Offline operations

Site Servers ensure the access to print and copy services is supported during a network outage. However, some services will remain unavailable during an outage, as detailed below.

Supported functions

Table 18: Supported Functions
Function	Normal Operations	Offline with NO Site ServerSite Servers take over the role of a Primary Application Server in the event of network outages. Key roles taken over include authentication, copy and print tracking and Find-Me printing. Site Servers ensure continuous availability of printing resources to support key business functions over unreliable network links or during unplanned network disruptions.	Offline WITH Site Server
Basic printing (Failure mode)	Yes	Yes	Yes
MFD login (ALL devices)	Yes	No	Yes
Hardware terminals (CPad, Alpha, VCC…)	Yes	No	Yes
Secure Print	Yes	No	Yes
Find-Me Print	Yes	No	Yes
User Balances	Yes	No	Yes
Filters and conversionsConversions are a type of print filter that changes something about the print job, for example, from color to grayscale, or convert to duplex.	Yes	No	Yes
Release Stations	Yes	No	Yes
Shared Accounts at the MFD	Yes	No	Yes
Mobility Print	Yes	No	Yes
Mobile Print (Web PrintWeb Print enables printing from user-owned devices without the need to install printer drivers and manage server authentication., GCP, iOS, Email to PrintEmail to Print allows any device to print documents by sending an email to your network's print devices.)	Yes	No	No
Payment Gateways, Kiosks	Yes	No	No
Desktop Client / Account Selection	Yes	No	No
Scripting	Yes	No	No
Integrated ScanningIntegrated Scanning provides a secure, consistent, and easy way for users to scan documents to: their own email address, their own home folders, or other authorized email and folder destinations.	Yes	No	No

To ensure continuity, Offline Policies allow an Administrator to define the application behavior ahead of any outage that disrupts PaperCut normal operations.

Offline policies

The User ClientThe User Client tool is an add-on that resides on a user's desktop. It allows users to view their current account balance via a popup window, provides users with the opportunity to confirm what they are about to print, allows users to select shared accounts via a popup, if administrators have granted access to this feature, and displays system messages, such as the "low credit" warning message or print policy popups., scripting services, and payment options are not available during an outage. Offline Policies fill the gaps allowing users to continue to work. Offline policies are available after installing your first Site Server.

To set the offline policiesOffline Policies allow an Administrator to define PaperCut's behaviour when there is an outage that disrupts PaperCut normal operations. Offline policies include account selection policy (the default account to charge (default is "Offline account")), offline credit policy (whether to assume credit is available or to deny the job when the Application Server is unavailable), user authentication policy (the behavior in offline mode where PaperCut cannot validate the owner of the job), and User Password Authentication (whether user authentication is attempted during a network outage).:

Select Sites > Offline Policies.

The Offline Policies page is displayed.
Complete the following details as described below:
- Account Selection
- Restricted Credit
- Unauthenticated Users
- User Password Authentication
Click Apply.

Account selection

The PaperCut User Client is one service that remains connected to the Application ServerAn Application Server is the primary server program responsible for providing the PaperCut user interface, storing data, and providing services to users. PaperCut uses the Application Server to manage user and account information, manage printers, calculate print costs, provide a web browser interface to administrators and end users, and much more.. Users who normally have the desktop client popup ask for a shared accountA shared account is an account that is shared by multiple users. For example, in business, shared accounts can be used to track printing costs by business unit, project, or client. Organizations like legal firms, engineering firms, or accounting offices often have long lists of accounts, projects, clients, or matters. In a school or university, shared accounts can be used to track printing by departments, classes, or subjects. before prints are accepted need a policy to determine the account to charge when the desktop client is unavailable during an outage. The policy options are:

[default] Automatically charge to a single shared account—The print job is charged to a specified shared account (the default is "Offline Account").
Automatically charge to personal account—The print job is charged to the user’s personal account.
Cancel the print job—If a shared account must be selected by the end user and this is not possible, the job is canceled.

Restricted credit

The Offline Credit Policy determines how PaperCut should determine whether to assume credit is available or to deny the job when the Application Server is unavailable. As an example, organizations can choose to allow an overdraft should the ability for users to top up their accounts be impacted whilst the central Application Server cannot be contacted.

The following policies are defined for restricted users and accounts whilst a site is in offline mode:

[default] Use last known balance—Only deny jobs when the user’s balance (as known by the Site Server) is used up.
Use the last known balance and allow overdraw by—Only deny jobs when the User’s balance known by the Site Server, plus a specified offline overdraft amount is used up.
Allow job to proceed, regardless of balance—Treat the account as unrestricted and allow all jobs to proceed. The account might go into negative when the Application Server is available again.
Assume no credit. Deny any job charging to restricted accounts—Only unrestricted accounts can be used when offline with this policy. For example, when offline, Staff are able to use resources, whereas Students are not.

Important:

The first three policies might result in accounts being deficit when the Application Server is online again.

Unauthenticated users

The User Authentication Policy determines the behavior in offline mode where PaperCut cannot validate the owner of the job. This is anticipated for sites that rely on the Handling unauthenticated (non-domain) laptops feature of PaperCut. For unauthenticated users, the following policies are available:

[default] Assign print job to this user—(The default user is "unknown"). Configure the preconfigured user as unrestricted, so that jobs allocated to this user are not denied based on the Offline Credit Policy. You can also configure this user to charge to a specified shared account (which should also be unrestricted).
Do not track, but allow job to print—Jobs pass through physical queues unimpeded to the destination printers. However, jobs sent to virtual queues do not print.
Cancel the print job—Any print jobs sent from the unauthenticated users are canceled immediately.

Important:

This policy also applies for users who have not been encountered by PaperCut previously. i.e. new domain users who have not been previously synced into PaperCut.

User password authentication

PaperCut normally performs user authentication from an external directory source, such as Active Directory. In normal operations, this validation is performed by the Application Server. When offline, you can choose between the following options:

Attempt password authentication from the Site Server—(external authentication is on). The Site Server attempts to authenticate the user via the external source as configured. This option requires the authentication source to be able to be contacted by the Site Server during the interruption that is preventing access to the Application Server.
Password login is denied—(external authentication is off). Authentication from an external source is not available. This means that offline username/password login to a device or Release StationPrint Release Stations place a print job on hold and allow users to release it when required. Often a Release Station is a dedicated PC terminal located next to the printers, however, Release Stations can take other forms such as a web browser based interface. Some common examples where Release Stations can be used include secure printing, approved printing, and authentication. In a secure printing environment jobs are only printed when the user arrives at the print area and confirms his or her identity. This ensures the user is there to collect the job and other users can't "accidentally" collect the document. In some organizations it may be appropriate to hold jobs until they are approved by selected individuals. A good example would be a teacher approving printing on an expensive color printer. Hold/Release queues can be used as a form of authentication in an unauthenticated environment. Users must authenticate prior to releasing their jobs allowing PaperCut NG to confirm their identity. is not available, other than for Internal users.

PaperCut MF version 17.4