The ThinPrint Tracking option allows you to oversee your print volume: How many printers are overloaded? Which are hardly used? How many color or black&white printouts are printed on a daily basis? What are the resulting costs?
How it works
The print data of ThinPrint Ports is compiled by the server and transferred into an SQL database. From there, they can be graphically presented as a website using the Tracking Report Engine, which also allows for many other settings, such as querying print volumes for a certain branch during a certain time period. Authorized individuals can access the website from anywhere.
Print job tracking has the following components:
- ThinPrint Engine or Personal Printing
sends data to the ThinPrint Tracking Service - ThinPrint Tracking Service
receives data and writes it to an SQL database - ThinPrint Tracking Report Engine
web component for clear analysis, summary, and graphic report of tracking results
example for installing ThinPrint Tracking
Tracking is part of the following ThinPrint products:
- ThinPrint Engine
or - Personal Printing
If not yet installed, an SQL server must be installed to enable use of the tracking feature within the ThinPrint Engine. This program is not included in the ThinPrint Engine software.
Tracking Service
You can gather information about the print jobs sent with the ThinPrint Engine for your statistics (tracking). To do so, you must set up a Microsoft SQL server. The ThinPrint Engine sends its tracking data to the server that has the tracking service installed. Print data which can be analyzed and displayed by Tracking Report Engine are:
- Author of a print job (user/group)
- Printer used
- Settings used
- Number of pages printed
- Information on any errors
- Costs
- Compression rates (ThinPrint Engine only)
- Print duration
- Print data during a defined period
The SQL server can collect print data from different sources – from ThinPrint Engines on application or print servers or from Personal Printing servers.
Tracking Report Engine
ThinPrint Tracking includes a web application for viewing the tracking data. This program represents the SQL data graphically in its web interface – installed on a web server. The tracking data can therefore be analyzed from the web browser on any workstation.
analyzing SQL data in a web browser (example)
Technical requirements
Your architecture must meet the following requirements for running ThinPrint Tracking:
- The SQL server additionally requires:
- Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express and later
- The ThinPrint Tracking Report Engine can be run on the following servers (as a web server):
- Windows Server 2012 R2
- Windows Server 2012
- Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1
Note! The Tracking Report Engine must not be installed together with Personal Printing, ThinPrint Engine or License Server on the same computer. To do this, use a separate web server.
The following is required:
- Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 SP 1
- ASP .NET (can be enabled as a Windows component or installed as a part of the .NET Framework)
- Internet Information Services (IIS) 5.1 or later. Port 80 is used by default. Do not change this port number and make sure that no other programs are using this port.
Administrator permissions are required for all installation and configuration procedures.
Please note with ThinPrint Tracking, that data printed via a ThinPrint Port is collected.
Installation of Tracking Database
- Open Setup.exe onto the SQL server.
- Select the desired language. InstallShield Wizard opens. Click Next.
starting the InstallShield Wizard
- Select the SQL server, on which you wish to install Tracking database. Then specify how do you wish to access the database (bottom arrow):
- Windows authentication or
- SQL server authentication
- Confirm with Next.
selecting database server and authentication to SQL server
- Choose a name for the database in which the information about print jobs will be stored: PrintJobTracking for example (top arrow).
- In case of a software update, you can select an existing database by clicking on the button Browse.
selecting database server and Authentication mode
Selecting authentication mode
By choosing the authentication mode, you have defined how Report Engine administrators and the tracking service access the data.
SQL server Authentication
- Create an account with administration permissions, TrackingService for example. Or specify an existing one.
- Note the user name and password. Confirm with Next and close InstallShield Wizard with Finish.
creating administrator account for the Database
Windows authentication
If you choose Windows Authentication, all users and servers need to be members of the same domain. Users can log on with their user name and their domain password.
- Choose Windows authentication and confirm with Next.
selecting Windows authentication mode
- You can select user groups from the Active Directory which should be able to access Tracking Database. For this, click Advanced.
inheriting groups from Active Directory
During installation of Tracking database, Tracking database administrators with read and write permissions will be created, as well as users with read permissions only.
defining administrator groups and user groups
- Finally, conclude Tracking database installation in InstallShield Wizard with Install and Finish.
Managing the tracking database
- Open a management tool for the database, as for example Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio Express. With this tool, you can administer the database created by the installer.
database (here: PrintJobTracking)
With SQL authentication
When you install Tracking database with SQL authentication, a user account will be created with read permissions on the database. This name of the user account will be TrackingUser, and the password is: ThinPrint-1.
- To access the SQL server remotely, open SQL Server Manager and enable the protocols Named Pipes and TCP/IP. Then start the SQL server browser in the services folder.
enabling protocols
With Windows authentication
- To ensure the Tracking Service gets access to the SQL server, open Management Studio Express and enter with a right click in the folder Security on New and Login.
installing access for Tracking Service on the SQL server
- Create a new account according to this sample:
<domain>\<tracking service address>$
here: mydomain\ps13$
installing login for Tracking Service
- Put a checkmark at the database, which is configured for Tracking, here:
PrintJobTracking(arrow above) and a checkmark at TREAdmin (lower arrow).
user mapping
Then Tracking Service can access the database with Windows authentication.
Installing the Tracking Report Engine
Please consider that Tracking Report Engine cannot be installed on Windows 2003 x64 machines. Make sure that the following Windows components are installed and started: IIS and ASP.NET.
Note! The Tracking Report Engine must not be installed together with Personal Printing or ThinPrint Engine on the same server. On this, use a separate web server.
- Copy Setup.Exe of Tracking Report Engine onto the web server and open it. Select the desired language and confirm with OK. InstallShield Wizard opens.
- Select the database server on which Tracking Database has been installed (arrow above). Then select the same authentication mode which you have selected during Tracking database installation, here SQL server Authentication (middle arrow). Finally, indicate the database which has been created by Tracking database installer, here: PrintJobTracking, (lower arrow). Confirm with Next.
selecting database and authentication mode
- Here, select the authentication mode with which Tracking Report Engine establishes a connection to Tracking Database. Confirm with Next and close InstallShield Wizard with Finish.
selecting authentication mode
Analyzing tracking data
Preparing Personal Printing server and Tracking Service
Install the Tracking Database on an SQL server and the Tracking Report Engine on a separate web server, as described in the sections Installation of Tracking Database and Installing the Tracking Report Engine.
To prepare the Personal Printing server for sending data of sent print jobs to the Tracking Service, you must make the following changes to the configuration of the Personal Printing server:
- In the Personal Printing configuration, go to Edit Settings.
Personal Printing configuration console
- Select the Tracking tab and enter the following settings:
- Enable Tracking
- SQL server’s address and name
- SQL server or Windows authentication:
an account (specified with Tracking Database installer) which has write permissions for your database - Encryption settings if the data are to sent encrypted to the SQL server
- Name of the Tracking database (created using its installer)
selecting Tracking settings
The result is shown in the following screenshot.
Print job tracking enabled (Personal Printing configuration)
Use of Report Engine
The ThinPrint Tracking Report Engine makes it possible to display data from the SQL database as an overview in a web browser. All significant information on print jobs can be summarized by various criteria, sorted, and graphically displayed.
You can analyze the data with the included Tracking Report Engine, or any other tool, to retrieve the database.
- To analyze the tracking data, start your web browser and open the website of the server that ThinPrint Tracking Report Engine is installed on:
https:///tracking
Example:https://ps13/tracking - Enter the account created on the SQL server (here: TrackingService) which has write permissions for the database (here: PrintJobTracking).
opening the Tracking Report Engine in a web browser
Overview
The page Overview appears . You see the following information for analysis:
- Number of print jobs
- Color and b/w (grayscale)
- Simplex and duplex
- Paper consumption
- Color and b/w (grayscale)
- Simplex and duplex
- You can also specify the information as follows:
| Function | Description |
|---|---|
| Group | Choice between a specific or all user groups (see below Managing groups) |
| Printer | Choice between a specific or all printers |
| Start | Start of a report period (display and input) |
| End | End of a report period (display and input) |
| Predefined | Choice of a report period |
overview of number of printouts and paper usage
Distribution
The Distribution page allows analysis of which users, groups, or printers have printed the most. You can specify the information as follows:
| Category | Description |
|---|---|
| Print Jobs | Number of print jobs |
| Costs | Print costs for the number of pages printed by the respective selection (group(s) or users), taking into account printer-specific costs per page |
| Paper Consumption | Number of sheets used for printing |
| Simplex | Number of pages printed one-sided |
| Duplex | Number of pages printed on both sides |
| Black/White | Number of pages printed in black-and-white |
| Color | Number of pages printed in color |
| Errors | Number of failed print jobs |
| Group | Choice between a specific or all user groups (see below Managing groups) |
| Printer | Choice between a specific or all printers |
| Start | Start of a report period (display and input) |
| End | End of a report period (display and input) |
| Predefined | Choice of a report periods |
ranking
Trend
The Trend page gives an overview of how the frequency of printing has developed across a set timeframe. Additionally you have the option to display compression rates of print jobs, when printing with a ThinPrint Engine.
displaying trends (here, number of print jobs)
Managing groups
On the Manage Groups page you can define user groups to make the previous pages easier to read.#
defining user groups
Note! To do this, you have to use the Internet Explorer browser on the same web server on which the Tracking Report Engine was installed. (It is not possible, in this situation, to gain remote access from just any computer.)
- To do so, click the button Import a group from Active Directory.
- Then click Advanced.
user import from Active Directory
- Click Find Now (top arrow).
- Groups are displayed. Checkmark the desired group (bottom arrow) and confirm with OK.
selecting group from Active Directory
The selected group will be displayed with the included users. Include each user in one group only to avoid possible corruption of the general overviews. Users can be arranged or redirected in any groups.
Note that users will only appear here after they have printed at least once or have been imported from an Active Directory group.
Costs
On the Costs page you can define costs to analyze the financial effects of printing. Given values are the estimated values of toner and paper consumption. Because these costs can vary greatly for different printers and types of printouts, ThinPrint recommends changing the default values to reflect your individual factors.
To do so, select a Printer and enter its average costs.
| Function | Description |
|---|---|
| Currency | Enter a currency (three characters) |
| Printer | Select printer or change template (= default value) |
| New Paper Size | Define additional paper formats |
| Save Settings | Save cost values for b/w and color for the template or the selected printer |
| Delete | Delete paper format |
| Apply | Apply the same settings for other printers (multiple selection with Ctrl and Shift keys) |
settings for estimated costs
SQL database
SQL server management tools
In addition to the ThinPrint Tracking Report Engine, you can also use management tools for directly accessing the SQL database, such as Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio Express. This has the advantage that you can both create a database and analyze all data stored in the database.
Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio Express
Tracking data
If printer drivers and applications in use on the source computer (the one creating the print jobs that ThinPrint Engine sends to the Tracking Service) provide certain values and the specific version of ThinPrint Engine (or Personal Printing) also supports them, the following information can be sent with each print job to the ThinPrint Tracking Service, which will write it to the SQL database:
| Value in the database | Meaning | Supported by Output Gateway |
|---|---|---|
| MachineName | IP address of the source computer (e. g., 192.168.131.30) | √ |
| DriverName | printer driver ID | |
| DestName | host name of the target computer (e. g., client-22) | √ |
| ServerName | host name of the source computer (e. g., server-03) | √ |
| PrinterName | name of the printer on the source computer (e. g., HP LaserJet 4#client-22:6) | √ |
| ID | ID in the SQL database | |
| UserName | name of the person who printed (= Account) | √ |
| Orientation | paper orientation (portrait or landscape) | √ |
| PaperSize | paper format (e. g., A4, Letter, Executive) | √ |
| PaperLength | paper length (cm) | For user defined paper formats, otherwise value = 0 |
| PaperWidth | paper width (cm) | |
| Copies | number of copies | √ |
| DefaultSource | default paper source | √ |
| PrintQuality | printout quality (maximum value of XRes and YRes; e. g., 600 dpi) or quality level (e. g., fine) | √ |
| Color | color or grayscale (b/w) | √ |
| Duplex | double-sided or single-sided (duplex or simplex) | √ |
| XRes | horizontal resolution (dpi) | |
| YRes | vertical resolution (dpi) | |
| TTOption | TrueType fonts embedded in the file as bitmap, as soft font, or outline or information about what printer font is to be replaced sent to the printer | √ |
| dmCollate | sorting option; e. g. print longer documents consecutively | depending on the application |
| FormName | name of the paper format | √ |
| JobID | print job ID | √ |
| Status | values: 1 = Print job delivered 2 = Successfully printed 3 = Print job canceled |
√ |
| ClientID | client ID | |
| Pages | number of printed pages | √ |
| TStamp | time of print job (start of communication between ThinPrint Engine and ThinPrint Tracking Service) | √ |
| Duration | time (in ms) between start of sending a print job by the ThinPrint Engine (= TStamp) and end of transmission | √ |
| DevMode | device mode Data as blob (binary large object) | |
| PrintType | format of print data values: m = EMF; r = RAW |
√ |
| JobSize | print job size (uncompressed) in Byte | √ |
| JobTSize | print job size (compressed) in Byte | √ |
| CompressionRate | computed by dividing JobTSize by JobSize (with ThinPrint Engine only) | √ |
| DocumentName | name of the document | √ |