Releasing a held document printed to a PaperCut printer

papercut

Issue/Question

I have printed a document to a printer. How do I release the job?
How do I make the document I just printed actually print?
I printed a document from my computer now what?

Environment

As an added layer of security and to help with sustainable practices, documents sent to most campus printers are held in a print queue on the PaperCut server. These documents must then be released by one of several methods to a specific printer in order for the documents to be printed. Enabling print queuing helps to ensure that printed documents are only seen by the person who printed them and so that documents that aren't necessary aren't printed and forgotten at a printer.

There are different methods of authentication and print release depending on your role at the college. Faculty, staff, and students have a set of methods described below while guests of the college printing at the Hawthorne-Longfellow Library have a different method, described in a different knowledge base article.

Resolution

There two primary ways to release print jobs to a printer for Bowdoin faculty, staff, and students. They can release from the PaperCut web portal from any web browser, desktop or mobile, while on the BOWDOIN wireless network or, in the case of multi-function devices (MFDs), they can log in and release their print jobs using the integrated release station software on the printer itself.

Release a print job at a printer

Release a print job from the PaperCut web page

Release a print job from a mobile device

Release a print job at a Printer

Most multi-function devices (MFDs) have the PaperCut software built-in allowing you to easily release your print job(s) while at the printer without the need to access a web browser or the need to remember to release the job before going to the printer. These steps will guide you through the process.

While at the printer, if the PaperCut software is not running on the touch screen, press the PaperCut icon and the software will start. (Note: If installed, the software is configured to run automatically).
Tap your OneCard ID on the card reader.
- If you don't have your OneCard ID, you can also enter your Bowdoin ID or log in with your username and password.
On the menu of options, tap Print Release
You will be shown the list of print jobs associated with your Bowdoin account. You will NOT be able to see anyone else's print jobs.

Note: If you plan on printing all of the documents shown in the queue, you can tap the Print All button to print everything shown all at once.
Select the document you'd like to print and tap on it.
You will be shown the details of the document. If you'd like to proceed, tap Print.

Release a print job from the PaperCut web portal

To release one or many print jobs from the PaperCut web portal, follow the steps below. Note that the screen shots are from a desktop web browser and that the mobile site will look different while maintaining the same functionality.

Open a web browser and go to https://papercut.bowdoin.edu.
Sign in with your Bowdoin username and password.
Once signed in you will be on the "Summary" page. This page shows the total number print jobs and pages you have printed since PaperCut was implemented.
Click on Jobs Pending Release from the bar on the left
You will see a list of all of the print jobs that you have printed from your computer waiting to be released. You can see the time the document was sent, the printer or print queue it was sent to, the type of document, the client information (IP address of the computer the job was printed from), number of pages, estimated job cost, and actions.
To print a job, click the Print link on the line of the document you'd like to print.

Choosing a Printer:

Some printers aren't printers at all! They're actually print queues that have multiple printers assigned to them. In the web portal you may see printers named "p-papercut-a\Mobile-Print" or "p-papercut-a\Ricoh-Find-Me-Print". These print queues are special because they allow you to easily print to one location but release it to a variety of different printers, depending on where you are.

For example: You have the "Ricoh-Find-Me-Print" printer installed. You print a Microsoft Word document to that printer from your laptop. You can now walk up to ANY Ricoh multi-function device, log in to the release station and print that print job. The printer used in this example can have up to 100 physical printers available to it!

If your document was sent to one of the special printers noted above, you will be brought to another screen asking you to choose which physical printer you would like to print to. Printers are named based on their location so if you'd like to print to the Moulton Union first floor hallway printer, you would select "Moulton-1stFloor-Hallway".
Click on the printer you'd like to print to.
You will be redirected back to the main portal page and the document you selected will now say "Queuing" next to it. The page refreshes every 60 seconds. Once refreshed, the print job should be gone and will be printing at the printer.

If there is an error while printing, you will be notified in the portal. Will also be able to see the current status of the printer so you'll always know if a printer is ready or if there's something wrong with it before printing to it.

Release a print job from a mobile device

Print jobs can be released from a mobile device such as an iPhone or Android phone.

Open a mobile browser and navigate to https://papercut.bowdoin.edu/mr

You must be connected the BOWDOIN or eduroam wireless networks in order to release your print jobs.

If you are releasing from an iPad, you can use the instructions for the web interface to release your documents.
Sign in using your Bowdoin username and password.
Search for and then tap on the printer you would like to print to. Most printers will have their name on them for easy identification.
Select the print job(s) that you'd like to print. When ready, tap Release.