Printer Costs

[button_ripple]

We are overspending massive amounts on our printer consumables and have been asked to find a method to sort it.

We think software like PaperCut is the right way to go, but don't know the best way to use it.

If we give people credits we can't spilt our budget fairly, so we are thinking of getting rid of the Consumables budget and charging year groups for what they print.

Just wondering how this system would work - does anyone else have this system, when do you ask for payment, what happens if people can't pay, etc...

How many people use software like this, and how effective is it? What do you allocate if you use credits?

[elsiegee40]

If you search on here for Paper cut and Print manager Plus (PMP) you will find many threads on this topic...

It does work, but requires commitment from SMT for it to have any effect. witch had problems when SMT decided they didn't want to use PMP after complaints from teachers and they are now back at square one.

We enforce PMP successfully and don't charge for extra printing if there is justification... it has halved our toner bill!

[sidewinder]

Agreed with Elsie - the software is good, easy to implement and works well

BUT the biggest obstacle is SMT. We've managed to convince them that students should be limited but so far teachers apparantly should be allowed to waste as much paper and ink as they want

[Geoff]

Also remember there's a free version of Papercut you can install on your print server that will simply log. This is a good way to gather some ammunition to go to your Manager/SMT with. Also if you don't want to go the whole hog down the charging/credits route, it may be all that you need.

[contink]

In some sense, having looked through the other threads in the past, the "best practice" side of things would probably be to implement the free Papercut logging system first for a few weeks/months and get a proper perspective on the amount of printing being done currently. Then with those statistics SMT can do two things:
1. Identify high usage accounts and users
2. Realistic usage vs' waste

With that data SMT can then start tackling the problem of wastage by using your data to prove to the abusers that they're being watched.

You can bet that usage will go down almost immediately but the primary reason I'm suggesting this as a starting point is that it will help ease in a credit system because those most likely to abuse and complain will already have been ID'd thus reducing their impact (and likelihood of being listened to) significantly.

It'll also ensure that those with a genuine need will have their targets set at a realistic level.

Just my ten penneth worth but I would definitely avoid a jump from unlimited to police state

[Butuz]

We tackled this in two ways after our 2006-2007 toner bill was £12k.

1) For pupils use printer credits. Eg they get 50 credits per week and mono pages cost 1 credit and colour 3.
2) Ink for departmental printers funded out of the departments capitation rather than a generic stationary department.

Both of the above together have really cut the amount of printing.

Software like papercut would be nice though.

[CPLTD]

Originally Posted by button_ripple

We are overspending massive amounts on our printer consumables and have been asked to find a method to sort it.

We think software like PaperCut is the right way to go, but don't know the best way to use it.

If we give people credits we can't spilt our budget fairly, so we are thinking of getting rid of the Consumables budget and charging year groups for what they print.

Just wondering how this system would work - does anyone else have this system, when do you ask for payment, what happens if people can't pay, etc...

How many people use software like this, and how effective is it? What do you allocate if you use credits?

I've noticed nobody has asked you how much your are paying for your toners , As a starting point I would glady look at your printer inventory and what your paying with your current provider now to see if we could save you money on your consumables.

Let me know if this would be of interest to you,

[sidewinder]

Originally Posted by Butuz

We tackled this in two ways after our 2006-2007 toner bill was £12k..

Pah, thats nothing. Ours for last year or the year before was £29k

[CPLTD]

Originally Posted by sidewinder

Pah, thats nothing. Ours for last year or the year before was £29k

we really should talk fella lol, mabye could save your place alot of money

[sidewinder]

Originally Posted by CPLTD

we really should talk fella lol, mabye could save your place alot of money

To be honest its the amount of toner more than the cost. If anything lower prices may actually make SMT less bothered about reducing wastage.

Plus we have a supplier who is literally 2 minutes walk away, so while it may not be the best price, its worth it for the service