Moving restricted key orders online does not require changing every building and key system at once.

Start with one manageable group of orders. Document the current process, prepare the correct products and approvers, test the online workflow and then replace the old PDF with a single ordering link.

The aim is to move the complete process online, not simply replace a PDF attachment with a basic form that still sends everything to an inbox.

1. Document the current process

Start by recording what happens from the moment a customer asks for a key.

For each type of order, identify:

  • how the customer receives the form
  • what information they provide
  • where the completed form is sent
  • who checks the request
  • who approves it
  • when payment is collected
  • how workshop staff receive the order
  • how collection or delivery is arranged
  • where the completed order is recorded

This will show which steps need to be carried into the online process and which manual workarounds can be removed.

For the main workflow stages, see restricted key order workflow: request, approval, payment and fulfilment.

2. Create an inventory of buildings and systems

List the buildings, sites and restricted key systems currently using forms or email.

Useful details include:

  • customer or building name
  • site address
  • restricted key system
  • available keys and related products
  • current prices
  • order instructions
  • authorised approvers
  • payment options
  • collection and delivery rules
  • existing form or ordering-page location

Do not try to migrate incomplete or outdated information. Confirm the current details before publishing them online.

3. Review what the form asks for

Use the existing form as a starting point, but do not reproduce every field automatically.

Check whether each field is:

  • needed to identify the requester
  • needed to identify the site or key
  • required for approval
  • required for payment or fulfilment
  • still current
  • already available elsewhere

Remove duplicated or unnecessary questions.

Separate requester, approver, payer and collector details where they may belong to different people.

For more on form requirements, see restricted key order forms: what should be included?.

4. Confirm the approval process

Before launch, establish:

  • which orders require approval
  • who may approve them
  • how approvers are identified
  • what information an approver needs to see
  • what happens when an approver does not respond
  • how rejected requests are handled
  • how approvers will be updated when roles change

Avoid moving old approver lists into the new system without checking them.

The online process should record the approval against the order rather than leaving the decision in a separate email thread.

5. Decide when payment will occur

Restricted key orders may be paid:

  • when the request is submitted
  • after approval
  • through a payment request
  • on collection
  • by invoice
  • through a customer account

Choose the appropriate method for each customer or order type.

Approval status and payment status should remain separate. An order can be approved but unpaid, paid but awaiting review, or charged to an account.

Do not transfer card-number fields from the PDF into another form. Use a proper payment process that records the result without placing raw card details in the order or an email.

6. Configure the online workflow

The online process should connect:

  1. the request;
  2. the correct building or key system;
  3. the authorised approval;
  4. payment status;
  5. locksmith fulfilment;
  6. collection or delivery; and
  7. the completed order record.

Email can still be used for notifications, but avoid attaching the full completed form or relying on inboxes as the main order record.

Staff should be able to open the order and see its current status without reconstructing the history from messages, attachments and payment receipts.

7. Pilot a small group first

Choose one or two suitable buildings or systems for the first release.

A useful pilot has:

  • known products and prices
  • a current approver
  • regular but manageable order volume
  • staff familiar with the existing process
  • a property or building manager willing to test it

Run test orders covering:

  • approval
  • rejection
  • payment
  • account orders
  • collection
  • delivery
  • customer notifications
  • staff fulfilment

Ask the locksmith staff and approvers where the process was unclear before adding more systems.

8. Replace the old ordering path

Once the pilot is working, update every place that directs customers to the old form.

This may include:

  • the locksmith website
  • building and property portals
  • owners corporation instructions
  • email templates
  • saved staff replies
  • QR codes
  • printed notices
  • tenant welcome information
  • links supplied to property managers

Use one stable ordering URL where possible.

Remove or redirect public links to outdated PDFs. Keep any documents required for business or record-retention purposes in the appropriate internal location rather than leaving them available as active order forms.

For website implementation, see how to add restricted key ordering to a locksmith website.

9. Tell the people who use the process

Provide building managers, property managers and authorised signatories with:

  • the new ordering link
  • the launch date
  • a short explanation of the new process
  • instructions for approving requests
  • a contact for questions
  • confirmation that the old form should no longer be distributed

Customers should receive the new link whenever they ask how to order a key.

Clear communication reduces the chance of old forms continuing to circulate after launch.

10. Monitor the first orders

Review the early orders for:

  • missing information
  • customers selecting the wrong building or key
  • approval delays
  • outdated approvers
  • unclear payment instructions
  • delivery or collection issues
  • repeated customer questions
  • staff workarounds outside the system

Correct the process before migrating the next group of buildings.

Once the workflow is reliable, repeat the same process in manageable batches.

Where KeyOrders fits

KeyOrders gives locksmiths a dedicated ordering site for restricted keys and related products.

It can be introduced alongside the locksmith’s existing website, starting with selected buildings or systems before more are added.

KeyOrders brings the request, approval, payment status, fulfilment and order record into one workflow while the locksmith remains the direct supplier.

The practical migration path is simple: prepare accurate system information, pilot a small group, replace the old forms and expand once the process is working consistently.