About the Key Manager role
Key Managers are responsible for the integrity and efficiency of key control. In Key Automate, their work centres on a virtual key cabinet that consolidates status, borrower, and history into a single view, with real‑time insights and overdue alerts to prompt timely action.
Understand search and filter (Find keys fast)
What and why - The dashboard provides filters to narrow keys by status (available, checked out, overdue), borrower, property, and dates, helping managers locate keys quickly and focus on exceptions
System behaviour - Filters update the list in real time and can be cleared to reset the view. Labels can vary slightly by tenant/version
Understand key status lifecycle (Check out/Return)
What and why - Status accuracy underpins the cabinet’s integrity. Key Automate uses a confirmation drawer so Key Managers can review borrower, reason, dates, and flags before finalising a check‑out or return
Understand borrower accountability (Manage borrowers)
What and why - Accountability relies on tracking the specific individual who holds the key (staff, trades, etc.), not just the company. This improves audits and follow‑ups (e.g., Bill Smith - Bill’s Plumbing)
Key practice - Use consistent naming patterns and capture a clear reason to support search, filters, and reporting
Understand notifications (Set up alerts and act on overdue keys)
What and why - Overdue alerts and automated reminders prompt action when keys aren’t returned on time, reducing risk and manual follow‑up
Best practice - Keep notifications targeted to the people who must act; avoid alert overload and use escalation patterns where available
Understand audit history (Review activity timelines)
What and why - Per‑key activity timelines provide a chronological record of check‑outs/ins, changes, cancellations, and flags—critical evidence for audits and incident reviews
Usage - Treat the timeline as your single source of truth; capture exports/screens when policy requires audit artefacts. (Export options may vary by tenant)
Governance and best practices
Maintain status discipline - Update immediately on check‑out/return to keep the cabinet accurate
Record the individual borrower (not just the company) to strengthen accountability
Tune notifications thoughtfully; escalate only when first‑line action fails to avoid fatigue