UniFlow anyone?

[Oaktech]

We've just renegotiated our copier contract and the company who has come out on top is Canon UK. We asked for a print management solution as our copy of papercut NG is well out of date.

 

Canon have come out on top because their UniFlow SMB solution is essentially free, it costs a per device licence which is the £10s and then just a support fee which is about £100 a year. I've used it before as a non admin, but is anyone else using it and can give me any pointers or gotchas for setting it up?

 

We have an engineer assisted install scheduled for the start of the Christmas holidays but I'd like to be ahead of the game. I've asked for documentation but it hasn't arrived yet.

 

Cheers

[Steve21]

I don't know if it's changed recently, or if you're at all interested or whether the choice has already been made, but we were looking at Canon at past place and they failed miserably in regards to linking to any other systems (e.g. cards/biometrics for both printing and catering).

 

Had to subscribe into BioStore etc which worked out thousands more to get the same as other systems

 

Steve

[Oaktech]

I don't know if it's changed recently, or if you're at all interested or whether the choice has already been made, but we were looking at Canon at past place and they failed miserably in regards to linking to any other systems (e.g. cards/biometrics for both printing and catering).

 

Had to subscribe into BioStore etc which worked out thousands more to get the same as other systems

 

Steve

 

Thanks, The decision has been made already. We are going to be using using our door access fobs to release printing, which are bog standard mi-fare tags. Our door system is standalone. We are unlikely to need it to integrate with other systems for the foreseeable future.

[psydii]

I've used UniFlow.

 

I have used PaperCut ever since.

 

For us I was lucky, I had a tech who was an ex DBA. He was able to get what ever we needed out of Inflow, but he had to talk to the data directly. Incidentally the data, while stored in SQL Server was structured as per its non-realtional-DB roots.

[MatthewL]

Oaktek, just a heads up, there are 2 version of PaperCut, NG which you had which is just for printers as such and then there is MF which manages your MFD's. The latest demo site for PaperCut can be seen here.

[mrbios]

I don't know if you're using something different to me, is SMB a cut down version of uniflow? I'm using Uniflow enterprise edition, currently on version 5.1.5.

 

Really don't like it, everything is an addon and every addon cost a lot. There's tons of features that papercut comes with that uniflow doesn't, or can be added on to papercut for a LOT less money than uniflow. Again not sure if there's a different version you're talking about here though, but i personally would say turn and run.

[Oaktech]

Interesting... I've been assured by the Canon technical sales manager that it will do everything we need - which isn't much. It would appear that the SMB version has more features included as standard, but available for less users on less devices.

 

All I need are the following functions:

 

Print release,

Print accounting,

Print rule enforcement,

Scan to network.

 

Thats it.

 

Not sure what you are using/needing to use that is an addon?

[MatthewL]

All of the big players in print accounting i.e. PCounter, PaperCut, Equitraq and Safecom will do the above, although the scan to network I cannot comment for all as alot of this is controlled on the MFD where as I believe Uniflow manages this within the software.

[Sylv3r]

This is an interesting topic. We too are close to signing up to a Canon deal with the Uniflow software. We currently use PCounter which is very limited I had hoped Uniflow to be a much superior product.

[Tallwood_6]

My current place use uniflow with cannon and cards which are also used for building entry. Works ok, preferred equitrac but it does everything required of including scan to me.

[mrbios]

Interesting... I've been assured by the Canon technical sales manager that it will do everything we need - which isn't much. It would appear that the SMB version has more features included as standard, but available for less users on less devices.

 

All I need are the following functions:

 

Print release,

Print accounting,

Print rule enforcement,

Scan to network.

 

Thats it.

 

Not sure what you are using/needing to use that is an addon?

 

Secure print, follow me print and rules and routing are three modules that come to mind which aren't included in the uniflow base product.

 

I tried to find the list of modules but i can't seem to find it. I'm sure the modules were something like £700 per module, or something close to that.

 

Found some info on uniflow SMB though, does appear to be a packaged version of the full uniflow product with a few of the smaller modules built in as standard, can't seem to find anything that allows me to compare the functionality though.

 

Personally I'm just really looking forward to switching to papercut in the near future, it's frustrating me that i can't think of all the examples of why i dislike uniflow beside the cost.....it's one of those things where i'll be doing something, get frustrated that it doesn't do it very well, then find out from someone that X product does it better. I don't tend to keep it in my memory long though haha.

Edited November 10, 2015 by mrbios

[MatthewL]

This is an interesting topic. We too are close to signing up to a Canon deal with the Uniflow software. We currently use PCounter which is very limited I had hoped Uniflow to be a much superior product.

 

I can agree with you on the PCounter, most things are better than that, I cannot comment on Uniflow as I have never seen or used it but if it was me I would look at a software solution that is compatible with any MFD such as PaperCut so when your contract is up you do not have to repurchase your software solution again just amend licensing for said device and you just carry on from where you was with a new MFD.

 

PaperCut 15.3 is due out soon and I would keep an eye on its development as in in the not to distance future if not 15.3 there should be some form of scanning included with in.

 

Get a look at each solution before committing and don't rely on what they show you, the software is just as, if not more important than the hardware to manage MFD's. Personally for me PaperCut if my chosen solution, some swear by Uniflow but they only use Canon, I would prefer something that is not just tied to one manufacturer of machine.

[Big_Ted]

If in a couple of years you by copiers that are not Canon can you still use uniflow ? PaperCut etc tend to work on multiple platforms, saves buying software again.

[mrbios]

If in a couple of years you by copiers that are not Canon can you still use uniflow ? PaperCut etc tend to work on multiple platforms, saves buying software again.

 

They have started supporting other devices i think. uniFLOW Output Manager | Air Copier Systems

[Oaktech]

If in a couple of years you by copiers that are not Canon can you still use uniflow ? PaperCut etc tend to work on multiple platforms, saves buying software again.

 

The issue is that because we would wish to use Papercut MF, you are essentially leasing the software anyway as it is embedded into the devices you lease. Without the devices it's pretty useless. If it was just a print solution using NG I'd agree with you.

[Big_Ted]

The issue is that because we would wish to use Papercut MF, you are essentially leasing the software anyway as it is embedded into the devices you lease. Without the devices it's pretty useless. If it was just a print solution using NG I'd agree with you.

 

In our experience the end user owns the software regardless of the hardware being leased. If they replace the hardware they can they can potentially use the same license on new hardware.

[localzuk]

Indeed, you buy a license initially, and then pay for support cover (which isn't expensive). You pay for licenses for your MFD devices, but if you switch manufacturer, they can be switched to the new manufacturer from what I've been told!

 

MF is NG with device support.

[robsonma]

Hi All,

Thought it would be better to post here then open a new Post,

Does anyone Still use Uniflow OMG I have been in this school since September from a Papercut School and Can I say Uniflow is a Pile of C**% but they signed a 3 Year Contract in June and I Started in July grrrrrrr Its Currentley Sitting on the server doing ermmmmmmmm Nothing.

I would like to start looking at using this software, Can anyone Help with Installing the Scan to Email and Scan do Google Drive, I have asked the Support People we use and they said instructions are on line! ehhhh? not much help the Documentation is a Joke something about work flows and it means nothing to me.

If anyone can help that would be great, using uniflow 5.1.6....... Only 564 days of this joke printer software.[TABLE=width: 100%]

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Edited November 28, 2016 by robsonma

[Oaktech]

Hi All,

Thought it would be better to post here then open a new Post,

Does anyone Still use Uniflow OMG I have been in this school since September from a Papercut School and Can I say Uniflow is a Pile of C**% but they signed a 3 Year Contract in June and I Started in July grrrrrrr Its Currentley Sitting on the server doing ermmmmmmmm Nothing.

Has and one and Can anyone Help with Installing the Scan to Email and Scan do Google Drive, I have asked the Support People we use and they said instructions are on line! ehhhh? not much help the Documentation is a Joke something about work flows and it means nothing to me.

If anyone can help that would be great, using uniflow 5.1.6....... Only 564 days of this joke printer software.[TABLE=width: 100%]

[TR]

[TD=class: editLabel, align: right][/TD]

[TD=class: editLabel, align: left][/TD]

[/TR]

[/TABLE]

 

I'm sorry you're having problems, but it's working really well for us.

 

I don't scan to google drive, but i do scan to a local home drive, it just worked. Scan to email was a bit more of a faff as O365 uses a non standard port and you have to enter service mode on the copier to change ports.

[Davit2005]

Worked fine in our last place as well. A good Support was C**% though.

 

Used it at a place previous to that as well, no problems there either.

[MatthewL]

Indeed, you buy a license initially, and then pay for support cover (which isn't expensive). You pay for licenses for your MFD devices, but if you switch manufacturer, they can be switched to the new manufacturer from what I've been told!

 

MF is NG with device support.

 

Yes basically this is right, you pay for support for period of years, your users and x number of MFD's plus any extra bits you want i.e. payment terminals, release stations etc.

 

Good thing with PaperCut is that it works on any manufacturer as long as you have the relevant number of embedded licenses, at the end of the day its just a webpage served up on most copiers.

[Sylv3r]

We've been using Uniflow since January and have had no issues at all with it and it's producing the data I need easily. I can't comment on the support as we've never needed to use them other than when it was setup and the guy that did our install remotely was great.

[limawhiskey]

Canon have come out on top because their UniFlow SMB solution is essentially free, it costs a per device licence which is the £10s and then just a support fee which is about £100 a year. I've used it before as a non admin, but is anyone else using it and can give me any pointers or gotchas for setting it up?

@Oaktech - would you be able to PM me some details of your pricing for UniFlow SMB? I'm disappointed as we have had a quote for it and it's working out at £1000s rather than £10s!

 

I had got the impression it was considerably cheaper and it would be a good way to give our staff follow me printing with our existing Canon MFDs.

[PotNoodleTech]

Wow good thread resurrection.

 

I gotta be honest guys if it 'aint Papercut it 'aint worth bothering with - it's just so far ahead of the rest of the competition particularly for education needs!

[SHimmer45]

apart from when papercut isnt able to count properly when using canon copiers.....