Print service

These multi-functional devices can be accessed by both students and staff.

The print service uses the MyPrint Anywhere solution. You print to a central print queue from any University computer and then release your print using your campus card from any device at any location.

MyPrint Anywhere is secure, confidential and available. If a device is busy or out of service, simply walk to another nearby device and print there instead. Just remember that the service will only queue your print job for 24 hours before removing it without charge.

Default print settings

All multi-function devices print by default in mono (black and white) and on both sides of the page (duplex or double-sided).

If you want to print in colour or on just one side of the page, you must go into the print settings and select the correct options. The settings give access to a wealth of options and features.

Refer to the user guides for more information.

Scanning and copying

Scanning is free and easy to use. The University encourages everyone to save money and the environment by scanning documents and sharing them electronically, rather than copying.

The easiest way to access this service is to use the 'scan to email' function, which will send the document direct to your University email address. To access the scanning functions, log in to the device and press 'use copier'.

For detailed information on how to use the scanning service refer to the appropriate user guide.

Costs for print and copy

Price list starting September 2015 - colour printing reduced by 33%.

How to pay for printing

Students

Costs are debited from the student's print account. The account must be in credit in order to print or copy.

Staff

Charged against school or departmental cost centre.

Visitors

Visitors can pay by using the Solent online shop.

Crediting a student print account

The University does not take cash payments for printing. Instead you must credit your print account using the MyPrint online payment gateway.

You can use PayPal, Electron, Delta, Switch, Maestro (UK only), MasterCard or Visa. The minimum amount you can add is 50p.

Please be aware that refunds can only be issued when a device fails to print your work satisfactorily. If this happens please take the pages to a member of staff at the learning technologies help desk.

Refunds cannot be given for unused credit (including credit left at the end of term) or for mistakes made by the user; such as choosing the wrong print properties (colour vs mono, paper size, etc.) or number of copies.

Purchasing print vouchers for students

Staff may purchase print credits for students. These can be used for a particular course, project or as a competition prize or gift. The credits are issued as vouchers, which include printed instructions on how to redeem them. They work in a similar fashion to prepaid mobile phone vouchers. Staff are responsible for distributing vouchers to students. The vouchers can be issued in any denomination.

The credit only applies to print on the University’s PaperCut print service, which includes all Canon and Sharp multi-functional devices and some self-service large format printers. It cannot be used for services provided by the Canon Print Centre or Specialist Reprographics (JM019).

To order print vouchers, please contact the ICT Service Desk providing the quantity, denomination (value of each voucher) and the cost code for recharging. Please allow three working days for the vouchers to be delivered.

There are also facilities for printing services that require highly specialised attention and materials.

Find out more about specialist reprographics and 3D printing

For a document template, please contact marketing@solent.ac.uk 

You can now print PDF, MS Office and most picture files (including bmp, gif, jpeg, png and tiff) from mobile and personal devices.

We recommend using PDF for printing. PDFs are efficient, print faster and produce accurate results.

There are three ways you can print:

1. Web print (via the internet)

Web to print is the quickest and simplest way to print from a mobile or remote device:

1. Login to https://MyPrint.solent.ac.uk
2. Select 'web print'.
3. Click on 'submit a job'.
4. Choose one of the following printers:
   
   MyPrint - Black and white print from any Canon device.
   MyPrintColour - Colour print from any Canon device.
   Warsash - Black and white print from any Sharp device (Warsash only).
   WarsashColour - Colour print from any Sharp device (Warsash only).
   
   
5. Select '2. print options and account selection'.
6. Enter the number of copies and click '3. upload documents'.
7. Drag or select the documents you want to print.
8. Click 'upload and complete'.
9. Please wait a few minutes for the print job to be processed.
10. Go to any available device and release your print as normal.

2. Email print (via University email)

Email to print is easy to use but has a couple of limitations. It can only be accessed by authorised University email addresses (ending @solent.ac.uk) and is limited to smaller file sizes. For file sizes greater than 20Mb, use the web print function.

1. Using your University email account, create a new email.
2. In the 'to…' address field, choose one of the following printers:
   
   Print-BW@solent.ac.uk - Black and white print from any Canon device.
   Print-Colour@solent.ac.uk - Colour print from any Canon device.
   Print-Warsash-BW@solent.ac.uk - Black and white print from any Sharp device (Warsash only).
   Print-Warsash-Colour@solent.ac.uk - Colour print from any Sharp device (Warsash only).
   
   
3. Attach the documents to be printed to your email.
4. Click 'send'.
5. After a short interval you will receive an email saying 'print job has been received'.
6. Open the email and click on the link.
7. After another short interval you will receive a message that your print is ready to be released.
8. Go to any available device and release your print as normal.

3. USB print (via the print device)

Both Canon and Sharp devices support USB media. It is possible to plug your USB memory into a device and use the device screen to retrieve and print documents.

For instructions on how to do this, refer to the following video tutorials:

• Canon devices
• Sharp devices

The service uses ‘MyPrint anywhere’. This means documents are held securely in a generic print queue and a user can go to any device and use their campus card or their username and password to authenticate, select and print their documents.

Documents are not printed without the user being present, and only the selected jobs are printed, thus ensuring document security and keeping paper wastage to a minimum. This technology is also known as ‘pull printing’, ‘follow you’, ‘follow me’, ‘secure release’, or ‘roaming printing’.

With ‘MyPrint anywhere’ you are not tied to one multi-functional print device. So if a printer is busy, you can simply go to another printer and use that one instead.

This is a different way of printing, it’s much more efficient and reliable. The print service is actively managed. Capacity and use are constantly monitored and we will adjust the location and performance of devices to meet demand.

The new devices have a rich array of features and capabilities. For example, most larger Canon devices have an integrated stapling function. These features are controlled through the 'printing preferences' dialog. This can be used to choose options such as colour, single-sided output, selecting specific paper trays (like letter headed), stapling, and other advanced collation and printing options.

With the MyPrint service, all jobs go to a single virtual print queue. When you release a print from a MyPrint or Warsash device, the job is transferred to the specific printer queue.

There is a short delay while the job is moved. Using this technique makes the service secure and confidential. It also means, if your nearest device if busy or not working, you can simply go to another device.

Print activity at the University is very cyclical, peaking on a Monday morning.

During busy times the delay can be a little longer. ICT are aware of this and will continue to tune and optimise the service to enhance performance.

A multi-functional print device (MFD) incorporates printing, copying, scanning, and faxing all in one device. This gives users better printing and more service options, delivers significant cost savings, and reduces environmental impact, eg, reduced carbon footprint.

The average engineer response time is four hours, with a maximum response of six hours.

However, using ‘My print anywhere’ you don't need to wait. Simply use another multifunctional print device.

Students can credit their account using the MyPrint online payment gateway. Staff printing costs are cross-charged to school or service budgets.

This message can safely be ignored. The MyPrint queue supports thousands of concurrent users and is used to print up to 30,000 pages a day. Inevitably, there’s always a queue of documents waiting to be released.

These sit in the queue for a maximum of 24 hours before being automatically deleted. It doesn’t impact your ability to print or release your own jobs.

All devices are remotely monitored and replacement toner is automatically ordered when it runs low. Toner stockpiles are maintained at key locations across the University and will be installed by Canon or ICT as required.

At our small satellite sites, local staff may be responsible for replacing toner. The cost of toner and ink is included in the service.

Personal and desktop printers are inefficient and very expensive to support and maintain. For these reasons, they will not be permitted under the University’s print policy. Of course, we must allow for exceptions and these will be assessed on a case by case basis, eg, for people with disabilities.

Requests for exceptions to the University print policy should be raised with the ICT Service Desk.

The print service supports document printing from most personal and home devices. Instructions can be found in mobile and remote printing, above.

The biggest environmental benefits will come from reducing the volume of printing done at the University.

Currently, we print over 14 million pages per year. By using double-sided printing, introducing ‘Scan to email’, and ensuring documents are only printed when the user is present, we expect to reduce this volume substantially.

In addition, all new multi-functional devices are ENERGY STAR® qualified and have one of the lowest TEC ratings in the industry, consuming as little as 1W in sleep mode, and are built using bio and recycled plastics wherever possible.

Canon monitor activity across all devices and resupply paper based on usage. This paper is delivered to key locations. If extra paper supplies are required, they can be obtained by placing an order using the Canon Print Centre online storefront.

We monitor all printer usage and provide new printers as and when necessary. There should not be a need for staff to request a new printer, but any exceptions or issues with the service should be raised with the ICT Service Desk.

Please note, the University will not authorise the procurement of any print devices outside of the managed print service. Unauthorised devices will not be supported and we will ask for them to be removed.

Fax use is declining at the University and is expected to cease altogether in the next few years.

Currently, fax is available at the Andrews Reception at East Park Terrace.

The cost of printing is the same across all University devices. If staff need to subsidise student printing for a particular course or project work, this is possible using 'print vouchers'. These work in a similar manner to mobile phone vouchers.

The credit only applies to printing on the University’s PaperCut print service, which includes all Canon and Sharp multi-functional devices and some self-service large format printers. It cannot currently be used for services provided by the Canon Print Centre or Specialist Reprographics (JM019).

To order print vouchers, please contact the ICT Service Desk providing the quantity, denomination (value of each voucher), and the cost code for recharging. Please allow three working days for the vouchers to be delivered.