Controlling Print Jobs

[Iambarakath]

Dear All,

We are using Konica Minaltova MFS Printers. There are 5 printers installed in our office. We find that there are lots of unnecessary print jobs done by the users. I am looking for a solution to control unnecessary print jobs.

Pleas suggest me if there is any hardware and software solution.

Thanks

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Hello and welcome Iambarakath now from my experience it is just about impossible to stop what you want to do because the computers and printers cannot think for themselves they will just send and print off what people tell them to.

It sounds like a job for your IT department - I don't know what they can do except that perhaps put in place some form of surveillance whether that means someone checking every day what is being printed off ie if there were any of those five machines were being overly used for whatever business you are running.
Perhaps - I don't know but say for example the IT people could make it so that a password has to be used for any set printer to print off.

Having said that this may be construed as being as a big brother is watching action and you could become very unpopular in a very short space of time.

 

[Layback Bear]

As far as I know when a workstation and user has permission to use the printer their is no computer setting method to control what is printed.
Seem like a employee management problem not a computer problem.

Jack

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Yes mate as Layback and I have said it is really down to for want of a better term - draconian methods to watch what staff are printing.

 

[Eric3742]

Hi

You may have to read the printer manual on features available.

It is more like a "parent control" features.

But it is better to monitor by usage on the printer ink, which some printer ink are expensive.

Or rather on printer wear and tear, as doing maintenance could be costly.

It is a manner on self discipline by issue a form of notice, stating the reason.

As during my work in the office, i did print a lot and usage the ink is not much as it is black & white.
That is to say the printer is for my own both official and personal use, which nearly went to my house.
As in the office, there were 2 or 3 high end color printer which can record what is printed and number of pages used.


Are you the Boss of the company...

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Are you the Boss of the company...

Hum hard to say Eric as there has been no reply yet perhaps a solution has been found?? maybe a memo stating just what you have hinted at.

The only way I can think of getting around it is to allocate certain printers to certain staff or groups of them and then monitoring the usage of the dedicated printers.

 

[Eric3742]

Are you the Boss of the company...

Hum hard to say Eric as there has been no reply yet perhaps a solution has been found?? maybe a memo stating just what you have hinted at.

The only way I can think of getting around it is to allocate certain printers to certain staff or groups of them and then monitoring the usage of the dedicated printers.

These printers are high end for business.

Give you some info on these, as it is not home or single uses, hence OP do have problems.

In my last job, the Company did "rent" these type similar printer, i think is 3 printers, excluding other branch office.

These printers do have network printing.
The IT staff will enable, in the network, to users who are granted to use these printers.
Hence, it is true that there are issue in managing and controlling the print job by the user.

For me, i did have full access to all the printers, as a matter of fact, i do have a lot of privileges and even access to high level to System.
My access level, as one Director (by name title) of HR dept/division, asked the IT staff on my level in access.
I was just Senior clerk promoted to Executives.
The IT staff reply is that my level is the same as the Director level, due to my IT knowledge & support.
As whenever the IT Manager requested to have me transfer to IT, my Boss (Director of AfterSales) rejected.
Not once, every time IT manager request, including any change of IT manager.
That is to say, i am a mini IT of my dept/division, as these is 20+ years ago.


About the printers.

The printer do have memory, like computer, that can store the original pages into the printer memory.
And it can make copies of the pages from the memory, without the needs of the original copy/page.
It also have page count, reset is restricted.
Toner is also expensive.
Maintenance is a bit of troublesome, as it can quite easily get into paper stuck.
Most of the staff within the whole office, were taught by the supplier.


In this way, i do know that OP will have problems in managing it as it is not easy.
It is different from local printer, as what you had mentioned, like personal printer.

In fact, i do have a local printer and print everything, include personal and internet html pages.
As i had mentioned, my privilege do exceed (no limit) the Managers and other management staff.
As able to access to many other areas and system.
Another thing was when i was in NS (National Service, in Singapore, have to serve) and my job is in the Registry.
Register is where all documents are kept, including letters marked Top Secret, which i can access and read.


Sorry, i at times, just ranting.


Eric.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Yep I know Eric ours at work have a log that can tell you what you have printed, faxed etc etc But I think the problem is that you would have to check the time that these jobs were done and align those times with whoever was at work in that time frame.
Again very draconian and time consuming the only other thing that came to my mind was to have a CCTV surveillance on the printer area or printer but again very time consuming. Plus just think how popular one would be to do that and well some people do some "strange" things with printers at times

 

[Iambarakath]

Sorry for the delayed response!!!

Thank you for all your feedback Definitely, I am not the boss of the company

I need to have a look at the printer manual if there is any possibility to control the Hugh print jobs. Also, I am planning to implement Badge Authentication and User Box system to control the print outs. I believe these methods will help us to reduce unnecessary print outs little bit. I will keep you posted if it is success.

Thanks again for your replies

Cheers

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Mmm just wondering why if you are not the boss why you are worried about the number of printer jobs that go on? Are you the accountant or some admin whose job entails budgetary issues?

Now again I think personally the only way you are going to control the printers is to use somewhat unpopular methods like taking control of the printers through some form of admin rights how I don't know. In any case you will find people / staff will find ways of trying to work around whatever methods you put in place.

Anyway good luck but I would not be holding my breath for too long

 

[Iambarakath]

Actually, I am the IT Administrator for my company. I do have responsibility to reduce the cost of IT supplies.

It is impossible to monitor all printing jobs every time. So, I decided to find better solution to control it. Above mentioned methods was implemented in one of my friend's office. They observed that they can reduce up to 40- 50% unnecessary printing jobs.

Anyway, Thanks for your wish

 

[Barman58]

What I've done in the past for this type of issue is set up a print server to control all printing in a centralised location, (the excludes certain specialist devices such as A0 Plotters which were always only available to the department that has a need for them, and the budget to use them ).

Various print server hardware and software is available and a google should find a suitable option to meet your control and cost restraints.

From a users point of view it can be set-up so that they print as normal but the system logs everything sent to the printer, and can be set to record User ID, Time, Date, Number of pages, Type and complexity of print, (Indicates the amount of Toner/Ink used).

This can be set-up to produce data on a departmental or individual basis and can work with a Single Print Server or multiples

One of the best "tricks" I used was to add a header sheet to every print job which Identified the owner of the print job in large print to aid people to find their print - The other thing it did was inform everyone collecting prints from the Printer who was printing what and how often, a few strategically placed signs about paper wastage costs and simple peer pressure, did the rest, and wastage quickly fell to levels that saved many times more Paper and Toner than the overhead of printing the header This can be set-up on most work-group type printers for a low cost option

The company needs to audit the consumables used strictly and be fairly draconian in controlling usage (accidental single sided prints being recycled as "Scrap Paper", and Double sided waste as packaging filler Etc) One you know the cost of the wastage you can then add the control measures using that as a guide to budget

 

[Eric3742]

Actually, I am the IT Administrator for my company. I do have responsibility to reduce the cost of IT supplies.

It is impossible to monitor all printing jobs every time. So, I decided to find better solution to control it. Above mentioned methods was implemented in one of my friend's office. They observed that they can reduce up to 40- 50% unnecessary printing jobs.

Anyway, Thanks for your wish

The printer ink, especially for several colors, are very expensive that can cost several hundred of dollars.

My previous company printer color ink cost S$800+
This is very high & expensive to maintenance if it is not managed properly.

Being a IT Administrator is not an easy job.

Having to monthly report on the cost of these printer and preventing "rubbish" printing is also not easy.

You are caught in-between and you need to take a firm control on this situation.
Don't bother if there are some staff may not like it.
It have to take some time in order for your colleagues to understand this situation.

Why don't check with the suppliers on these issues, as they may have some sort of way to manage.
As this is common in most Company(s) using high-end network printers.


Just good luck to you.



Eric.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

I have given this a bit of thought and personally as I have done in the past when I was in a managerial role at that small hospital I would make up a policy for the use of printers and indeed anything else that goes on in the company.
The policy should state in very simple terms what can and cannot be used when accessing the printers and I have in the past ended such a policy with that any disregard or non compliance with the policy will incur disciplinary action and could involve termination of an individual's employment.

Now the governmental department I work for has such policies in place with those very terms within them however terminating someone's employ does mean the action of any said employee has to be really serious enough for that to be done in most cases would probably need the act to be of an illegal nature.

Still even so in this case I think the misuse of the OP's printers and consumables is if it is on such a large scale amounts to stealing if one wants to be honest:huh: