Using Cost Models

PaperCut MF/NG allows a lot flexibility in setting various cost models for printers and copiers, see the tab Printers -> Select printer -> Charging. For the following information to make sense you need to be familiar with the setup of cost models in the PaperCut MF/NG admin interface. More information at https://www.papercut.com/support/resources/manuals/ng-mf/applicationserver/topics/printer-diff-charging.html

So setting up printer charging is a two stage process

Define the details of a cost model
Select that cost model for use on the printer.

Cost models

PaperCut supports six different cost models, which have different names depending on where you are:

Name in Web Interface	Value returned by `get-printer-property cost-model`	name in advanced attribute
simple	SIMPLE	n/a (see below)
standard	SIZE_TABLE	pst
by paper size category	SIZE_CATEGORY	psc
by paper sizes	SIZE_DETAILED	psi
by paper length	SIZE_LENGTH	length
by paper area	AREA	area

Setting up the individual costs in each model

Simple

This is easy -- use the server-command sub command set-printer-cost-simple. For example

server-command set-printer-cost-simple laptop-alec fake_printer 0.03

Standard

See https://www.papercut.com/support/resources/manuals/ng-mf/applicationserver/topics/printer-diff-charging.html#printer-charging-type-standard

If the charge model is set to standard then the costs are defined in a series of attributes, one for each combination of paper size, color or greyscale, and simplex or duplex. So for instance

advanced-config.cost.pst.11x17.color.simplex

The first group of attributes set the costs for the default paper size

advanced-config.cost.pst.default.color.duplex
advanced-config.cost.pst.default.color.simplex
advanced-config.cost.pst.default.grayscale.duplex
advanced-config.cost.pst.default.grayscale.simplex
advanced-config.cost.pst.default.enabled

Then for each set of paper sizes that do not use the default cost model a set of custom costs must be defined. So for instance

advanced-config.cost.pst.letter.color.duplex
advanced-config.cost.pst.letter.color.simplex
advanced-config.cost.pst.letter.grayscale.duplex
advanced-config.cost.pst.letter.grayscale.simplex

Additionally each paper size must be enabled with an additional attribute. For example

advanced-config.cost.pst.letter.enabled

set to "Y". It can be set to "N" to disable the costs for the corresponding paper size. Note that the default paper size must also have an enabled attribute set (See the example for default above)

Paper size category

See https://www.papercut.com/support/resources/manuals/ng-mf/applicationserver/topics/printer-diff-charging.html#printer-charging-category

For information on duplex discount see https://www.papercut.com/support/resources/manuals/ng-mf/applicationserver/topics/printer-diff-charging.html#printer-duplex-discount-calculation

Set values for the following attributes

advanced-config.cost.psc.duplex.type "LESS_PER_PAGE"
advanced-config.cost.psc.duplex.value "0.0"
advanced-config.cost.psc.grayscale.type "LESS_PER_PAGE"
advanced-config.cost.psc.grayscale.value "0.0"
advanced-config.cost.psc.large.type "EXTRA_PER_PAGE"
advanced-config.cost.psc.large.value "0.0"
advanced-config.cost.psc.verylarge.type "EXTRA_PER_PAGE"
advanced-config.cost.psc.verylarge.value "0.0"

Alternatively this can be configured as a percentage

advanced-config.cost.psc.duplex.type "PERCENT_LESS"
advanced-config.cost.psc.duplex.value "10.0"
advanced-config.cost.psc.grayscale.type "PERCENT_LESS"
advanced-config.cost.psc.grayscale.value "5.0"
advanced-config.cost.psc.large.type "PERCENT_EXTRA"
advanced-config.cost.psc.large.value "10.0"
advanced-config.cost.psc.verylarge.type "PERCENT_EXTRA"
advanced-config.cost.psc.verylarge.value "20.0"

Paper Sizes

See https://www.papercut.com/support/resources/manuals/ng-mf/applicationserver/topics/printer-diff-charging.html#printer-charging-paper-size

First define costs for a default colour and greyscale page

advanced-config.cost.cost.psi.grayscale.default "0.03"
advanced-config.cost.cost.psi.color.default "0.03"

Next define the discount for duplex (both type and value)

advanced-config.cost.psi.duplex.discount.type "LESS_PER_PAGE" or
advanced-config.cost.psi.duplex.discount.type "PERCENT_LESS"

Then custom costs can be added for each page size that is different to the default. For example

advanced-config.cost.psi.grayscale.a4 "0.02"
advanced-config.cost.psi.color.a4 "0.01"

Paper Length

See https://www.papercut.com/support/resources/manuals/ng-mf/applicationserver/topics/printer-diff-charging.html#printer-charging-paper-length

For information on duplex discount see https://www.papercut.com/support/resources/manuals/ng-mf/applicationserver/topics/printer-diff-charging.html#printer-duplex-discount-calculation

advanced-config.cost.length.cost.unit "PER_FOOT" or "PER_METRE"
advanced-config.cost.length.cost.value "0.30"
advanced-config.cost.length.duplex.type "LESS_PER_PAGE" or "PERCENT_LESS"
advanced-config.cost.length.duplex.value "3.0"
advanced-config.cost.length.grayscale.type "LESS_PER_PAGE" or "PERCENT_LESS"
advanced-config.cost.length.grayscale.value "7.5"

Paper Area

See https://www.papercut.com/support/resources/manuals/ng-mf/applicationserver/topics/printer-diff-charging.html#printer-charging-paper-area

For information on duplex discount see https://www.papercut.com/support/resources/manuals/ng-mf/applicationserver/topics/printer-diff-charging.html#printer-duplex-discount-calculation

advanced-config.cost.area.cost.unit "PER_SQUARE_FOOT" or "PER_SQUARE_METRE"
advanced-config.cost.area.cost.value "0.03"
advanced-config.cost.area.duplex.type "LESS_PER_PAGE" or "PERCENT_LESS"
advanced-config.cost.area.duplex.value "0.3"
advanced-config.cost.area.grayscale.type "LESS_PER_PAGE" or "PERCENT_LESS"
advanced-config.cost.area.grayscale.value "7.5"

Applying the cost model on the printer

As of PaperCut NG/MF 19.1, You can apply cost models via the server-command and web services API:

server-command set-printer-property l-ryanr.papercutsoftware.com toshiba2505 cost-model SIZE_LENGTH

Otherwise, you will have to set these changes through the Admin UI.

Using Cost Models - PaperCutSoftware/PaperCutExamples GitHub Wiki