Grand master keys are often used as a corporate master key for all multi-site location’s access. It has a higher level of access than master keys but cannot open all the doors a great grand master key can. The fewer people who have high-level access to your company’s physical locations, the more secure your master key system can be.Ī grand master key (GMK) is the next tier down of master level access. Great grand master keys should be limited to a very limited number of stakeholders within your organization who need complete access. This key can open all the access levels beneath it. A great grand level master key (GGMK) has access to your entire organization, including facilities, locations, doors etc. This is typically the highest level access for a master key system. Here are the commonly used designations for master key levels: Most master key systems will have between two and five levels of access.

For companies with many locations and employees managing each location separately, like grocery or big box retail and vendor keys for restaurant chains, using master keys is necessary to avoid having dozens if not hundreds of keys per location to keep track of.īy designating various levels of master key access, you can maintain tighter security. This allows organizations with many locations to provide different Facilities Managers or LP/AP/Security Managers with only the access they need for their building or area, while limiting unnecessary access at higher levels. While a master key traditionally refers to a key that can open all doors or access points in a building, the capabilities with master keys have changed to include differing levels of master key access. While a single master key can give high-level access to a single user, your master key system determines how securely your entire organization is using their master keys at all levels of master key access. What is a Master Key System?Ī master key system is the master keys, locks, users, and hierarchy that make up your day-to-day key management for master key holders. With a master key, a facility manager can carry a single key and retain access across an entire location. This is inefficient and can easily become a security breach if a key ring is lost.

Without one key that can open many doors, facility managers have to carry all the keys needed to open every door. Master keys are designed to simplify the key needs of someone with high-level access within an organization. For example, a Facility Manager may have a master key that can open all doors at their location while employees have sub-master keys that only open a single door or limited doors depending on their need for access. Typically, master keys are given only to high-level stakeholders at a specific location.

What is a Master Key?Ī master key is a key that gives you access to more than one door or lock within your organization. Master keys provide high-level access and streamlined day-to-day key management for employees and stakeholders who need to be able to easily open many doors. The effectiveness and security of your key system is called key control.Ĭreating the most secure and effective key control for your organization includes a few different components. Despite advancements in digital technology, there’s no more effective way to keep your company physically secure than with locks and keys. Every organization wants to maintain the security of their employees, goods, and facilities.

Master key for all locks