Start by identifying the right badge
Ask the visitor or host to notify reception as soon as the badge is missing. Find the visit record and check which badge ID was issued. Record when the loss was noticed and who will follow up, according to your local procedure.
A name on an E-Ink display and an access ID are different pieces of information. If the badge number is unclear, the person responsible should check the record of which badge was issued. Do not guess another badge’s ID.
Check whether the badge also grants access
A visitor badge may be a visible name badge, an access card or both. The displayed text does not by itself tell you which doors it can open. MyDesk visitor badges and your access control system therefore need to be handled according to the actual setup.
If the badge can grant access, reception should immediately contact the person responsible for access control, following company procedure. Ask for confirmation that the correct card has been dealt with in the access control system. Do not assume that checking out, changing the display or issuing a new badge automatically blocks the old one.
Keep visits, badges and access separate
- Visit status describes the recorded arrival and departure.
- The badge record shows which badge has been issued or returned.
- Access permissions determine what the card can be used for in the access control system.
Do not check out a visitor who is still on site just to mark a badge as lost. If the visitor has left, record the departure using the agreed routine and follow up on the missing badge separately. Do not mark the badge as returned until it has actually been handed back.
Issue a replacement after checking
Confirm with the host whether the visit is continuing and what badge the visitor needs. Check the new physical badge and its ID, record its issue and explain where to return it. Any access permissions must be approved and checked separately.
MyDesk’s badge administration guide describes recording badge IDs, issue, return deadlines and returns. Use it alongside your local instructions; it does not replace the access control system’s procedure for a lost card.
Agree what happens if the badge is found
Hand a found badge to reception or the person responsible for badges. Do not put it straight back among the available badges. First check its previous assignment, displayed text and any access permissions before the person responsible releases it for reuse.
Write a short routine covering the contact person, where to record the issue and handover at shift changes. Try it with a test badge: can the next colleague see which badge is missing, who is handling access and whether the replacement has been returned?
See the guide to issuing and recording visitor badges.
Read about MyDesk’s reusable E-Ink visitor badges.
Read also about check-out and following up on the visitor list.