Elevators can be equipped with access devices in the same way that a door is equipped. Rules for elevators can be created when an access control device is connected to an elevator, granting or limiting access to specific floors at designated times.

Elevator Control Overview

Permission roles of Integrator and Admin have access to the Elevators features. 

IMPORTANT: Before continuing with this step, at least one access control device must be installed for the elevator (and for separate floors, if needed) in order to be able to select the elevator device in the Reader field in the Elevator screen and to be able to create rule(s) for the elevator. 

In addition to adding an access control device for the elevator, at least one floor controller must be created in order to be displayed and selectable in the Floors option in this screen.

Click the Elevator icon  in the Cloud Node Appliances home screen to create an elevator rule. Any previously created Elevator rules are listed in alpha order. 

To add an elevator rule, click the + icon in the lower right. The Elevator screen is displayed. 

Name

Assign a unique descriptive name for the elevator rule.

Reader

Click inside the Reader field or on the down arrow to view a list of existing reader devices. For a long list of reader devices, use the Filter field to search for a device name. 

NOTE: An access control reader device should have already been set up and defined for the elevator prior to this step. 

Click the desired elevator reader device or use the Filter field to search for a reader name from a long list and click SELECT. 

Partition

If partitions have been created, the Partition field is shown with all of the existing partition name(s). Click inside the Partition field or on the down arrow to select a partition from the list. A Default partition exists but the Partition field does not appear until after an initial partition is created.

Understanding Partitions

See Partitions for additional information.

NOTE: These partitions are not exclusive to elevators. These are all of the partitions that have been added. 

Floors 

Floor devices selected here should correspond to the floors that this Elevator Group has access to. 

NOTE: Once an elevator group has been created, it needs to be scheduled in the system under a person or group. 

A device controller can be added for a building floor by clicking the + icon next to Floors. (The presence of an elevator indicates that multiple floors can be individually and separately named, controlled, and secured if desired.) 

To add the desired floor(s), click the respective checkbox(es) from the list of door device controllers for the specific floors. Click SELECT. 

Elevator Rules / Floor Groups 

Elevator Control Groups and Rules Example

Pdk io makes elevator control simple. First, devices need to be assigned to specific floors.

1. Select Configuration from the main dashboard.

2. Add a floor by selecting the + icon in the bottom right.

3. Name the floor and location of the elevator car’s reader.

4. Select your Connection type and choose which Port the floor resides on (Port 1).

5. Repeat these steps for each floor of access needed. After creating each floor, we are ready to manage their access levels.

6. Select Elevators  from the main dashboard. 

In this section, users are able to build elevator access floor groups. To illustrate this, let’s create three floor groups.

7. Build a new floor group by selecting the + icon in the bottom right.

8. The first floor group we will create will be an all-access group. Name the floor group All Access and select the reader being used.

9. Next, select the floor in Floors that will be accessible for all members of this group. Save the floor group. 

10. Now, let’s create a floor group for the third floor. Click the + icon to build the group.

11. Give the group a name Floor 3, and choose the reader.

12. Next, select the floor that will accessible for all members of this group. Save the floor group. 

13. Let’s create the final floor group, this time it will be for roof access. Click the + icon to build the group.

14. Give the group a name Roof, and choose the reader.

15. Next, select the floor that will be accessible for all members of this group. Save the floor group. 

16. Next, we will need to assign user access to these floor groups. To do this, select Groups  from the main dashboard.

17. Let’s assign access to our All Access floor group. Create a new group, or select one that already exists, in this example, we will select the All Access group.

18. Create an elevator rule by selecting the + icon next to Rules.

19. Select the ELEVATOR tab and set the Start Time, Stop Time, and desired Recurring days.

20. Choose an Authentication Policy, and then select the desired Floor Groups. Save the rule.

You will now see the new elevator floor rule has been added to the group rules. All members of this group will now have access to the floors programmed in the floor group. Now, let’s say your Marketing team needs access only to the third floor and the roof. To do this, we will select the Marketing group and create new elevator rules. 

21. Create an elevator rule by selecting the + icon next to Rules.

22. Select the ELEVATOR tab.

23. Set the Start Time, Stop Time, and desired Recurring days.

24. Choose an Authentication Policy, and then select the desired Floor Groups, in this case, choose Floor 3. Save the rule.

You will now see the new elevator floor rule has been added to the group rules. All members of the Marketing group will now have access to the 3rd floor. Next, let’s assign them access to our Roof group.

25. Create a new elevator rule by selecting the + icon next to Rules.

26. Select the ELEVATOR tab.

27. Set the Start Time, Stop Time, and desired Recurring days.

28. Choose an Authentication Policy, and then select the desired Floor Groups, in this case, choose Roof. Save the rule.

You will now see the new elevator floor rule has been added to the group rules. All members of this group will now have 24/7 access to the 3rd floor, and access to the roof.

Delete an Elevator Group

In the Elevators screen, hover the cursor over the desired Elevator group and click the trash icon.