Departmental Printing FAQ

ITS and ComDoc have installed numerous HP printers and Xerox copiers all across campus, many of which were updated in the Summer of 2020.   Below are a few frequently asked questions.  Please feel free to call the ITS Help Desk at x8340 if you have other questions .   

We are constantly looking for feedback from the campus community, we are always looking at changes that could make printing work more efficiently for our users.  

 Why do I have to swipe my card every time I print?

All computers print to the FollowMe print queues (MyGrayscalePrintJob & MyColorPrintJob).  The MyGrayscalePrintJob queue will force any color information to be discarded and always print in black and white.  Using this option will ensure that you will not be charged at the more expensive color rates.  With these two queues, you can bypass problems at a particular printer, since you can swipe to print at all other printers on campus. It also ensures that your materials are only printed securely while you are there to receive them.   They will not be laying around in case you do not get to the printer right away.  We cannot change the way the FollowMe printing works. 

All users will need to have their ID cards in order to access the printers and copiers.  There is no manual login at the devices.

For many reasons, the device specific queues have been eliminated.  Concerns about secure information being left on printers for extended periods (HIPAA/FERPA), health concerns surrounding the current COVID pandemic,  print accountability and green campus initiatives have dictated this policy change.

If you cannot use your departmental device you can get your printing and copying at any of the publicly available devices.  A list of those locations is below.

https://canisius.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/PACC/pages/19038482/Public+PrintJob-Compatible+Printers

Faculty and staff should only use their ID cards at the printer/copiers. These new systems are in place to hold users accountable for their print and copy usage. Nobody should not be using someone else's ID card or using the departmental CopyCards in place of their own.

 We need student workers and grad assistants to print, copy and scan, how can they do that and not be charged to their personal print fund?

ITS has a procedure in place to enable students to print using department budgets.  AS needed, we will issue a departmental CopyCard and password.  

These CopyCards correspond to a new user account for your department and the user names will end in PRT.  If you already have a generic student or work study login, those will be discontinued for these new CopyCard accounts.  ITS can assist to mapping shared drives if necessary for the CopyCard accounts to be able to access.  Students will use this CopyCard username to log into college owned computers while they are working and can then print using the departments print budget.  Then they can use the CopyCard to swipe at the printers and copiers.  The same rules will apply as above when using the FollowMe queues or the device-specific queues while printing. 

The ITS Help Desk will set up the initial password for these PRT accounts when you pick up your CopyCard.   If you have already picked it up, please call x8340 or email helpdesk@canisius.edu

In the future, your department can change the password as needed using the Password Reset tools on MyCanisius.  We recommend changing it regularly as student workers come and go.  Please note, the CopyCards accounts will NOT have an email address associated with them.   They are for login and print functions only.  We cannot make duplicate CopyCards.  Lost cards must be reported to the Help Desk.  Replacement cards would be reissued by ITS, not through Public Safety.

The CopyCards will function for scanning and copying as soon as you pick them up from the Help Desk.  To avoid students being charged on their personal accounts for departmental printing, ensure that any of your student employees log in with the user name stamped on the print/copy cards supplied to your office by ITS. This will allow students to use the department’s copier without impacting their own printing balance.

These Copycards are intended for student use only. They are not intended for faculty and staff use in order to bypass the need for a user to swipe with their own personal card. All faculty and staff must use their own cards to release their printing and use the scan and copy functions on the printer/copiers. 

A monthly report will be sent to each department chair and the Deans on the use of these student print cards to review their usage.

 Why does my copier log me out so quickly?

The log out on the console of the copiers was set to a factory default of one minute.  Many users have informed us that this is not long enough.  For security reasons we cannot leave a user logged in until they click logout.   In public spaces, we will leave this set to one minute but in offices we have extended it to three minutes.   Hopefully this will alleviate having to swipe and log in several times while working.   

 Can I scan to USB? Can I print from USB?

Yes, instructions can be found here. 

 Build job features are not available. They are grayed out. How can I create a multiple page PDF scanning on the glass top?

Papercut currently does not support this feature. This could possibly be implemented in the future.

A temporary solution is to use the top document feeder to create multiple page PDF’s.  If your original material requires scanning on the glass top, make a copy first, assemble the copies in the proper order then scan the copies to your email as one document using the document feeder.  Alternately you can scan each individual pdf file and assemble then on your computer or mobil device after they are emailed to you. We recognize that this is not the final solution but provides a “band-aid fix” for now. 


 Who provides paper and other printer supplies?

In the past, each department was required to budget for their paper use and some other printer supplies.  Now, all paper is purchased through one central campus budget.  All other supplies such as toner staple cartridges, etc., are provided by ComDoc.  There is no charge for toner, staples or repair items.  More information is available here. 

  I lost my ID card, or I get strange errors when I swipe it. How do I get a new one?

If you suspect your ID card is bad, try it at several different locations.  If it fails everywhere there is a good chance you will need a new card.  Many of the old ID cards have failed.  Whether you have lost your card or it is worn out you can easily get a replacement.  Go to the Public Safety office in the lower level of Bosch Hall and they will issue you a new card.  Once you get a new card, your old one is automatically deactivated.  Public Safety cannot create duplicates so you can have more than one.


 Who is responsible for paper and toner for the public printers?

All of the public space printers will be maintained by the ITS Help Desk.  Contact the Help Desk if supplies are needed in the public devices.


What else can we help you with?

We will keep the campus community updated with the any changes.  ComDoc is available for training anytime.  Email Buffalo.Support.Services@xerox.com with "Training" in the subject line to arrange for a ComDoc trainer to visit your department and help out.  The Help Desk is always available if you have questions or problems.  If you observe something that isn’t working properly or missing features please call x8340, email helpdesk@canisius.edu or stop by HO-016.  If a device in your office is not functioning you should contact ComDoc and arrange a service call directly with them.


We are constantly evaluating the printer fleet and its usage.  Please let us know if you feel like there are features you would like added, features such as color printing that you no longer want, training needs that are not being met, or other concerns.


If you have further comments or concerns about the changes made on campus to printing or the measures discussed above please feel free to contact Scott Clark.  We are all open to constructive discussions to make the services on campus better.