Product Recap: New features for SPC Connect, ACT Enterprise, & ACT365

2020 has been a busy start for Vanderbilt with numerous feature updates and releases to the company’s in-depth portfolio. 

Let’s recap some of the more significant announcements in recent weeks.

The launch of SPC Connect 3.0 was aimed at improving the usability of the service. A completely reworked user interface allows the installer to get a full overview of the installed SPC panel base and easy access to all available operations in the new operations menu. In addition, a new menu tab allows the company manager to get access to all available company settings in place.

In particular, two of the significant new features included an enhanced and advanced user GUI and a new dashboard and widgets. The complete user GUI has been reworked to comply with today’s installer’s needs. The new front-end bases on a dashboard and widgets principal which could be customized depending on the installer’s needs and role.The new dashboard comes with various widgets e.g., a geographical map that shows the location of the SPC panel. The dashboard and widgets approach allows the installer to create his own dashboard with required widgets to support him within his daily operations. Those dashboards can be shared with other installers working for the same company.

The recent release of version 2.11 for ACT Enterprise included upgrades such as deadbolt monitoring. With deadbolt monitoring, the system can be configured so that deadbolts are withdrawn on an access/exit granted event, and are optionally held for a specified time zone. Deadbolt position can be monitored, and OP2/OP3 used to trigger, for example, an alarm if the door is held ajar(left open), or the deadbolt is unexpectedly unsecured.

For example, doors with motorized locks are usually used on perimeter doors with door strikes. When the cardholder presents their card, the deadbolt should withdraw. This takes about 300-500 milliseconds. During this time, the door strike is not activated which stops the cardholder from trying to open the door while the deadbolt is withdrawing. After the deadbolt is withdrawn, the door strike is activated, and the cardholder may enter.

This update was part of the ongoing performance enhancement and customer experience improvements that will continue in future releases of ACT365. The main update here was an improvement to the widget polling. The widgets will now refresh once a day automatically. If required, to refresh a widget, you will now need to manually refresh the widgets shown on the customer/installer home pages. To refresh any widget, simply click the arrow icon located at the top righthand corner of the widget.