The use of multi-function devices has changed dramatically in many organizations over the past few years. Today people are printing more with more computer generated content (printing emails, Word documents, internet pages and PDFs) while off-the-glass volumes have declined to as little 20%. However many organizations still wish to track off-the-glass content. The built-in PIN feature that is now standard in all multi-function devices is enough for many sites. However sites with adequate IT budgets may wish to track all multi-function device usage within PaperCut itself.
PaperCut MF extends the print, capture, billing and charge capabilities of PaperCut. It enables organizations to manage all copying and printing across their entire multi-functional copier and printer fleets using a single low cost software application. It does this in two ways:
Copier Hardware Terminals
PaperCut MF integrates with a number of hardware based copier terminals. These terminals integrate directly with the copiers to manage user authentication and to enable/disable the devices. Once installed, PaperCut detects these terminals and allows an organization to manage off-the-glass costs the same way it manages printers costs. Terminals work at the hardware level and are compatible with almost all multi-function devices and copiers available on the market today.
Embedded Software
A new and emerging area is embedded software for multi-function devices. PaperCut works directly with copier manufacturers to allow PaperCut to run directly on the devices themselves. This allows PaperCut to control off-the-glass usage directly in software without the need for any additional hardware. High-end models for six major copier brands have already been implemented and more are in development. As multi-function devices become "smarter", and this technology becomes more prevalent, we aim to make this functionality available in PaperCut NG itself as a core feature. However today setup can be complex so this functionality is made available through PaperCut MF - an edition of PaperCut supported by trained resellers.
For more information please visit the PaperCut MF website.
