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Card formats

Card formats tell a controller how to interpret a physical credential number. The Card Formats action is available only to Global Client Admin users and higher. Configure formats before creating non-mobile credentials.

Danger

An incorrect bit layout or facility-code rule can deny valid cards or interpret different cards as the same number. Use the controller or credential manufacturer's exact specification and test before broad assignment.

Common fields

Every format requires a name and System Type. Format ID is the external identifier stored on credentials and used by the integration.

The selector label shows the format name and stored Facility Code. Choose Add New Card Format to create a record or select an existing format to edit it.

Azure formats

Azure requires:

  • Format ID;
  • Standard Wiegand Format;
  • Facility Code for a non-custom standard format;
  • Facility Code for a custom format when Has Facility Code is enabled and No Facility Code Validation is not enabled.

Choosing the custom standard format reveals the advanced Wiegand definition:

  • total, even-parity, and odd-parity bit counts;
  • parity masks;
  • card starting bit, bit count, and field offset;
  • bit alignment, byte-order, parity, query, and validation flags;
  • optional facility-code starting bit, bit count, offset, and flags.

The editor accepts integer and text values but does not validate the complete mathematical consistency of the custom definition. Validate masks, offsets, bit counts, and flags against the approved specification.

Keri and other formats

  • Keri requires a Format ID and does not show a format-file upload.
  • Other non-Azure, non-Keri types require a numeric Format ID from 1 through 253. A format file is required when creating the record.
  • When editing an existing file-based format, saving without selecting another file preserves the previously stored file.

The portal checks Format ID reuse when creating a format. It does not perform the same duplicate check when editing an existing format, so verify uniqueness before changing an ID.

Type and format changes

Saving a non-custom or non-Azure selection clears the custom Wiegand fields that no longer apply. Turning off Has Facility Code clears the custom facility-code layout. Capture the original configuration before changing type or standard format.

Delete safely

The delete confirmation removes the format record, but the dialog does not present a credential dependency count. Before deleting, filter Access Credentials by Card Format and migrate every affected credential to a valid replacement. Existing credentials retain their stored format identifier even if its format definition is removed.