Print Job Accounting Accuracy

In the world of print management, the integrity of accounting data - how closely reported usage matches what actually occurs at a device - is crucial for both operational oversight and cost control. MyQ stands out with an approach designed for unmatched accuracy in tracking and reporting print job activity.

Real-Time, Device-Validated Accounting

Most print management solutions estimate how many pages are printed by analyzing jobs before they reach the device and assume everything proceeds as planned. MyQ, in contrast, relies on real-time communication with print hardware to ensure that its records reflect reality rather than assumptions.

• Device Signals Govern Reporting
  MyQ listens directly to the printing device, recording pages only when the device itself confirms their production. Page counts are updated not at the moment a job is released, but only as the device completes each print job. If a user starts a 500-page print job and something interrupts the process, for example a cancellation, paper jam, or device error, MyQ records and accounts for only the pages physically printed, not the total requested.

• Embedded Terminal and SNMP Integration
  By integrating with embedded terminals and using standard printer communication protocols (like SNMP), MyQ updates print activity based on precise device outputs. This ensures that reports and billing are always perfectly aligned with what actually left the printer.

• Print Directly from Devices – Accounting Built-In
  Because MyQ is designed with user convenience in mind, it doesn’t matter how you print, scan, copy, or fax, accurate accounting is guaranteed. Even if a file is sourced from Cloud Storage, directly at a printing device, Easy Print and other Easy Actions are configured to record spending correctly regardless of the circumstances.

• No Guesswork, No Overcharging
  Because MyQ waits for definitive device feedback, users and organizations are never charged for pages that fail to print. Whether a job completes as planned or is interrupted partway, the accounting database will match the outcome, eliminating overbilling, a frequent issue with systems that rely on estimates or presumption.

Precision-Enhancing Features

• Job Parsing and Instant Cost Estimates
  MyQ’s robust job parser provides users with early cost or quota estimates, but crucially, final accounting is only established after job completion is confirmed by the device.

• Continuous Device Status Monitoring
  MyQ not only tracks print output but also printer events, allowing administrators to pinpoint interruptions or failures that might affect actual usage and costs.

Why Does This Matter?

Accurate, device-verified accounting has practical benefits:

• Organizations pay only for resources actually consumed.

• Disputes or confusion over billable pages are largely eliminated.

• Print management data becomes a reliable basis for budgeting and planning.

• Administrators and users have complete transparency and confidence in reported usage.

Unauthenticated Usage, Accounted Accurately

It is an unfortunate but fairly common occurrence in the world of printing software that the bills received from service providers do not match the expected cost indicated by accounting. It’s not unheard of for support departments to receive angry claims that something is malfunctioning, and the numbers do not add up.

However, when MyQ encounters such cases, getting to the bottom of the problem is normally fairly simple. Depending on an environment and how it's configured, it's possible that not every user interaction that is accounted is also authenticated. This often occurs when a user (either intentionally, or due to a lack of understanding) attempts to bypass the MyQ Print Server.

In most solutions that track accounting according to print spooling, this cost data would be lost, resulting in an unauthenticated and unaccounted action. However, when such cases occur within MyQ, we suggest including *unauthenticated user in the relevant reporting - which invariably solves any accounting discrepancies as MyQ is always monitoring the device counters.

Essentially, even when a print job has bypassed MyQ and we cannot tell exactly to who to account it to, that action is nonetheless accounted at a device, ensuring that even with imperfect data, the books will balance sooner or later.

In Summary

MyQ’s device-centric accounting methods eliminate the guesswork and assumptions that often cause inaccuracies in print job tracking. By recording only what actually happens at the printer, MyQ delivers exceptionally accurate usage and cost data and ensures users are charged only for pages actually printed.

This standard of accuracy is rarely matched by traditional, estimation-based solutions. Furthermore, MyQ maintains this level of precision by default, and without slowing down any other processes, making MyQ the clear choice for organizations where exact print accountability is a priority.