Releasing a held document printed to a PaperCut printer

Questions

  • How do I release a held print job?
  • I printed a document — how do I make it actually print?
  • How do I release my print job at the printer?
  • How do I release a print job from the PaperCut website?
  • How do I release a print job from my phone or iPad?
  • My document isn’t printing — how do I find it in the queue?
  • How do I use my OneCard to print at a campus printer?
  • I don’t have my OneCard — how can I still release my print job?
  • How long does PaperCut hold my print jobs before they expire?
  • How do I print everything in my queue at once?
  • Can I release a print job from my MacBook, iPad, or iPhone?
  • What is papercut.bowdoin.edu?

Environment

This article applies to all Bowdoin faculty, staff, and students who have sent a document to a PaperCut printer and need to release it for printing. Documents sent to campus printers are held securely on the PaperCut server until you release them — they will not print automatically.

  • Applies to: All Bowdoin students, faculty, and staff
  • Devices covered: Bowdoin-issued MacBook Pro, iPad mini, iPhone, and personally owned devices
  • Network requirement: You must be connected to the BOWDOIN or eduroam wireless network, or to the Bowdoin VPN if off campus
  • Hold period: Print jobs are held for up to 48 hours. Jobs not released within that window are automatically deleted.
Note: Guest printing at the Hawthorne-Longfellow Library uses a different process. Ask a library staff member for assistance.

Resolution

There are three ways to release your print jobs. Tap or click to jump directly to a method:

Method 1 — Release at the printer Method 2 — Release from the web portal Method 3 — Release from a mobile device

Method 1 — Release at the printer

The fastest option. Walk up to any campus multi-function device (MFD) and release directly at the machine.

  1. Walk up to the printer. If the PaperCut screen is not showing on the touch panel, tap the PaperCut icon to launch it — it is configured to start automatically on most devices.
  2. Sign in using one of these three methods:
    • Tap your OneCard on the card reader (fastest option)
    • Enter your Bowdoin ID number on the keypad
    • Enter your Bowdoin username and password on the touch screen
  3. Tap Print Release on the menu. You will see a list of your queued print jobs. You cannot see anyone else’s jobs.
  4. To print a single job, tap it and then tap Print. To print everything in your queue at once, tap Print All.
Jobs not appearing at the printer? This usually means the PaperCut Client was not running on your computer when you printed, so your job was not linked to your account. See PaperCut Print Troubleshooting in the Related Articles section for steps to fix this.

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Method 2 — Release from the PaperCut web portal

Useful when you want to choose which physical printer to send your job to, or when a release station is unavailable.

  1. Open a web browser and go to papercut.bowdoin.edu.
  2. Sign in with your Bowdoin username and password.
  3. In the left sidebar, click Jobs Pending Release. You will see all your queued jobs with the time sent, printer queue, page count, and estimated cost.
  4. Click Print on the row of the job you want to release.
  5. If your job was sent to Find-Me-Print, you will be prompted to choose a physical printer. Printers are named by location — for example, Moulton-Union-Hallway or HL-Main-1. Select the printer you want to use and click to confirm.
  6. The job will show Queuing in the portal. Once it has been sent to the printer it will disappear from the list.
About Find-Me-Print: Find-Me-Print is a virtual print queue, not a physical printer. It holds your job securely until you choose a physical printer at release time — this is what allows you to print from your desk and collect from any campus printer.
Can’t sign in to papercut.bowdoin.edu? If you are off campus, you must connect to the Bowdoin VPN first. PaperCut is not accessible from off-campus networks without VPN.

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Method 3 — Release from a mobile device

Release print jobs directly from your iPhone or iPad using the PaperCut mobile release site.

  1. Make sure your device is connected to the BOWDOIN or eduroam wireless network.
  2. Open a browser on your device and go to papercut.bowdoin.edu/mr.
  3. Sign in with your Bowdoin username and password.
  4. Search for or tap the printer you want to release to. Printer names are usually printed on a label on the physical device.
  5. Select the print job or jobs you want to release.
  6. Tap Release.
Using an iPad? The full PaperCut web portal at papercut.bowdoin.edu works well on iPad. You can use either the full portal or the mobile release site.

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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 (14)

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Guest and Visitor Printing
How guests and visitors can print to campus printers at Bowdoin College. Guest printing is available at the Hawthorne-Longfellow Library through a separate process managed by library staff. Visitors needing to print elsewhere on campus should contact the Service Desk.
Off-campus and VPN printing
How to print to a Bowdoin campus printer from off campus using the Bowdoin VPN. Covers connecting to the VPN, sending a print job, and releasing it through the PaperCut web portal when you return to campus or release remotely. Applies to all Bowdoin students, faculty, and staff on Bowdoin-issued computers.
PaperCut Print Troubleshooting
Troubleshooting the PaperCut print workflow on a Bowdoin-issued Mac, iPad, or Windows 11 computer. Covers jobs that won't print, jobs stuck in the queue, releasing from the web portal, balance or quota errors, blank pages, and unresponsive release stations. For PaperCut Client software problems, see PaperCut Client Troubleshooting.
Print from a personal (non-Bowdoin) Device
How to set up and use PaperCut to print to Bowdoin campus printers from a personally owned Mac or Windows 11 computer. Covers installing the Mobility Print software, sending a print job, and releasing it at the printer. Requires a Bowdoin account and connection to the Bowdoin network or VPN.
Print from an iPhone, iPad, or other mobile device
How to set up and use PaperCut to print to Bowdoin campus printers from a Bowdoin-issued iPad mini or a personal iPhone or iPad. Covers installing the Mobile Print configuration profile, sending a print job using AirPrint, and releasing the job at a campus MFD or through the PaperCut web portal. Requires a connection to the Bowdoin wireless network.
Print Job Expiration - The 48-Hour Hold
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Printers available for student printing
Reference list of printers available to Bowdoin students on campus, including building locations, PaperCut printer names, and printer types (black and white, color, or multi-function). Explains the difference between Find-Me-Print and individual printer queues, and notes which printers support scanning and copying.
Printing from an Android device
Options for printing to Bowdoin campus printers from an Android phone or tablet. AirPrint is not available on Android, but printing is possible through the PaperCut Mobility Print setup page or by emailing documents to a computer and printing from there. Requires a connection to the Bowdoin wireless network and a Bowdoin account.
Printing to a PaperCut printer
The end-to-end workflow for printing to a campus PaperCut printer from a Bowdoin-issued Mac or Windows 11 computer. Covers signing in to PaperCut, sending a job, and releasing it at the printer. Links to other articles for installing printers, charging a department, and troubleshooting.
Releasing a print job from the PaperCut portal
How to release a held print job using the PaperCut web portal at papercut.bowdoin.edu. Covers signing in, viewing queued jobs, selecting a physical printer, and using the mobile release site on a phone or tablet. Useful when releasing at the printer is not possible or when you want to choose which printer your job prints to. Requires a Bowdoin account and connection to the Bowdoin network or VPN.
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Updating your OneCard information for PaperCut
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