Swiftlane lets you control exactly when doors unlock and when users can gain access. With Holidays, date-range schedules, and schedule overrides, you can now go beyond a single recurring weekly schedule — for example, keeping doors locked on a public holiday, running a different schedule for a specific week, or granting a select group access during a period when everyone else is locked out. This article explains how to set each of these up.
Holidays
A Holiday lets you define specific dates on which your normal schedules should not apply. You can map a Holiday to an access schedule (controlling when users can unlock doors) or to a door unlock schedule (controlling when a door automatically unlocks).
A Holiday can be:
One-time — applies only to the specific date, time, and year you set it for.
Recurring — repeats every year on the date and time you specify.
Create a Holiday
Go to Schedules → Holiday.
Click Add Holiday at the top of the page.
Fill in the Holiday details. All fields are required:
Name
Description
Start Date & Time
End Date & Time
Type (One-time or Recurring)
Save the Holiday.
You can edit or delete a Holiday at any time from the same Schedules → Holiday page.
Map a Holiday to an Access Schedule
When a Holiday is mapped to an access schedule, users assigned to that schedule will not be able to unlock doors during the Holiday period.
Use this when you want to prevent a group of users from entering on certain dates — for example, closing a building to staff over a public holiday.
Map a Holiday to a Door Unlock Schedule
When a Holiday is mapped to a door unlock schedule, the door will stay locked during the Holiday period instead of following its usual automatic unlock schedule.
Use this when you want a door that normally unlocks automatically during business hours to remain locked on a holiday.
Schedules for a Specific Date Range
Previously, a schedule applied to all dates once it was set on a door. You can now create access schedules and door unlock schedules that apply only to a specific date range.
This is useful in two situations:
When you need a schedule for a limited period only, with no scheduling outside that range.
When you need to temporarily override an existing schedule for a set number of days (see Overriding Schedules below).
To use it, set the date range (start and end date) when creating or editing the access or door unlock schedule.
Overriding Schedules
To override an existing schedule, you set up more than one schedule for the same access group or the same door. This lets you run different rules during a specific period while keeping your normal schedule the rest of the time.
There are two types of overrides.
Overriding an Access Schedule
This controls who can unlock doors during a special period.
Example — closing access over the Christmas break:
Suppose the "Residents" access group is mapped to a schedule called "Test Schedule," which permits access Monday–Friday, 8 AM–5 PM. You also create a Holiday called "Holiday 1" covering Christmas week (Mon 23 Dec – Fri 27 Dec) and map it to "Test Schedule."
With this setup, users in the "Residents" group cannot unlock doors during Christmas week. They can unlock doors normally before and after the holiday, per "Test Schedule."
If you need to grant access to certain people during Christmas week, create a new access group — for example, "Residents – Christmas Break" — and assign it a separate schedule with the access permissions you want for that period.
Overriding a Door Unlock Schedule
This controls when a door automatically unlocks during a special period.
Example — different unlock hours over the Christmas break:
Suppose a door called "Test Door" has an unlock schedule called "Test Unlock Schedule" that automatically unlocks it Monday–Friday, 8 AM–5 PM. You create "Holiday 1" covering Christmas week (Mon 23 Dec – Fri 27 Dec) and map it to "Test Unlock Schedule."
With this setup, "Test Door" will stay locked during Christmas week, because "Holiday 1" is mapped to its unlock schedule.
If instead you need the door to unlock during Christmas week but at different hours (for example, 10 AM–2 PM):
Create a new schedule — for example, "Holiday Unlock Schedule" — with the hours you want (10 AM–2 PM).
Set that schedule's date range to Christmas week (Mon 23 Dec – Fri 27 Dec).
Map both "Holiday Unlock Schedule" and "Test Unlock Schedule" to "Test Door."
The result: "Test Door" unlocks Monday–Friday, 8 AM–5 PM outside of Christmas week, and 10 AM–2 PM during Christmas week.
Quick Reference
You want to… | Use |
Block user access on specific dates | A Holiday mapped to the access schedule |
Keep a door locked on specific dates | A Holiday mapped to the door unlock schedule |
Run a schedule for a limited period only | A schedule with a date range |
Give a select group access during a locked-down period | A new access group with its own schedule |
Change a door's unlock hours for a specific period | A new unlock schedule with a date range, mapped alongside the existing one |
Need help?
If you'd like assistance setting up Holidays or schedule overrides for your property, contact Swiftlane Support at [email protected] or +1 888 884 4005. We're available 24/7 and happy to walk you through it.