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Overview

Preferred Entrances let you choose which building entrance directions use to reach a destination. Without them, wayfinding takes the shortest path, which can send students to a door they can't use or visitors to a gate that won't accept their ticket.

• Up to three per destination: Each entrance is an Access Point location you assign in the CMS. Wayfinding uses the reachable one with the shortest complete walking route.
• Optional: Destinations without Preferred Entrances route the same way they do today.
• Requires wayfinding: Your map must have wayfinding turned on.

At a glance

How do Preferred Entrances work?

When a trip starts outside, wayfinding finds the full walking route through each preferred entrance and uses the shortest one. It skips entrances it can't route through. The order you add entrances in doesn't matter.

• Applies to: Concept3D walking routes, including the walk from parking.
• Doesn't apply to: Cycling, transit, or third-party directions.
• Trips that start indoors: If the visitor can reach the destination without going outside, directions use the direct indoor route.

What visitors see

When directions go through a preferred entrance:

• Entrance step: The directions include a step such as Enter through North Entrance, with a door icon.
• Entrance pin: While directions are open, a pin marks the entrance on the map in place of its usual marker. The pin is highlighted when the visitor reaches the entrance step. It appears only when the map is showing the entrance's floor.
• Error message: If Require a preferred entrance is On and no entrance can be reached, visitors see "We can't find a route to this destination through an available entrance. Choose a different destination." instead of directions.

Directions look the same on desktop and mobile.

Prepare your Access Point locations

Each entrance must be an Access Point location on the same map as the destination. For help creating a location, see Creating A New Location.

1. Create or open the entrance location in the CMS.
2. Set Type to Access Point. Use the name on the signage, such as North Entrance, since visitors see it in their directions.
3. Place the pin on the door's node in your wayfinding network. See Where to place the pin below.
4. Set Floor Levels to the level of that outdoor path.
5. Save and publish.

Where to place the pin

Wayfinding snaps each entrance pin to the closest node in your wayfinding network on the entrance's floor. From that node, the next step has to lead into the building, so the pin and the network need to line up at the door. When you set Type to Access Point, the Location Editor shows a reminder about this above Floor Levels.

• Line the pin up with the door node: Place the pin on the node at the door, usually the Entry node where the path crosses into the building, or on the path node right in front of it. Don't place it inside the building or in a parking lot.
• Closer to this door than anything else: If the closest node belongs to a different door or a sidewalk farther out, directions may use that spot instead or skip the entrance.
• On the right floor: In Floor Levels, check only the level of that outdoor path, usually the exterior level. Use Only next to that level to clear the others. Wayfinding only looks for nodes on that level.
• Near a node: If there's no node within about 50 meters (165 feet), the entrance is skipped.
• Make sure the door is in the network: Placing the pin doesn't create a path. If this door doesn't have an Entry node, add one in Route Builder (see How to Update Wayfinding in the CMS) or contact Partner Success.

Insert screenshot of an Access Point pin placed on the Entry node at a door here.

Assign Preferred Entrances to a destination

1. Open the destination location in the CMS.
2. In Preferred Entrances, use Search for an Access Point... to add up to three entrances.
3. Choose whether to keep Require a preferred entrance On or turn it Off. This option appears after you add an entrance.
   • Keep it On when visitors must use these entrances: For example, a ticketed gate, a security checkpoint, or the only door open to the public. If no entrance can be reached, visitors see an error instead of directions to a door they can't use.
   • Turn it Off when the entrance is a recommendation: For example, a main visitor entrance when other doors also work. If no entrance can be reached, visitors get the normal route.
   • Check accessible routes: An accessible route can only use an entrance that has an accessible path. If none has one, visitors see an error when the setting is On, or get the normal accessible route when it's Off.
4. Save and publish.
5. Test on your public map. Get walking directions to the destination from a few starting points, including an accessible route. Check that the Enter through step names the right entrance and that the pin is at the right door.

Access Point locations can't have their own Preferred Entrances.

Update Preferred Entrances in bulk

1. In Location Manager, select the destinations.
2. Open Bulk Edit and choose Preferred Entrances.
3. Choose an operation and, if needed, the entrances.
4. Save, review the results, and publish.

Access Point locations in your selection are skipped. If wayfinding is off, you can remove existing entrances but not add new ones.

FAQs

Tips for Success

• Test from every approach: Try starting points on different sides of the building, plus an accessible route.
• Recheck after changes: Review entrance assignments when Access Points or routing paths change.