The smarter, electronic way to run key-based access control

Based on Assa Abloy’s award-winning Cliq access control technology, an eCliq system is built around precision-engineered locks with high-end microelectronics. A standard battery inside each programmable electronic key powers the eCliq cylinder or padlock — and secures data transfer between lock, key and system.

Thanks to multiple software options, security staff manage users’ access rights in a way that suits them best and from a single interface. Staff no longer waste time running electronic and mechanical systems in parallel or entering information manually into multiple databases.

Authorised key-holders also enjoy the convenience: everyone carries a single, battery-powered key programmed with only their cleared access permissions. They no longer carry bulging keyrings or waste time hunting down the right key for the job.

Low-maintenance locking devices that facility managers trust
The eCliq lock range can filter authorized entry through doors and many other openings. Robust, durable cylinders and padlocks with eCliq technology can protect lifts, server racks, furniture, gates, mailboxes, cabinets and more with the same level of control as sensitive doors. Certified and available in multiple sizes and formats, eCliq cylinders keep organizations compliant with regulations.

Because eCliq keys are powered by standard batteries, they extend electronic access control anywhere — far beyond the reach of wired locking. Cylinders are available with an optional dust and rain protection cap for weather resistance; they operate safely between
-25°C and 85°C. Waterproof padlocks work outdoors in almost every environment, however harsh.

The keys are equally durable, compact, and waterproof (IP67). They are easy to program, enabling temporary and time-limited access permissions for every employee or contractor. AES encryption, rapid processing, and efficient energy management are built into the chip. When a key’s standard battery runs low, it is easily replaced without tools.

Easy installation, simple administration
Managing eCliq is straightforward and flexible. Keys are programmed with easy-to-use software, offering a choice between a local software installation (CLIQ Local Manager) or secure web-based software (CLIQ Web Manager) which manages access rights from anywhere, in the cloud. CLIQ Web Manager can run in a self-hosted IT environment or completely free of local software installation with two different Software as a Service (SaaS) offerings: Shared SaaS or Dedicated SaaS with hosting and maintenance schedules dedicated to a single customer. CLIQ Web Manager also offers optional integration capability with many kinds of business management software, helping automate tedious operations and processes to boost efficiency.

However an eCliq system is managed, missing keys are quickly de-authorised, cutting risks associated with key loss or theft. At any time, facility managers can generate a full audit trail to discover who has accessed which locks.

“Unlike other electronic access systems, eCliq uses no mains electricity,” says Stephan Schulz, CLIQ Product Manager at Assa Abloy Opening Solutions EMEA. “Relying on energy-efficient battery power minimizes disruption when making the switch to eCliq. Because no cabling is required around the door, there’s no need to schedule, or pay for invasive electrical wiring at installation stage.”

Efficient hospital security management with electronic key security
For hospital managers, a programmable key solution enables them to create personalized access schedules — even for temporary contractors — and collect audit trails for doors or key holders automatically. Staff travel into, out of and through the hospital based on rules programmed into their keys.

At University Hospital Frankfurt 1,100 eCliq cylinders secure doors in a new building. CLIQ Web Manager software makes it easy to program, reprogram and audit every key, cylinder or padlock . Because the interface is accessible from anywhere with an internet connection — via multifactor login over a secure connection — staff manage the eCliq system whenever and from wherever they choose. Its architecture supports multiple administrators or sites.

SaaS is another important feature for hospital managers, because it ensures security software is always up to date — a major benefit in healthcare, where confidentiality makes cyber-attack resistance critical.

Intelligent key-operated locks secure public and commercial spaces
In delivering services fit for the 2020s, public institutions need more than just innovation and accountability. They require flexibility and agility, too, including in how they approach security. The security challenges for public services and public spaces do not stand still: here, filtering access intelligently and dynamically has become part of security’s job description.

Museums benefit from multi-layered security, where access control plays a key role alongside CCTV and alarms in preventing theft and break-ins. In a heritage property with historic architecture to maintain — or in a modern building where contemporary security blends in — discreet, cable-free locking ensures the site remains as its designer intends.

The Thiepval Museums needed trusted, secure entry and exit control for a twin-site operation in northern France. User-friendly management of access rights was essential — for both internal and external users. A solution with no need to change all cylinders when an employee loses a key was required. Now the Historical and Thiepval Museums, too, are equipped with eCliq locking cylinders across their two locations. Of 40 durable, compact and waterproof eCliq keys, 19 are allocated to regular users. These Bluetooth-enabled keys are available to both employees and contractors, helping the latter to improve their responsiveness.

The eCliq system allows security staff to better monitor service providers — and their movements around and between the two sites. It is straightforward for museum managers to limit contractor access rights to the duration of a task, whether recurring or one-off.

“I am very happy with the eCliq solution,” says M. Guyot, Technical and Security Manager at the Historical and Thiepval Museums. “Today, I promote the solution to those around me. I have also given a demonstration to the Somme General Council to show the effectiveness and simplicity of the eCliq solution.”

High security for critical sites
Retail banking combines high security with complex workflows. Staff need efficient access. Facility managers need the flexibility to design access permissions around individual clearances. “Access all areas” locking is not appropriate.

In this sector, a single, integrated eCliq locking system can protect assets in banking halls, ATMs and cash in transit, with eCliq devices tailored to different locking points. Multiple layers of eCliq physical and electronic security work together to provide a safety net should a key go missing. Any lost key’s access rights are removed instantly via system software: it no longer opens any door, vault or ATM, maintaining high security at the bank.

At one bank in Italy’s Lombardy region, Creval, doors are now locked with eCliq cylinders, putting managers in total control of entrance security. In the unlikely event a key is misplaced, Creval administrators simply de-authorize it.

Utilities and infrastructure have similarly stringent security. For nine hydroelectric plants, plus 130km of pipelines with 45 transformer stations, K&F Drack (KFD) in Austria required a new locking solution. At commissioning stage KFD managers focused on flexibility — in both installation and use — specifying a system which should demand as little maintenance as possible. Technology would also match the KFD ethos of cautious and respectful interaction with nature, people and the environment.

Their choice was eCliq key-powered electronic access control from ASSA ABLOY. “The great flexibility of the system convinced us,” says Stefan Drack, CEO. “We are planning to also use eCliq in other areas and further properties.”

To learn how your organization could benefit from an eCliq electronic locking system, download a free solution guide or contact an access control expert.