Can I Have My VISTA System Automatically Disarm When I Unlock My Z-Wave Lock?

Yes, you can have your VISTA System automatically disarm when you unlock your Z-Wave lock. This is done by creating a scene on your Honeywell Tuxedo Touch that tells the system to disarm when the lock is unlocked. For an older gen Tuxedo Touch, you must use a classic Z-Wave (non-Plus) lock.

Having your Honeywell VISTA System disarm automatically when you unlock your Z-Wave door lock can be really convenient. You will normally unlock your Z-Wave door lock as soon as you come home from work or any other outing. You would then normally need to immediately disarm your system upon returning home. But if you can have Z-Wave functionality do this on your behalf, then it can save you time.

While this type of set up is traditionally accomplished using a Honeywell Tuxedo Touch Keypad, it is also possible using a Honeywell VAM Vista Automation Module. To do this, you will need to need to access the Honeywell VAM through a web browser. This is done by entering the IP address for the Honeywell VAM into a web browser on a device that is connected to the same WIFI network as the Honeywell VAM. Doing this will allow you to control the VAM in the same manner as a Tuxedo Touch, and you can then follow the same steps listed below. For more information on connecting a Honeywell VAM to a WIFI network, please see this FAQ.

One crucial thing to keep in mind is that you can only have a a VISTA System automatically disarm when a Z-Wave door lock is unlocked if you are using a classic Z-Wave lock. You cannot do this if you are using a Z-Wave Plus door lock. Normally, there is no disadvantage to using a classic Z-Wave plus device over a classic Z-Wave device. But this is one of those very rare instances where that is the case. If you want to set up this functionality, make sure you are using a classic Z-Wave lock, and not a Z-Wave Plus lock. Please note that this restriction does not apply if you are using a 3rd generation Tuxedo Touch. As of June 2020, the new "3rd generation" Tuxedo Touch has not yet been released.

Please also note that this process is only possible using local smart scenes built through the Tuxedo Touch or VAM. You cannot use Total Connect 2.0 remote scenes. There is a limit to only ten (10) local scenes, so keep that in mind.

For this FAQ, we will assume that the lock has already been enrolled with the Z-Wave network. Complete the following steps to create a scene so that your VISTA automatically disarms when your Z-Wave lock is unlocked:

1. Access Z-Wave scene add. Start from the main screen of your Tuxedo Touch (or the VAM pulled up on a web browser). Choose Automation, followed by the second button from the left at the bottom of the screen. This is the Z-Wave Scene Menu.

Then choose the Add Scene button. This is the button furthest to the left at the bottom of the screen:

You will then enter the Z-Wave Scene Creation Menu.

2. Build the scene. The scene will consist of two (2) parts. These are the Trigger and the Action. The Trigger (the lock being unlocked) is what will tell the Action (the system being disarmed) to occur.

First you will set the Trigger. Click on the pencil icon for the Trigger field. For the Event Trigger Type, choose Door. Under the Select Door Lock drop-down option, choose the lock you want to associate with the scene. Make sure you can remember the name that you set for the Z-Wave lock when you enrolled it with the Z-Wave network. Then Under Select Condition choose Code Unlocked. Then press the save button (the floppy disk) at the bottom.

Next you will set the Action. Click the + icon in the Actions field. For the Event Action Type, select Security. For Home Partition choose Disarm. In the Enter User Code, enter the system Master Code, or any other valid user code that can be used to disarm the system. Then press the save button (the floppy disk) at the bottom.

When you get back to the Z-Wave Scene Menu, press the save button (the floppy disk) in the bottom-left corner. You can then press the picture of the house in the upper-left corner to return to the home screen.

3. Test the scene. Lock your Z-Wave door lock, and arm your VISTA System. Wait for any Exit Delay countdown to expire. Then unlock your Z-Wave door lock by using a valid code. Then make sure that your VISTA System successfully disarms. Please note that it may take a few moments for the scene to occur. If the automatic disarm does not occur within one (1) minute, then you should consider checking the scene to make sure it is set up correctly. Also make sure that you are using a standard Z-Wave lock, and not a Z-Wave Plus lock.