Every business has different security requirements, from a single office entrance to a multi-site operation with hundreds of employees, visitors, and contractors passing through each day. Choosing the right access control system takes careful planning, and the right partner.
OLS delivers cloud-based access control solutions that require minimal on-site infrastructure while giving you full control over site security, fire mustering, time and attendance, and system administration from any internet-connected device. Our systems are designed, installed, and maintained by an SSAIB-accredited, ISO 9001-certified team with over 50 years of combined experience in business security.
OLS Connect, our proprietary integration platform, links your access control system directly to HR, payroll, and time-and-attendance software using custom APIs and automated flat-file transfers. One badge at the door creates a single, verified record that flows through every system.
All OLS systems are cloud-hosted as standard, giving you remote management of permissions, live access data, and reporting from any web browser or phone. No on-site servers, no dedicated security terminals, and no software to maintain. OLS Connect supports cloud-hosted, on-premise, and hybrid environments for organisations migrating from legacy infrastructure.
Smartphones, smartwatches, and tablets can replace traditional key cards and fobs for opening doors, gates, turnstiles, and accessing secure networks. OLS specialises in mobile credentials giving your workforce a modern, contactless way to move through your premises.
From the initial site survey through to installation, integration, training, and ongoing maintenance, OLS handles every stage. Our in-house software developers build bespoke integrations between your access control platform and third-party business software, so you work with one provider.
Manage every door, gate, and turnstile from a single cloud-based dashboard. Grant and revoke permissions remotely, view live access data, and generate detailed movement reports without any on-site servers or dedicated security hardware.
Replace plastic key cards and fobs with smartphone-based credentials using Bluetooth or QR codes. Permissions can be granted, revoked, or updated instantly through a centralised management dashboard, removing the need to physically issue or collect badges.
Fingerprint scanners and facial recognition readers provide the highest level of credential security. Biometric data cannot be shared, lost, or duplicated, making it the preferred option for high-security areas such as server rooms, laboratories, and restricted production zones.
Pre-register visitors, issue temporary access credentials, track contractor hours on site, and maintain a live log of everyone in the building for fire safety and compliance. Visitor data integrates directly with your access control platform for a complete audit trail.
Allow visitors to request entry via an intercom, call button, or mobile app. Door entry systems can be standalone or integrated into a wider networked access control setup, giving security teams full visibility of who is entering the building.
Move from legacy, on-premise access control to a modern cloud-managed platform without replacing all of your existing hardware. OLS carries out a full site survey to assess what can be retained, what needs upgrading, and how your current infrastructure can be brought into a unified system.
An access control system places an electronic lock on a door, gate, turnstile, or barrier that opens only when a valid credential is presented. Credentials can include key cards, fobs, PIN codes, biometric scans, or mobile devices. Every entry and exit is logged, and detailed movement reports can be generated on demand.
With a cloud-based system from OLS, all of this is managed remotely. You can view live access data, grant or revoke permissions, and generate reports from any web browser or phone, with no on-site servers required. Permissions can be set by individual, by role, by department, or by time of day, and updated in seconds from anywhere.
For most businesses, access control also serves as the foundation for time and attendance tracking. When a member of staff uses their card, fob, or biometric credential to enter the building, that event is simultaneously recorded as an access log and a time-and-attendance entry. OLS Connect then pushes the clocking data to your workforce management platform in real time via API, or on a scheduled basis via automated flat-file transfer. No separate clocking machines, no duplicate data entry, and no need to reconcile access logs with timesheets.
For organisations operating across multiple sites, OLS Connect consolidates attendance data from every location into a single feed, giving managers a unified view of workforce attendance across the business.
Talk to OLS about a system designed around the way your business operates.
At the heart of every OLS installation is OLS Connect, our cloud-native integration platform. OLS Connect uses custom APIs and flat-file transfers to sync your access control system with your existing HR, payroll, and time-and-attendance software, creating a single source of truth for employee and visitor data across your organisation.
Where supported, OLS Connect establishes secure API integrations that synchronise employee records, access permissions, and attendance data in real time. This enables immediate data exchange between systems without the need for manual imports or scheduled file transfers.
For systems that rely on file-based data exchange, OLS Connect automates the generation, transfer, and processing of flat files on a scheduled basis, keeping legacy or on-premise software synchronised without requiring changes to your existing IT infrastructure. Many payroll systems still import attendance data via CSV, and OLS Connect automates the entire process on a schedule that matches your payroll cycle.
Every integration is configured to your specific requirements. OLS maps data fields, aligns update frequencies, configures exception handling, and tests each connection end to end before go-live. Once deployed, OLS Connect runs in the background with automated monitoring, flagging failed synchronisations or unexpected data before it reaches downstream systems.
When an employee is hired, their access permissions are created automatically. When they leave, access is revoked instantly. No manual updates, no security gaps.
Restrict access to production floors, raw material stores, and hazardous areas. Integrate with shift management systems to automate permissions based on rota patterns, and maintain a live log of who is on site for fire safety and lone-worker compliance.
Control entry to loading bays, goods-in areas, and high-value storage zones. Track vehicle and personnel movement across large sites with integrated ANPR and door access, and consolidate attendance data for agency and permanent staff.
Secure plant rooms, control rooms, and restricted operational areas with credential-based entry. Support compliance with health and safety regulations through automated muster reporting and real-time occupancy tracking.
Manage entry to floors, meeting rooms, and communal areas with role-based permissions. Integrate with hot-desk booking and building automation systems to trigger lighting, HVAC, and zone access based on scheduling data.
Manage member access, monitor occupancy, and track attendance through a single integrated system. Connect with your booking platform so entry permissions and session tracking are automated, with real-time capacity monitoring for health and safety.
Control entry to event spaces, backstage areas, and VIP zones with time-sensitive credentials. Integrate with ticketing platforms for automated access based on booking data, and generate real-time occupancy reports for licensing compliance.
The main benefit is increased security across your premises. Beyond that, access control removes the need for physical door keys, reduces costs on locks and rekeying, provides detailed entry and exit tracking, prevents unauthorised access, automates fire muster procedures, and helps your business comply with industry regulations and health and safety standards.
The main types are stand-alone access control (all components within the door unit, using codes, cards, or biometrics), networked access control (centrally managed across multiple doors and sites, with tiered access levels and reporting), door entry systems (intercoms, call buttons, or app-based visitor entry), mandatory access control (permissions assigned per individual for high-security environments), and role-based access control (permissions set by job role or department).
An electronic lock is placed on a door, gate, turnstile, or barrier. It opens only when a valid credential is presented, such as a key card, fob, PIN code, biometric scan, or mobile device. Every entry and exit is logged. With a cloud-based system from OLS, permissions, live data, and reporting are all managed remotely from any web browser or phone.
Not necessarily. OLS carries out a full site survey to assess what existing infrastructure can be retained, what needs upgrading, and how your current systems can be integrated into a unified, cloud-managed platform. For organisations migrating from legacy infrastructure, OLS Connect supports hybrid configurations that maintain data flow to both old and new systems during the transition.
OLS supports mobile access via smartphones and smartwatches (using Bluetooth or QR codes), biometric readers (fingerprint and facial recognition), key cards, fobs, and PIN codes. Credentials can be combined for multi-factor authentication where higher security is required.
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