Managing Backup Access Codes

Learn how to bullet proof your access code implementation with back up access codes.

A backup access code pool is a collection of pre-programmed access codes stored on a device, ready for use. These codes are programmed in addition to the regular access codes on Seam, serving as a safety net for any issues with the primary codes.

If there's ever a complication with a primary access code—be it due to intermittent connectivity, manual removal from a device, or provider outages—a backup code can be retrieved. Its end time can then be adjusted to align with the original code, facilitating seamless and uninterrupted access.

To bulletproof your implementation of access codes, it's essential to maintain a pool of backup access codes for each device. Seam provides a robust implementation of this backup pool system, and this article will help you learn how to use our backup access pool system.

Before You Begin

To confirm that Seam supports back up code pools for your device, check the device's properties by inspecting the response from Get Device or List Devices. Ensure that the device's properties.supports_backup_access_code_pool is true.

After you've done that, come back here and keep reading.

Example Payload:

{
    "device_id": "00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000",
    "properties": {
        "supports_backup_access_code_pool": true,
        ...
    },
    ...
}

Request:

device = seam.devices.get("6aae9d08-fed6-4ca5-8328-e36849ab48fe")
pprint("Supports backup access code pool: " 
    + str(device.properties.supports_backup_access_code_pool))

Response:

'Supports backup access code pool: True'

Request:

# Use GET or POST.
curl -X 'GET' \
  'https://connect.getseam.com/devices/get' \
  -H 'accept: application/json' \
  -H 'Authorization: Bearer ${API_KEY}' \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{
  "device_id": "6aae9d08-fed6-4ca5-8328-e36849ab48fe"
}'

Response:

{
  "device": {
    "device_id": "6aae9d08-fed6-4ca5-8328-e36849ab48fe",
    .
    .
    .

    "properties": {
      .
      .
      .
      "supports_backup_access_code_pool": true
    },
    .
    .
    .
  },
  "ok": true
}

Request:

console.log(await seam.devices.get({
  device_id: "6aae9d08-fed6-4ca5-8328-e36849ab48fe"
}))

Response:

{
  device_id: '6aae9d08-fed6-4ca5-8328-e36849ab48fe',
  .
  .
  .
  properties: {
    .
    .
    .
    supports_backup_access_code_pool: true
  },
  .
  .
  .
}

Request:

puts client.devices.get("6aae9d08-fed6-4ca5-8328-e36849ab48fe").inspect

Response:

<Seam::Device:0x00438
  device_id="6aae9d08-fed6-4ca5-8328-e36849ab48fe"
  .
  .
  .
  properties={..."supports_backup_access_code_pool"=>true}
  .
  .
  .
  >

# not yet implemented

Request:

var device = seam.Devices.Get(deviceId: "6aae9d08-fed6-4ca5-8328-e36849ab48fe");
Console.WriteLine("Device ID: " + device.DeviceId);
Console.WriteLine("Supports backup access code pool: " + device.Properties.SupportsBackupAccessCodePool);

Response:

Device ID: 6aae9d08-fed6-4ca5-8328-e36849ab48fe
Supports backup access code pool: True

Request:

Device device = seam.devices()
        .get(DevicesGetRequest.builder()
                .deviceId("6aae9d08-fed6-4ca5-8328-e36849ab48fe")
                .build());
System.out.println(device);

Response:

{
  "device_id" : "0168fba8-8275-49a3-acf5-b2bced519a2c",
  .
  .
  .
  "properties" : {
    .
    .
    .
    "supports_backup_access_code_pool" : true
  },
  .
  .
  .
}

Enabling and Retrieving Backup Codes

1. Activate the backup access code pool

To activate the backup pool, set use_backup_access_code_pool to true when creating an access code. After activation, the backup access code pool cannot be turned off for that device. However, if you unmanage the device, any backup access codes are removed.

This activation is a one-time process for each device. Once initiated, Seam consistently maintains a backup code pool for the device. All access codes associated with the device utilize the same backup code pool.

In the smart lock app, backup access codes appear as "Backup {CODE_ID} (Seam)".

Request:

device_id = "6aae9d08-fed6-4ca5-8328-e36849ab48fe"

created_access_code = seam.access_codes.create(
  device = device_id,
  name = "my time-bound code",
  starts_at = "2025-01-01T16:00:00Z",
  ends_at = "2025-01-22T12:00:00Z",
  use_backup_access_code_pool = True
)

pprint(created_access_code)

Response:

AccessCode(access_code_id='dc83d82d-55d2-4178-8c8c-10382311aed2',
           device_id='6aae9d08-fed6-4ca5-8328-e36849ab48fe',
           type='time_bound',
           code='9132',
           created_at='2023-10-19T05:07:03.693Z',
           errors=[],
           warnings=[],
           starts_at='2025-01-01T16:00:00.000Z',
           ends_at='2025-01-22T12:00:00.000Z',
           name='my time-bound code',
           status='unset',
           common_code_key=None,
           is_managed=True,
           is_waiting_for_code_assignment=None,
           is_scheduled_on_device=False,
           pulled_backup_access_code_id=None,
           is_backup_access_code_available=True,
           is_backup=None,
           appearance=None,
           is_external_modification_allowed=False)

Request:

curl -X 'POST' \
  'https://connect.getseam.com/access_codes/create' \
  -H 'accept: application/json' \
  -H 'Authorization: Bearer ${API_KEY}' \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{
  "device_id": "6aae9d08-fed6-4ca5-8328-e36849ab48fe",
  "name": "my time-bound code",
  "starts_at": "2025-01-01T16:00:00Z",
  "ends_at": "2025-01-22T12:00:00Z",
  "use_backup_access_code_pool": true
}'

Response:

{
  "action_attempt": {
    "status": "pending",
    "action_type": "CREATE_ACCESS_CODE",
    "action_attempt_id": "7177edd7-3f99-46b9-bf4b-d3a9a16f6da9",
    "result": null,
    "error": null
  },
  "access_code": {
    "access_code_id": "ddb6e6b7-7156-471e-9199-4106db2f2e57",
    "device_id": "6aae9d08-fed6-4ca5-8328-e36849ab48fe",
    "name": "my time-bound code",
    "appearance": null,
    "code": "1185",
    "common_code_key": null,
    "type": "time_bound",
    "status": "unset",
    "is_scheduled_on_device": false,
    "starts_at": "2025-01-01T16:00:00.000Z",
    "ends_at": "2025-01-22T12:00:00.000Z",
    "pulled_backup_access_code_id": null,
    "is_backup_access_code_available": true,
    "created_at": "2023-10-19T08:23:50.789Z",
    "errors": [],
    "warnings": [],
    "is_managed": true,
    "is_external_modification_allowed": false
  },
  "ok": true
}

Request:

const deviceId = "6aae9d08-fed6-4ca5-8328-e36849ab48fe"

const createdAccessCode = await seam.accessCodes.create({
    device_id: deviceId,
    name: "my time-bound code",
    starts_at: "2025-01-01T16:00:00Z",
    ends_at: "2025-01-22T12:00:00Z",
    use_backup_access_code_pool: true
})

console.log(createdAccessCode)

Response:

{
  access_code_id: 'f863cb36-7f96-4b56-ac91-115742c31c00',
  device_id: '6aae9d08-fed6-4ca5-8328-e36849ab48fe',
  name: 'my time-bound code',
  appearance: null,
  code: '8030',
  common_code_key: null,
  type: 'time_bound',
  status: 'unset',
  is_scheduled_on_device: false,
  starts_at: '2025-01-01T16:00:00.000Z',
  ends_at: '2025-01-22T12:00:00.000Z',
  pulled_backup_access_code_id: null,
  is_backup_access_code_available: true,
  created_at: '2023-10-19T11:41:27.273Z',
  errors: [],
  warnings: [],
  is_managed: true,
  is_external_modification_allowed: false
}

Request:

device_id = "6aae9d08-fed6-4ca5-8328-e36849ab48fe"

created_access_code = client.access_codes.create(
  device_id: device_id,
  name: "my time-bound code",
  starts_at: "2025-01-01T16:00:00Z",
  ends_at: "2025-01-22T12:00:00Z",
  use_backup_access_code_pool: true
)

puts created_access_code.inspect

Response:

<Seam::AccessCode:0x00438
  code="2239"
  name="my time-bound code"
  type="time_bound"
  errors=[]
  status="unset"
  ends_at=2025-01-22 12:00:00 UTC
  warnings=[]
  device_id="6aae9d08-fed6-4ca5-8328-e36849ab48fe"
  starts_at=2025-01-01 16:00:00 UTC
  appearance=nil
  created_at=2023-10-25 04:17:43.323 UTC
  is_managed=true
  access_code_id="995d1927-e0db-4a97-b759-515193e6edbc"
  is_scheduled_on_device=false
  pulled_backup_access_code_id=nil
  is_backup_access_code_available=true
  is_external_modification_allowed=false>

$device_id = "5a9dee23-e50f-4da7-88f3-fef38bf07857";

$access_code = $seam->access_codes->create(
  device_id: $device_id,
  name: 'my timebound code',
  starts_at:  "2025-01-01T16:00:00Z",
  ends_at: "2025-01-22T12:00:00Z",
  use_backup_access_code_pool: true
);

# Inspect this timebound code
echo json_encode($access_code, JSON_PRETTY_PRINT);


// {
//   "access_code_id": "a91604eb-ebae-420c-a51e-07a30422fd94",
//   "device_id": "5a9dee23-e50f-4da7-88f3-fef38bf07857",
//   "name": "my timebound code",
//   "type": "time_bound",
//   "status": "unset",
//   "starts_at": "2025-01-01T16:00:00.000Z",
//   "ends_at": "2025-01-22T12:00:00.000Z",
//   "code": "6837",
//   "created_at": "2023-09-16T20:54:20.872Z",
//   "errors": [],
//   "warnings": [],
//   "is_managed": true,
//   "common_code_key": null,
//   "is_waiting_for_code_assignment": null,
//   "is_scheduled_on_device": false,
//   "pulled_backup_access_code_id": null,
//   "is_backup_access_code_available": true,
//   "is_backup": null
// }

Request:

var deviceId = "6aae9d08-fed6-4ca5-8328-e36849ab48fe";
var createdAccessCode = seam.AccessCodes.Create(
  deviceId: deviceId,
  name: "my time-bound code",
  startsAt: "2025-01-01T16:00:00Z",
  endsAt: "2025-01-22T12:00:00Z",
  useBackupAccessCodePool: true
);

Console.WriteLine("Created access code ID: " + createdAccessCode.AccessCodeId);
Console.WriteLine("Is backup access code available: " + createdAccessCode.IsBackupAccessCodeAvailable);

Response:

Created access code ID: 4ea6c172-cff7-4502-a766-f9293f36cba5
Is backup access code available: True

Request:

var deviceId = "6aae9d08-fed6-4ca5-8328-e36849ab48fe";

AccessCode CreatedAccessCode = seam.accessCodes().create(AccessCodesCreateRequest.builder()
        .deviceId(deviceId)
        .name("my time-bound code")
        .startsAt("2025-01-01T16:00:00Z")
        .endsAt("2025-01-22T12:00:00Z")
        .useBackupAccessCodePool(true)
        .build());
System.out.println(CreatedAccessCode);

Response:

{
  "is_scheduled_on_device" : false,
  "type" : "time_bound",
  "access_code_id" : "206491e0-000f-49cb-8f18-db47a12bc785",
  "device_id" : "6aae9d08-fed6-4ca5-8328-e36849ab48fe",
  "name" : "my time-bound code",
  "code" : "0709",
  "created_at" : "2023-10-30T07:45:08.138Z",
  "errors" : [ ],
  "warnings" : [ ],
  "is_managed" : "true",
  "starts_at" : "2025-01-01T16:00:00Z",
  "ends_at" : "2025-01-22T12:00:00Z",
  "status" : "unset",
  "is_backup_access_code_available" : true
}

2. Detect when an access code has failed to program

When you receive an access_code.failed_to_set_on_device event through your Webhook, or notice a failed_to_set_on_device error on the access code object, that means that the access code has failed to program.

You can retrieve a backup access code to use instead.

3. Confirm the availability of a backup access code

To confirm that a backup access code is available for retrieval, check the is_backup_access_code_available property on the access code by inspecting the response from Get Access Code or List Access Codes. If the backup code pool has been exhausted, this property returns false.

Note that we only support pulling backup codes for time_bound codes at this time.

Request:

access_code = seam.access_codes.get("dc83d82d-55d2-4178-8c8c-10382311aed2")

pprint("Is backup access code available: " 
    + str(access_code.is_backup_access_code_available))

Response:

'Is backup access code available: True'

Request:

# Use GET or POST.
curl -X 'GET' \
  'https://connect.getseam.com/access_codes/get' \
  -H 'accept: application/json' \
  -H 'Authorization: Bearer ${API_KEY}' \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{
  "access_code_id": "ddb6e6b7-7156-471e-9199-4106db2f2e57"
}'

Response:

{
  "access_code": {
    "access_code_id": "ddb6e6b7-7156-471e-9199-4106db2f2e57",
    .
    .
    .
    "is_backup_access_code_available": true,
    .
    .
    .
  },
  "ok": true
}

Request:

const accessCode = await seam.accessCodes.get({
  access_code_id: "f863cb36-7f96-4b56-ac91-115742c31c00"
})

console.log("Is backup access code available: "
  + accessCode.is_backup_access_code_available)

Response:

Is backup access code available: true

Request:

access_code = client.access_codes.get("995d1927-e0db-4a97-b759-515193e6edbc")
puts "Is backup access code available: #{access_code.is_backup_access_code_available}"

Response:

Is backup access code available: true

$access_code_id = "a91604eb-ebae-420c-a51e-07a30422fd94";

$access_code = $seam->access_codes->get(
  access_code_id: $access_code_id
);

# Inspect access code is_backup_access_code_available
echo json_encode($access_code->is_backup_access_code_available);
# => true

Request:

var accessCode = seam.AccessCodes.Get(accessCodeId: "4ea6c172-cff7-4502-a766-f9293f36cba5");
Console.WriteLine("Created access code ID: " + accessCode.AccessCodeId);
Console.WriteLine("Is backup access code available: " + accessCode.IsBackupAccessCodeAvailable);

Response:

Created access code ID: 4ea6c172-cff7-4502-a766-f9293f36cba5
Is backup access code available: True

Request:

AccessCode accessCode = seam.accessCodes()
        .get(AccessCodesGetRequest.builder()
                .accessCodeId("206491e0-000f-49cb-8f18-db47a12bc785")
                .build());
System.out.println("Is backup access code available: "
  + accessCode.getIsBackupAccessCodeAvailable());

Response:

Is backup access code available: true

4. Retrieve a backup access code

To retrieve a backup access code for an access code, include the access_code_id in the Pull Backup Access Codes request. In the response, you receive the new backup access code. Be sure to share the new backup PIN code with the user of the original access code.

Upon executing this action, Seam performs the following additional actions:

Mark the backup access code as pulled ("pulled": true), meaning that it has been removed from the pool.
Associate the backup access code with the original access code, ensuring that any future requests to the Pull Backup Access Code request return the same backup access code.
Update the ends_at date for the backup access code to match that of the original access code.
Attempt to refill the backup access code pool with a new backup code.

Request:

access_code_id = "dc83d82d-55d2-4178-8c8c-10382311aed2"

backup_code = seam.access_codes.pull_backup_access_code(
    access_code = access_code_id
)

pprint(backup_code)

Response:

AccessCode(access_code_id='6db16e34-48d4-467a-856c-32a56b9cf0da',
           device_id='6aae9d08-fed6-4ca5-8328-e36849ab48fe',
           type='time_bound',
           code='7768',
           created_at='2023-10-19T05:07:05.548Z',
           errors=[],
           warnings=[],
           starts_at='2023-10-19T05:22:37.082Z',
           ends_at='2025-01-22T12:00:00.000Z',
           name='Backup 6db16e34-48d4-467a-856c-32a56b9cf0da (Seam)',
           status='set',
           common_code_key=None,
           is_managed=True,
           is_waiting_for_code_assignment=None,
           is_scheduled_on_device=None,
           pulled_backup_access_code_id=None,
           is_backup_access_code_available=False,
           is_backup=True,
           appearance={'first_name': 'Backup',
                       'last_name': '6db16e34-48d4-467a-856c-32a56b9cf0da '
                                    '(Seam)',
                       'name': 'Backup 6db16e34-48d4-467a-856c-32a56b9cf0da '
                               '(Seam)'},
           is_external_modification_allowed=False)

Request:

curl -X 'POST' \
  'https://connect.getseam.com/access_codes/pull_backup_access_code' \
  -H 'accept: application/json' \
  -H 'Authorization: Bearer ${API_KEY}' \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{
  "access_code_id": "ddb6e6b7-7156-471e-9199-4106db2f2e57"
}'

Response:

{
  "backup_access_code": {
    "access_code_id": "1e72a758-fbf5-433a-8c20-b379dd6df2d3",
    "device_id": "6aae9d08-fed6-4ca5-8328-e36849ab48fe",
    "name": "Backup 1e72a758-fbf5-433a-8c20-b379dd6df2d3 (Seam)",
    "appearance": {
      "name": "Backup 1e72a758-fbf5-433a-8c20-b379dd6df2d3 (Seam)",
      "last_name": "1e72a758-fbf5-433a-8c20-b379dd6df2d3 (Seam)",
      "first_name": "Backup"
    },
    "code": "4207",
    "common_code_key": null,
    "type": "time_bound",
    "status": "set",
    "starts_at": "2023-10-19T08:33:10.702Z",
    "ends_at": "2025-01-22T12:00:00.000Z",
    "is_backup": true,
    "is_backup_access_code_available": false,
    "created_at": "2023-10-19T05:07:05.205Z",
    "errors": [],
    "warnings": [],
    "is_managed": true,
    "is_external_modification_allowed": false
  },
  "ok": true
}

Request:

const backupAccessCode = await seam.accessCodes.pullBackupAccessCode({
    access_code_id: "f863cb36-7f96-4b56-ac91-115742c31c00"
})

console.log(backupAccessCode)

Response:

{
  access_code_id: '284cc090-5d89-4e9d-a4ed-518c6cb68d99',
  device_id: '6aae9d08-fed6-4ca5-8328-e36849ab48fe',
  name: 'Backup 284cc090-5d89-4e9d-a4ed-518c6cb68d99 (Seam)',
  appearance: {
    name: 'Backup 284cc090-5d89-4e9d-a4ed-518c6cb68d99 (Seam)',
    last_name: '284cc090-5d89-4e9d-a4ed-518c6cb68d99 (Seam)',
    first_name: 'Backup'
  },
  code: '1275',
  common_code_key: null,
  type: 'time_bound',
  status: 'set',
  starts_at: '2023-10-19T11:50:21.092Z',
  ends_at: '2025-01-22T12:00:00.000Z',
  is_backup: true,
  is_backup_access_code_available: false,
  created_at: '2023-10-19T05:07:05.369Z',
  errors: [],
  warnings: [],
  is_managed: true,
  is_external_modification_allowed: false
}

Request:

access_code_id="995d1927-e0db-4a97-b759-515193e6edbc"
puts client.access_codes.pull_backup_access_code(access_code_id).inspect

Response:

<Seam::AccessCode:0x00438
  access_code_id="9b0b88f1-160c-470f-b649-c8a7c9839b22"
  device_id="6aae9d08-fed6-4ca5-8328-e36849ab48fe"
  name="Backup 9b0b88f1-160c-470f-b649-c8a7c9839b22 (Seam)"
  appearance={"name"=>"Backup 9b0b88f1-160c-470f-b649-c8a7c9839b22 (Seam)", "last_name"=>"9b0b88f1-160c-470f-b649-c8a7c9839b22 (Seam)", "first_name"=>"Backup"}
  code="9501"
  type="time_bound"
  status="set"
  starts_at=2023-10-25 04:30:25.371 UTC
  ends_at=2025-01-22 12:00:00 UTC
  is_backup=true
  is_backup_access_code_available=false
  created_at=2023-10-19 05:07:05.963 UTC
  errors=[]
  warnings=[]
  is_managed=true
  is_external_modification_allowed=false>

$access_code_id = "a91604eb-ebae-420c-a51e-07a30422fd94";

$backup_code = $seam->access_codes->pull_backup_access_code(
  access_code_id: $access_code_id
);

# Inspect access codes
echo json_encode($backup_code, JSON_PRETTY_PRINT);

// {
//     "access_code_id": "e9e353c9-acb1-454f-970b-2c011ba504d0",
//     "device_id": "5a9dee23-e50f-4da7-88f3-fef38bf07857",
//     "name": "Backup e9e353c9-acb1-454f-970b-2c011ba504d0 (Seam)",
//     "type": "time_bound",
//     "status": "set",
//     "starts_at": "2023-09-16T20:59:37.069Z",
//     "ends_at": "2025-01-22T12:00:00.000Z",
//     "code": "3835",
//     "created_at": "2023-09-16T20:18:26.070Z",
//     "errors": [],
//     "warnings": [],
//     "is_managed": true,
//     "common_code_key": null,
//     "is_waiting_for_code_assignment": null,
//     "is_scheduled_on_device": null,
//     "pulled_backup_access_code_id": null,
//     "is_backup_access_code_available": false,
//     "is_backup": true
// }

Request:

var backupAccessCode = seam.AccessCodes.PullBackupAccessCode(accessCodeId: "4ea6c172-cff7-4502-a766-f9293f36cba5");
Type t = backupAccessCode.GetType();
foreach (var property in t.GetProperties())
{
  Console.WriteLine(property.Name + ": " + property.GetValue(backupAccessCode));
}

Response:

CommonCodeKey: 
IsScheduledOnDevice: 
Type: TimeBound
IsWaitingForCodeAssignment: 
AccessCodeId: eb140acf-c857-4a84-871b-52afa8c4f7b7
DeviceId: 6aae9d08-fed6-4ca5-8328-e36849ab48fe
Name: Backup eb140acf-c857-4a84-871b-52afa8c4f7b7 (Seam)
Code: 6219
CreatedAt: 2023-10-25T04:41:11.212Z
Errors: []
Warnings: []
IsManaged: True
StartsAt: 2023-10-28T03:40:08.035Z
EndsAt: 2025-01-22T12:00:00.000Z
Status: Set
IsBackupAccessCodeAvailable: False
IsBackup: True
PulledBackupAccessCodeId: 
IsExternalModificationAllowed: False

Request:

ccessCode backupAccessCode = seam.accessCodes().pullBackupAccessCode(AccessCodesPullBackupAccessCodeRequest.builder()
        .accessCodeId("206491e0-000f-49cb-8f18-db47a12bc785")
        .build());
System.out.println(backupAccessCode);

Response:

{
  "type" : "time_bound",
  "access_code_id" : "b66ef4c2-d269-4a91-8839-19910a11e776",
  "device_id" : "6aae9d08-fed6-4ca5-8328-e36849ab48fe",
  "name" : "Backup b66ef4c2-d269-4a91-8839-19910a11e776 (Seam)",
  "code" : "6732",
  "created_at" : "2023-10-30T07:39:54.738Z",
  "errors" : [ ],
  "warnings" : [ ],
  "is_managed" : "true",
  "starts_at" : "2023-10-30T08:03:51.962Z",
  "ends_at" : "2025-01-22T12:00:00Z",
  "status" : "set",
  "is_backup_access_code_available" : false,
  "is_backup" : true
}

Troubleshooting

When you have the backup access code pool feature enabled for a device, be on the lookout for the following warnings and errors on the device:

Warning: `many_active_backup_codes`

Multiple back up codes have been pulled from the device. This usually indicates that Seam is having issues programming access codes onto the device. Check if the device is offline or if there are other issues.

Warning: `partial_backup_access_code_pool`

Seam is having trouble refilling the back up access code pool. This could result from device connection issues or from the device running out of space for new codes.

Error: `empty_backup_access_code_pool`

There are no more back up codes available in the pool. This can happen when you've just enabled the back up pool feature, or when all of the backup access codes have been used.

Supported Brands

All door locks with the access_code capability are expected to support this feature, with the exception of Lockly and Salto locks.

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Last updated 3 months ago

Before You Begin

Enabling and Retrieving Backup Codes

1. Activate the backup access code pool

2. Detect when an access code has failed to program

3. Confirm the availability of a backup access code

4. Retrieve a backup access code

Troubleshooting

Warning: many_active_backup_codes

Warning: partial_backup_access_code_pool

Error: empty_backup_access_code_pool

Supported Brands

Warning: `many_active_backup_codes`

Warning: `partial_backup_access_code_pool`

Error: `empty_backup_access_code_pool`