Print management, any suggestions?

[Steve21]

So, in our reprographic department we can print for less then a penny, say 0.005 or half a penny a print. As can a lot of other printers here at school. BUT, with PCounter I cannot reflect that price, or in truth I have to move the point up one, so it reports each print is 5p. Really not very satisfactory - and confusing to staff.

It's in a later release to go down even more decimal places, but out of curiosity any reason why you don't just set the duplex multiplier to a decimal?

e.g. 1p per page, duplex multipler 0.5 = 0.005p (Obviously will only work for 2+ pages, but an option if you already use pcounter? Or you still looking to buy?)

Steve

[Marshall_IT]

PaperCut MF definitely does £0.000

We use % discount for duplexing and this means we have to have a fraction of a pence.

Print Manager Plus is not very good IMHO, we had trouble with it not adding a new balance each month and the difference in features between PaperCut MF and PMP is huge.

Also, does the 0.005 include paper costs or do you not charge that as part of the printing and thus charge it separate?

[david_1152]

Steve, are you sure? The reason I ask is because Altman themselves say this isnt possible (I'm told my my supplier), and they only suggested the work around I pointed out. Now it could very easily be I've totally misunderstood or they are misinformed, they do say however, it will work in a beta out possibly at Christmas.

I'm sure you're right - could you elaborate on you're solution a little for me? Do you know which version of Pcounter this works on? It might be that we have the wrong one.

Thanks so much for you're input.


D

[david_1152]

PaperCut MF definitely does £0.000

We use % discount for duplexing and this means we have to have a fraction of a pence.

Print Manager Plus is not very good IMHO, we had trouble with it not adding a new balance each month and the difference in features between PaperCut MF and PMP is huge.

Also, does the 0.005 include paper costs or do you not charge that as part of the printing and thus charge it separate?

No, we charge the department separately for paper, as they use it out side of printing. Thanks for the info on Print Manager Plus, looks like with the new information from Steve, we might be sticking with PCounter.

Thanks very much for the info, and hope it will be useful to others with my problem.

D

[Steve21]

Steve, are you sure? The reason I ask is because Altman themselves say this isnt possible (I'm told my my supplier), and they only suggested the work around I pointed out. Now it could very easily be I've totally misunderstood or they are misinformed, they do say however, it will work in a beta out possibly at Christmas.

I'm sure you're right - could you elaborate on you're solution a little for me? Do you know which version of Pcounter this works on? It might be that we have the wrong one.

Thanks so much for you're input.


D

I'll double check when I get a minute later, sure it used to work like that. Our prices gone up slightly so don't use it anymore, but will try to check when I got a minute.

Steve

[Steve21]

There we go:

(To explain it a bit)

A4 cost = 1p, Duplex = 50% reduction.

So 0.5p each (As duplex)

pcounter2.png
Only changed A4 B&W setting, and duplex just to test

pcounter.png
Shows cost for printing 2 and 4 pages (1p and 2p)

That any help?

Steve

[Big_Ted]

PaperCut does not have an issue with charging tiny amounts for paper.
PaperCut KB | How do I charge fractions of a cent for printing?

[NRS2402]

Have a very similar issue, currently looking at leasing copiers which have PaperCut built in. Then with our mono's just use the PaperCut to restrict users to limited printing. It also has some impressive features.