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Badge Integration

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Level: Implementation Team / Client IT

Standard Badge Integration

Eptura Workplace supports a standard integration with RFID security badge systems, generally called a “badge integration”. Eptura Workplace can consume a flat file of data from an RFID badge system, and build out a dataset in the Eptura Workplace sensor service, which can provide analytics into how employees utilize their workspace.

Data Requirements

Eptura Workplace requires the following in a flat file:

  • User UniqueID - Could be email, username or employeeId
  • Building UniqueID - The location the badge was used, generally the building code
  • Date - The day the badge was used (time is not needed)

The flat file must be delivered to Eptura Workplace via SFTP regularly, at most once a day.

Process Overview

Eptura Workplace’s sensor service assumes there is a sensor of some sort attached to a given space or location. That sensor can be activated (usually my motion) which will mark that space as active / utilized.

In the case of an RFID badge, the “sensor” is the person carrying the badge (referred to as the user), and the “space” is the building in which the badge was used.

At the most basic, when a person badges into a building, the badge integration will match the user to an Eptura Workplace user, and the building the user badged into. The process will then flag a space as active based on the 1 of the 2 following logic paths.

Logic Path 1 - Assigned Space Only

If the user badges into ANY building, the user’s assigned space (meaning the space assigned to a user in the space desktop) is marked as active /utilized.

This option requires no additional site setup, but can produce misleading utilization statistics.

Logic Path 2 - Assigned / Visitor Space

Alternatively, a “visitor” concept can be used. In this case, if the user badges into the building in which they have an assigned space, then the user’s assigned space is marked as active / utilized.

If the user badges into a building in which they do not have an assigned space, then a dummy space in that building (generally named  “visitor”) is marked as active / utilized.

The option requires some additional site setup. A space for “visitor” has to be added to every building that is part of the badge integration.

  • It’s recommended that the “visitor” space be created on a stand alone floor, so the floor can be omitted from reports or filtered to more easily.
  • Alternatively, a “visitor” space can be p-lined onto a floor plan. It is important that the visitor space has a unique type, again, so it can be omitted from reports, or filtered to more easily.

Recording Time

The time in which a person badges in does not factor into the process logic. The building’s space center start of business and close of business hour are used when creating the underlying sensor record.

This does mean that a person entering the office very early or very late will create an all day record. It also means that in the “Visitor” logic path, a person can create both a visitor record and an assigned record.