How To Set Up Fingerprint Capture & Verification
New with AlphaCard ID Suite v11 Professional and Elite editions, you have improved biometric options and support. Fingerprint capture functionality is now built into the software, and a new feature was added to allow you to verify the identity of a cardholder based on their fingerprint.
Install Drivers & Plugin
Before you begin collecting fingerprints, you must install the drivers for your fingerprint scanner.
After the drivers have been installed, you must also install a plugin for the fingerprint reader that will link the software to the existing drivers. The file will by default be stored at: C:\Users\Public\Documents\AlphaCard\Data\Installers
Once there, install either the DigitalPersonaSetup32bits or 64bits depending on your operating system. Most modern operating systems use 64bit operating systems.
Setting Up Fingerprint Capture
Once you have installed the drivers, you will want to add the new biometric Image type onto the card.
- Go to the Configuration tab in AlphaCard ID Suite, and select Template Designer.
- Go to the Insert tab and select Image.
- Click wherever on the card template you want to place the fingerprint. When the Image Properties window opens up, select Biometic Image from the Image Type dropdown. Then select the column in your database you want to hold the information.
Once this is done, save your design and exit out of the template designer.
Storing Fingerprints in Your Database
To store the fingerprints in your database you will need to set up a storage item, an identical process to how you store a photo.
- Go to Database Setup on the configuration menu.
- Click Next in the menu until you are on the last page of the Database Setup, which will be Storage Items.
- Add a new Storage item, name it Fingerprint and select the column where you are storing the biometric image, then select that you are storing the cardholders biometric image under the biometric tab.
Once you click Finish you can now add a fingerprint to the database.
Fingerprint Enrollment
To add a cardholder’s fingerprint to your database, first go to the Biometric tab and select Enroll Biometric.
AlphaCard ID Suite will instruct you to place your finger on the reader four separate times – this will ensure that the image is clear and all the data points match up.
Once you click Save, you should see the fingerprint show up on your card.
Fingerprint Verification
Fingerprint verification is a way to ensure that the cardholder is the correct person based off of a current scan of the finger. This feature is designed for sites where security is paramount.
To use this, you are going to need a special field in the database because the program needs to store a very long string of data as a check point for verification. To set this up, you will need to convert a field to accept longer inputs.
For example, in Microsoft Access, you will need to set the field type as memo instead of text. If you do not know how to do this, or are using the AlphaCard ID Suite built-in database, please contact our technical support department for a new blank database with a special field added to it.
Once this is done, select Database Setup again and click Next until you get to the last page. Add a new storage object called Fingerprint template, and fill out the information that include the new field and under the biometric tab select: store the carholder’s biometric template.
Once this is done, you will have to recapture the biometric data so the template field can fill with the correct information.
To check that the cardholder is the person that was registered to the card, select the record you want to check and click Verify biometric.
Please note: Verify Biometric can only verify the current record you have selected, it cannot search the database for the correct record.
When you are checking in visitors, the software will ask for a fingerprint. Have the cardholder place their finger on the scanner. If it matches the data points stored in your database, you will get the photo of the person displayed. If it is incorrect, you will get a giant red X.
This will allow you to take any further screening methods to verify the identity of the cardholder that your organization requires. If you continue to experience problems, please contact AlphaCard technical support.
