Access Control ROI Calculator
Compare years of manual guard / register cost against an automated access-control system (upfront + AMC). See cumulative cost, net saving, simple payback and the crossover year. Indicative India 2026 — automation usually augments guards rather than fully replacing them.
Your situation
Manual / guard side
Automated system side
Offset of 70% means automation replaces that share of the ₹2,40,000/yr guard cost (≈ ₹1,68,000/yr). System upfront ₹80,000 + AMC ₹9,600/yr. Indicative India 2026 — exclude/include 18% GST consistently on both sides; figures vary by city and integrator.
Net saving over 5 years
₹0
Simple payback ~0.5 yrs · crossover in year 1
Manual (cum.)
₹9,85,589
5 yrs
Automated (cum.)
₹1,28,000
upfront + AMC
Net saving
₹8,57,589
Cumulative cost: manual guard (offset share) vs automated system. Where the teal line dips below the rose line is the crossover.
Beyond the rupees — what automation adds
These benefits rarely show up in the payback maths but often justify the spend on their own.
Audit trail
Time-stamped who-went-where logs — impossible with a paper register.
No tailgating
Anti-passback, interlocks and reader-per-door cut piggybacking.
Attendance built-in
Door swipes double as attendance for staff and contractors.
Always-on
No tea breaks, sick days or shift gaps; consistent 24×7 enforcement.
Decide automate vs augment with DesignAI
DesignAI weighs the cash payback against the audit-trail, anti-tailgating and attendance value, and suggests a right-sized hardware plan for your doors and site.
Assumptions & the honest caveats
- Guard cost ≈ ₹15,000–25,000 per guard / shift / month; three shifts can run ₹5–9 L/year. The offset factor reflects that automation usually augments guards (visitor handling, deliveries, escalation) rather than fully replacing them — keep it realistic.
- Automated cost = one-time system (₹ per door × doors, or a direct figure) plus annual AMC at ~8–15% of system cost. Manual cost is escalated each year by your wage-inflation input.
- Indicative only — get a quote from an access-control integrator; have a licensed electrician handle mains wiring and isolate power before any work. Add or exclude 18% GST on both sides consistently so the comparison stays fair.
- Life-safety: access-controlled doors on escape routes need free egress and fire-alarm release (NBC). Plan for India's power-cut reality with fail-safe locks on egress and battery/UPS backup.
Related Guides — Deep-dive reading
Bank Door in India: Vault, Entrance and ATM Doors by Security Zone (2026)
A security-led, zone-by-zone guide to specifying doors for a bank or financial branch in India - from the access-controlled glass entrance to the RBI-grade strongroom vault door, ATM lobby, teller line and fire exits - with indicative per-door costs.
Home Doors & EntrancesCollege Doors in India: The Right Door for Every Campus Facility (2026)
A facility-by-facility guide to specifying doors across an Indian college or university campus - lecture halls, discipline-specific labs, library, auditorium, hostels, admin, sports and fire exits - ranked for heavy footfall durability, fire and egress at scale, access control and institutional image, with indicative per-door costs.
Home Doors & EntrancesCoworking Access Control India 2026: App-First Member Access
Mobile-credential, booking-linked access for coworking spaces — 24x7 self-entry, day-passes, analytics and billing, without breaking fire egress.
Home Doors & EntrancesRelated Tools — You may also find these useful
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