Avigilon Alta's security suite with end-to-end access control solutions provides intelligent, flexible cloud-native and on-premises security. It supports an array of contactless access methods and keyless credentials for secure entry at every door. We're proud to pair Amilia SmartRec's Access Management with Avigilon Alta's products to instantly grant guest access at the right access point, at the right time.
Have questions?To find out if Avigilon Alta is right for you, email us at success@amilia.com.
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1. How Avigilon Alta integrates with Amilia SmartRec
Avigilon Alta automates facility access by syncing with Amilia to detect participants who have registered for eligible activities or memberships.
How It Works
1️⃣ A participant purchases an eligible access item.
Each night before 12 AM, Avigilon Alta syncs with Amilia to check for upcoming activities or memberships that will be effective the next day. If a participant’s access becomes effective the next day, a user record is created, and an email is sent prompting them to download the Avigilon Alta mobile app.
If a participant registers for a same-day event, their user record is created immediately, and the email is sent at that time.
2️⃣ Participants receive an email to download the Avigilon Alta mobile app.
The Avigilon Alta hardware does not read Amilia IDs. Instead, participants must use the Avigilon Alta Open app to unlock the gate or turnstile.
Alternatively, organizations can provide RFID tags that allow access without the mobile app. However, the system will still send an email the first time a user record is created.
3️⃣ Participants scan in at the facility.
Upon arrival, participants simply wave their phone or RFID tag in front of the reader to gain access. If their activity or membership is not yet effective, they won’t be granted entry.
All entry attempts are recorded in the Check-in Overview in SmartRec. If a participant scans in with the app or an RFID tag, "Avigilon Alta" appears under the Event column.
In the Avigilon Alta Controller, only entry attempts made with a phone or an RFID tag are recorded.
* Check-in overview visibility available depending on your package
4️⃣ Access is automatically revoked when no longer valid.
If a participant no longer has an active access item—and is not registered for an occurrence on the same day or the following day—their Avigilon Alta user record is deactivated and access is revoked.
If they later register for a new eligible activity or membership, their access is reinstated automatically, either:
immediately (for same-day access), or
the night before the item becomes effective (for future-dated access),
ensuring they can enter the facility at the appropriate time.
Visual Flow
This illustrated flow will help you visualize how it works when an access-related item is eligible the same day of purchase or on a future date.
Access considerations with this integration
In Avigilon Alta, each user record is linked to a unique email address.
A listed email address is required in each person's record to gain access to your facility. Make sure the email field is mandatory on your forms for each elligible access item.
Access is managed through groups created in the Avigilon Alta Controller.
Groups are linked to eligible memberships or activities in SmartRec. This means participants must purchase an eligible item for access.
Participants receive access via the Avigilon Alta mobile app or RFID credentials (Amilia barcodes are not supported).
Participants without an email (e.g., young children) cannot be created automatically and may require manual setup or alternative credentials.
For employee access, assigning memberships can be a security risk. We recommend creating employee profiles directly in Avigilon Alta.
By default, Avigilon Alta provides access for everyone in a membership.
Recommendation : If only some members of a membership requires access (sub group), a new membership should be created at 0$ for those unique members.
2. How to activate Avigilon Alta in 4 steps
Step 1: Set up an Avigilon Alta account
Step 1: Set up an Avigilon Alta account
To get started, one admin must create an Avigilon Alta account. For the login credentials, make sure to use an email address that isn't associated to any access-related purchases from your SmartRec store. We suggest using a generic email for your organization that isn't dependent on one person's credentials nor tied to an admin account in SmartRec.
After the initial account setup, use the same credentials to log in to the Avigilon Alta Controller (i.e., Control Center). This is Avigilon Alta's software interface through which you can create entry states, access schedules, zones, groups, etc. Their team will show you how to configure these settings.
By default, Avigilon Alta has a 'Remote unlock' setting enabled. This means that once a participant gains access to the facility, they could unlock your turnstile/door without being on site. This could be very useful for some staff, but might not be needed for participants. To turn it off, go to Administration > Account > Security settings and make sure the 'Enable remote unlock by default for new users' is turned off.
Take note of your organization's ID in the URL - in this example, the ID is 10277. You need this ID to activate the Avigilon Alta app in SmartRec.
Step 2: Turn on the Avigilon Alta app in SmartRec
Step 2: Turn on the Avigilon Alta app in SmartRec
In SmartRec, go to the Apps tab to search and select the Avigilon Alta app. Click the Configure button and input your organization ID, followed by the same login credentials used to log in to the Avigilon Alta Controller. This only needs to be done once. The integration stays active until you choose to Disable it.
Step 3: Install a webhook in Avigilon Alta
Step 3: Install a webhook in Avigilon Alta
To see scans from an Avigilon Alta reader in Access Management, you must first have the premium package with Avigilon Alta. Once you do, you will be able to configure this webhook in the Avigilon Alta Controller. Here's how:
1️⃣ In the Avigilon Alta Controller, go to Configuration > Rules.
2️⃣ Click the “+” sign to add a rule.
3️⃣ Give it a name and a description (e.g., SmartRec – Check-in overview)
4️⃣ In the Trigger section, the Type is “Entry”; the Event is “Entry Unlocked.”
5️⃣ Configure the Actions section as follows:
Type: Webhook
HTTP method: Post
6️⃣ Hit 'Save' to create the rule. You should see a webhook in the Actions column now.
7️⃣ Click the rule to edit it and go back to the Triggers section.
8️⃣ Enable the '⬜ Use JSON editor' and copy + paste the text below.
{
"version": "1.0",
"trigger": {
"properties": {
"event": {
"enum": [
"entry.unlocked"
]
},
"required": [
"event"
]
}
},
"requests": [
{
"type": "http",
"blocking": true,
"preRequestDelaySeconds": 0,
"httpParams": {
"headers": [
"User-Agent: Openpath/Rules Engine",
"Content-Type: application/json"
],
"method": "post",
"url": "https://www.amilia.com/api/V3/webhooks/incoming/openpath/entryunlocked",
"body": "{{json event}}"
}
}
]
}9️⃣ Save when finished.
Step 4: Use an Avigilon Alta access point in Access Management
Step 4: Use an Avigilon Alta access point in Access Management
The Avigilon Alta app must be configured if you want to create an Avigilon Alta access point.
To capture visitor entries in the Avigilon Alta Controller, go to the Access Management tab to create one or more Avigilon Alta access points. Select the activities and/or memberships eligible for entry.
Next, link a group (one group per access point). When participants purchase one of the eligible activities or memberships, their user record is created/updated in Avigilon Alta and automatically added to the group in the Avigilon Alta Controller. Based on your group configuration, users will have access to the entry(ies) based on the schedule tied to the group.
⚠️ It's critical to add entry points in order for scans to appear in Access Management.
The entry(ies) you select here work with the webhook, meaning the scans at the entry point will appear in Access Management's Check-in Overview as well as the Access points report. If you don't add an entry point, you'll still benefit from the integration's user and group management functions (create user, add group, delete user, etc.), but the Avigilon Alta scans won't appear in SmartRec.
Download the Access Points report in SmartRec to view every scan over a period of time. In-depth details on scans made with the Avigilon Alta app and/or RFID tags are limited, so be sure to check out the Avigilon Alta Controller's Activity Dashboard and leverage the Reports section for more insights on those entries.
3. Glossary
Access Management | Access Control |
Access Management refers to the processes used by an organization to decide when, where, and how resources should be accessed.
With SmartRec's Access Management solution, the check-in overview allows admins to monitor all visitor entries with security features that include participant profiles, tracking child pick-ups, check-outs, account balances and entry blockers. | Access control is a means of safeguarding and controlling your assets, people, technology, and information.
Physical locked barrier: turnstiles, doors, gates, etc. By a person: front desk, security guard, etc. With credentials: website log in/password, etc. |
In Avigilon Alta, you'll see the following terms:
Entry | Your turnstile, gate and/or door. |
Schedule | Limits the time users can unlock your door. |
Group | A container to classify your users, based on their purchases. Schedules are tied to groups to ensure no entry at random times of the day. |
User | The record of a participant when they purchase an access-related item. One user per unique email. Learn more here. |
Avigilon Alta Controller | The web-based administration interface used to manage the Avigilon Alta system such as access control logic and system configuration. This is a separate portal from Amilia SmartRec. |
4. FAQ
1. Who do I contact if I require technical support or troubleshooting?
👉 When the issue is related to SmartRec, contact Amilia support by chat:
Access is not being granted or revoked correctly based on a membership or activity
The wrong participant is being synced (or not synced at all)
Issues with Purchases, Membership status or Activity eligibility
Person ID or email mismatches originating from SmartRec
Questions about:
Access items configuration
Access points setup in SmartRec
Data inconsistencies caused by:
Profile merges
Duplicate emails in SmartRec
👉 When the issue is related to access control or hardware, contact Prologik:
Quotes, hardware, installing, and configuration in Avigilon Alta Controller
Access isn't working even though everything is configured properly in SmartRec
Primary contact: Dominic Vigneault (dvigneault@prologiksecurite.ca).
Check out Avigilon Alta's knowledge base here. You need login credentials.
2. Which Access Management features can be used with Avigilon Alta?
Check to see which Access Management features are or are not compatible with Avigilon Alta.
✔️ Subscription activities are supported.
❗Only individual memberships are supported (legacy memberships). For new memberships, both individual & multi-person memberships are supported.
❗Multipasses must be used with caution. Avigilon Alta doesn't support deducting a multipass with each use. Click here for recommendations.
3. Who should use Avigilon Alta?
Avigilon Alta's access control solution is best for these types of organizations:
Cares about who has access to certain facilities for security purposes. The mobile technology can't be shared between users.
Prefers the simplest of setups - the hardware consists of a small reader on a door and is compatible with most turnstiles on the market.
Looking for solutions during an emergency - admins can unlock doors remotely + set up a contingency plan in the Avigilon Alta Controller.
We recommend this solution to unsupervised facilities, gyms open 24/7, recreation centers that cater to participants of all ages or offer fitness classes for Mom (or Dad) & Baby, etc. Contact us at partnership@amilia.com to find out the best fit for you!
4. Can multiple people share the same email for access?
This isn't possible. Each user record in Avigilon Alta is linked to one unique email, and refers to the email address in the participant's personal info in SmartRec personal. If no email is indicated in a child's personal info, the account owner's email will be used.
If an adult and child share the same email and both register for an eligible access item, only one user record is created for the participant whose event is effective first. A duplicate user will not be created for the second participant.
We understand that many children don't have their own email address. Remember, you can simply check-in a participant through Access Management's visitor check-in or the Kiosk (if it's available) should they not have a user record in Avigilon Alta.
5. How do I set up the Avigilon Alta mobile app?
An email is sent to download the app the first time a participant registers to an eligible access item. It may still branded as 'OpenPath', which is Avigilon Alta's previous name. The setup must be performed on your mobile phone. Here are the requirements:
Bluetooth must enabled
Location services must be enabled
Android phone - Android 6.0 or higher
Apple iPhone - IOS 13 or higher, and iPhone 6S or newer
Apple Watch Series 1 or newer, on watchOS 4.2 or higher
Setup instructions
Click on 'Set up phone'. Bluetooth must be on. You will be asked about location services. Location services must be on and set to 'allowed' when you approach the turnstile/door.
You don't need notification settings nor the fitness tracker. Once setup is complete, the screen on your mobile should look like this, with the organization's name showing:
You can then wave or place your phone/RFID tag close to the reader at the turnstile/gate/door to check-in and gain access.
6. How do I create a user in Avigilon Alta?
If you'd like instructions on how to create a user in Avigilon Alta, please download this short guide that walks you through the steps.
7. What happens when an eligible access item expires?
Access is automatically revoked when no longer valid.
If a participant no longer has an active access item, their Avigilon Alta user record is deactivated. If they register for a new eligible activity, their access is reinstated automatically the night before it becomes effective.
8. How do I manage multipasses with Avigilon Alta?
Avigilon Alta does not currently support multipass entries, meaning participants who rely on a finite pass system for multiple visits may face limitations when checking in.
We offer two recommendations:
Use individual, unlimited multipasses when granting access with Avigilon Alta technology.
Use a Secondary Kiosk for Multipass validation
To accommodate participants with a multipass, organizations can implement a secondary kiosk linked to Amilia’s Access Management.
How It Works:
Users scan into the facility through the Avigilon Alta-controlled entry point.
Users then scan their multipass at the kiosk, which deducts one pass from their account in Amilia.
This setup ensures that access control remains secure while still allowing users to check in with their multi-pass, maintaining a seamless entry process.
Please reach out to support@amilia.com if you have any questions