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Co-Branding PaperCut

This article is designed for approved resellers or distributors of PaperCut wanting to add their own branding, identity or logos to the application. The branding will be displayed in addition to (or in some cases, instead of) the PaperCut logos. It is important to note that this is co-branding support rather than “Blind OEM” or “Private Label”. The feature is designed to support putting your brand alongside PaperCut rather than entirely replacing the PaperCut brand.

Co-branding is only offered when PaperCut is sold with other services or solutions (often integrated) and organizations distributing a co-branded version must meet selected sales, marketing and support requirements.

Important: Any organization co-branding PaperCut and in turn distributing or on-selling the co-branded version must apply for permission to redistribute. See below for details.

Branding options include:

  • Add your logo on the top left-hand corner of the admin interface (a “powered by PaperCut” logo will remain).
  • Replacing the login screen logo.
  • Change the default logo on reports.
  • Style changes to the end-user web pages.
  • Change the logo on the client software and copier embedded software (where models support this).
  • Change “purchase” and “contact us” links within the application (on negotiation)
  • Rights to re-distribute our PDF manual and other marketing material edited to contain your logo and brand on the introduction page.
  • Access to marketing material in an editable format.

The Co-Branding Process

The PaperCut development team is able to conduct or assist with the co-branding process, or you may undertake this yourself with the steps outlined below.

The PaperCut installer for Windows provides support for bundling additional images and files that will be installed along with the application. This enables a reseller to bundle the PaperCut installer along with their branding content to customers such that the branding will take place automatically when the customer installs the application.

After applying in writing to PaperCut for permission, the bundle may be distributed as a ZIP file, on a USB drive or on CD, to provide some examples.

To make use of this feature create a folder called extensions alongside the installer. I.e. the contents of the parent folder will look like this:

extensions
pcng-setup.exe

Content under the extensions folder will be automatically copied to the installation location. E.g.

extensions/client/win/client-logo.png

could be copied to

C:\Program Files\PaperCut NG\client\win\client-logo.png

after installation.

The following sections provide information about customizing the different components of PaperCut and how these can be bundled with the installer via the extensions folder.

The Client Tool

Information about customizing the client tool is covered in the user manual chapter Advanced Customization -> Customizing the User Client Tool window.

As discussed, the logo on the client tool can be replaced by supplying a client-logo.png file. To supply a client logo with the installer that will be used for all client platforms (Windows, Mac and Linux) place your client-logo.png file in:

extensions/client/linux/client-logo.png
extensions/client/mac/client-logo.png
extensions/client/win/client-logo.png

The User Web Tools Interface

Information about customizing the user web tools interface is covered in the user manual chapter Advanced Customization -> Customizing the User web pages.

As discussed, custom content is placed in the [app-path]/server/custom/web folder. Placing the custom content in extensions/server/custom/web alongside the installer will ensure that the content is copied at installation time.

For example the bundled content might include:

extensions/server/custom/web/footer.inc
extensions/server/custom/web/header.inc
extensions/server/custom/web/user.css
extensions/server/custom/web/your-custom-header.jpeg

Report Headers

Information about customizing report headers is covered in the user manual chapter Advanced Customization -> Customizing Report Headers.

As discussed, a custom report header image can be placed at [app-path]/server/custom/web/report-header.png. To include the report header image with the installer, bundle the image at:

extensions/server/custom/web/report-header.png

Applying for re-distribution permissions

Due to copyright/licensing reasons all organization redistributing PaperCut in a co-branded form must apply for permission. Permission is only granted to approved resellers/partners that support the co-branding initiative via an appropriate sales, support and marketing strategy approved by PaperCut. The co-branded version must be distributed with other services or integration that justify the reason for a co-brand. i.e. It’s not just an pretty image, but a service that offers benefit to the customer.

Please contact PaperCut in writing to apply before attempting to co-brand the software. Please include a brief of your business and market strategy and a time we can contact you to discuss further.

After final sign-off of the co-branded visual design and the marketing and business strategy, you’ll be granted the rights to redistribute the co-branded version to 3rd parties. You will also be required keep any co-branded downloads in phase with standard PaperCut releases with no more than a 14 day delay.


Categories: Resellers


Keywords: rebrand, unbranded, conversion, add logos, change logos, redistributing, oem

Page last modified on May 03, 2012, at 10:53 PM

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