Resources hub

Three resource types, three buyer-journey stages

The 80+ resources on this page are split into three groups because the buyer reading them is in three different states. Pick the group that matches where you are in the project.

• Guides — for the engineer or product manager who is learning the technology. Each guide is 1,500-3,500 words, opens with a 'quick answer' summary, then drills into protocol internals (memory bank layout, anti-collision, crypto suite), chip family reference (memory map, command set, lifetime), regulation explainer (clause-by-clause walkthrough of the standard) or integration walkthrough (SAP WMS connector, Python reader library, NFC NDEF formatter). Read these when you're scoping a project and need to know what's possible.
• Compare — for the buyer who already knows what's possible and is now narrowing a shortlist. Each compare page picks two or three options on a single decision axis (read range, chip cost, certification scope, hardware compatibility) and resolves the choice with a feature matrix, a pricing envelope and a 'pick X if … pick Y if …' recommendation block. Read these when you have a Request-for-Quote going out and need to defend the chip / form-factor / vendor selection to procurement.
• Compatibility — for the buyer who has already chosen the lock estate, reader vendor or PMS integration and now needs the matching credential. Each compatibility page lists the chip family the lock expects, the encoding workflow (Saflok System 6000 patron file, VingCard Visionline C-port, Onity HT, MIWA HMD, Salto SVN, Häfele Dialock LMS, Be-Tech BIS), and the Proud Tek SKU that ships pre-encoded or blank. Read these when the project is in execution and the credential needs to land in two weeks.

How to choose the right entry point

If you're not sure which group to start in, use the rough decision tree below. Most buyers cycle through all three groups over the life of a project — guides at concept stage, compare at shortlist stage, compatibility at execution stage.

• If the question is 'what chip should we use for [application]?' → start in Guides (chip family encyclopedias) → narrow with Compare (NTAG213 vs NTAG215 vs NTAG216, MIFARE Classic vs DESFire, etc.).
• If the question is 'will this RFID card work with our [vendor] lock / reader / PMS?' → go straight to Compatibility (vendor cross-references) → fall back to Guides (chip encyclopedias) only if your vendor isn't listed.
• If the question is 'how do we comply with [regulation]?' → start in Guides (regulation explainers — EU DPP, FDA DSCSA, Walmart mandate, GS1 EPC encoding, CE marking) → cross-check Compare (HF vs UHF, RFID vs barcode) for the trade-offs each regulation tolerates.
• If the question is 'is RFID even the right answer vs [alternative]?' → start in Compare (RFID vs barcode, RFID vs QR, RFID vs BLE, NFC vs Bluetooth, active vs passive) → only descend into Guides once the technology choice is settled.
• If the question is 'how do we integrate this with [system]?' → Guides has dedicated walkthroughs for SAP WMS, Oracle NetSuite, Shopify, Python reader libraries, UHF reader API, NFC iPhone / Android programming and NDEF formatting.

Beyond Resources — where to go next

Resources are reference material; the rest of the site is organised around making a buying decision. Three doors out of this page once you've found what you came for:

• /products/all/ — the full SKU catalog, filterable by chip family, frequency band, form factor and use case. Every guide / compare / compatibility page links directly into the relevant SKU here.
• /industries/ — the same SKUs grouped by vertical. 20 industry landing pages (retail, hospitality, healthcare, events, logistics, libraries, laundry, pharma, luxury brands, brand protection, education, EU compliance, automotive, aerospace, data center, government & defense, cold chain, agriculture, fitness, industrial) with vertical-specific deployment notes and compliance references.
• /solutions/ — outcome-led pages. 35 use-case landing pages covering hotel key cards, event wristbands, race timing, laundry tracking, library management, brand authentication, asset tracking, warehouse management, parking, access control, attendance and Google review NFC cards. Pick this entry point if you already know the use case but not the chip / SKU.
• /contact/ — quote desk, sample request and engineering office hours. Use this once the resource has resolved your decision and the project is moving to procurement.

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