The Verkada access controller physically connects to door components to manage access. Access controllers work with your building’s existing door hardware and readers.

Requirements

When you use AUX output events, you must install a door position indicator (DPI)/contact sensor on each door.
When you use door forced open (DFO) events, you must install a request-to-exit (REX) device or establish a badge-in-out policy.

Set up an AUX output

AUX output utilizes the dry relay on the AUX output of all models of Verkada access controllers, including the AX11. A single output can be configured for multiple doors and on different controllers. An AUX output event currently supports only door held open (DHO) and DFO events.

In Verkada Command, go to All Products > Access.
Select an access control panel to set up. This panel should be on that does not have AUX outputs in use.
At the top, click Add.
On Add Entity, you should see the Aux Output option. This functionality is independent of the Emergency Lockdown function, which is still configured from the Lockdown Output option.
On Add AUX Output > General:
1. Enter the Output Name.
2. Select the Port that you want to trigger the event on. You can use any output available on the device.
3. When complete, click Next.
  
  You also see the controller's Name, Site, Building, and Floor where the event is being created.
  
  Required. All doors must be within the same site to work across each other.
On Add AUX Output > Scenario:
1. Select the activation event type: Door Held Open, Door Forced Open, Door Opened, or AUX Input Pressed.
2. Select the deactivation event type.
3. (Optional) If applicable, select which doors or AUX inputs you want to trigger events that activate or deactivate the AUX output’s event scenario. You can select multiple doors or AUX inputs:
  - Within a site as triggers for the events
  - Across different events
4. Click Create.

Deactivate an active scenario

You can resolve and deactivate AUX output event scenarios using any of these events:

Deactivate from Command only—Requires that the event scenario be acknowledged from a logged-in Command session by an Access Site Manager before it ends. Recommended only for high-security environments.
Timer Expires—Indicates the end of a predetermined duration when the event scenario will end. This is best if using DFO events to activate an AUX output where the responders to the door may not have access to Command or if using DHO events that do not always require resolution.
Door Opened—Indicates that the event scenario will be resolved by a valid badge door entry on any of the selected doors.
Door Closed—Indicates that the event scenario will be resolved by the door that triggered the event scenario being closed or any of the selected doors. We do not recommend this for DFO.
AUX Input Pressed—Indicates that the event scenario will be resolved by any of the selected AUX input monitors being pressed.

Note: You always have the option to acknowledge and deactivate any single event from Command, regardless of the default deactivation scenario.

Wire a door

Requirement. The AUX output relays are rated to handle a passthrough signal of 24VDC at 2A current. If a VAC connection, a higher DC voltage connection, or a higher current-rated device is used, then an external APC is required for your accessory.

You can wire an event to AUX output relatively simply by connecting your powered accessory device in series with the NO/COM/NC port of the AUX output relay, where:

On the access controller products, they are the AUX cassette or terminal block.
For the AX11, they are any of the output gates.

Note: These are dry relays that do not provide power themselves.

Power the AUX relay

Recommendation. By default, the AUX output does not provide power. We recommend to use a compatible power supply with your accessory, whether it's a buzzer or light wired into the relay. You can then power it up to 12VDC+ VDC at 250mA with the AUX power connection.

Alternatively, if you need a higher current demand on the device, and you have a spare door port that is not in use, you can share the power output from there for 12 or 24 VDC.

Set the power output to the desired 12V or 24V with the unit off.
Connect the door port COM to the negative side of your accessory.
Take the NC output from that door port and connect it to the COM port on the AUX relay.
Connect the positive (+) wire of the accessory to the desired NO/NC it is expecting; for most cases, this is NO.

The expected result is a powered AUX relay.

Note: You cannot apply a door to the port giving the power source.

Cross device event to AUX output

With the AUX output feature, there is no limit to the doors used to trigger the event and outputs that are triggered by it with local cross-device functionality. Access controllers that are on the same local network can communicate event scenarios to other access controllers and the AX11.

You can seamlessly setup this functionality with event AUX output on the host device.

Select any door or any output from the list of available outputs and doors within the site. Alerts cannot be created on devices not within the same site.
Ensure that your device's network is configured for peer-to-peer connectivity.

Resolve activation events

When an event activates an AUX output, you see an activation event with an AUX Output Activated tag and an active event scenario. Any additional activation events triggered while the AUX output is already active also appear as activation events with corresponding active event scenarios.

When a deactivation event is triggered that resolves an event scenario, you see a corresponding deactivation event. When all active event scenarios are resolved and the AUX output is deactivated, you see a final deactivation event with an AUX Output Deactivated tag.

Notice that each unresolved activation event below is currently holding an event scenario active:

The first activation event that activates the AUX output has an AUX Output Activated tag.
In this case, additional activation events were also triggered on 2 other doors, making 3 total active event scenarios; however, only the initial activation event has an AUX Output Activated tag because it was not yet resolved.
At the top right, click Active to see all active event scenarios for the AUX output corresponding to an activation event.
(Optional) Resolve the active event scenarios to deactivate the AUX output, regardless of the AUX output’s deactivation event configuration. This can be useful for a loud alarm that you want to disable while you investigate the issue.

Troubleshoot DFO events

DFO events are triggered when the doors DPI sensor is detected as closed, yet the door is opened without a user badging in nor passing through a REX detection device from the secured side. There are some cases that a DFO can occur by accident:

Using the physical key to open the door without badging in
The timer for the REX device expiring before a user opens the door
A user tailgating into a door that has closed enough to engage the DPI sensor but not enough to re-engage the lock.

Recommendation. For cases where an unusual amount of DFO events are occurring, we recommend to verify that your installation allows for proper exit and if the issue persists, contact Verkada Support.

Related resources

Need more help? Contact Verkada Support