Setting Ricoh copiers to require code before printing

[Jobos]

Hi, hope you are all keeping well.

 

I've been asked to change our copiers so they require a cost code before printing so admin can see who the biggest print users are. We are using a mix of Ricoh 5503 and 6503 copiers that are currently set to either hold print or locked print. How can I set the copiers to require the user to enter a code before the prints are released and also any copying would require the code entering too?

[chrisakak9]

het yourself a quote for papercut it will save you some headaches in the long run

[Jobos]

het yourself a quote for papercut it will save you some headaches in the long run

 

But papercut won't do anything for logging copying which would need to be setup on the copier.

[Edu-IT]

The MF version will?

[localzuk]

But papercut won't do anything for logging copying which would need to be setup on the copier.

Papercut MF controls printing, copying, scanning, & faxing.

[mikeprice]

AT my lat job we had Ricoh printers

 

To configure it youhad to use a special utility - I think it was Printer Driver Packager NX

which can be downloaded from the Ricoh website

 

Unfortunately it is a pain to work out how to use it and I do not have any instructions - so I'm afraid you will have to look it up

 

but it does work - eventually!!

[LeMarchand]

I've been asked to change our copiers so they require a cost code before printing so admin can see who the biggest print users are. We are using a mix of Ricoh 5503 and 6503 copiers that are currently set to either hold print or locked print. How can I set the copiers to require the user to enter a code before the prints are released and also any copying would require the code entering too?

 

 

Leased or owned? If the former, get onto whoever you lease them from. Pretty sure it's a 5503 at one of my schools and it uses AD credentials to assign the print jobs.

 

Otherwise:

 

AT my lat job we had Ricoh printers

 

To configure it youhad to use a special utility - I think it was Printer Driver Packager NX

which can be downloaded from the Ricoh website

 

Unfortunately it is a pain to work out how to use it and I do not have any instructions - so I'm afraid you will have to look it up

 

but it does work - eventually!!

 

 

Mike's right, it's a complete PITA - though maybe improved from last time I looked at it.

[DavR]

We have our copiers restricted using a custom driver through Printer Driver Packager NX, it wasn't a big problem. Then you just change the settings on the copier to require user codes under User Authentication Management.

 

The bigger problem for us is managing the codes, we've given each staff member their own code (seemed like a good idea at the time) so now every leaver/starter we have to update the user database on all four copiers using the distinctly shonky Device Manager NX software.

 

A centralised solution like Papercut MF would be much better, sadly our copier people wanted big money to set it up, which defeated the purpose of the exercise for us (saving money).

[Jobos]

Thanks everyone. We used Papercut NG many years ago but don’t use it anymore since staff got the message about wasting printing but I never looked into Papercut MF which looks good even if expensive.

 

Being a primary with 3 MFD it may be overkill. Roughly how much is Papercut MF?

[jasonatpapercut]

Hey Jobos,

PaperCutter here.

There are two primary products that PaperCut puts out.

PaperCut NG - Tracks printing, has account selections, filters, restrictions etc. If you can print to it, we can track it.

PaperCut MF - Tracks printing, has account selections, filters, restrictions etc. It also has copy/scan/fax tracking on copiers and is available through copier vendors and our large reseller network. Speak to your current vendor, they may already be able to supply PaperCut MF.

To do "cost codes" on the copiers, you'd have two main ways to do this.

1 - Setup your users into Groups or use the "Department" field in Active Directory and just report on their usage.

2 - Setup "Shared Accounts". These often mirror KLAs such as English, Science, Maths or Junior, Middle, Senior schools. When they print or login they are prompted for a cost centre/KLA/shared account to charge to. This is especially useful for multi-disciplinary staff, e.g. Science/Maths.

Reach out to us directly if you have more questions, we have in-time-zone contact details here: https://www.papercut.com/contact/

[CAWJames]

We use Ricoh and Papercut NG, we find people print a hell of a lot more than copy these days. We use the inbuilt addressbook with codes matched to our 6 digit VLE user codes, so people don't have to use their AD credentials on a crappy touch screen. Our scripts for user setup do this, using some code that interfaces with the copiers API, so AD setup and Ricoh setup in one. We then turn on usercode auth on the copier to stop the little tykes ravishing them for their wares. We then have Raspberry Pi touch screens with bar code readers at each copier for release stations, and print the usercode as a barcode on their badge! We are thinking of moving to NFC though. Works well and keeps us in the basic 500 user tier of PaperCut and not having to deal with the heady prices of MF. I am told that NG is sold by PC themselves in Aus, hence being reasonable, but MF is farmed out to resellers in the host countries, and marked up accordingly...Although I assume there are more costs involved with integrations, but it was a massive jump over NG to retrofit our fleet of Ricohs(10 of them)

[04amh]

As a 3 form primary with 3MFDs, I use Papercut Logger. It's free as well. It just sits on wherever you run your print server and logs everything. It spits out all the results into a CSV.

 

It doesn't do any fancy controlling prints etc, but it just copies each print into an excel worksheet, and then you can work magic with excel formulas to narrow down who and where prints the most.

 

Check it out, it saved us a bomb!

 

https://www.papercut.com/products/free-software/print-logger/