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Important notice for ALL Eau Claire, Rice Lake, and Marshfield students:
Beginning August 28th, 2021 all UWEC students will be provided a $20 credit towards printing each semester, which includes each summer and winter term. After the $20 credit is used, printing charges will begin to charge against your Blugold account at the print rates listed below. This credit amount covers the printing costs most students incur in a semester. This change was made to help control the costs of printing and stay within the amount budgeted for student printing from the student technology fee all students pay. These changes do not include students at UW-Eau Claire - Barron County as they handling printing costs differently, but ONLY for units located on the Rice Lake campus. Any students enrolled at Rice Lake, but come to the Eau Claire or Marshfield campuses to print, will be assessed the same charges.
In four simple steps the new PaperCut FollowMe multifunction device (MFD) solution allows you to print directly from a computer or smartphone, walk up to any FollowMe MFD, and release your document on-demand. You will also have options to create copies or create PDF scans of documents that get sent to you as an email attachment.
If you'd like to view your printing impact, access the PaperCut server by clicking here and logging in with your UWEC username and password.
Important Note for Off Campus Use:
If you are off campus and intend to send print jobs to a FollowMe printer to release when you arrive on campus, or to login to the PaperCut server to check your impact or change your PIN, your device needs to be connected to UWEC's Virtual Private Network (VPN). For more information on how to setup VPN services on your device, please read the VPN installation and usage article.
Contents:
Step 1: Install a FollowMe Printer
The first time you use FollowMe printing on a new computer or device you'll need to add the FollowMe printer(s) using the steps outlined below for the operating system your device is running.
NOTE: The UWEC-FOLLOWME-BW printer is already installed on University-owned laptop checkout computers and in most campus computer lab environments.
Select your computer or device's operating system.
- University-Owned Computer
- Personally-Owned Device
Windows (University-Owned Computer)
Due to recent security patches installed to fix a vulnerability within Windows, all UWEC owned and managed Windows computers should have both the UWEC-FOLLOWME-BW and UWEC-FOLLOWME-COLOR printers added for a user automatically at login, but won't be set as your default printer. You can use the steps below to verify that the printers are installed and to manually set one of them to your default. These are no longer available in Software Center to self-install.
Verify the printers are installed
Besides opening a document and printing to bring up the print dialogue box to see what printers you can choose from, you can also see what printers are installed for your user in the Windows Control Panel.
- Click in the search box or on the Windows Start button in the lower-left and type in 'Control Panel' and click on it from the results in the list above.
- Under the 'Hardware and Sound' section click on 'View devices and printers'.
- There should be a separate section for just printers.
- If the FollowMe printers aren't installed, log out and log in again and then give your computer a few minutes to run all of the login policies, which includes adding these printers. You must be on the campus network for this policy to properly run during a log in and being connected to VPN won't work.
- If issues persist please contact the LTS Help Desk at helpdesk@uwec.edu or call (715) 836-5711.
Setting a FollowMe printer as your default
Important: The default printer setting is a per user setting on each computer. This means you need to make this settings change for yourself on any computer you use that you want to change which default printer you are using. It will not impact other users on that same computer.
- Follow steps 1 through 3 in the previous section so that you see the printers that are installed on your computer.
- For the printer you want as your default, which should commonly be UWEC-FOLLOWME-BW and not the COLOR, right-click on the printer and select 'Set as default'
Mac (University-Owned Computer)
- Click the Spotlight Search magnifying glass in the upper-right portion of the menu bar.
- Type Self Service in the Spotlight Search dialog.
- Press Return on the keyboard.
- Log into Self Service using your university username and password.
- Click the FollowMe Printers option in the category menu on the left.
- Select the FollowMe printer (color or black and white) you would like to install.
Note: Color printing is currently limited to authorized faculty, staff, and student employees
- Click Install.
- The installation is complete when the printer shows a Reinstall button.
- Continue to Step 2: Send Job to FollowMe Printer.
Windows (Personally-Owned Device)
NOTE: When selecting print queues to add please use those that start with UWEC and not the old queues without.
- Make sure that you are connected to the UWEC wireless network or UWEC's VPN if off campus
- Click here for instructions for installing the Mobility Print client
- Add the UWEC-FOLLOWME-BW printer. If you are a faculty, staff, or student employee who has been authorized to print color, you may also add the UWEC-FOLLOWME-COLOR printer as well.
- When prompted enter your UWEC username and password
- Continue to Step 2: Send Job to FollowMe Printer.
Mac (Personally-Owned Device)
NOTE: When selecting print queues to add please use those that start with UWEC and not the old queues without.
- Make sure that you are connected to the UWEC wireless network or UWEC's VPN if off campus
- Navigate to and click on System Preference > Printers and Scanners.
- Click the plus in the lower left corner of the Printers list.
- A dialog box will appear displaying all of the discovered printers on the network.
- In the search box type in UWEC-FOLLOWME-BW to find the FollowMe printer and select it. If you are a faculty, staff, or student employee who has been authorized to print color, you may also add the UWEC-FOLLOWME-COLOR printer as well.
NOTE: Make sure that the Use field is set to Secure AirPrint.
- Click Add.
- The first time you send a print job you'll need to enter in your university credentials when prompted. See the troubleshooting entry for My Mac says "Hold for Authentication" or Bouncing Printer Icon for more details.
- Continue to Step 2: Send Job to FollowMe Printer.
Android (Personally-Owned Device)
NOTE: When selecting print queues to add please use those that start with UWEC and not the old queues without.
In order to print from your phone, you need to have configured printing in your phone's settings.
- Make sure that you are connected to the UWEC wireless network or UWEC's VPN if off campus
- Install the Mobility Print app from the Google Play Store.
- Launch the app.
- Open the Mobility Print app and press ANDROID SETTINGS.
- Press Mobility Print.
- Press the toggle button On to enable mobile printing.
- Exit out of your phone's settings.
- Select the document that you would like to print.
- Send your document to the shared mobile printer by selecting it. You can choose to print to UWEC-FOLLOWME-COLOR if you are an authorized faculty, staff, or student employee to do so.
- Continue to Step 2: Send Job to FollowMe Printer.
IOS (Personally-Owned Device)
- Make sure that you are connected to the UWEC wireless network or UWEC's VPN if off campus
- Open the content that you want to print from.
- To find the print option, press the app's share or additional functions icon.
- Press Print.
NOTE: If you cannot find the print option, check the app's User Guide or Help section. Not all apps support AirPrint.
- Press Select Printer UWEC-FOLLOWME-BW, or you can choose to print to UWEC-FOLLOWME-COLOR if you are an authorized faculty, staff or student employee to do so.
NOTE: When selecting the printer please use those that start with UWEC and not the old printers without.
- To change any print settings, Press Options.
- Choose the number of copies and other options.
- Press Print again to send your document to the shared mobile printer. You will be asked to enter your UWEC username and password the first time you print.
- Continue to Step 2: Send Job to FollowMe Printer.
Step 2: Send a Job to a FollowMe Printer
Now that you have a printer installed on your computer or device, it's time to send your job to a FollowMe print queue.
- Open the document on your computer or device you wish to send to a FollowMe Printer.
- Print the document using the document application's print features.
- Select the appropriate printer:
- UWEC-FOLLOWME-BW for black and white printing
- UWEC-FOLLOWME-COLOR for color printing by authorized users
Tip: For color printing if only certain pages are color, to reduce your cost you should consider printing those pages separately. Every page sent through the color printer will be assessed the color charge regardless of the content on the page.
- Complete any other necessary steps in the print dialog.
Step 3: Find a FollowMe MFD Location
After your job is sent to the FollowMe Printer, you will need to select a location to release your document. This table only includes units that are publicly accessible to all users or those located in residence halls.
Everyone's Use |
Rice Lake Campus |
Centennial Hall 1420 Computer Lab Area (two units) |
Library Lobby |
Centennial Hall Third Floor East Hallway |
Ritzinger Hall Student Study Area by 209 |
Davies Center 103 - Next to sustainability |
Student Center - Near the bookstore |
Davies Center 200 - Upper student seating area |
|
Davies Center 220 - Student Organizations Complex |
Housing |
Haas Fine Arts Main Lobby - Under the Stairwell |
Aspenson-Mogensen Main Lobby |
Haas Fine Arts 275 - Computer Lab |
Bridgman Lobby |
Hibbard Hall First Floor Hallway - Middle of Hall |
Chancellor's Student Lounge |
Hibbard Hall 200i Computer Lab Area |
Governor's Lobby |
Human Sciences and Services - First floor main hallway |
Haymarket Landing Computer Lab |
Human Sciences and Services - Second floor main hallway |
Horan Lobby |
Human Sciences and Services 225 - Computer Lab |
Murray Lobby |
Larson Hall 1132 - 24-Hour Lab (24/7 Access via Blugold ID) |
Oakridge Lobby |
Library Grand Corridor (24/7 Access via Blugold ID) |
Priory Building A Commons |
Library First Floor (two units) |
Priory Building B Lobby |
Library 2001 Computer Lab Area |
Suites Main Floor Commons |
Library 3011 Computer Lab Area |
Sutherland Lobby |
Library 4011 Computer Lab Area |
Towers Main Floor Commons |
McPhee - Lower level by vending and computers |
|
Nursing LRC 154 |
|
Pablo Center 251 |
|
Phillips Hall - First Floor North Hallway |
|
Phillips Hall - Second Floor North Hallway |
|
Phillips Hall - Second Floor South Hallway |
|
Phillips Hall - Fourth Floor North Hallway |
|
Phillips Hall - Fourth Floor South Hallway |
|
Schneider Hall 107 - Student Lounge (two units) |
|
Schneider Hall - Second Floor South Hallway |
|
Step 4: Using a FollowMe MFD
Log In
- If the printer is in Energy Saving mode, touch the MFD screen to wake the printer up.
- Tap your chip-enabled Blugold ID card OR your mobile credentialed device on the FollowMe Printer card reader. (this will also wake a unit up)
NOTE: See Do I have a chip-enabled card? if you have an old Blugold ID or tapping your Blugold ID on the card reader does not work.
- - OR - -
Enter your university ID number and enter your mobile printing PIN number when prompted. Most Blugold ID numbers are 7-digits long. If you have a 6-digit Blugold ID you will need to enter a zero as the first digit to make it seven.
NOTE: If it is your first time using a FollowMe printing PIN, leave the PIN field blank and press 'No PIN?'. You should then be prompted to setup your PIN on the touch screen. See How do I reset my mobile printing PIN? if you've forgotten your PIN.
- To return to the main menu from any screen press the Papercut icon or function button along the top and use the back arrow at the bottom if needed.
Print
- After you have logged in press Print release or press the Print all button at the top if you wish to print all of your jobs.
NOTE: the Print All function won't be an option for users who are authorized to charge multiple accounts for printing and you'll need to use the Print release options.
- In Print release, check the box(es) next to which print job(s) and then press the 'Print' button.
Your print jobs are listed in order of most recently sent at the top. You can also delete unwanted print jobs here by selecting the checkbox for it and pressing the garbage can icon. For users with multiple accounts you will need to continue to step 3 and go into the details of each job to release it.
- To see the details of a print you submitted, and to select the account to charge to if you have access to multiple, click the > on the right for that item.
You can adjust the number of copies you want or also choose to delete the print. Here is where you will also select the account to charge if you have access to multiple.
- Press Log out or tap your Blugold ID again to log out once your document is printed, or press the back arrow at the bottom to get back to the main options screen.
Scanning within the PaperCut app
NOTE: Even if the printer is black & white only, all units can scan in color.
- After you have logged in press Scan.
- Place paper on the copier glass or use the document feeder. Pay careful attention to the paper orientation markers on the unit.
You can edit the Subject and Filename fields, but for security purposes you are not allowed to change the to field, which is filled in with your email address automatically.
- Press Settings to change any properties such as size, quality and color and then press the 'Start scanning' button.
- Press Log out or tap your Blugold ID to logout once your scanning is completed, or press the back arrow at the bottom to get back to the main options screen.
In some cases the scanning Auto and Mixed size options within the PaperCut app don't properly detect the size of the media put on the scanner glass and forces you to choose a size. This size selected may result in wasteful black area within the final image. To make up for this we are able to provide the previously used Scanner (Classic) app so the user can define a custom scan size to reduce the amount of black in the final image. This ensures the image itself is as large as it can be and toner isn't wasted when prints of this image are made.
- After you have logged in press Device functions
- Although you are not charged for scanning, because the system doesn't know if you are going to scan or copy, you need to select an account from the Standard Account Selection screen.
- Press Scanner (Classic).
- Select Scan Settings along the left.
- Press the Scan Size tab.
- Press Custom Size.
- Tap each of the dimensions to adjust how large you want the scan area to be and press OK.
- Press OK twice to return back to the main Scanner (Classic) screen or adjust any additional scan settings necessary before returning to the main Scanner (Classic) screen.
- While on the Email tab, ensure that your name is selected as the recipient below the A to Z list.
- Press the Start button to begin scanning.
Copy
The copy function of the FollowMe MFDs is the more complicated task. You are still required to login to PaperCut so it knows who you are and where to submit the charges, but the functionality will lead you out of PaperCut and into the MFDs own Copier software to do the work.
- After you have logged in press Device functions.
- Select the account you will charge for the copies made.
- Press Copier (Classic), which is also listed on the function buttons along the top.
- Select the settings for your copies such as size, number of copies, duplex settings and press Start.
- Press Log out or tap your Blugold ID once your copies are done. If you need to print or scan you can also press the PaperCut MF button along the top to return to the PaperCut application and then press the back arrow at the bottom to return to the main options screen.
Pricing as of Monday, October 31st, 2022:
Size |
Color |
Grayscale |
Color Duplex
(per sheet) |
Grayscale Duplex
(per sheet) |
Letter (ANSI_A)
|
$0.35 |
$0.06 |
$0.60 |
$0.10 |
Legal (LEGAL-14)
|
$0.35 |
$0.06 |
$0.60 |
$0.10 |
11x17 (Ledger, Tabloid)
|
$0.60 |
$0.12 |
$1.00 |
$0.20 |
12x18 (SRA3 - ARCH_B) |
$0.60 |
$0.12 |
$1.00 |
$0.20
|
Other Sizes
|
$0.35 |
$0.06 |
$0.60 |
$0.10 |
Students added to departmental accounts will start seeing a new option when they release prints or make copies that will ask them to select the departmental account to charge from a list for work items or their personal account using the button to the right of the list for school and personal use. See below. Departments will be provided reports of account usage by user and which unit was used.
Checking and Adding Personal Funds
Employees and students can you choose the 'User personal account" option to pay for printing and copying for personal items. All students are provided a $20 credit towards printing at the beginning of each semester, including summer and winter sessions. This credit will be used first and once it is exhausted PaperCut will look for funds to cover print costs from your Blugold account balance. You can add funds to your Blugold account using the Blugold Card Office eAccounts portal. If you have not used the portal for a while you may need to contact the Blugold Card Office to unlock your eAccount access.
Add Funds to Blugold Card (eAccounts)
There is currently no option to see your remaining PaperCut credit or Blugold account balances at a PaperCut MFD. The only location you can check both of your balances is by logging in to the PaperCut User Portal Login. The Summary should be the first thing that appears after login and will show you both balances. The top value is your PaperCut credit balance and the bottom funds available on your Blugold account.
PaperCut User Portal Login
Request a Refund
Mechanical printing will always have some problems like jamming, but other technical issues may occur that also prevent a print from being released and result in an unintentional charge to your account. With the PaperCut system you can request a refund within the user portal following these steps:
- Make sure you are connected to the UWEC network or are connected to GlobalProtect VPN
- Login to the PaperCut User Portal with your UWEC username and password
- Click on 'Recent Print Jobs' in the left navigation window and adjust the filter options using the button at the top if needed
- Look for the job you wish to request a refund for and click 'request refund' on the right side for that job
- On the next screen you can request a refund for the full or partial amount, and you are required to enter a reason
- Click 'Send'
You can always view the status of your refund request in your Recent Print Jobs list. Someone from the Sustainable Printing Project Team will review your request as soon as possible. You will be notified by email from the system with the result of that decision.
The following supplies come included with every FollowMe MFD as part of the print charges:
- Toner
- Staples
- Letter, Legal, and Tabloid sized white paper
In order to keep staff support costs as low as possible, departments are responsible for stocking supplies in units that do not have locks on them. If a department requires training on how to replace any of these supplies, request training by contacting the LTS Help Desk at helpdesk@uwec.edu or (715) 836-5711.
Paper: To request additional stock of white letter, legal and tabloid sized paper, contact the LTS Help Desk at helpdesk@uwec.edu or (715) 836-5711. Include what size paper, how many reams, and what building and room you'd like it delivered to. Delivery of paper can take 1 to 2 days, so plan accordingly. Departments or individuals are responsible for supplying any other types of media to use in units.
Toner: All FollowMe MFDs report toner levels back to a central system and will auto-ship replacement toner cartridges to the desginated departmental office for that FollowMe MFD. A department should always have at least one spare toner of each type needed for their FollowMe MFD(s). If you do not have an on-hand spare, send a request for toner spare stock to the LTS Help Desk at helpdesk@uwec.edu or (715) 836-5711.
Waste Toner Bottle Full: If a unit shows that the waste toner bottle is full and needs replacing, call the EO Johnson Service number located on the sticker for your FollowMe MFD, provide them with the 5 character service ID of the MFD, and tell them the waste toner bottle needs to be replaced.
Toner Bottle Recycling: Used toner bottles should be recycled properly. You can collect your toner bottles and then request pickup of a batch by contacting the LTS Help Desk at helpdesk@uwec.edu or (715) 836-5711. You can also create your own account on EO Johnson's recycling portal to request shipping labels and bulk boxes to send toner bottles back for free. Recycling of used supplies is critical to the goals of the sustainability of this project and keeping unwanted waste out of landfills. - https://www.eojohnson.com/service#recycling
Staples: There are no advanced notifications when staples will run out and no way to have these auto-ship. Like toner, a department should keep at least one extra box of staples on-hand. To request additional staples, call the EO Johnson Service number located on the sticker for your FollowMe MFD, provide them with the 5 character service ID of the MFD, and ask for a box of staples.
Everyone has the ability to personally charge printing to their Blugold Account balance and for students against their $20 semesterly credit first. But work that is being done on-behalf of a department should be charged to it through shared accounts within PaperCut. By default, usersare not in any department shared accounts. LTS does not manage adding and removing users to these shared accounts and you will need to ask internally within your department about being added.
Managing PaperCut Groups: If you are an OWNER of any PaperCut group, you have the ability to manage MEMBERS of those groups using the Group Manager Tool. Remember that being an OWNER of a group does not automatically make you a MEMBER of a group and you still need to add yourself if you need access to the resources that group provides. Owners can also added exisit groups as a member, like internal staff lists. LTS will only help with groups in cases where there are no valid OWNERS listed for a group and it is orphaned. Updates to group membership can take up to an hour to be reflected within PaperCut.
PaperCut Color Groups: By default no one in the system is allowed to print or copy in color against a departmental shared account unless they are added to a department's PAPERCUT.<DEPT>.COLOR group by that department's PaperCut group owners.
PaperCut Reports Groups: Department's can request to receive monthly and/or annual reports automatically from PaperCut via email. To get this enabled contact the LTS Help Desk at helpdesk@uwec.edu or (715) 836-5711. When submitting your request be sure to include the accounts and frequency of reports. The recipient(s) of those reports should be added to the department's PAPERCUT.<DEPT>.REPORTS group by that department's PaperCut group owners. Note that these automated reports use true month and year, and the values will likely not align with the billing cycle dates that Printing Services uses when they do monthly chargebacks.
Known Issues
- My job stopped printing and the rest never came out
- Description: A job starts to print, but because of an error that occurred or because the unit ran out of the necessary size paper, the rest of the job never releases. This may also happen when I release a job and nothing prints. The unit doesn't show any errors.
- Solution: First, always check that there is enough paper in the unit (if not locked) before printing. This is not the final solution, but the reason this occurs is all due to document privacy and security. If a user walked away from a unit with an issue and someone later was able to resolve that issue, the rest of the print may release. This is not secure or private. The unit will automatically delete job, or what is left of it, when it encounters certain error states. Out of paper is treated like an error in these situations. Unfortunately, you will need to resend the rest of the job after the issue is resolved and print again. You may wish to request a partial refund for what did not print. We are working with the vendor on ways to improve this situation as quickly as possible.
- Mac and Mobile Device users are not able to select trays and choose finisher (stapling and 3-hole punch) options
- Description: This has been the case in most areas with network printing even before the FollowMe system was established.
- Solution: The easiest option is to print one copy of what is needed and use the copier functionality at a FollowMe MFD to complete the work with finishing options and to use specific trays if needed.
- Mac and Mobile Device users can't use other types of paper at locked MFDs
- Description: When a different type of paper is needed to print, but you only have access to a FollowMe MFD with locked paper trays.
- Solution: FollowMe MFDs are all now set to take paper from the bypass tray first if it is detected so this tray can be used for this purpose. Just ensure the paper is in the bypass tray prior to releasing the print job. Note you may need to orient your paper in the bypass try in portrait mode. Recommend doing a single page test print first.
- Scanning of Non-standard Sized items
- Description: Scanning some non-standard sized items, like books, does not work well with the existing scanning functions within the PaperCut SmartSDK at the FollowMe MFDs. You do not have the option to manually enter the desired scan area.
- Solution: A better solution is being worked on. Currently there is an auto or mixed option for size within the Scanning feature. Much of the time this works, but other times it still does not properly detect what you are trying to scan. You can still specify a size big enough to capture the entire area, but it may have larger black areas within your scanned image.
- When I submit print jobs they aren't showing up on any of the FollowMe MFDs
- Description: After sending a job to a FollowMe printer, the jobs are not displaying for release on FollowMe MFDs.
Likely Cause 1: Recently the original print queues that did not start with UWEC in the name were removed from the FollowMe system and will no longer work.
Solution 1: Remove the old print queues and use the install directions at the top of the page to install the new queues that begin with UWEC in the name.
Likely Cause 2: Larger files that have a lot of images in them, like PowerPoints and PDFs can take several minutes to finally spool up to the FollowMe print server before they'll appear as available to print on an FollowMe MFD.
Solution 2: Be patient. Some have taken up to 5-10 minutes to finish spooling. Adobe in particular dramatically inflates the spooled file size compared to the original file size for unknown reasons.
Likely Cause 3: You've manually set your computer's network to use custom DNS IP addresses instead of allowing our campus network to assign them. If this is the case, your computer won't be able to find our printer server properly. Some users like to manually set Google's DNS server addresses or a few others. Our print server is only available to our network.
Solution 3: Go into your computer's network settings and remove manually entered DNS IP addresses and allow DHCP to set DNS IP addresses. Recommend working with the LTS Help Desk if you're not familiar with how to check and change these settings.
- Excel sheets not printing in color
- Description: Although the UWEC-FOLLOWME-COLOR printer is selected at time of print the job still comes out black & white.
Workaround: This issue appears to only impact Excel specifically on Windows. When printing any Excel sheet in color, after clicking the Print button in Excel, select the UWEC-FOLLOWME-COLOR printer from the pull down list, then click on Print Properties just below that. In Print Properties, ensure the bottom option for Color Mode is set to Color.
- Printing PDFs from Chrome Browser and potentially other browsers
- Description: Some user have reported that PDFs printed from the Chrome browser take an extremely long time be added to the print queue.
Workaround: Download the PDF you wish to print and open it using a PDF reader (e.g. Adobe Reader DC) or use another web browser.
- Printing Google Docs from Chrome Browser and potentially other browsers
- Description: Some user have reported that printing Google Docs from Chrome browser will only cut off half of the page because page content gets shifted down.
Workaround: Download the file you with to print and open in Microsoft Office or use another web browser.
- Mac users attempting to print larger 12" x 18" documents where possible come out smaller
- Description: Some units are capable of holding 12" x 18" paper size, but when being released by Macs, the print is being forced down to 10" x 14" in some cases.
- Solution: This issue is being investigated. The current workaround is to use a Windows based computer to print.
- My old document printed fine on my old printer, but comes out completely wrong in the new system
- Description: Older documents, particularly Word based documents, no longer print with the desired format/layout they used to.
- Solution: The quickest workaround is to save the Word document to PDF and then print that. Although not the most desirable solution, you may need to recreate this document as a long-term solution if you edit it on a continual basis. Printing may seem to be a simple thing, but within a Word document there is a lot of encoding under the hood. There is also a lot that goes into printer drivers and the differences between printers.
Troubleshooting
Acronyms
MFD – Multifunction Device
The FollowMe print queue says it is paused after I submit a job. Is that normal?
This is actually how the system is setup. All of the virtual FollowMe queues on the PaperCut server must be in a paused mode to function properly. You can ignore that it is paused.
When I try to print against my Personal Account, the MFD is telling me I have insufficient funds.
In general this means there are not enough funds on your personal Blugold Account to print. For employees, if you are printing for work you should not be using the 'Use personal account' option to release prints. Instead tap the desired account to charge that is listed on the left side of the account selection screen. If you do not see any departmental Shared Accounts listed, please contact your department for access. Students are now being credited $10 worth of printing each semester. After the $10 is exhausted, charges will be put against the Blugold card balance. To add funds to your Blugold account visit the Blugold Card Services site. Learn how you can check your account balances.
When I attempt to release a print job I get the message "No results found."
If you are an employee receiving this message it means you have not been added to any department's PaperCut accounting group(s) to authorize the charges of prints. The Sustainable Printing Project team does not manage these groups and it is up to each department to do so. Please reach out to your PaperCut group manager(s) for assistance. Once added to a group you should be able to release prints within an hour.
Where do I get help setting up FollowMe printing?
Please contact the LTS Help Desk. If you have a mobile device you need help with it is recommended to stop by the LTS Help Desk in Larson Hall 1106 next to Blugold Central. They have a FollowMe MFD there and can walk you through the process and test.
How do I reset my FollowMe printing PIN?
If you are off campus you will need be connected to UWEC's VPN first. To reset your mobile printing PIN login to the PaperCut web management interface with your UWEC username and password. On the left-hand navigation click on the Change Detail section, and follow the on-screen instructions.
My Blugold ID number is only 6-digits and I can't login to the MFD manually
If you are one of the handful of users who have a 6-digit Blugold ID number, when manually logging in to an MFD to release prints, versus using a newer chip enabled ID to top in, simply start your ID with a zero first.
My Mac says "Hold for Authentication" or Bouncing Printer Icon
This typically happens when you've changed your UWEC password and your password for printing to UWEC-FOLLOWME-BW or UWEC-FOLLOWME-COLOR was stored in your keychain and isn't updated. If you click on the bouncing printer icon in the dock it should bring up a printer queue window similar to this one.
To correct this issue, click on the swirling arrow on the far right. You should then be prompted to enter your UWEC credentials. Enter your current UWEC username and password. You can elect to check the box to save to your keychain so you're not prompted to authenticate each time you print. Just keep in mind this issue will come up again when you are required to change your password every 180 days.
Reporting issues with FollowMe printing?
Please report any issues to the LTS Help Desk by either calling (715) 836-5711 or email helpdesk@uwec.edu. Please be sure to include the location of the FollowMe MFD you are trying to use and a detailed description of the problem you are having. Include the type of device you are using and the version of the operating system if you know how to find it.
I forgot to log out of the FollowMe MFD interface. Will it automatically log me out?
Yes. The MFD will automatically log you off after 1 minute.
Can I send my documents to the printer while off campus and then print them when I get to campus?
Yes. If you are off campus you will need to be connected to VPN to send your documents to the printer and you can go up to any of the listed printers and print that document at a later time when you are on campus. Your documents will remain in hold for up to three (3) days.
FAQs
Acronyms and Definitions
MFD – Multifunction Device
Click – Print charge for one side of a sheet of paper
Q: Why is the University moving to this new sustainable printing model?
A: There are several reasons why moving to this new printing model makes sense:
- Generates significant savings for campus each year by using fewer printing devices, and devices that cost less per print
- Reduces environmental impact by wasting less paper and reducing electrical use
- Provides a more secure and private method for printing for everyone
- Allows printing to be done from personal mobile devices in addition to University-owned computers
Q: What was done to collect current print information for this project?
A: In February of 2018, a project team located and cataloged all output devices (printers, copiers, and fax machines) as part of a printing study. The make, model, and the meter for total number of pages printed (if available) were collected at that time. Over 1,000 devices were cataloged, which is nearly one device for every employee at UWEC. In June of 2018, the team went around again to all of these devices and read the meters so that the data collected could be used to determine printing expense. Costs were based on actual University pricing for supplies and parts from mandatory contracts.
In addition to data from the printers, the print team met with each department to collect their information, get their feedback and answer questions. This work concluded in June of 2019.
Q: How did the team estimate the time it will take for employees to obtain prints, and how did that factor into the placement of machines?
A: The best practice for placing units limits the total number of steps any individual would need to walk from their primary workspace to a multi-function device. Everyone understands the importance of people’s time, and the project took that into account as much as possible within the constraints of the project’s goals and reducing overall costs.
Q: What’s an MFD?
A: An MFD refers to a multi-function device. MFDs are what are being deployed for the sustainable printing project. Each MFD has the capability to print, scan and copy documents. The MFDs also vary in size based on estimated print usage that was calculated from the print study performed in 2018.
Q: What is “FollowMe” printing?
A: FollowMe printing is a term used for the virtual printers that allow you to send a print and then login to any of the MFDs within the new system to retrieve the print job. Your submitted print jobs will follow you wherever you go. You can submit a print job in Hibbard and walk over to Davies and retrieve the job.
Q: What is PaperCut?
A: PaperCut is the software used for the new printing system.
Q: Where can I see how the system works before it’s deployed to our area?
A: Anyone can stop by the LTS Help Desk (Room 1106 in Larson Hall) to test drive the unit that was put in place as part of the mobile printing project for students that launched in 2018.
Q: How will my charges be determined?
A: The PaperCut system tracks your prints or copies at the time they are released from an MFD, and only then. Each side of a page is a print or “click”. A duplex document, one that has printing on both sides of the sheet of paper, is two clicks. The cost for a color click will be higher. For employees you will be assigned access to an account to charge prints to and that charge just happens automatically. Some employees will have access to multiple accounts and will need to select the account to charge at the time of print release or when you are making copies.
Q: How will I be able to print after my current printing options are replaced?
A: There will be two network print queues available for this system. One of them will be for black & white prints named UWEC-FOLLOWME-BW, the other for color named UWEC-FOLLOWME-COLOR. You will choose the queue to print to based on the need for color. The queue you select will also be used to determine your charge per click. If you send prints to the color queue you will be charged the per-click cost for color. You are charged the black and white print cost using the other queue. If you send color prints to the black and white queue, they will print in black and white. Be sure to only use the color queue when necessary. You should ask yourself if printing in color really adds value to the print job you are producing.
Q: Do I need to install the FollowMe printers on each new machine I use?
A: Until the FollowMe system is deployed campus wide, you will need to install the FollowMe printers using the directions above on each new machine you use. The only exception to this is most of the computer labs on campus, which automatically map the FollowMe printers at login. network printers in Windows are a per user and per computer function, unlike most software installed. Once the whole campus is deployed we can automate this automatic installation of the FollowMe printers on all computers at login.
Q: What if I forget my Blugold ID?
A: If you know your Blugold ID number you can manually enter that in at the MFD. Without your Blugold ID card, you will be required to set up a printing PIN at the MFD as well the first time. This PIN is just for the printing system and would be used at any of the MFDs. The PIN is not what determines what account to charge for printing. Steps for logging in above detail this process.
Q: What if I forget to logout of the MFD?
A: The PaperCut interface on the MFDs are set to automatically logout a user after 1 minute of inactivity, but you are strongly encouraged to either press the Logout button or tap your Blugold ID card again as soon as you are done.
Q: Can I print at any MFD on campus?
A: It depends is the answer. It depends on your role at the time of printing something. Faculty, staff, and student employees will be allowed to use any of the units in the program to print, scan, and copy. Student personal printing and charging their personal Blugold ID account will be limited to those units indicated for everyone to use. The floor plans and location list above indicate where the MFDs that are in this program are, if they are color capable, and which group of users can use them. The MFDs will also have documentation on them to indicate this. The limitations are around if you need to print color and if you are student printing for personal purposes, not for work within a department.
Q: How can I ensure sensitive documents remain confidential?
A: When a print job is sent into the system it is linked to the user who submitted it and can only be released by that same user after they’ve logged into the MFD with their Blugold ID or by manually entering their Blugold ID and printing PIN. The servers used for this system are located on the UWEC campus. Your information never leaves our network.
Q: Will I be able to print documents in a larger format, such as 11 inches by 17 inches?
A: Departments that already had the capability to print documents on 11 x 17 paper will have MFDs with that capability. Most of the MFDs housed in departments will have the capability to print to 11 x 17 paper. The smaller Richoh MP501 models are designed for letter size. Students printing items against their personal account can only print to letter sized paper currently and should visit Printing Services or work with the department requesting larger prints to assist you.
Q: What should I continue to buy for printing supplies until the new system is deployed?
A: Now that all locations have been deployed, departments should only purchase supplies for units that have had an approved print exemption request completed for it. You will NOT be able to keep a non-exempt printer until the supplies run out.
Q: Is mobile printing available?
A: Yes, personal mobile devices (laptops, phones, iPads) can be used to send jobs to the PaperCut system. Refer to the instructions above on how to use mobile printing on personally owned devices.
Q: How will the savings realized by this project be used in my department? Will there be savings beyond the initial project launch?
A: Printing charges are assessed monthly to departmental Shared Accounts as part of Printing Services chargeback process. You are only charged for what you print or copy. There isn’t an up-front cost. If a department budgeted for basic printing costs, a good portion of those funds could be reallocated immediately to something else. Each department director or chair will have budget authority to determine how savings are used in their respective departments. There will not be a directive to reduce spending by department in the area of office supplies and printing, so the savings will be ongoing.
Q: Will there be any exemptions allowed for printers outside of this system?
A: There are three types of exemptions anticipated in this program. The three exemptions are as follows:
- ADA or Medical – Anyone who has an exemption of this type will need to ensure it is on file with Human Resources. The eForm will be routed through them as part of the approval process. This project is committed to ensuring easy access to printing.
- Business Case – In some cases it does not make sense or is simply not possible to make certain business process function within the new system. This is often the case with specialized systems that are not on the network or are used for remote purposes. In some instances, a business case can also be based on significant impacts to a person’s ability to efficiently do their job. All of these submissions will require a clear and strong justification. All approved business cases mean university funds can be used to purchase supplies and full technical support is available.
- Personal Exemption – In this case a user wishes to keep a printer within their office and does not qualify for either an ADA/Medical or Business Case exemption. Users seeking this exemption will need to buy paper and ink/toner out of pocket. Limited support may be given getting your printer setup the first time, but LTS will not support the hardware or software needs for these devices in the future. Newly personally purchased printers will not be supported.
Decisions for ADA/Medical are handled by Human Resources. All other exemptions requested will have final approval made by the Vice Chancellor of Finance and Administration.
Start an Exemption eForm
Q: What happens if the MFD in our area stops working? Who is going to fix it?
A: Someone from the sustainable printing support team will triage reported MFD issues, and EO Johnson will service significant MFD issues within four hours of receiving our request for support during regular business hours. The four-hour service level is in the service agreement with EO Johnson and will be closely monitored for compliance. When an individual MFD is inoperable, users will have the ability to print any of the other FollowMe MFDs on the campus network.
Q: How will my department’s interaction with Printing Services change?
A: Printing Services customers will not notice a significant change, and as the project is rolled out across campus, the cost of many print jobs should decrease. Employees are encouraged to utilize Printing Services if they have a special printing need or a large job that requires multiple pages and multiple copies.
Q: How will supplies such as paper and toner be purchased moving forward?
A: Once the new FollowMe MFDs are deployed, departments will not be responsible for purchasing standard white paper in letter (8.5” x 11”), legal (8.5” x 14”), and tabloid (11” x 17”) sizes. Toner and staples for the MFD is also included as part of the printing charges paid. Any other print media like colored paper, label sheets and envelopes will still need to be purchased by the department. Although you are putting in your own media there is no option to offer a lower price. Keep in mind the print charge you are paying may include the cost of standard paper options, but that print charge is taking into account the cost for all things for the entire fleet. Paper included in that overall project cost that helps determine the print rates only factors into the total cost when it is actually consumed. This means you should not need to be assessed a lower print charge when using your own media.
Q: Do I have a chip-enabled card? What if I have an old Blugold ID card or it should have a chip and isn’t working? Will it work to login to the MFDs with a tap? If not, who will pay for a new card?
A: Blugold ID cards obtained in the last three to four years already have chips embedded in them. Generally speaking, IDs that are oriented in a portrait (tall) fashion should have a chip. ID cards that are in landscape format do not contain chips. As part of this project and for future resources that might utilize your Blugold ID, replacement IDs will be given at no cost through June 30, 2021. If you’re not sure if you have a chip enabled Blugold ID or have identified you need a new one, simply stop by the Blugold Card Office and get a free replacement. Once you’ve been issued the new ID you will be responsible for the $15 replacement cost if the card is lost or damage.
Q: Can I print envelopes on the new FollowMe MFDs?
A: Although not recommended for doing a lot of them at one time, envelopes can be printed using any of the MFDs on campus. Employees can utilize the bypass tray on the side of the printers rather than using the trays housing the standard paper. Please see the Known Issues section regarding using the bypass tray.
Q: Can I print label sheets on the new FollowMe MFDs?
A: Yes, not recommended for large amounts, but you should do this from a Windows computer. All label sheets should be handled using the bypass tray, which puts the sheet through less rollers and reduces the possibility of labels pealing up. You should also go into your Preferences when printing and change the Paper Type to Labels. This adjusts some of the settings in the MFD to prevent issues. Please see the Known Issues section regarding using the bypass tray.
Q: How will I be able to print my documents when using formal letterhead?
A: You’ll have the ability to use the bypass tray for printing on letterhead paper for this purpose. Just mind the indicators on the tray to set your paper in the right direction and side. Departments are strongly encouraged to get blank official letterhead from Printing Services. Please see the Known Issues section regarding using the bypass tray.
Q: How will Printing Services handle billing charges for departments under the new Sustainable Printing Project?
A: The costs of the printing for departments will be reconciled and charged monthly. Printing Services will continue to deliver print orders to departments when requested.
Q: What happens to my old printer and when?
A: Once the deployment of the new FollowMe MFDs has been completed for your area there will be a short transition period where existing printers will remain, about a month, while users get acclimated to using the new system and we work out any issues they encounter. After that transition period ends, the sustainable printing team will come to your department and collect your printers and any remaining supplies. They will bundle these items together, price them, and mark them with your desired account number. Surplus will sell these items and 100% of the proceeds will be returned to the indicted account number. If the items don’t sell over time, they will be recycled at no cost through a program with EO Johnson and First Choice Recycling.
Q: Will the new FollowMe MFDs be able to print color?
A: For employees, if you had the ability to print color before you’ll continue to have the ability to print color moving forward, unless your department has chosen to enact limitations on who can print color. Not all of the units will be color since they cost more to operate. The floor plans will help identify where the color units are located around campus.
For students, color printing has historically only been available through Printing Services, or going to private printing businesses around town. Students can be granted access to printing color if they are employed by a department and have been added to that department's PaperCut Color group.
Q: Will I still have a stapler and collator available?
A: Similar to color capability, if you had a finisher that handles stapling, collating, or hole punching, you’ll continue to have that functionality. These options are currently available for Windows users by going into the Preferences section in your Print dialogue box.
Q: Will the quality and speed of the new printer be as good as what I’m currently using?
A: In many cases the new FollowMe MFD units will print faster and at the same or better quality than existing units. These are business class printers and aren’t intended to handle high quality image and color printing, like photos and brochures. For higher quality color printing, you should utilize Printing Services.
Q: Will I have the ability to charge university accounts for work related printing?
A: Yes, groups will be created that are tied to university accounts. Authorized users will be added to a group and that account option will become available to select at the time of printing and copying. Users can be added to multiple account groups so they can pick and choose as needed. Student employees will also be able to get added to these accounts. There is no charge for scanning.
Q: Who will manage the users in these accounting groups?
A: Two people within each department (if possible) will be assigned responsibility for maintaining the users in these lists. The lists are easily managed through the Groups Management interface on our website. In many cases your department’s staff list that is automatically maintained based on HR records can be added so little maintenance of members is necessary. There is no limit to the number of account groups that can be created. Training on the Group Management website will be provided as requested, but the Groups Manager Knowledge Base (KB) article explains it well.
Q: Will training on the new MFD units be provided?
A: Absolutely! The sustainable print team and EO Johnson will come and perform training upon request. Contact the LTS Help Desk to request training.
Q: Can you limit which MFDs student can print on when charging to a department fund?
A: That is not currently an option, but PaperCut has confirmed it is working on adding this functionality as quickly as possible. It will be possible to create a report that details users and print quantities on specific devices by department fund for account monitoring purposes.
Q: Can a FollowMe MFD be set up so that only employees (including student employees) be allowed to print to it?
A: Yes, but this is currently not a limitation we wish to deploy as part of the system.
Q: As an employee, am I allowed to print personal items on the FollowMe system?
A: Administration allows employees to print occasional personal items, within reason, on your department's account. Your department lead will have the ability to revoke your printing privileges if they see issues with what you're printing and if it's not within reason. However, if you have a lot of personal printing to do, employees now have the ability to print using personal funds. You will need to add funds to your Blugold account prior. At the time of release you can select the 'User personal account' option from the account selection screen.
Q: Am I able to delete a print job when I’ve logged into the FollowMe MFD?
A: Yes. Once logged in and under the Print release section, you can select the jobs you wish to delete and click the trash can icon.
Q: How long will my print wait in the queue for me to print it?
A: Print jobs not released at an MFD will automatically delete after three (3) days.
Q: What will the default print settings be?
A: The UWEC-FOLLOWME-BW printer should be set as the default along with duplex (2-sided) printing. You’ll purposefully need to select the color printer when needed. You will have the ability to change jobs to single-sided if needed. This can be changed in the “options” tab when you click print, and within most applications or within print options when releasing a single job on the MFD.
Q: How long will it take for my print jobs to become available on an MFD to print?
A: It depends on how large the file is and the type of file. Simple Word documents should be available within seconds to print from an MFD. However, larger documents or certain types of files take time for both your computer and the print server to process. Large PDFs often take a little longer to be accepted to the queue. Be patient!
Q: Can I reprint something I’ve sent after I’ve already printed?
A: Unfortunately, if you need to reprint something, you’ll need to send the job to the printer again. As part of the security measures of how the system works, once the job is printed, it is immediately deleted from the system. Users are strongly encouraged to use easily accessible network storage options like OneDrive or SharePoint that have dedicated apps for laptops and smartphones so you can easily print again when you’re at any of the MFDs. In addition, storing files in these locations ensures they are properly backed up in the event your computer’s hard drive crashes.
Q: Can I change the number of copies, duplexing, or color settings before I print while at the MFD?
A: Yes. There are several options available on the MFD when you select an individual job to print. Other options include changing it from 2-sided to 1-sided or changing a color print to grayscale. When you convert to grayscale you will only be charged for a black & white print, even if you sent it to the color queue. You can not convert from grayscale to color at the MFD.
Q: Can I easily tell the MFD to release all my sent jobs?
A: Yes, but only if you are authorized on a single account for printing. Once you are logged in there is a ‘Print All’ button that will instantly release all jobs you have waiting in the system.
Q: Can I select individual print jobs I want to print and not print all of them?
A: Yes. You can print one or multiple jobs to print at once. You don’t have to print them all. Most print jobs are listed based on the file name so you should be able to identify the one you want to print. The last thing you sent to print will be at the top. Not all methods for printing will produce a correct name and some jobs might appear as “untitled” in the system.
Q: Once the new MFDs are deployed will there be options to make changes in the future?
A: This project will be flexible moving forward. If the unit deployed isn’t meeting the needs of the area it serves, it will be replaced with an appropriate unit. If more units need to be deployed that request will be considered. The sustainable print team and EO Johnson want to do what’s necessary to ensure this project is a success and provides a positive experience for all involved.
Q: Will emeriti be able to print?
A: Yes, but a department will have to sponsor them and add them to one of their account lists. To start this request simply email the LTS Help Desk with their username. Add an emeriti does require some administrator configuration. Note that there are changes happening with emeriti printing and they will all be given access to use personal printing options using their Blugold account from the start.
Q: What if there is a fax line in my printer that I still use?
A: Standalone fax machines will not be impacted by this portion of the project. MFDs that also function as a department’s fax machine can’t be replaced until a replacement fax solution is in place. LTS is currently working to implement a new virtualized fax system. The cost of this new system is expected to be a savings for campus since it will eliminate almost all legacy AT&T phone lines and their associated monthly costs to departments. The system being looked at may also integrate into the PaperCut interface on the MFD units in the future.
Q: How will I dispute charges for prints?
A: To request a refund for a print that did not complete due to paper running out, jamming, and other issues generally out of your control, please fill out the PaperCut Refund Request form.
Q: Can you limit who has the ability to print color on an account?
A: Color printing can be limited to certain users. If a department wishes to limit who can print color to help control costs, they just need to inform the sustainable printing team. Some departments are electing to have only their ADA print color items.
Q: What information about my printing is stored in the system and for how long?
A: After you’ve printed your job the PaperCut system will only retain the basic information about how much you printed and where. The file itself that was printed is deleted as soon as it’s released to an MFD or automatically deleted if it was not printed after 3 days.
Q: What should I do if my Blugold ID is lost or stolen?
A: You should immediately report your ID lost or stolen to the Blugold Card Office by calling (715) 836-4070 or online at https://eblugold.uwec.edu.
Q: What should happen to my print if an error happened in the middle of printing?
A: The MFDs will be configured to delete a job that is hung up after a short period of time due to a print error such as a paper jam. This is to ensure the security of your printing. If this happens, you’ll have to resend your print job again since it is no longer within PaperCut as soon as you hit the print button. The sustainable print team will continually try to test and adjust these settings to ensure the MFDs function as expected.
Q: Is there a charge for scanning?
A: There is no charge for scanning.
Q: Are there file size limits for scanning documents?
A: Yes. If you are using scan to email features, if the resulting file exceeds 67MB it will be rejected by the email server. For scanning configurations that are setup to deliver files to a folder, the limit is 300MB. We are determining what the average number of pages is before you would hit these thresholds and will post them here. If you have unique scanning needs, there are many options within PaperCut. Contact the LTS Help Desk with your request so we can work through what's possible for scanning on the new MFDs. helpdesk@uwec.edu or call (715) 836-5711.
Q: Can I scan in color and are there other scan options?
A: Even if an MFD only prints in black and white, all of them can scan in color. Before you scan a document, you have options to change it to grayscale, change the resolution and scan multiple pages at one time into a single document.
Q: What if our department already has an agreement for an MFD with Printing Services or EO Johnson?
A: All existing agreements with EO Johnson and Printing Services for MFDs and convenience copiers will be terminated with no penalty at the time your new MFDs are deployed.
Q: Are there limits to how much I can print?
A: Limits may be imposed on the total number of pages a single print job can have but that number has yet to be determined.
Q: Can I use the bypass feeder to put in my own paper?
A: Yes
Q: Can I print in color anywhere?
A: Only on FollowMe MFDs that are listed as being color capable. When looking at a FollowMe MFD, if you locate the model number on the front and it includes the letter C, it is a color capable unit. Students who need items printed in color, please visit Printing Services in Davies Student Center.
Contact
If you have any questions or concerns. Contact the LTS Help Desk at (715) 836-5711 or by email at helpdesk@uwec.edu.