| Frequently Asked Questions... |
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I am going to try to address the questions I see come up the most here so check back from time to time, especially during the initial setup phase during this Fall 2008 rollout of our new Digital StoreFront.
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What is the status of ARC Printing Services Digital StoreFront Server? |
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So far so good!
I will be working on some password cleanup issues today to make that part of the process a little less confusing, so you may see some adjustments to how things are layed out. When I am done, it will go back to exactly how you are used to seeing it.
My apologies for the confusion during this time. These changes are only possible to have happen during normal business hours as the support is only available during normal East coast business hours.
I updated on 10/13 to the current version of 3.4.1 and it seems to have gone well with only one issue that was quickly resolved (the upload service had to be restarted for some reason). Since then, no problems with the software have been reported or noticed.
If you are having connectivity issues, try some of the steps listed below. If you are still having issues, feel free to give us a call at 916-484-8562, or stop by, or let us know when you are available and I'll stop by.
There is an update to version 4.0 expected in either December or January that we will be switching to. I'll of course be sending out emails and notices here when it comes. The update is supposed to be a cleaning up of issues from my operator's perspective more than my customer's, so don't worry, you won't have to relearn how all of this functions. =)
SERVER STATUS: Up & Running version 3.4.1
DATE / TIME OF STATUS REPORT: 10/22/2008 | 10:47 PM
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I am having trouble logging in? |
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You must have a valid American River College email address. If you are an adjunct professor with an email address from another campus, you will not be able to log back in to Digital StoreFront using that email address after your initial account creation. This is a bug that I am aware of and hope to have a fix very soon. Until then, just email your file and job specs to ARC-Printing Tech Support and we will take care of you until the matter is resolved. I'm hoping that will be taken care of with the release of version 4.0 in January.
Your log-in name is your email address without the "@arc.losrios.edu" stuff at the end. Your password is the the same password you use to log in to Outlook Web Access (OWA). If Digital StoreFront doesn't let you in and this is your first time at our site, you may not have an account. Try registering for a new account, logging out, and then try logging back in.
The list of adjunct teachers I had to go on was very incomplete, so if you are new, or if you are adjunct, you will more than likely need to register for a new account before you are able to log in and begin using DSF.
Something worth mentioning here, my system uses the LRCCD Exchange Server as a look up table to verify that you are 1) a valid employee using a valid username and 2) you are using the correct password assigned to that valid employee--thus authenticating you as a user. It doesn't matter what you put in as your password when creating an account on my system, in fact I generally make it 1234 when I make one for people.
Some common reasons & the fixes I have had success with while trying to troubleshoot have been:
- Incorrect username. I would be using reidd to log in. Not ARC/reidd not ARC\reidd not reidd@arc.losrios.edu and not my empl-id.
- Incorrect password. Try resetting your password on the Outlook Web Access (OWA) site and then try logging in to DSF.
- Too many log in attempts. If you try logging in to your account more than (I believe) 10 times, your account will become locked and you will need to call IT at 484-8259 to have it unlocked. They are open until 7 pm Monday - Thursday and until 5 pm on Friday.
If after following these suggestions and you are still not able to get in, I would be happy to come to your office or walk you through whatever I can over the phone.
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What is the first thing I should do to begin using this system? |
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Try logging into the system using your LRCCD user name and password. If you have never used our system before and this was unsuccessful, try registering for an account and then giving it another shot. To see more information about the registration screen, scroll down on this FAQ.
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How can I learn about all the new features of
ARC Printing Services Digital StoreFront? |
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Periodically, I will be teaching classes on how to take advantage of all the bells and whistles of our new system. If you are interested in additional training, feel free to contact me and I'll get something arranged.
Learn How To Use Printing Services’ New Digital Storefront
Category: Flex Days Workshops
Over the Summer break, we switched our Online Job Submission program over to a full featured Digital StoreFront. Join Don Reid, Supervisor of Printing Services, as he helps you to understand all the in’s & out’s. Learn about all the new features such as: easily scan your hardcopy to PDF; Job Tracking capabilities; Instant Pricing; One-click reordering, and much much more!
Dates of upcoming classes:
- 1/22 @ 2:00 pm - ITC Computer Training Lab
- 1/23 @ 10:00 am - ITC Computer Training Lab
9/12 @ 10:00 am - ITC Computer Training Lab9/8 @ 2:00 pm - ITC Conference Room 9/5 @ 10:00 am - ITC Computer Training Lab8/28 @ 9:00 am - SRPSTC Business Office8/22 @ 2:00 pm - ITC Computer Training Lab 8/21 @ 5:30 pm - Natomas Center Computer Lab-
8/15 @ 10:00 am - ITC Computer Training Lab
If you have any questions, please email me at Don.Reid@arc.losrios.edu or call my department at (916) 484-8562.
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What are you looking for on the Registration page? |
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here is a copy of my screenshot...
- First Name / Last Name
Your first name and then your last name. For me, Don Reid
- Address / City / State / Zip
The address you would like your job delivered to. For me, it's 4700 College Oak Drive, Sacramento CA 95841.
- Phone Number 1
The main way of getting in contact with you should we have any questions. Your office number or cell phone if that's your preferred method of contact from us. For me, my office would be 916-484-8563.
- Phone Number 2
This field is optional. If we can't get a hold of you using your first number this is the first place we would look. Here is where my cell phone number would go.
- Fax Number
Who faxes anymore? I put 916-484-8674 anyway.
- Title
Another optional field. I put Supervisor in. I considered making this a more useful field with Classified Manager Faculty Adjunct as the options...still might at some other point.
- Department
Which department should the majority of your mail be delivered to? I put Printing Services in.
- Email Address
This should be your LRCCD email address but it can be where ever you are most likely to be reached should we have questions.
- LRCCD User Name
This is the name you use to log in to your work computer, or the Exchange Server to get your email. For instance, for me, it would be reidd. Not arc/reidd or arc\reidd and not my empl-id number.
- LRCCD User Name
The same as 9, again, mine would be ReidD.
- LRCCD Password
This has to be the same one you use on the Exchange Server as well. It is what validates you as an employee in Los Rios.
- Security Question
This is the question you will be asked before it allows you to reset your password within the ARC Printing Services DSF system.
If you have filled it in as I have above using the same password you use to log in to our Exchange server, or any computer on campus, and are not able to get in please email me and let me know as this is not the behaviour I expect.
The Account Information section wants you to retype in the same user name/password you use to access things like the LRCCD Web Access because it authenticates you as an employee by comparing what is being used on this server to our Exhange User/Password account...refered to as LDAP Authentication. Because of this, the passwords MUST BE AN EXACT MATCH.
Another thing to keep in mind, ARC Printing Services Digital StoreFront does not have the ability to control your LRCCD user name/password and the LRCCD Exhange Server can not change your account here. Two separate servers. What this means in practical terms is that after if you change it there, you will need to then change it to match here as well.
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Why doesn't the preview look exactly like my job every time? |
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The file that you uploaded might not match the preview on this page for a few reasons. I've noticed that jobs that have been setup with the landscape mode selected have shown up incorrectly as well as odd sized paper choices...or even for no apparent reason at all.
Just know that the PDF we will be processing has a link to it for your review and THAT is the file we will be receiving to print. When you click on the file name, it will open the PDF.
I would recommend you take a look at your PDF for EVERY job you submit to us. Look to see that the extra carriage returns at the end of your Microsft Word Doc didn't create an extra page that ends up as a blank for instance. Or, that your Excel spreadsheet that was supposed to be on one page, ended up on four because the page breaks weren't set correctly.
Please get used to ALWAYS LOOKING YOUR PDF OVER.
Other opportunities to check your file:
There are a couple times you have the opportunity to check your files over before proceeding. On the screen that you use to upload your file, you will notice that the uploaded file is named the same thing it was on your computer, but that it now has an Adobe PDF logo appearing next to it. You will also notice that the file name now has an underline on it and when you hover your mouse over it, you will notice that it is a link. If you click on that, you can see the PDF that we will be receiving.
If you upload native files and allow the server to do the conversion, ALWAYS look at one of these links to ensure that what you expected to happen in fact has.
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Where is the job being delivered to? |
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Your job will be delivered to the department you have listed in your user profile, so be sure that information is up to date and accurate. If there is any question as to how to fix that, just send me an email or give my office a call at 916-484-8674.
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Acount number...but it's supposed to be free?! |
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If your job hasn't cost you any money in the past, you should not be getting charged for it now. Implementing this software has not changed any of our campus supported policies. So, when you see that screen that says "CHECKOUT, Payment (if necessary)" and you know that your order is free-fifty-free, just hit the NEXT button and move on.
Not all of our customers are as fortunate as you might be and have to pay for some or all of our services. On top of that, everyone has to pay for things like NCR or color copies and this is where payments are arranged.
If it doesn't pertain to you, then just hit next.
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What are the known bugs? |
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So, with every program out there, there will be bugs. I'll try and keep an up to date list here with the ones I know about and a status report for each of them. |
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The job was due at 8 am, and it didn't arrive. |
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Every job is due at 8 am. This is because the calendar portion of our site has as it's default every job you submit to be due at 8 am. If I could change this to 2:00 pm, when intercampus delivery is scheduled to go out, I would have done it; however I can't. If I could take that section of the calendar off, I would; however I can't. The result, every job due tomorrow is due at 8:00 am with the exception of 2.
If you really do need your job at 8 am, then you should schedule it to be due the day before as the Maintenance Department doesn't even get picked up until around 11:00 am and my department is not able to do deliveries. I wish we did, but we have not enough man power to handle that on top of the current work load.
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Users with email address outside of arc.losrios.edu can not sign in after initial registration/login. |
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If you have an scc.losrios.edu or flc or a crc email address, DSF will allow you to create an account and submt jobs, but not allow you back in.
I am hoping this will be resolved either with the next version slated for January, or with the single login user info that District Office is working on.
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Dean/VP/Supervisor being asked to approve even though I am paying for this out of my pocket. |
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When you submit a job that needs to be paid for, your immediate supervisor or dean will be notified and be asked to approve your job every single time--even when you are paying for the job out of your own pocket.
This is not something that I am able to change.
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Address field has Don Reid listed as recipient. |
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This is because the job has been requested to be left in the Printing Services Department as a WILL CALL item and I am the contact here.
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What browser works best with DSF? |
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The browser that works best with ARC Printing Services Digital StoreFront (DSF) is the one you are most comfortable using. In my case, I use Firefox which can be freely downloaded at Mozilla.com. There are advantages & disadvantages that you need to be aware of though. |
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Internet Explorer |
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Advantages
It's already installed and configured on your computer.
You don't have to learn how to use another new program during this very busy time.
Disadvantages
Hitting the back button during the order process will cause the session to end and you will need to re-input some of that data after frustratingly getting back to your ordering. |
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Mozilla Firefox |
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Advantages
The back button on your browser does what you think it should be doing. Your session doesn't expire and you still get to make the change however you decide without that frustrating experience.
Disadvantages
See Advantages to using IE above.
Some pages require IE and I don't want to have to worry about which browser to use with which site. (install the free addon for ff called ie-tab to fix that)
When you get to the button that says something like "show detail of pricing" you will get an error popup.
I'll add more as the days go on. |
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"There is a problem with the site" error message at shopping cart? |
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I have seen an issue come up a couple of times at the shopping cart. You upload your job, fill out the form, get to the shopping cart and get a message that reads "There is a problem with the site. The error has been reported to the administrator. Please retry later." When I contacted EFI about this, their fix was to click the CLEAR CART button and upload your job again. They seem to think it happens due to a bad file upload, however I think its because the wind changed direction/temperature just the right amount as it blew a gust over my cpu.
Their fix has worked for the few times I have seen it, so maybe they were right.
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How current are the status messages and what do they mean? |
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The different status messages you see help us (and you) to determine where you job is in our system. Some of these flags happen automatically, and some of them are set by my operator's in Printing Services.
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User Approved |
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You (the user) have approved the job and it is ready for Printing Services to reproduce it in the way you requested. It has not been touched on our side.
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Waiting Approval |
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Your job may have had a cost associated with the initial order and it is waiting for your Dean/VP/Supervisor to approve it. Or, it was a quote and it's waiting for you to approve it.
It will remain in this state until it has been approved. After this has happened, my operators will see it-but not until then.
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Approved |
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Your job has been approved to print and is ready for my Printing Services operators to reproduce it in the way you requested.
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Transferring
/Transferred
/Printing |
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Someone in the Printing Services Department has begun working on your file. Transfer refers to transferring or moving your uploaded files from our DSF server to our operator's workstation.
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Printed
/Binding |
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Your job has finished printing and is moved on to the next stage in our shop. Typically the next step in our workflow would be the finishing or Bindery Department.
If your job needs to be trimmed, folded, 3 hole drilled, or collated offline then this is when it's sent. This is where it gets shrinkwrapped as well.
If your job had no 'finish' work being done, and you need it faster than the delivery service would be getting it to you, now would be a good time to call us and ask about coming to pick it up in person.
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Completed |
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Your job has been shrinkwrapped and is on it's way to or it's sitting on our shelf waiting for the Maintenance Department's daily delivery service to pick it up. It could also be waiting for you to pick it up from our very small 'Will Call' shelf.
This flag is set manually at the end of the day or when my bindery staff have a free moment. This means your job labelled Printed or Binding might be Completed, but may not have been marked as such.
I hope to make this flag more current or live by including a bar code on the order form, but not yet.
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Rejected
/Canceled
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Your job was either rejected canceled or deleted. If this is a mistake, please give us a call at 916-484-8562. You may need to re-order your job. |
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