Setting up Smartthings to replace my Iris setup. Some items of concern

[RBoy (www.rboyapps.com - Making SmartThings Easy!)]

@BigHoss

I can follow decently written directions really well though

There are many places you can find step by step instructions on how to install custom DTH’s and SmartApps. Here are two page which provide the instructions:

1. Installing custom SmartApps
2. Installing custom Device Handlers

If you’re installing a SmartApp or Device Handler from GitHub, assuming it’s been appropriately setup in GitHub, you it’s a few less steps in that case, here are the instructions for that FAQ: Github Integration How to Add and Update from Repositories [OBSOLETE]

@BigHoss

and that is keypad integration. But assume we fail with keypad integration, the idea here is to be able to allow access to the house via a unique PIN to our pet sitter, and to my disabled brother in law

You can check out this topic for integrating your v2 and v3 IRIS keypads with SmartThings (required access to RBoy Apps):
[RELEASE] Enhanced ZigBee Keypad Device Handler - Centralite, UEI, IRIS, Xfinity, Scout

And for then using that Keypad to control your locks, garage doors you can see this related SmartApp, it also allows you create advanced users like scheduled users, one time and various other types specific to SmartThings (like mode or presence based users) and also change their codes:
[OBSOLETE] Lock User Management (LUM) - #1739 by maddie

If you’re looking at simply creating a “permanent” users (note you can’t change codes, you’ll have to delete the user and create a new one), there’s a basic app called Smart Lock Guest Access which you can check out:
https://support.smartthings.com/hc/en-us/articles/200958090-Smart-Lock-Guest-Access

@BigHoss

Now if there is a way to get access to the system to a secondary user via the app that is just a “user” and not an admin of any sorts,

You can invite users to share your account from the SmartThings app, do you BIL can get access but he will have access to all apps and devices through his smarthings app. You can’t set restrictions on devices/apps, but it’s only the app and not the IDE (he won’t have access to the IDE).

@BigHoss

However my pet sitter is a major ludditell, her cell phone is just a flip phone / dumb phone

You can the use the Lock User Management (LUM) I spoke of above to use your Sitters phone as a presence device and use that to active/deactivate codes OR even use a Routine to automatically unlock the door when she arrives. She will need to install Life 360 which can act as a presence sensor in ST. Alternatively you can give her a “presence” sensor which she can keep with her

@BigHoss

SOME other means of turning the alarm on / off is important

Or just create a user code for her, if you’re using LUM it can disarm the SHM security system and even the ADT system if you’re using the SmartThings ADT hub. There are other tools like ADT Tools which can create more integrations for your SmartThings ADT hub as well.

Note that if you’ using the SmartThings ADT hub then you can’t use regular sensors/devices, it has many restrictions. You’re better off (IMHO) using the Smart Home Monitor (SHM) app that comes with SmartThings or a custom app like Intruder Alert and Actions for managing your security setup. The only difference being that you won’t have professional monitoring (SHM has an option through with a third party company)

Since you’re moving from IRIS and if you want to use your device I would recommend using the SmartThings v3 hub which will provide you the most flexibility to reuse your devices.

This is a start and there’s a whole community here to explore…