A dispensing system, comprising: a cabinet having a plurality of storage locations for storing items; a processor for managing access to items stored in the cabinet; a database for storing fingerprint data; and a scanner at the cabinet for scanning a finger of a user requesting access to the cabinet; wherein the processor is programmed to receive a scanned fingerprint of the user from a finger that has been scanned at the scanner; characterised in that: the database stores data representing at least two reference fingerprints associated with each of a plurality of users that request access the cabinet, the two stored fingerprints including at least a primary fingerprint and an alternate fingerprint; and the processor is programmed to compare the scanned fingerprint to the primary fingerprint stored in the database, and if not a match, to then compare the scanned fingerprint to the alternate fingerprint stored in the database, and to provide access to the cabinet if the scanned fingerprint matches one of the stored primary fingerprint and stored alternate fingerprint; wherein a user ID is stored in the database, wherein the processor is further programmed to receive a user ID entered by the user at the cabinet, to compare the entered user ID to the stored user ID and to provide access to the cabinet if both 1) the stored user ID matches the entered user ID and 2) the scanned fingerprint matches one of the stored reference fingerprints; wherein the processor is further programmed to also store data for at least one of the two reference fingerprints at the database as a shortlist fingerprint if the scanned fingerprint matches one of the stored primary fingerprint and the stored alternate fingerprint, and for subsequent requests for access, to compare a subsequently scanned fingerprint of the user to the stored shortlist fingerprint, and to provide access to the cabinet, without entry of a user ID, if the subsequent scanned fingerprint matches the stored shortlist fingerprint. a cabinet having a plurality of storage locations for storing items; a processor for managing access to items stored in the cabinet; a database for storing fingerprint data; and a scanner at the cabinet for scanning a finger of a user requesting access to the cabinet; wherein the processor is programmed to receive a scanned fingerprint of the user from a finger that has been scanned at the scanner; characterised in that: the database stores data representing at least two reference fingerprints associated with each of a plurality of users that request access the cabinet, the two stored fingerprints including at least a primary fingerprint and an alternate fingerprint; and the processor is programmed to compare the scanned fingerprint to the primary fingerprint stored in the database, and if not a match, to then compare the scanned fingerprint to the alternate fingerprint stored in the database, and to provide access to the cabinet if the scanned fingerprint matches one of the stored primary fingerprint and stored alternate fingerprint; the database stores data representing at least two reference fingerprints associated with each of a plurality of users that request access the cabinet, the two stored fingerprints including at least a primary fingerprint and an alternate fingerprint; and the processor is programmed to compare the scanned fingerprint to the primary fingerprint stored in the database, and if not a match, to then compare the scanned fingerprint to the alternate fingerprint stored in the database, and to provide access to the cabinet if the scanned fingerprint matches one of the stored primary fingerprint and stored alternate fingerprint; wherein a user ID is stored in the database, wherein the processor is further programmed to receive a user ID entered by the user at the cabinet, to compare the entered user ID to the stored user ID and to provide access to the cabinet if both 1) the stored user ID matches the entered user ID and 2) the scanned fingerprint matches one of the stored reference fingerprints; wherein the processor is further programmed to also store data for at least one of the two reference fingerprints at the database as a shortlist fingerprint if the scanned fingerprint matches one of the stored primary fingerprint and the stored alternate fingerprint, and for subsequent requests for access, to compare a subsequently scanned fingerprint of the user to the stored shortlist fingerprint, and to provide access to the cabinet, without entry of a user ID, if the subsequent scanned fingerprint matches the stored shortlist fingerprint.