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Understanding and Managing Access from the ButterflyMX OS

ButterflyMX Access Control Setup Guide

Setting up your property's access control with ButterflyMX gives you complete control over who can access which areas of your property. This guide will help you organize access permissions for residents, staff, and visitors — so everyone always has the right level of access.

Important: Access management only functions in areas of your property where you have ButterflyMX-controlled devices installed (intercoms, keypads, etc.). It cannot control third-party or non-ButterflyMX-managed doors.

📋 Step 1: List All Entry Points

Start by making a comprehensive list of every door, gate, or entrance you want to control with ButterflyMX:

Common Entry Points:

  • Main entrance/lobby
  • Garage gate or parking areas
  • Fitness center door
  • Pool gate
  • Package room
  • Rooftop access
  • Laundry room
  • Business center
  • Storage areas
  • Maintenance rooms
  • Secondary entrances

👥 Step 2: Identify Who Needs Access

Think about all the different groups of people who need to enter your property:

Resident Categories:

  • All residents (general building access)
  • Fitness center members
  • Pool users
  • Parking permit holders
  • Building-specific residents (for multi-building properties)

Staff Categories:

  • Property management staff
  • Maintenance teams
  • Cleaning crews
  • Security personnel
  • Leasing office staff

Visitor Categories:

  • Guests (temporary access)
  • Delivery drivers
  • Service providers
  • Contractors

🔐 Step 3: Create Access Groups

Access groups are sets of rules that determine which ButterflyMX-controlled doors, gates, or entry points specific groups of people can use. Each group can have unique access points and time restrictions.

How the default access group works: Every ButterflyMX-equipped building starts with a default access group. If no custom groups are set up, all users in your system will have access to every ButterflyMX-controlled door. Any new user added to the ButterflyMX OS is automatically added to the default access group. When you create custom access groups, you're defining more specific rules on top of this default.

Basic Access Group Examples:

"All Residents" Group:

  • Main entrance ✅
  • Garage ✅
  • Package room ✅
  • Laundry room ✅

"Staff" Group:

  • All entry points ✅

"Fitness Center Members" Group (if only specific residents are allowed access):

  • Fitness center door ✅
  • Locker rooms ✅

"Pool Members" Group (if only specific residents are allowed access):

  • Pool gate ✅
  • Pool house ✅

Building-Specific Access Examples

Example 1: Three-Building Complex

Group Allowed Denied
Building 1 Residents Building 1 entrance, Building 1 garage, shared amenities, package room Building 2 & 3 entrances
Building 2 Residents Building 2 entrance, Building 2 garage, shared amenities, package room Building 1 & 3 entrances
Building 3 Residents Building 3 entrance, Building 3 garage, shared amenities, package room Building 1 & 2 entrances

Example 2: Mixed-Use Property

Group Allowed Denied
Residential Tenants Residential entrance, residential garage, residential amenities Commercial areas, office floors
Commercial Tenants Commercial entrance, commercial parking, office floors Residential areas, residential amenities
Building Management All residential & commercial areas, maintenance rooms, utility areas —

🏠 Step 4: Assign Units or People to Access Groups

Once your access groups are created, you have a few ways to add members. All assignment is done within the Access Management section of the ButterflyMX OS.

By Unit: Adding an entire unit to an access group means all current residents of that unit will have the group's access permissions. If residents move out and new residents are added to the unit in the ButterflyMX OS, the new residents will inherit the unit's access group assignments.

Example:

  • Units 101–150 → Building 1 Residents Group
  • Units 201–250 → Building 2 Residents Group
  • Units 301–350 → Building 3 Residents Group

To add a unit: Open the access group → select the Units tab → click + Add Unit → select the unit from the dropdown → click Save.

By Individual: For staff, contractors, or situations where specific people (not whole units) need access, you can add individuals directly.

Example:

  • John Smith (Maintenance) → Staff Group
  • Jane Doe (Cleaning Service) → Cleaning Crew Group
  • Bob Johnson (Unit 205 + Fitness Member) → Building 2 Residents + Fitness Center Members

To add an individual: Open the access group → select the People tab → click + Add People → search for and select the user → click Save.

Bulk Import via CSV: For properties with a large number of residents to assign at once, you can use the Import CSV option within the People tab to upload a list of users in bulk.

Things to keep in mind:

  • The file must be saved in .csv format (not .xlsx or other formats)
  • Users must already exist in the ButterflyMX OS — this feature adds existing users, it does not create new profiles
  • Unit numbers in the CSV must exactly match units already created in the ButterflyMX OS
  • If any rows contain errors, the system will skip those entries and import the valid ones

⏰ Step 5: Set Up Time-Based Access Rules

You can restrict when members of an access group can use their credentials at any given access point. This is configured per access point within each group.

Important: The "Allow access at all times" setting controls when credentialed access is permitted — it does not automatically unlock the door. The door remains locked and still requires a credential (e.g., Swipe to Open, door PIN, key fob) to open, even during permitted hours.

Note on entry methods: Entry methods (such as Swipe to Open, Door PIN, or key fob) are configured at the access group level and apply uniformly to all access points within that group. You cannot enable an entry method for one access group while disabling it for another.

Time-Based Restriction Examples:

Pool Access Group:

  • Monday–Sunday: 6:00 AM – 10:00 PM
  • Access denied outside these hours

Fitness Center Group:

  • Monday–Friday: 5:00 AM – 11:00 PM
  • Saturday–Sunday: 6:00 AM – 10:00 PM

Maintenance Staff Group:

  • Monday–Friday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
  • Designated emergency personnel: 24/7

Delivery Access Group:

  • Monday–Friday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
  • Package room access only

✅ Step 6: Review and Test

Before going live with your access control setup, run through this checklist:

Pre-Launch Checklist:

  • ☐ Verify each group has the correct access points assigned
  • ☐ Test time restrictions are working properly
  • ☐ Confirm building-specific restrictions are in place
  • ☐ Test with sample users from each group

Testing Scenarios:

  • Building 1 resident tries to access Building 2 → should be denied
  • Fitness member accesses gym during allowed hours → should work
  • Pool member tries pool access after hours → should be denied
  • Staff member accesses maintenance areas → should work

🔄 How Everything Works Together

System Components:

  • Access Points — The physical ButterflyMX-controlled doors, gates, or entryways
  • Access Groups — The permission sets you create for different user types
  • People/Units — The individuals or unit numbers you assign to each group

Real-World Example:

If you add Unit 205 to both the "Building 2 Residents" group and the "Fitness Center Members" group, everyone living in Unit 205 will automatically be able to:

  • Enter Building 2 main entrance ✅
  • Access Building 2 garage ✅
  • Use the fitness center ✅
  • Access shared amenities ✅
  • But NOT enter Building 1 or Building 3 ❌

💡 Tips for Success

Best Practices:

  • Keep groups simple and clearly named (e.g., "Building A Residents," "Pool Members")
  • Use descriptive names that make sense to your whole team
  • Regularly audit access if you're managing assignments at the individual user level
  • Document your setup for future reference
  • Train your staff on how the system works

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

  • Creating too many overlapping groups
  • Forgetting to remove former residents if you're not utilizing a PMS integration
  • Not testing time restrictions before going live
  • Granting access that is too broad

Maintenance Schedule:

  • Weekly: Review new move-ins/move-outs if not using a PMS integration
  • Monthly: Audit all active access groups
  • Quarterly: Review and update time restrictions
  • Annually: Complete system review and cleanup

💡 Remember

  • ✅ One user can belong to multiple groups
  • ✅ Groups can have overlapping permissions
  • ✅ Time restrictions apply to all members of a group
  • ✅ Changes take effect as soon as you save
  • ❌ No group membership = No access (outside the default group)
  • ❌ Expired time windows = Access denied

🆘 Need More Help?

Submit a request here to contact the ButterflyMX Support team

This guide provides a foundation for setting up effective access control at your property. Every building is unique — don't hesitate to reach out to ButterflyMX for customized assistance with your specific needs.