Templates
Requirements catalogue for a key management system
Criteria, weighting and scoring for up to three suppliers — so your choice is easy to follow.
Free · no sign-up · Excel and PDF
To be honest
Cabinet, safe or software?
Key cabinets and safes protect mechanically; software documents. Which suits you depends on whether you mainly want to prevent unauthorised removal or mainly want to trace who had which key when. The two can be combined.
Our recommendation: don’t just check Log+Key on paper — try it in your own routine right away. It’s free for up to 10 objects, for good, so you score the criteria from your own experience.
Download
Three ways to your requirements catalogue
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Excel template (.xlsx)
Five sheets: guide, requirements, evaluation, five-year costs and questions for the demo. Points, degree of fulfilment and knock-outs calculate themselves.
Download the Excel template -
Google Sheets
Upload the Excel file to Google Drive and open it with Google Sheets — the formulas work there too.
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Fillable PDF checklist
All 39 requirements with fields for three suppliers, plus a page for the demo questions: fill it in on screen or print it and take it along.
Download the PDF checklist
In brief
A requirements catalogue sets out, before you choose, what a key management system must do. The most important criteria are a complete history that cannot be changed, quick checkout and return day to day, roles and permissions, data protection with a data processing agreement, integrations with your business software and the total cost over several years.
The criteria
The requirements at a glance
39 requirements in nine areas, each with a question to check in the demo. Priority and weight are suggestions — you set them yourself.
1 Records and evidence 5 criteria
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1.1 Every checkout and return is recorded with person, time and object.
Suggestion: Must · weight 3What to check: Is every transaction recorded automatically, without anyone having to add it later?
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1.2 The history cannot be changed or deleted afterwards.
Suggestion: Must · weight 3What to check: Who can change entries? Is the history kept when a user account is deleted?
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1.3 Handovers are acknowledged (signature, receipt for both sides).
Suggestion: Should · weight 2What to check: Does the person receiving the key get a receipt, e.g. as a PDF?
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1.4 Records can be analysed and exported.
Suggestion: Should · weight 2What to check: Is there a report for audits by period, object or person?
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1.5 Stocktake of the inventory with a list of discrepancies.
Suggestion: Should · weight 2What to check: How does a stocktake work, and what happens to missing keys?
2 Day-to-day checkout and return 5 criteria
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2.1 A checkout takes only a few seconds.
Suggestion: Must · weight 3What to check: Time it in the demo: from picking up the key to the confirmation.
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2.2 Check out and return several keys at once.
Suggestion: Should · weight 2What to check: How many steps does a round with ten keys take?
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2.3 Return deadlines with a notification when overdue.
Suggestion: Should · weight 2What to check: Who is notified, and when?
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2.4 Handover to external people without a user account of their own.
Suggestion: Should · weight 2What to check: How are tradespeople or contractors recorded?
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2.5 Use it where the handover happens (smartphone, tablet at the key point, computer).
Suggestion: Should · weight 2What to check: Do staff need a fixed workstation?
3 Labelling and hardware 5 criteria
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3.1 The label gives no clue to an address or a person.
Suggestion: Must · weight 3What to check: What is written on the key?
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3.2 Durable labels (e.g. NFC, RFID, barcode) with a clear replacement process.
Suggestion: Should · weight 2What to check: What does a replacement cost, and how quickly does it arrive?
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3.3 Mechanical protection against unauthorised removal (cabinet, safe), if your risk calls for it.
Suggestion: Could · weight 1What to check: Do you mainly need protection against removal, or mainly traceability?
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3.4 Building requirements and space needed.
Suggestion: Should · weight 2What to check: Does the system need power, a network, installation or a room of its own?
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3.5 Expansion as the inventory grows.
Suggestion: Should · weight 2What to check: What does it cost to manage 500 more keys?
4 Users, roles and sites 4 criteria
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4.1 Your organisation sets roles and permissions itself.
Suggestion: Must · weight 3What to check: Can you create and change roles without the supplier?
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4.2 Manage several sites or areas separately.
Suggestion: Should · weight 2What to check: Do staff only see their own site?
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4.3 Simple sign-in at the key point (PIN, ID card, tag).
Suggestion: Should · weight 2What to check: How does someone without a device of their own sign in?
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4.4 Staff changes: create and remove accounts quickly, open checkouts visible.
Suggestion: Must · weight 3What to check: Does the system show which keys a leaver still has?
5 Integrations and data 4 criteria
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5.1 Connection to your business software (e.g. control centre, HR, dealer management or property management software).
Suggestion: Should · weight 2What to check: Which integrations exist today, and which on request?
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5.2 Connection to electronic locking systems or key cabinets.
Suggestion: Could · weight 1What to check: Which systems are already connected?
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5.3 Import of existing lists and export of your data.
Suggestion: Must · weight 3What to check: Does the supplier do the first import? In what format do you get your data when the contract ends?
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5.4 Programming interface (API) for your own workflows.
Suggestion: Could · weight 1What to check: Is there a documented API?
6 Data protection and information security 5 criteria
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6.1 Hosting in the EU, location named.
Suggestion: Must · weight 3What to check: Where are the servers, and which sub-processors are involved?
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6.2 Data processing agreement under Art. 28 GDPR and documented technical and organisational measures.
Suggestion: Must · weight 3What to check: Are the agreement and the measures available before you decide?
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6.3 Retention and deletion periods can be set.
Suggestion: Should · weight 2What to check: How long is personal data kept, and who decides?
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6.4 Documents for data protection officers and employee representatives.
Suggestion: Should · weight 2What to check: Does the supplier provide a description of the processing and information for the works council?
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6.5 Only the data needed for the records.
Suggestion: Should · weight 2What to check: Which details are mandatory?
7 Roll-out and operation 5 criteria
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7.1 A realistic roll-out schedule.
Suggestion: Should · weight 2What to check: How long does roll-out take for your inventory, and what do you have to do yourself?
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7.2 Little training needed.
Suggestion: Should · weight 2What to check: Can new staff hand out keys after a short briefing?
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7.3 Support in German with defined availability.
Suggestion: Should · weight 2What to check: How do you reach support, and how quickly does it reply?
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7.4 Trial before purchase.
Suggestion: Should · weight 2What to check: Can you try the system with real keys?
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7.5 Updates and further development included in the price.
Suggestion: Should · weight 2What to check: What does an update cost?
8 Costs and contract 3 criteria
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8.1 Total cost over five years (hardware, licence, maintenance, roll-out).
Suggestion: Must · weight 3What to check: See the “Costs” sheet.
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8.2 A transparent price model that grows with the inventory.
Suggestion: Should · weight 2What to check: Is there a published price list?
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8.3 Term and notice period.
Suggestion: Should · weight 2What to check: How long are you tied in?
9 Supplier 3 criteria
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9.1 References in your sector.
Suggestion: Should · weight 2What to check: Can you talk to a reference customer?
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9.2 Adjustments to your workflows (fields, roles, integrations).
Suggestion: Could · weight 1What to check: Who develops adjustments, and what do they cost?
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9.3 Contacts and contract in the EU.
Suggestion: Could · weight 1What to check: Where is the supplier based, and which law applies?
How to
How to use the catalogue
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Adjust the criteria
Delete what doesn’t matter to you and add your own — the Excel file has room for 20 more.
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Set priority and weight
Must, Should or Could and a weight from 1 to 3 — ideally together, before you see any supplier.
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Rate the suppliers
After each demo, from 0 (not met) to 3 (fully met), with a short note.
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Evaluate and compare costs
The evaluation shows points, degree of fulfilment and knock-outs; the “Costs” sheet the total over five years.
Demo
Questions for the demo
Eight questions that show in a demo how a system works day to day. Note the answers on the “Questions” sheet or on the last page of the PDF checklist.
- Show a checkout and a return on a smartphone and at the key point — how long does it take?
- What does one key’s history over a year look like?
- What happens when a key isn’t returned on time?
- How does someone pass a key on to an external person?
- How does a stocktake work, and how do you find missing keys?
- What does a member of staff with restricted rights see?
- How do our existing lists get into the system — and how does our data get out again?
- Which documents does our data protection officer receive?
And Log+Key?
How Log+Key meets the criteria
We are a supplier ourselves. Here is what Log+Key does today — and where it doesn’t.
| Area | Log+Key |
|---|---|
| Records and evidence | Every checkout and return goes into the history, and nothing is ever deleted from it. Lists and history export as CSV; a completed stocktake can’t be changed. More on history and live status. |
| Day-to-day checkout and return | Checkout by NFC scan on a smartphone, tablet, computer or terminal, a signature on screen and a PDF receipt by email. If a key is overdue, Log+Key sends an automatic email reminder; external people don’t need an account. More on handover and receipt. |
| Labelling and hardware | Numbered NFC tags from Log+Key, printed on request; link a new tag and the history stays. Log+Key does not protect keys mechanically: the software complements a key cabinet or safe but doesn’t replace it. |
| Users, roles and sites | You create your own roles in the settings and limit users to sites. At the terminal, staff sign in with a PIN or a personal NFC tag. A person’s open checkouts become the checklist when they leave. More on security. |
| Integrations and data | Ready-made connections to UMO and NEXUS, further integrations on request; key safes can be connected via Wiegand. A public API is in preparation. With good enough data quality the import is free; export works as CSV. |
| Data protection and information security | Servers exclusively in Germany, in a certified data centre; a data processing agreement template is available, and we provide documents for works councils and data protection officers. There are no configurable deletion periods: the history is deliberately never deleted. |
| Roll-out and operation | Usually two to four weeks to go live; no training needed. Support from our team in Aachen by phone, WhatsApp, email or form, with a reply the same working day. You can test with up to 10 objects for free, for good. |
| Costs and contract | A published price list; plans grow with your inventory, no set-up fees. Cancellable monthly, 5 % less with an annual contract. |
| Supplier | Case studies from alarm services, care, property management and car dealerships are on our customers page. We develop adjustments and individual solutions ourselves; based and contracted in Aachen, Germany. |
Log+Key has been on the market since 2023. We build the software ourselves, including integrations and adjustments to your workflows. We’ve been building bespoke software since 2011.
FAQ
Questions about the requirements catalogue
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What is a requirements catalogue?
A list of what a system should do — each requirement with a priority and a weight. It makes the choice comparable and easy to follow for colleagues who weren’t at the demos.
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Requirements specification, functional specification, catalogue — what’s the difference?
A requirements specification describes from your side what is needed; a functional specification describes from the supplier’s side how it will be delivered. A requirements catalogue is the structured list of requirements — often the core of a specification. To choose off-the-shelf software, a catalogue with scoring is usually enough.
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Do we have to put it out to tender?
That depends on the procurement rules that apply to your organisation — ask your procurement office. The catalogue works as a basis for a specification of services.
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How do I weight the criteria?
With priority and weight. Must criteria are knock-out criteria: if a supplier doesn’t meet one, the evaluation shows “Excluded”. Every criterion counts towards the points with its weight from 1 to 3 — 3 for what matters day to day, 1 for nice-to-haves. Set the weights before you see the first demo.
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Is the catalogue neutral?
We are a supplier ourselves. That’s why it includes criteria where other systems are stronger — mechanical protection in a key cabinet, for example. Delete whatever doesn’t matter to you.
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May I adapt and share the catalogue?
Yes. Delete, add and reword whatever you like, and share it within your organisation and with suppliers. It is a sample without warranty.
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Does the template work in Google Sheets and LibreOffice?
Yes. The formulas only use functions that Excel 2016 and later, LibreOffice and Google Sheets all know. For Google Sheets, upload the Excel file to Google Drive and open it there.
Sample based on German practice. Not legal advice.