Print management, any suggestions?

[happierlarry]

Hello everyone,

 

Just looking for some suggestions on print management and print cost cutting, as our toner costs are going through the roof. Looking around it seems that the best print management software is “PCounter”, I installed a trial briefly and it does looks very promising.

 

I also been contacted by company called “Arena group” offering to supply printers and toner (some sort of leasing), but it’s a bit confusing the way they calculate the price. Does anybody use leased printers, is it a good idea and what should I expected to pay (per “x” amount of prints I guess).

 

Thanks.

[CyberNerd]

PaperCut is really very good. There's a free 'monitor' version as well.

PaperCut - Print management software used by 50k organizations to control and quota printing

[andyrite]

Another vote for Papercut here.

[budgester]

Another vote for Papercut here.

 

Where do you think the main costs are ? Lasers, Inkjets. Certain printers, or certain users ?

 

Do you keep a log of all the cartridges you order ?

[happierlarry]

I do have a copy of PaperCut but it's about 10 years old and not supported any more, I can't even upgrade it. I've also spoken to couple of people that supply paper copiers and they recomend PCounter over PaperCut, but looking closer they are very similar. Thanks.

[happierlarry]

Most are laser monochrome. And used heavily across the board (teachers, pupils and admin). And we have too many different makes and models, some are getting old and toner cost is going up.

[Oaktech]

we are still evaluating papercut here, but it is looking pretty good that we will go for it come new financial year and some more budget! We are using a lot of samsung printers here as they seem to offer the best value for oney in the b&w printing market at the moment.

[6Foot2]

We use PaperCut.

 

I have just added a secondary print server to the PaperCut monitoring setup. Very easy. Now the printers on the secondary server have been added to the primary print server [i had nothing to do except install the software: Printers 'added themselves']

 

While working on this I found out today that I can install the secondary server client at stations where local printers are installed and have PaperCut monitor/manage them also.

[MrBrow]

I've been looking at this for the last year and still not settled on a solution. I've got all HP printers so looked at the HP SPS solution but then decided to concentrate on MFD devices and a cheaper photocopier contract.

 

A local copier company came up with a copier and software solution but it wont really save much initialy. Today I rang Papercut and discovered they do Papercut MF which will link with my existing Ricoh copiers. Assuming the cost is achievable then I may be onto a winner. Central copiers that we can all print to, record all budget info and save money for each click done.

 

Time to install papercut and see whats possible.

[glennda]

I've been looking at this for the last year and still not settled on a solution. I've got all HP printers so looked at the HP SPS solution but then decided to concentrate on MFD devices and a cheaper photocopier contract.

 

A local copier company came up with a copier and software solution but it wont really save much initialy. Today I rang Papercut and discovered they do Papercut MF which will link with my existing Ricoh copiers. Assuming the cost is achievable then I may be onto a winner. Central copiers that we can all print to, record all budget info and save money for each click done.

 

Time to install papercut and see whats possible.

 

This what I am doing as I already have papercut ng. I'm waiting till April though as our current contract is ricoh and if We tie ourselves into buying r

Ricoh licenses We are stuck with ricoh machines are you pay per device for mf. Rough cost was upgrade plus 10 devices about 3k I think

[RTFM]

I'd stay away from PCounter and go with Papercut, used both and Papercut is a ton better.

[MatthewL]

I have PCounter and cannot fault it, the company we used to get it all from have just started dealing with PaperCut for the education sector, heard good reviews about both, as I have PCounter I am going to say PCounter is what I am recommending!

[happierlarry]

Hmm… Very interesting, I was under impression that PaperCut not as good as Pcounter but now will try both more thoroughly. Thank you all for guidance on software.

 

But does anybody leasing printers? I was expecting few schools are going that way. Last year we spent in a region of £10K on toners (was talking to local private school they spent over £30K!!!).

The problem for me is that I cannot stock two toners of every colour for all printers, as people coming for toners after they run out, subsequently some printers out of order for several days. It’s not very good, it’s always a bit of a panic to find supplier with good prices and wide range of toner and then going to finance with another £2K order… (you should see the face of my finance manager)! So the idea of having the same printer across the school with well stocked cupboard of toner and knowledge of what I’m going to spend at the end of the year is VERY appealing.

 

So, how do you all dealing with it?

 

Thanks!

[MatthewL]

I lease my copiers from United Carlton, toner is here next day if we need any, my rule is that is there is no ink they cannot print and it saves me money, printing is not a high priority issue in my place, use the cost saving thing all the time to remind users about it.

[happierlarry]

We lease copiers as well, I’ve spoken to them and they are happy to provide us with printers. But I guess I will need to install PaperCut/PCounter to establish more precise amount we print annually and then see whether they can beat the price.

[Soulfish]

Another vote for PaperCut. Great company with an amazing product. We use it extensively here - have it installed on all the copiers and tied into fingerprint readers/biostore for print release.

[glennda]

Another vote for PaperCut. Great company with an amazing product. We use it extensively here - have it installed on all the copiers and tied into fingerprint readers/biostore for print release.

 

I'm guessing this then ties into your cashless catering and AD? I think its something we are going to look at when i move rather then cards.

 

T

[Soulfish]

I'm guessing this then ties into your cashless catering and AD? I think its something we are going to look at when i move rather then cards.

 

T

 

Yep - finger prints are taken via our cashless catering system and also used for our library system. First time you log into a copier you have to do it manually so it can tie your cashless catering credentials to your fingerprint, but after that its nice and quick

[glennda]

Yep - finger prints are taken via our cashless catering system and also used for our library system. First time you log into a copier you have to do it manually so it can tie your cashless catering credentials to your fingerprint, but after that its nice and quick

 

That's good - i know when i spoke before with the companies they said it was in the next release. is it the same that you print to a central queue? then it pulls to the printer/copier in question?

 

Might need a visit at some point to see it if you wouldn't mind?

 

T

[MrBrow]

Anyone noticed many problems with people not wanting their "fingerprint" stored on the system? I say this as I used to use biometrics for the library software but the new year 7's used to arrive with notes from angry parents not wanting their details being recorded. Despite the actual print not being recorded but instead being translated to a ID number immediately didn't seem to matter. It's great in concept, just those pesky few pupils and staff who refuse.

[glennda]

Anyone noticed many problems with people not wanting their "fingerprint" stored on the system? I say this as I used to use biometrics for the library software but the new year 7's used to arrive with notes from angry parents not wanting their details being recorded. Despite the actual print not being recorded but instead being translated to a ID number immediately didn't seem to matter. It's great in concept, just those pesky few pupils and staff who refuse.

 

1 Student who has a card out of 1500 not to bad!

[happierlarry]

I think we’ve gone a bit off topic but anyhow, before we introduced finger scanners we held a couple of meetings with parents and prospective parents explaining the technology behind it (that no your child’s fingerprint is not going onto police register!!!) and we had 1 in year 11 who refused, that’s all.

 

I know I am a bit banging about it but any ideas on printers?

 

Thanks.

[JonWPS]

We've been running Papercut here since September, and I'm very happy with it. Got the papercut modules working in our new Ricoh copiers now with AD authentication for copying. Pull printing will be rolled out in the new year when we get our new machines in Reprographics and that should save have a big effect, even if I expect a backlash early doors when people realise they have to release jobs.

[glennda]

We use a mix of HP and Xerox printers here (xerox being the newer and cheaper ones) along with 10/11 Ricoh MFD's. HP printers are the more expensive ones. I'm hoping to move to a model where we simply have more MFD's around the building with fingerprint scanners and remove desktop printers. In some area's this isn't going to be possible so they will have to have desktop machines but hopefully we should be able to just have MFD's.

[MrBrow]

Okay so not so bad on biometrics then.

 

Printers: Err, I have full HP and there is a HP contract available called SPS. You buy the equipment and as long as it qualifies (i.e. not ancient and in the very lowest range of spec) they will cover the device for hardware and repair within 24hrs plus all 'clicks' are covered in the system too. Much like a gas bill, you pay for what you use based on a basic survey and then over the following 3 years it will balance out to be actual pay-for-what-you-use.

 

Other than that, there is a solution that a local school to myself is going to be launching in January, called 'Altodigital'. They will be leasing full printers (can't remember manufacturer) and solution from them including ink. Other schools lease the copiers and fit 3rd party software on top, like Papercut or Pcounter.

 

Some make more sense than others but I suppose it depends on what you have currently in school and what you can recycle within the campus to save some cash.