Anonymous Guest Printing

In the normal case, PaperCut must identify the user responsible for each print job so that jobs can be correctly tracked and charged. However for ad-hoc guest printing by visitors, it is often more important to provide a convenient printing solution than to provide individual print tracking per visitor.

In addition, visitors and guests often wish to print from their BYO mobile devices so a generic, widely available printing solution is required.

For these scenario's, PaperCut provides the ability for guest users to print anonymously using Email to Print. This solution provides a simple and convenient printing experience from any device, imposing minimal or no administrative inconvenience on the guest user as there is no need to set up accounts or network access for the guest.

Anonymous email printing may be implemented in three ways:

Each of these options has advantages. The following table may help you make the best choice for your organization:

 Suitable ForBenefitsTrade-OffDocument Privacy
Direct PrintBusinessVery convenient - no staff envolvementLow security. Printing is uncontrolled with potential for paper wastage. Separate email aliases are required for each printer (no virtual queue).Low
Managed ReleaseBusiness and EducationConvenient for guest. Printing is supervised and managed by staff.Staff must be available and interrupted to release jobs for guests.Good
Guest Self-ReleaseBusinessConvenient for site staff.Moderate. Printing is uncontrolled with potential for paper wastage. Guests can see and release each others jobs.Low-Moderate

Table 29.2. Guest Email to Print Modes

Anonymous Setup

The starting point for all three anonymous printing modes is the OptionsMobile & BYOD page. Email to Print must be enabled and configured. If you have not yet set up Email to Print, please do that first (see the section called “Email to Print”), then return to this section.

  • Step 1:

    • On the OptionsMobile & BYOD page, under Email to Print, check the box Enable anonymous printer email addresses.

    • Optionally change the user that anonymous jobs will be logged to. The default user is guest-user.

    • If you wish guests to receive a reply email in response to sending a print job, check the box Send a response email. You can customize the email body as required.

    Setting up anonymous printing

    Figure 29.7. Setting up anonymous printing

    Important

    If the guest user (default guest-user) does not already exist, it will be created for you, as an internal user. If you wish to be able to login as this guest user, you will need to either:

    • Create the user beforehand in AD/LDAP as a regular user and sync it with PaperCut. This will allow you to manage the guest user in the same way as any other user. Ensure the user is configured as unrestricted.

    • or Enable Internal Users in OptionsUser/Group Sync. If internal users are not enabled, the internal guest user can still be used to log jobs, but you will not be able to log in to this user.

  • Step 2: Enable a printer for anonymous printing by configuring an anonymous printing email alias.

    • Go to Printers and select a printer

    • In the Email to Print section, add a valid email address or alias in the Anonymous email address text box.

    • Click Apply

The remaining steps are specific to your selected anonymous printing mode:

Direct Print Setup

  • Step 3: Ensure your printer does not have Enable hold/release queue checked in the Printer Details page.

You are now ready to test. Email to Print jobs sent to the printer's guest email alias will print without intervention.

Tip

When using direct print, consider implementing a print script to force printing policy. For example, converting jobs to duplex, or redirecting large jobs to a high volume printer.

Managed Release Setup

  • Step 3: Configure your printer to use a hold/release queue.

    • Check Enable hold/release queue in the Printer Details page.

    • User Release is the correct option for most scenarios.

  • Step 4: Make the receptionist or person responsible for releasing guest jobs a delegated release manager for the guest user.

    • Go to Users, and select your receptionist user.

    • In the Advanced Options section, check the box: Allow this user to release jobs printed by others (Delegated print release).

    • Add your configured guest user (default guest-user) to the list of Users and click Apply.

    Setting a delegate for the guest-user account

    Figure 29.8. Setting a delegate for the guest-user account

The receptionist may now log into a release station or MFD and see the guest print jobs. Anonymous Email to Print jobs can be identified by the source email address appended to the document name.

Tip

If using swipe cards, reception can simply swipe their card to login and release jobs.

Guest Self-Release Setup

  • Step 3: Configure your printer to use a hold/release queue.

    • Check Enable hold/release queue in the Printer Details page.

    • User Release is the correct option for most scenarios.

  • Step 4: Set a password for the configured guest user (default guest-user). This password should be changed regularly - e.g. daily or weekly.

Tip

  • You can edit the response email to include the guest username and password - or you can direct the user to ask reception for this information.

  • Keep the guest password secure to avoid abuse of the guest printing facility.

  • Run regular reports of printing by your guest user to audit usage of guest printing.

  • Change the guest user password regularly. This can be automated using server-command

Known users and anonymous printing

The anonymous printing feature is designed for ad-hoc use by guests and visitors. It should not be used by people within your organization, as printing is not tracked by user and many important features such as account selection, script pop-ups etc are not supported.

If an Email to Print job is sent to an anonymous printer email address by a known user (i.e. the source email matches a user in the PaperCut database) the job will not be logged to the guest-user account. Instead, the normal print workflow for the known user will be performed and the job logged against that user.