Project Print Tracking – overview

Description

The Project Print Tracking feature allows users to select and assign a target project for every print initiated from their workstation in order to track per-project costs. Billing codes (project codes) are provided in a hierarchical structure that can represent different business models (for example, a list of customers and their individual projects).

For configuration and deployment information, see Configuring Project Print Tracking.
For managing billing codes in the YSoft SafeQ Web Interface, see Managing billing codes.
For an overview of importing/exporting billing codes, see Billing Code Import CSV Format Specification.
For an overview of the user workflow relating to billing codes, see Selecting billing codes in SafeQ Client.

User stories

As a user, I want to print a document and select a billing code (project code) for the produced output so that I can exactly track and later charge costs related to the various projects I'm working on.

Requirements

YSoft SafeQ shall provide a project list (tree) from which the user can select a project prior to making every print.
Every project contains the following attributes: unique code, name, access permissions.
YSoft SafeQ shall provide reports of outputs/prints generated for every project.
YSoft SafeQ shall allow the administrator to manage the project list and also to use import and export tools to automate management of the project list.
This feature shall be supported by all Office and Production Print Tracking methods.
YSoft SafeQ Client shall support smart search for billing (project) codes (that is, the user types letters/numbers and the list is automatically filtered for matching projects only).
YSoft SafeQ shall support definition of a "default billing code (project code)" as an attribute of the user. This information shall also be replicated from an external data source (where possible).

Dependencies/non-functional requirements

YSoft SafeQ Terminals must be installed and available on the LAN.
Print drivers and print clients must be installed locally on every workstation.
YSoft SafeQ Client must be configured for project accounting.
Identity management must be established.
Every user has to have assigned at least 1 Billing Code (e.g. "0 Default Project" is assigned to everyone) in order to be able to copy.

Limitations

The list of available billing codes (project codes) for each new user is synchronized to ORS servers at the next periodic synchronization – which means that the user may see only the default billing code upon first access, and all other billing codes after the next periodic sync.
YSoft SafeQ5 supports a maximum of 1000 billing codes per one level (with no technical limitation on the number of nested levels). If you have more billing codes, use (or request) the import script that can import data into the logical tree structure.
Available for network printers connected via the YSoft SafeQ server only! Does not work on print queues shared by a print server.
The user must select a billing code prior to making every print. Only projects assigned to the user are visible; tiered billing code selection (i.e. the user first limits the selection, then selects the code) is available.
If no project is defined or assigned to the user, the project selection dialog is not displayed and prints are accounted to a default project (if defined) or no project (otherwise).
If the project selection dialog is canceled the prints are accounted to a default project (if defined) or no project (otherwise).
When billing code is changed during copying larger amount of pages, copy job is accounted to the billing code chosen at the moment copy job was finished, not to the one chosen when copying started.

Differences between YSoft SafeQ versions

Supported features	5.0
Multilevel billing codes – unlimited project "tree" structure. Access permissions are defined for the tree and related sub-tree
Import of project list from CSV file Project code and project name must be defined See Billing Code Import CSV Format Specification
Administrator can define default project per user or cost center (not role)
Assignment of projects to users/cost centers based on import from CSV file CSV file contains at least unique project code/project folder name
Assignment of a default project to a user from LDAP based on LDAP attribute
Administrator can define (enable/disable) budget (assign costs) for project Administrator can define budget per project (with costs per page as defined per device in YSoft SafeQ) When the budget limit is reached, users are unable to print to this project unless administrator adds some value to the project account When the budget limit is reached, project administrator (assigned to a respective project folder) is notified by e-mail
Administrator can define soft quota – in number of pages – for project When quota is exceeded, users and project managers are notified Users are notified before jobs are processed; however the print job is printed
Administrator can define hard quota – in number of pages – for project When quota is exceeded, users and project managers are notified Users are notified before jobs are processed and the print is denied

Licensing

The Project Print Tracking feature is a standalone licensed feature. To use Project Print Tracking, this feature must be included in the license and the license for this feature must not have expired. Without valid license,

There is no option to configure projects in the YSoft SafeQ Web Interface.
Dialogs for selecting and changing projects are not available on terminals.
Dialog with project selection is not available in YSoft SafeQ Client.
Configuration option for allowing billing codes (billing-codes-enabled) is ignored.
Predefined report for project printing is not available from the Web Reports menu.