Before a holiday closure, check three separate settings: when the public entrance unlocks, when individual credentials work, and when the alarm arms. Changing one does not necessarily change the others. Give each exception an owner and an end date, test the actual door, and confirm the first authorized person can enter when the business reopens.
A Denver office may close for a long weekend while cleaners still arrive on Friday evening. A retailer may extend shopping hours while keeping its stockroom restricted. The risk is the mismatch between the calendar and the door: an entrance unlocks for customers when nobody is there, or a manager arrives to a locked door with a credential that cannot open it.
This guide covers temporary operating schedules for occupied businesses. It is separate from permanently removing access after employee turnover or securing a vacant property. If your opening needs hardware service before a closure, arrange a Denver commercial locksmith assessment while someone authorized can be on site.
Start with a door-by-door holiday plan
List each controlled opening rather than writing one rule for the whole building. Include the public entrance, employee entry, delivery door, parking connection, and any interior rooms that need separate permission. Record who controls each opening. A tenant administrator may control a suite while the landlord manages the lobby and elevator.
For each door, record its normal public unlock period, authorized credential hours, alarm relationship, holiday exception, reopening time, responsible person, and backup contact. Keep credential numbers, key identifiers, and sensitive access instructions in a restricted operations record rather than a public calendar.
| Opening | Holiday decision | Confirmation |
|---|---|---|
| Public entrance | Remain locked to outside visitors during closure | Observe that scheduled public unlock does not occur |
| Staff entrance | Permit only approved shifts | Test an approved and an excluded user |
| Delivery entrance | Allow an agreed delivery window | Confirm recipient and automatic expiry |
| Shared lobby | Coordinate with property management | Verify suite access also works |
| Restricted room | Keep existing role restrictions | Check holiday exception does not broaden access |
Separate public unlocks from credential permissions
An automatic unlock schedule may leave a door available to anyone during business hours. A credential schedule determines whether a particular person can request entry. Turning off public unlocking does not necessarily stop valid cards, and limiting cards does not necessarily remove a public unlock period. The exact behavior depends on the controller and software.
Ask your administrator to review both schedules and any holiday priority rules. Check the software documentation rather than assuming an exception overrides every regular schedule. The review should also identify time zones, controller clock settings, and daylight-saving behavior; Denver operations should use the system’s appropriate Mountain Time configuration.
If you are unsure which components control your entrance, review the existing commercial access control system before making changes. A reader, controller, electrified lock, and alarm can have different responsibilities.
Give temporary access a narrow purpose
Cleaners, refrigeration contractors, IT teams, and delivery staff may need access during a closure. Use individual permissions where the platform supports them. Limit each exception to the required door group and work window, and set an expiration. Confirm who will answer if a vendor arrives early or cannot enter.
Avoid a shared holiday PIN that remains active after reopening. If a temporary code is the only supported option, assign responsibility for issuing and retiring it, restrict it as much as the system allows, and keep a record of authorized recipients. Do not send master keys or unrestricted codes to a large distribution list.
A metal key can remain usable regardless of software schedules. Check your master key access arrangements and identify the authorized person who holds any approved backup. A holiday calendar cannot cancel a missing mechanical key.
Test the plan before the last staffed day
- Save or export the current configuration using the platform’s supported process. Record the approved changes and who made them.
- Check the door closes and latches normally. A schedule cannot secure a door that remains ajar.
- Test the holiday exception through an approved test window or vendor-supported simulation. Avoid unplanned changes that could lock out occupants.
- Verify permitted entry, excluded entry, public locking, and normal exit operation separately.
- Coordinate alarm timing with the authorized alarm provider. Confirm that a vendor’s approved entry does not trigger an avoidable alarm.
- Confirm that the reopening schedule restores normal public hours and that an authorized opener can enter beforehand.
Keep an authorized person available during testing. Do not disable fire-alarm interfaces, obstruct exit routes, or add supplementary locks as a shortcut. Denver’s Building and Fire Codes guidance is the local starting point when proposed work changes an opening or its life-safety operation. Software administration and changes to locking hardware should not be treated as the same scope of work.
Write a reopening handoff
Name the first person scheduled to arrive and the person who can help remotely. Confirm the opening time with the landlord if there is a shared entrance. Record how to contact the alarm provider and locksmith, and store backup-access instructions securely where the authorized opener can reach them without entering the locked building.
After reopening, remove temporary exceptions, reconcile issued keys, and inspect any door that staff report as unreliable. If a physical key is unaccounted for, arrange an access review and consider rekeying the affected locks rather than relying on a software change.
What to ask when booking holiday preparation
Tell the provider which doors are involved, whether you are a tenant or owner, what access platform is installed, and when the building will be staffed. Ask for a written scope distinguishing mechanical repairs, software administration, electrical work, and any work requiring coordination with other qualified contractors. Confirm availability for your address rather than assuming a response time.
For a Denver business entrance that needs inspection before a closure, call Lock Pixies at (720) 304-5504. If an access failure leaves the business unsecured, describe the door and current occupancy when requesting urgent commercial locksmith help.
Frequently asked questions
Will a holiday schedule disable every employee key card?
Not necessarily. Some platforms apply holiday rules to a public unlock schedule while individual access groups remain active; others allow different rules for each group. Review the specific platform and test the relevant user roles. A calendar entry alone is not proof that every credential has the intended permissions.
Should we disable all cards while the office is closed?
Use the business’s actual staffing plan. Managers, approved contractors, or essential staff may need access, while most users do not. Restrict permissions deliberately, document exceptions, and keep required exit operation available. A blanket change can create an avoidable lockout if nobody has planned the first authorized entry.
Can cleaners enter without disarming the entire business?
That depends on the alarm zones, access platform, and approved operating procedure. Coordinate with the alarm provider and property manager to define the permitted areas and arrival window. Do not assume that a working card automatically disarms an alarm or that granting one door also authorizes access to every interior area.
What if the system uses a cloud service and the internet fails?
Some controllers retain schedules and credential decisions locally; others depend on connectivity for particular functions. Confirm your model’s behavior and the approved recovery process. Test supported offline operation with the service provider before the closure, rather than discovering limitations while the building is unattended.
How early should a Denver business review holiday access?
Leave enough staffed time to test, correct faults, coordinate with the landlord, and obtain hardware or specialist support if needed. Start before the final workday rather than choosing a fixed universal deadline. A single-door office and a multi-tenant property with shared alarms need different preparation.
Do we need new readers to change holiday hours?
Often the question is administrative, but compatibility and features vary. Check whether the current platform supports holiday calendars, time zones, door groups, and expiring exceptions. Repair an unreliable opening or resolve a missing capability based on the actual assessment rather than replacing hardware solely because the calendar changes.