 Welcome to this episode of Door Hardware Nerds. I'm your host, Mia Merrill. Today, I'm joined by Jonathan Baddard of SimpleK. Jonathan, please tell us about your role at SimpleK. Hey, hello Mia. Thank you for inviting me at the show today. As you said, my name is Jonathan Baddard. I'm the application and development manager for SimpleK, recently part of the ASSA Abloya iSecurity Group. All right. Well, can you tell us about the software and what it's able to do? Right, yeah, SimpleK is a professional software designed to manage master key systems and keys. And of course, we're talking about mechanical, physical keys here. And it's primarily used by facilities managers, security directors, locksmiths, working for institutions like universities, colleges, hospitals, government agencies or casinos. So wherever they have large iSecurity Master Key Systems to maintain. Okay. And it gives them all the tools to manage the data about key control, but also do the workflow and process of key control. Oh, good. All right. Can you tell us why it's important to have key control? Yes, well, key control, when we think of physical security today, we typically, or most of the time, will first think of electronic access control in cameras. But one of our first line of defense for the building is still mechanical locks and keys. And with electronic access control, it's easier to distribute less keys to our people because we give them access with the card system. But still many card readers, they have a key override and usually the base building is still on mechanical locks. So if we really want to know who has access to our buildings anywhere, then we need to track our keys correctly and we need to know what key will give access to which door, where are the keys, who they have been given to and things like that. Okay. Can you explain how SimpleK differs from other key management software solutions or even say like a simple spreadsheet? Correct. Well, if you manage keys for a small building, you can even do with a paper and pen that will be sufficient or if you have something a little bigger that Excel spreadsheets could be good. But then when you get to hundreds or thousands or tens of thousands of locks, keys, key holders, it gets more complicated and then you need a more robust or advanced tool. And that's where SimpleK comes into play. And it offers all the tools for the locksmiths to do the technical information of the master keying, like the keying structure, key cuts, angles, keyways, but also for facilities management or security to manage again the workflow and processes like the key requests, approval process, issuing the keys, capturing the signature for the keys following up on the key returns and tracking the door re keying, for example. Oh, wow. That's a lot of information that's in there. Now let's say I'm in the Stone Age and I need to update my processes. What is that process? Where do I even start with that? Well, it's funny because in 2021, we would think like people can track their keys with GPS and deliver them with drones or, you know, but many institutions, they're still doing it the old fashioned way. And we still see a lot of boxes full of key rings with posted stickers on them or these long card X drawers, you know, full of key issue cards. Or in the lock shelf, we see the big books of codes and old dust looking software type of thing. So, but if you're trying to move from something like that to an application a bit like simple key, I would say the first thing to do will be to do an assessment of the data or information you have about keys, keys issue to people, doors. So information you have only on paper, sometimes we can use the generator to create it in simple key like a list of codes. Sometimes we would create an Excel spreadsheet to do a massive data entry and load it. Everything that is already on the computer, usually we would manage that, clean it up, organize it format to be able to import that to the database. Sometimes we may ask the manufacturer to provide a list of codes like in CSV files or spreadsheets. And we may have to do or I mean, the customers may have to do key audits or onsite surveys to gather door information, door hardware and things like that. So we have a lot of solutions and different options to migrate to a tool like simple key. Okay. What other cool features does simple key offer? It has a lot, but if you're a door hardware nerd, then you will like the door hardware feature because like if you click on a door in simple key can give you all the technical information, but also the list of hardware installed on that door. If you click the hardware, you can get again detailed information about every model of hardware with pictures and technical spec sheets. If you're a master key in Geek, then you'll like the master key system generator where you can actually create or expand a key system using like from the top master key, the key bidding array, levels of key sequence of progression and all that. Security people usually they think the floor plan feature is pretty cool because it allows them to search like by door number. The software will locate the door on the floor plan and then you can click on it to get the info as such as the list of key holders who has keys to that door. And finally, there are other tools like the key cutting machine interface or mobile application to use to deliver keys and have people to sign on your mobile device or use the mobile application to do on-site surveys to gather door info with pictures and door hardware info. So a lot of fun things or features and tools in simple key. Sounds like there's kind of something for everybody in there. Pretty much we try to. Yeah, any final thoughts you wanna share with us? Right, well, one thing because we talk about simple key itself which is the software platform but really the software is well, it's developed and supported by a team of professionals that work very closely with customers to really guide them and assist them in the implementation process. So that if you have nightmares about key control and ghost keys, well, you know to go. Okay, that's perfect. Well, thank you so much for taking time out of your day to talk with us about simple key. We really appreciate it. Thank you very much. All right, if you would like to find out more about simple key, you can visit their website and their LinkedIn page. I have both of those linked below. If you have questions about anything you've seen here today, you can contact your local DSS office. If you aren't sure who that is, I've also included a link below for how to locate your local DSS office. Please like this video and click subscribe on our channel. Thanks for watching. Thank you.