Access Control & Automated Pin Codes

This article is for Hosts who use or are considering an Access Control Provider (ACP) to manage physical access to their Spaces.

SpacetoCo integrates with top Access Control Providers (ACPs) to deliver automated PIN codes for secure entry.

Key Integration Features

• Automated user creation: Adds new Customers to your ACP.
• Access time management: Grants access during booked times (plus buffer windows) and automatically adjusts or revokes access if bookings are updated or cancelled.
• PIN generation and delivery: Sends a dedicated access PIN email to Customers when a booking is approved and allows Hosts to regenerate or resend codes.

Each Customer receives a personalised PIN code that works across all bookings with the same Host.

How a Booking Becomes a PIN Code

The automated PIN creation workflow is identical for both manual approvals and Instant Book:

1. Booking placed: A Customer submits a booking request.
2. Booking approved: You approve the booking, or it is instantly approved by the system.
3. PIN generated: SpacetoCo communicates with your ACP to set up the user (if new) and generate their PIN code.
4. Access window set: Access is granted for the booked duration plus configured buffer times.
5. PIN delivered: The Customer receives their PIN code via email and can view it in their dashboard.

Supported Access Control Providers

SpacetoCo currently integrates with:

• SecCloud
• Gallagher
• Integriti
• ProtegeGX

Where Customers Find Their PIN Code

A Customer's PIN code displays in three places while they have an upcoming booking:

• At the top of the booking slide-out in their dashboard.
• On the home page of their Customer dashboard.
• In the dedicated Access PIN email sent when the booking is approved or when a PIN is regenerated.

Once a Customer has no upcoming bookings, their PIN code is no longer displayed on their dashboard.

Customer Email Notifications

When a booking is approved, Customers receive two separate emails:

• Booking Approval email: Contains booking details, space rules, and any text entered in the Access Instructions field for that Space.
• Access PIN email: Contains the Customer's PIN code.

Sending the PIN code in a separate email ensures that if a Host regenerates a code, the Customer receives a new notification without confusing old booking details.

Managing PIN Codes as a Host

PIN codes are generated automatically. As a Host, you can perform two manual actions from the booking details view in your dashboard:

• Generate new PIN: Immediately invalidates the existing PIN code and issues a new one. The Customer is automatically emailed their updated PIN and notified that the old code is inactive. Use this if a code is shared incorrectly or a security concern arises.
• Resend PIN: Re-sends the existing PIN code by email without changing the digits. Use this if a Customer misplaces their email.
  
  

Regular Customers and Multiple Venues

A Customer retains one unique PIN code across all their bookings with your Host account.

If your organisation manages multiple venues connected to the same access control server, a single PIN code provides access across all those sites. If you are unsure whether your sites share a server, check with your ACP installer.

Choosing Supported Customer Types

Automated PIN access can be configured for Casual Customers, Regular Customers, or both.

Some Hosts choose to roll out automated PIN codes to Casual Customers first while keeping Regular Customers on existing cards or physical keys, transitioning Regular Customers across once staff are comfortable with the workflow.

Integration Boundaries

Before designing your access procedures, keep the following rules in mind:

• No automated pre-booking reminders: PIN codes are sent upon booking approval. Automatic pre-event PIN reminder emails are not currently supported.
• Standard email templates: The email layout is fixed, but you can customise the Access Instructions field under your Space settings.
• No self-serve PIN reporting: Dashboard reporting for total generated PINs is not available. The SpacetoCo team can generate custom PIN issuance reports upon request.
• Single PIN per Customer: Customers hold one code per Host integration rather than a unique code for each individual booking.
• Email delivery only: PIN codes are delivered via email and dashboard only; SMS delivery is not supported.

Buffer Times

SpacetoCo adds buffer time before and after a booking (excluding setup and pack-down Bump in / Bump out times) to allow Customers entry to the venue.

• Default buffer: 15 minutes before and after the booked time.
• Available buffer options: 15, 30, 45, or 60 minutes.
• Scope: Buffer settings apply account-wide across all Spaces.

Configuring and Mapping Spaces

The integration uses provider API Gateways with dedicated API keys to map data securely without connecting directly to your on-site server.

Mapping Steps

1. Select the Space in SpacetoCo.
2. Select the corresponding Access Group Number pulled directly from your ACP.
3. Click Update to save your mapping.

If access group numbers change in your ACP, update the corresponding mapping in your SpacetoCo dashboard settings. If new areas are added to an existing access group number without changing the number itself, no dashboard update is required.

Rollout Strategy

We recommend trailing access control integration at a single venue for four weeks before expanding across all sites:

• Use a 100% discount code to run test bookings across different scenarios without incurring charges.
• Existing PIN codes and security credentials configured in your ACP are not affected or overwritten by the integration.
• System-level ACP connections are managed by SpacetoCo. Once configured, Team Admins can adjust individual Space mappings in the dashboard.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is required to connect a new Access Control Provider?

Your ACP must support external integration connections and provide API documentation to exchange data with SpacetoCo servers.

Are PIN keypads required?

PIN keypads provide the smoothest user experience. While ACPs can attach bookings to swipe cards or mobile credentials directly inside the ACP software, SpacetoCo only displays and manages PIN codes natively on the platform.

Does the integration work across multiple Host accounts?

Yes. Each Host account requires its own configuration. Additional setup fees may apply.

Can Customers access a Space outside their booking time?

No. A PIN code only grants entry during the scheduled booking window plus configured buffer times.

What happens when a booking is cancelled or changed?

When a booking is cancelled, access for that booking time is revoked immediately. If a booking duration changes, access times update automatically.

How often does data sync between systems?

Changes sync instantly whenever a booking is approved, edited, or cancelled. SpacetoCo also performs an overnight safety sync covering all bookings within the next 90 days.

How does this affect after-hours monitoring?

Building alarms, disarming rules, and hardware monitoring remain entirely within your ACP. After-hours staff can look up Customer PIN codes directly inside the SpacetoCo booking details view.