PaperCut Frequently Asked Questions

PaperCut is a both a server and computer solution. Documents are sent from a client computer to a campus printer. The print job is then encrypted and held until released to a printer through the web release portal, mobile release portal, or from a multi-function device printer.

 Yes. Two pieces of software are used with PaperCut. PCClient (PaperCut Client) is used to prompt a client for their Bowdoin username and password. This relates the document being printed to the person printing it. The second piece of software, Print Deploy, is used to facilitate the installation of printers. Some printers may be installed automatically based on location or department, while others can be manually installed, as desired.

This software will be installed automatically on Bowdoin-issued devices, both macOS and Windows. The applications must be installed manually on personal machines. 

Sort of. You must be on the Bowdoin network to print. This includes being connected to the BOWDOIN or eduroam wireless network, plugged in to Ethernet or connected to Bowdoin's network by using VPN.

PaperCut has a feature called "Find Me Printing". This feature allows us to create a few printer queues that jobs are printed to. This is what shows up on your computer. When you go to release a print job, you can release it from ANY RELATED printer. For example, there is a print queue installed on most faculty and staff computers called "Find-Me-Print". When you print to this "printer" from your computer, it will be held until you release the job. You can then go to any Ricoh printer and release that print job. It allows you to print where you are or where you will be. If you are in Searles and are going to the Library, you can print to the "Find-Me-Print" queue from Searles and then walk to the Library and release your print job on the printers available to the the public.

No. All documents printed to a PaperCut printer are encrypted and are not visible by IT staff or anyone else. In addition, unlike traditional printing from the last 30 years, the addition of print release means that no one can view your documents that might have been printed to a printer and left there. Only you or an admin can release your print jobs ensuring that no one else can view your documents.

In addition, all web pages are secured via SSL certificates and usernames and passwords are never transported clearly.

Finally, even scanning to OneDrive or Teams will require you give permission for PaperCut to be able to deliver documents to those locations on your behalf, and you can remove that permission at any time.

The same charges exist for students when they print or copy. There is no charges for scanning.

Faculty and staff have no restrictions to printing and all dollar amounts are arbitrary. These "charges" are only used for internal mechanisms and are not debited from a faculty/staff account in any way.

There are also a small number of departments on campus that require someone to "charge" printing to specific project codes. This feature is also available and covered in the knowledge base.

You can contact the Service Desk in a variety of ways. You can chat with us live during regular business hours by clicking the black and white chat bubble in the lower-right corner of this page. You can chat with our chat bot, BowdoinBot after hours by using the same chat bubble. You can call us at (207) 725-3030, you can enter a request online at https://support.bowdoin.edu or you can email us at servicedesk@bowdoin.edu.