Scanning with PaperCut

Questions

  • How do I scan a document on campus?
  • What are my scan destination options with PaperCut?
  • Can I scan directly to my OneDrive account?
  • Can I scan a document to my Bowdoin email address?
  • What file types are available when scanning?
  • What is the default resolution when scanning?
  • Why are my scanned documents so large?
  • Are scanned documents automatically made searchable?
  • Can I change the scanning settings like color or orientation?
  • What happens to blank pages when I scan a multi-page document?

Environment

This article applies to all Bowdoin faculty, staff, and students scanning documents from a PaperCut-enabled multi-function device (MFD) on campus. The scan destinations and settings described here are available on all campus MFDs. Step-by-step instructions for scanning to each destination are in the related articles listed in the Related Articles section.

Resolution

Scan Destinations

PaperCut supports scanning to multiple destinations. Your available destinations may vary depending on your department.

  • Scan to OneDrive: All Bowdoin faculty, staff, and students can scan documents directly to their personal OneDrive account. Documents up to 1 GB are supported. See How to scan to OneDrive from a PaperCut device in the Related Articles section for step-by-step instructions.
  • Scan to Email: All customers can scan documents directly to their Bowdoin email address. The practical limit is approximately 15–20 pages at default settings, due to the 35 MB email attachment limit and the file size added by optical character recognition (OCR) processing. See How to scan to email from a PaperCut device in the Related Articles section for step-by-step instructions.
  • Scan to Teams/SharePoint Folder: Departments can request that IT configure a scan destination connected to a Microsoft Teams or SharePoint folder. Documents up to 750 MB are supported, and folder access can be restricted to specific people. Contact the Service Desk to request this setup.

Global Settings

These settings apply to all PaperCut scans on campus and cannot be changed at the device.

  • Split on blank pages: When the scanner detects a blank page, it automatically splits the scan into separate documents at that point. A page is considered blank when 99.99995% of its surface is empty.
  • Output file types: Scanned documents can be saved as PDF (the default), JPEG, or TIFF. No other file formats are available.
  • Optical character recognition (OCR): All scanned documents are automatically processed through OCR, which converts the scanned image into searchable, selectable text. This supports accessibility tools such as screen readers. OCR is available in English, French, Spanish, and German.

Default Settings

These settings are pre-configured but can be changed at the time of scanning by tapping the Settings button on the device screen.

Setting Default Options
File name Auto-generated Can be changed before scanning begins
Orientation Portrait Portrait or Landscape — the scanner does not auto-detect orientation, so change this manually when needed
Duplex mode 1-sided 1-sided or 2-sided
Paper size Auto (Same size) The scanner detects the page size automatically; defaults to letter if it cannot detect a size
File type PDF PDF, JPEG, or TIFF
DPI (resolution) 300 DPI 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, or 600 DPI — higher DPI produces larger file sizes
Color mode Black and white Black and white, grayscale, or color — black and white is the default to support document accessibility
Tip: If your scanned documents are too large to send by email, try reducing the DPI to 200 and keeping the color mode set to black and white. Both changes significantly reduce file size.

Additional Help

If you need further assistance, you have several options:

  • Bowdoin Bot: Chat with Bowdoin Bot directly from any KB page for instant answers.
  • Phone: Call the Bowdoin College Service Desk at (207) 725-3030.
  • In person: Visit the Tech Hub in Smith Union during business hours.
  • Submit a ticket: Request assistance through the Service Catalog.
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Related Articles (10)

Breaking up large scan jobs into individual documents
Explains how to use blank pages to automatically split a multi-document scan into separate files when scanning with PaperCut on a campus MFD. Covers which scan destinations support document splitting and which do not.
Charging a Cost Center for Copies From a Multi-Function Device (MFD)
Instructions for charging copies made on a campus multi-function device (MFD) to a department project code or account using PaperCut. Explains how to select an account before copying and clarifies that department charges track usage for accounting purposes only — they do not deduct from OneCard funds.
Photocopying on multi-function device (MFD)
Step-by-step instructions for making photocopies using a PaperCut-enabled multi-function device (MFD) on campus. Covers how to sign in, navigate to the copy function, and use copy options. Applies to all Bowdoin faculty, staff, and students.
Revoking Consent to Papercut Scan to OneDrive
Instructions for revoking PaperCut's permission to access a Bowdoin OneDrive account. This is useful for removing the connection as a privacy measure, or as a troubleshooting step when scan-to-OneDrive stops working and needs to be re-authorized.
Scan a Document in Color On a Campus Printer
Instructions for changing the color mode setting to color when scanning from a PaperCut-enabled multi-function device (MFD) on campus. The default scan setting is black and white — this article explains how to switch to color before starting a scan.
Scan to a Network Folder From a Multi-Function Device (MFD)
Instructions for scanning to a network folder from a PaperCut-enabled multi-function device (MFD) on campus. Note: scanning to a network folder is a legacy feature being deprecated in favor of scanning to OneDrive, email, or Teams/SharePoint. Network scan folders must be requested through IT and are not created automatically.
Scanning documents using advanced options on a PaperCut-enabled device
Instructions for using advanced scanning features on a PaperCut-enabled multi-function device (MFD) on campus. Covers how to scan multiple pages into a single document using the scanner glass, and how to change scan settings such as two-sided scanning, color mode, DPI, file type, and paper size.
Scanning to Email From a Multi-Function Device (MFD)
Step-by-step instructions for scanning a document from a campus multi-function device (MFD) and sending it directly to a Bowdoin email address using PaperCut. Includes information about page count limits and how to reduce file size for larger documents.
Scanning to OneDrive from an Multi-Function Device (MFD)
Step-by-step instructions for scanning a document from a campus multi-function device (MFD) directly to a Bowdoin OneDrive account using PaperCut. Includes first-time setup steps for authorizing PaperCut access to OneDrive.
Sending a Fax From a Multi-Function Device (MFD)
Instructions for sending a fax from a multi-function device (MFD) that has PaperCut installed. Covers how to access the fax interface through PaperCut's Device Functions menu, enter a phone number, and send a fax. Includes Bowdoin-specific dialing rules for on-campus and off-campus numbers.