PaperCut MF Solution Brief

The following article provides a brief text based overview of PaperCut MF

PaperCut MF Solution Description

PaperCut MF is a low cost, multi-platform software solution that enables schools, libraries and businesses of any size to manage, account and recover print, copy, fax and scan output via user login or card ID. Typical uses include; student / patron charging, staff account billing, secure job release with “Find Me” pull printing, driverless web printing and auto enforced job routing based on administrator defined attributes.

PaperCut is currently used by more than 50,000 sites in over 100 countries and is one of the world’s leading print management solutions. PaperCut MF builds on the core PaperCut features and adds off-the-glass Copy, Fax and Scan tracking at MFPs via embedded/on-board applications.

Overview

With over 50,000 client sites worldwide and a growing reputation as the product of choice for education and corporate verticals, PaperCut continues to meet the demand through the provision of smart, flexible, low cost print and copy management software. Featuring the latest web based administration and end user tools, including driverless web printing and enhanced scripting e.g. job routing and “Find Me” (pull) printing by login, account or card ID based authentication methods. , business makers, IT administrators and users alike all agree that PaperCut meets their needs at an affordable price.

Feature Highlights

Simple web based administration
Cross-platform support - Synchronized releases on Windows, Linux, Novell and Mac on both server and workstation
Track printing on any device
Track off-the-glass copy, fax and scan via embedded application on the MFP
Integration into major directory services - Active Directory, Open Directory, eDirectory, LDAP, Samba, PAM
Login or ID Card - authenticate users via proximity card at the MFP
Find-me printing, secure printing and conditional job routing
Web Print - a 100% driverless printing solution for wireless netbook and laptop users
Policy Scripting - Write scripts to enforce functions like duplex. Dozens of pre-built scripts supplied
Over 50 in-built one-click reports
Payment Gateways - connection with dozens of leading payment services such as PayPal.
Pre-Paid Top-Up Cards - a free method for schools and colleges to create value cards.
Scalability to 350,000 users - via server clustering
Interface available in 20+ languages (including full Unicode support for Chinese and Japanese)
Documented public API
A friendly and approachable development team

Solving Real Business Needs

Client Problem 1

A small organization with a Windows server is looking for simple solution to track and report on all device use.

PaperCut may be quickly installed on an existing Windows server via a simple install wizard. All printer queues shared from the print server are automatically detected and monitored. All reporting and administration is done using a web browser and a simple web interface. Locally attached USB printers may also be monitored after installing an additional component on these desktops.

Client Problem 2

Clients often have mixed Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac environments where a single copy and print management policy needs to be applied equally.

PaperCut can reside natively within both platforms simultaneously with user management and pop-up dialog boxes supported on both to enable capture, billing and charging both from the desktop and at the device (MFP). PaperCut is a true mixed-platform solution supporting all major platforms on both the server and the workstations. Servers running different operating systems may work as one in a primary/secondary server configuration.

Client Problem 3

A large college is looking to support wireless laptop printing from student owned laptop and netbook devices while still ensuring jobs are secured, tracked and charged via the print accounting system.

PaperCut’s unique Web Print feature may be used to support 100% driverless and client-software free printing via laptops and netbooks. All integration is done via a web browser and users print by simply uploading files in common file formats such as PDF, XPF and Microsoft Office formats. All activity is tracked in PaperCut as if printing was conducted from a lab system. Users have access to all options including popup account selection directly from within the browser interface.

Client Problem 4

A large university is using Novell/OES and requires a print management software to integrate seamlessly.

As at May 2010 PaperCut was the only full management software to operate natively on iPrint running on Novell OES Linux.

Client Problem 5

A school wishes to implement a cost management solution that enables charging of prints and copies within the Library, whilst allowing the same students to print for free during class and capturing all staff copy and print with billing applied to the required department.

IT Staff can use the simple Pre-paid Top-Up Cards Wizard to create paper based value cards which can be purchased by students at suitable school locations. The student then using their web tools interface simply activates the value in their account, just like a pre-paid phone card. A script is then written which automatically knows where print jobs are being sent with attributes that could include class times thereby enabling free print sessions during class. Staff can use their school ID card at any device which automatically logs them in and allocates any released print job or performed copy to their assigned user and department account. Both staff and students are provided with a desktop widget which educates them on their environmental impact e.g. the number of copies and prints produced is equal to 2.3 trees.

Client Problem 6

A large multi-national engineering firm wishes to implement a common print tracking system across all offices world-wide allocating print expenses to a hierarchical projects list.

PaperCut is able to support hierarchical account lists numbering in the tens-of-thousands accounts. End users benefit from advanced features in the popup client software such as the ability to search accounts by keyword, remember favorite accounts, and add comments to individual jobs to assist with future reporting. Project/account search by keyword is also available on the MFP for copy/fax/scan. Individual sites can managed their own project/account lists, or the list can be globally managed and synchronized across locations.

Categories: Reference Articles, Architecture

Keywords: copier tracking, copier control, copier cost recovery, photocopier usage, mf-only