules" to define when users can unlock a building. They can be simple or fairly complex. You can configure multiple time blocks during specific days of the week when users are permitted to enter. You can also configure holidays or special events when users are permitted to enter the building or prevented from entering. For example, you could prevent members from entering when the building is scheduled for carpet cleaning.
For our FM group, we configure general members to have access from 5AM-11PM daily. Bishoprics, stake presidency, PFR, security specialists have 24x7 access. You also configure which buildings within the stake are accessible to which members by assigning specific access rules. It's very flexible. For example, stake leaders have access to all buildings. Ward leaders have access to their own building. Exceptions are easy to configure. We give the ward mission leader access to their own building, but also to the stake center so they have access to the baptismal font.

[russellhltn]

Glad to know. I'm not sure if it will show up at my stake center given that it's a historic building, but I am hearing that the system will be rolled out more broadly.

[dlpyro1957]

You will need to talk to the system's admin or your FM group. An add-on may need to be installed to open doors remotely.
As for the power cycle, You may want to look where your old kek pad system is; ours takes power off of that. or reach out to the installer.

[mmacconnell]

Trying to get a little clarification on how the licenses work and our FM group is not responsive. Does anyone know when the licenses are issued, are they specific to a building or do they all go into a larger pool for the whole Stake. Right now we only have one building but others are being scheduled. Reason for asking, some of our High Councilors are asking if they can have access to other buildings, but before we give an answer we need to find out if the licenses are specific to buildings. The Stake President wants me to check on that before he decides if we will allow access outside our Stake Center for some of these callings.

[swigginton]

...when the licenses are issued, are they specific to a building or do they all go into a larger pool for the whole Stake.

The licenses are issued to a stake in a pool for distribution among ward and stake leaders. The meetinghouses for the stake are grouped within a stake "site". The Kindoo manager assigns the meetinghouses/doors/times for each user. So, a ward leader typically has access to their own building. Stake leaders could have access to all buildings. Either users occupies only 1 user license from the stake pool.

[mmacconnell]

Thanks, that confirms what I was thinking would happen. Just needed that final confirmation before we finalize the procedures for our Stake. There does not seem to be much in the way of documentation on who “officially” gets access so we are kind of playing it by ear. Our Stake Center is the next building scheduled to get this system in a month or two so Stake Presidency is trying to document everything and present to the Stake Council during our next meeting.