How Do Smart Lockers Work? A Simple Guide for IT Teams

Modern IT teams are under pressure to keep shared laptops, tablets, and other devices secure, charged, and available — often across multiple buildings or campuses. If you’re asking, “how does a smart locker system work?”, this guide walks through the full sequence so you can see exactly what happens from user request to device return.

We’ll break down the software and hardware components involved, show where smart lockers are used, and outline key workflows for device deployment, repairs, loaner programs, and secure charging. By the end, you’ll know if smart lockers are the right fit for your device management strategy.

How do smart lockers work?

At a high level, smart lockers combine cloud-based software with connected hardware to automate secure pick-up, drop-off, and charging. Think of smart lockers as self-service kiosks that follow a predictable, auditable workflow every time someone accesses a device.

Here’s the typical sequence IT teams configure:

1. A request or workflow is created
   A device need triggers the process — this could be a broken laptop, a new user deployment, a spare device checkout, or a scheduled swap. The request may originate in an IT ticketing tool, an MDM workflow, or directly in the smart locker software.

2. Software assigns a compartment
   The management platform evaluates the request and assigns a specific device and bay to a user. Depending on the workflow, a smart locker may assign a bay automatically based on rules such as charge level or availability, or an IT admin can choose a bay manually. This is where software and hardware work as one seamless system: software chooses a bay, and the locker’s control board receives the signal and reserves that compartment.

3. Access credentials are generated and sent
   The system creates a one-time PIN, QR code, RFID assignment, or SSO-based login tied to that bay. The user gets an email, SMS, or in-app notification with instructions. This is the same mechanism that answers “how do charging lockers work” when you need unattended but controlled access to powered bays.

4. The user authenticates at the locker
   At the locker kiosk, the user enters the PIN, scans their badge, or logs in with their identity provider. The authentication panel collects the credential and sends it to the software layer, which validates it and sends an “unlock bay X” command back to the hardware.

5. The bay unlocks and the action occurs
   The electronic lock on that specific compartment receives the command and opens. The user retrieves a device, returns one, or performs an exchange. If the locker includes AC or USB-C power, charging either continues or starts as soon as the door is closed and the device is plugged in.

6. The system logs the transaction automatically
   Every interaction — who accessed which bay, which device, and at what time — is recorded in the locker’s audit log. This creates a detailed trail that can be surfaced in dashboards or exported to ITSM or asset management systems.

7. The locker resets for the next assignment
   Once the workflow rules are met (e.g., device returned, time window expired), the bay is released, and the next request can reuse it. Administrators can see status in real time and receive alerts for overdue returns or offline hardware.

Together, the software and hardware operate as a single automated system that authenticates users, opens compartments, logs activity, and manages charging. From an end-user perspective, the answer to “how do you use a smart locker?” is simple: walk up, authenticate, follow the on-screen prompts, and close the door when you’re done.

What is a smart locker?

A smart locker is a secure storage system with electronic locks and software that controls who can open each compartment and when. It can also track who used which locker and often provides built-in charging for laptops, tablets, and phones.

Each bay is a small, secure compartment. Inside, you’ll usually find AC or USB-C power for devices and sometimes sensors that detect whether the door is open or if a device is present. On the front, there’s a kiosk or reader where users enter a PIN, scan a badge, or use another form of ID. Behind the scenes, a cloud-based system manages users, access rules, and reporting.

Tip: If you need a broader primer on definitions and use cases, see our dedicated overview of what is a smart locker.

Where are smart lockers used?

Smart lockers are used anywhere organizations need secure, trackable access to shared devices or assets. Education, healthcare, and enterprise IT teams use them to keep laptops, tablets, and other equipment ready for use. In practice, they act as unattended pick-up and drop-off points that fit into existing workflows and identity systems.

K–12 schools and districts

In K–12 environments, smart lockers act as self-service hubs for loaner devices, broken device swaps, and secure after-hours pick-up. They’re especially useful in 1:1 programs where students frequently forget, damage, or misplace laptops and tablets and IT teams need a repeatable way to keep learning on track.

See how Poly Prep reduced tech workload with smart lockers.

Higher education

Universities deploy smart lockers across libraries, labs, and residence halls so students and staff can access devices or peripherals 24/7. For campus IT, they become modern replacements for “keys behind the help-desk counter,” supporting everything from laptop checkouts to short-term equipment loans without staffing every location.

See how SUNY Fredonia streamlined laptop lending with FUYL Enhanced.

Enterprises and corporate offices

In workplaces, smart lockers act as secure lockers for assigned work devices and shared assets — laptops, phones, scanners, or test equipment. They dovetail with workplace agile lockers and hot-desking strategies, supporting shift workers, hybrid staff, and visitors who need temporary but controlled access to technology.

Manufacturing and industrial workplaces

On shop floors and in warehouses, smart lockers provide trackable storage for handheld scanners, rugged tablets, radios, and other shared tools. Audit logs show who last had each asset and help reduce device loss between departments or shifts.

See how ThermTech uses FUYL lockers for work phone management.

Healthcare facilities

Clinics and hospitals use smart lockers to manage tablets, COW/bedside devices, and mobile phones across wards. Automated logging and charging ensure equipment is ready at the start of each shift and help protect PHI by reducing untracked hardware moving around the facility.

See how Erie County Medical Center improved device deployments.

Benefits of smart lockers

For IT, the value of smart lockers comes from turning manual hand-offs into predictable, self-service workflows. Instead of repeating low-value tasks all day, teams manage policies and dashboards.

Top benefits include:

• Automated device handoffs with no desk-bound hand-overs.

• Transparent audit trail for every pickup, return, and exchange.

• Higher device uptime thanks to integrated AC or USB-C charging.

• Reduced IT and facilities workload on routine requests.

• Consistent user experience across locations and departments.

Tip: To dive deeper into ROI and long-term value, explore our overview of smart locker benefits.

Real smart locker workflows in action

Smart lockers from different vendors don’t all work the same way. Many only offer basic remote unlocking. FUYL Smart Lockers from LocknCharge add something more: configurable workflows that automate repetitive device tasks such as charging, loaning, repairs, deployments, and now device replacements.

These workflows are designed around how schools and workplaces actually manage devices day to day. Let’s dive deeper into each of the workflows offered.

1. Device deployments

The Deployments workflow lets IT pre-load and assign ready-to-use devices without face-to-face handoffs. Devices are stored in FUYL Smart Lockers and mapped to users or groups in the cloud portal, so when someone needs a device, they simply authenticate at the kiosk and the system opens a bay with an available unit, logging the pickup for clear inventory and user tracking.

2. Repairs

The Repairs workflow automates drop-off and pickup for broken devices. Users authenticate at the FUYL Kiosk, choose a repair option, and place the device in an assigned bay, which triggers a record and alert for IT. Once the device is fixed and returned to a locker, the user receives a notification, authenticates again, and retrieves it, with every step recorded for visibility into repair status and history.

3. Loaner programs

The Loaning workflow manages both the checkout and return of spare devices. When someone needs a short-term device, they log in at the FUYL Kiosk, select the loan option, and the system opens a bay with a loaner tied to their identity. On return, they authenticate again, follow prompts to place the device back in a bay, and the system confirms and records the transaction so IT always knows which devices are available, on loan, or overdue.

4. Secure charging

The Charging workflow turns FUYL into secure, self-serve charging for laptops, tablets, and phones. Users authenticate at the kiosk, are assigned a bay, and connect their device to AC or USB-C power inside the locker, where it remains locked while charging. When they come back and authenticate, the same bay unlocks, and the session is logged so IT can see how charging is being used without managing cables, keys, or counters.

5. Device replacements

Device replacements are a newer FUYL workflow that links repairs and deployments into a single transaction. When a user drops off a broken device using the repairs workflow, the locker immediately offers them a ready-to-use replacement from the deployment workflow.

The system records the device that was returned, the replacement that was issued, and who completed the swap. IT can manage stock levels, monitor replacements across sites, and reduce travel time, while users get back to learning or working with minimal downtime.