PaperCut MF provides integration with Sharp MFDs, enabling the tracking, charging or billing of “off the glass” copying. The goal of PaperCut Software’s embedded MFD solution is to leverage the capabilities of Sharp devices to provide walk-up copier users with the same set of rich application features provided in the print control area. These include:

  • End user authentication including integration with single sign-on environments such as Active Directory, Open Directory, eDirectory, LDAP and others
  • Optional proximity card swipe authentication (via standard USB based readers)
  • Group-based access control to the device and color copying
  • Monitoring and control of photocopying, scanning and faxing (quotas, charging, allocation and logging)
  • Allocation of copying, scanning and faxing to accounts/departments/cost-centers/projects
  • Releasing jobs from a hold/release queue (secure printing)

Highlights of the Sharp embedded solution include:

consistency

The Sharp embedded solution is developed in-house by the PaperCut Software development team. This ensures that the copier interface is consistent with the workstation print interface, meaning users only have to learn one system and one set of terminology.

 

    Selecting an account using the PaperCut standard client popup

Charging to a shared account while printing from a workstation
 

   

Charging to a shared account while copying

integration

PaperCut is a single integrated solution where print, internet and copier control are all managed in the one system. Users have a single account and administrators have the same level of reporting and administration for all services. The embedded solution interacts with the PaperCut server using a Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) and web services based protocols.

Releasing a print job from a Sharp MFD

rate of development

PaperCut is developed under a release-often policy where new features are made available to users as soon as they are complete. Unlike hardware based solutions, new versions can be delivered to users regularly as software updates.

vendor neutrality

PaperCut remains true to its vendor neutral stance. All embedded solutions are equal and support all server OS’s including Windows, Linux and Mac.

security

A large percentage of PaperCut’s user base is in education environments where security is important. All embedded solutions are developed with security in mind. Where security objectives can’t be satisfied, any deficiencies are fully disclosed.

Users with insufficient balance to perform copying are denied access to the MFD

integrated authentication

  • Leverage your existing single sign-on infrastructure by allowing users to log in with the same username and password used elsewhere on the network. No need to remember and maintain multiple logins!
  • Integrate with existing single sign-on environments such as:
    • Microsoft Active Directory
    • Apple Open Directory
    • Novell eDirectory
    • Other LDAP, NIS or POSIX environments
  • Optionally authenticate using convenient ID numbers and optional PINs for extra security
Authenticating with a username and password at a Sharp MFD

find-me printing integration

  • Also known as “Follow Me” or “Pull Printing”, Find Me printing provides users in environments with several identical multi-function devices to print to a single virtual global queue. They can then walk up and log on to a device nearby available device and have their print job pulled from the global queue and printed on the spot.
  • More on Find Me printing in our PaperCut NG tour.

real-time copy tracking and control

  • Users are provided with realtime feedback of account balance and cost as the job proceeds
  • Charge different types of copying at different rates
  • All usage reported live in the PaperCut logs
  • Optionally limit amount of copying users can perform

track faxing and scanning

  • Track scanning to e-mail or to a file
  • Track sending faxes
  • Simple per-page cost model or 2-tiered cost model for volume discounts
  • All usage reported live in the PaperCut logs
  • Filter job logs to display just copy, fax or scan jobs

seamless user experience

  • Provide users with the same account selection options they use for printing via the popup
  • If shared account access is granted, users have the option to select accounts from a list or using a PIN
  • Control access to accounts using Active Directory groups

consolidated reporting and management

Consolidated management and reporting in either summary or detailed formats are readily available at the click of a button for all copies and prints across your entire fleet:

  • By device (printers & copiers)
  • By user
  • By shared account (client, department, faculty)
  • By location
  • By date and time / period

For more information about reporting see the Reporting in detail tour section.

choice

PaperCut’s embedded solutions work together with the PaperCut server software. This means that you benefit from a choice of server operating system (Windows, Linux, Mac, and Novell) and all management is conducted from one single location. There are no hidden extras such as external dependencies or database licensing.

supported devices

PaperCut’s embedded solution is designed to support any Sharp device supporting Sharp OSA 1.1 or newer. PaperCut has been extensively tested and certified by Sharp USA on the following current model range:

MX-2300N/2700N
MX-3500N/3501N/4501N
MX-5500N/6200N/7000N
MX-6201N/7001N
MX-M350N/M450N
MX-M550N/M620N/M700N
MX-M850N/900N/1100N
MX-2600N/MX-3100N
MX-C311/MX-C401/DX-C311/DX-C401
MX-4100N / MX-4101N / MX-5001N

The following table is an indication of the supported models, although newer models may not be listed here. If you are unsure as to whether Sharp OSA is supported on your model, please ask your Sharp representative or reseller.

Device Series Model Name
Japan
MX-Mxxx (MX-M35x, MX-M45x, MX-M55x, MX-M62x, MX-M70x, MX-M85x, MX-M95x, MX-M110x) MX-M350, MX-M350F, MX-M350N, MX-M450, MX-M450F, MX-M450N, MX-M550, MX-M620, MX-M700, MX-M850, MX-M950, MX-M1100
MX-xxxx (MX-230x, MX-270x, MX-350x, MX-450x, MX-550x, MX-620x, MX-700x) MX-2000F, MX-2300FG, MX-2300G, MX-2700FG, MX-2700G, MX-3500FN, MX-3500N, MX-3501FN, MX-3501N, MX-4500FN, MX-4500N, MX-4501FN, MX-4501N, MX-5500N, MX-6200N, MX-6201N, MX-7000N, MX-7001N
North America
MX-Mxxx (MX-M35x, MX-M45x, MX-M55x, MX-M62x, MX-M70x, MX-M85x, MX-M95x, MX-M110x) MX-M350N, MX-M350U, MX-M450N, MX-M450U, MX-M550N, MX-M550U, MX-M620N, MX-M620U, MX-M700N, MX-M700U, MX-M850, MX-M950, MX-M1100
MX-xxxx (MX-180x, MX-230x, MX-270x, MX-350x, MX-450x, MX-550x, MX-620x, MX-700x) MX-1800N, MX-2300N, MX-2700N, MX-3500N, MX-3501N, MX-4500N, MX-4501N, MX-5500N, MX-6200N, MX-6201N, MX-7000N, MX-7001N
Europe
MX-Mxxx (MX-M35x, MX-M45x, MX-M55x, MX-M62x, MX-M70x, MX-M85x, MX-M95x, MX-M110x) MX-M350N, MX-M350U, MX-M450N, MX-M450U, MX-M550N, MX-M550U, MX-M620N, MX-M620U, MX-M700N, MX-M700U, MX-M850, MX-M950, MX-M1100
MX-xxxx (MX-180x, MX-230x, MX-270x, MX-350x, MX-450x, MX-550x, MX-620x, MX-700x) MX-1800N, MX-2300N, MX-2700N, MX-3500N, MX-3501N, MX-4500N, MX-4501N, MX-5500N, MX-6200N, MX-6201N, MX-7000N, MX-7001N
Other Areas
MX-Mxxx (MX-M35x, MX-M45x, MX-M55x, MX-M62x, MX-M70x, MX-M85x, MX-M95x, MX-M110x) MX-M350N, MX-M350U, MX-M450N, MX-M450U, MX-M550N, MX-M550U, MX-M620N, MX-M620U, MX-M700N, MX-M700U, MX-M850, MX-M950, MX-M1100
MX-xxxx (MX-180x, MX-230x, MX-270x, MX-350x, MX-450x, MX-550x, MX-620x, MX-700x) MX-1800N, MX-2300N, MX-2700N, MX-3500N, MX-3501N, MX-4500N, MX-4501N, MX-5500N, MX-6200N, MX-6201N, MX-7000N, MX-7001N