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HP OfficeJet Pro X series - Restrict Color Printing

Introduction
Color management tools
Step one: Connect to the Embedded Web Server (EWS)
Step two: Open the Restrict Color page
Step three: Configure the Color Printing Controls
Step four: Configure custom color printing restrictions
Step five: Save the configured Restrict Color settings
Step six: Use the Color Usage Job Log to monitor color printing

Introduction

The Restrict Color feature on the EWS provides the option to restrict the printer’s usage of color when printing. All color printing can be disabled or customized for certain users or software applications. The Restrict Color feature for the printer provides the following options:
  • Manage color print job use during printing
  • Disable all color printing
  • Restrict color copying
  • Set custom color printing permissions for users or computer applications
note:
Color usage monitoring is also available on the EWS in the Color Usage Job Log.

Color management tools

The following table explains the various color management tools available.
Control management tools
Color management tool
Description
HP Embedded Web Server
The HP Embedded Web Server (HP EWS) is a Web-browser-based utility that provides an interface to the printer to change printer settings, including color management settings. No special software needs to be installed or configured. It allows you to set color printing restrictions and view a log of color printing use. The HP EWS is designed for one‑to‑one printer configuration monitoring and management.
HP Web Jetadmin
The HP Web Jetadmin provides an interface to the printer through a Web browser on single network-administration servers. Use HP Web Jetadmin to manage HP Jetdirect-connected printers within an intranet.
For more information or to download this software, go to www.hp.com/go/webjetadmin
Color Usage Job Log
The color usage job log shows color and monochrome print job statistics for a printer.

Step one: Connect to the Embedded Web Server (EWS)

  1. From the Home screen on the printer control panel, touch the Network button to display the IP address or host name.
  2. Open a Web browser, and in the address line, type the IP address or host name as it displays on the printer control panel. Touch the Enter key on the computer keyboard. The EWS opens.
    Figure : Example of an IP address in a browser window
    note:
    If the Web browser displays a There is a problem with this website’s security certificate message when attempting to open the EWS, click Continue to this website (not recommended).
    Choosing Continue to this website (not recommended) will not harm the computer while navigating within the EWS for the HP printer. If this error occurs outside of the HP printer’s EWS, the computer could be at risk.
    Figure : Example of the HP Embedded Web Server home screen
    note:
    To prevent unauthorized printer setting changes, administrators might want to add a password to limit access to the EWS. Click here to learn more.

Step two: Open the Restrict Color page

  1. Using the EWS top navigation menu, click Settings.
  2. In the left navigation pane, click Copy/Print Settings.
  3. In the Copy/Print Settings options list, click Restrict Color. The Restrict Color page opens.

Step three: Configure the Color Printing Controls

  1. The printer has three options available for color printing. Click the radio button for the appropriate option:
    Color printing control
    Description
    Enable color printing
    All color print jobs will print in color with no log in restrictions to use this print feature
    Disable color printing
    All color print jobs will print in black-and-white or grayscale
    Custom color printing
    Color print job restrictions can be enabled for users and software applications
    note:
    Additional print feature permissions are available in the Access Control page. For more information on Access Control, go to Access Control (c04558075).
  2. If either Enable color printing or Disable color printing is select, click Apply to complete the configuration. However, if Custom color printing is selected, continue on with the instructions.
  3. For Custom color printing, select the appropriate color printing restrictions:
    1. To restrict color printing for software applications, click the check box next to Restrict color printing from some software applications.
    2. To restrict color printing for users, click the check box next to Restrict color printing for users or groups.
      note:
      Manage users, user access, and print feature polices on the Access Control page. For more information on Access Control, go to Access Control (c04558075).

Step four: Configure custom color printing restrictions

note:
Options to configure software application or user restrictions only appears if the check boxes are clicked for Restrict color printing from some software applications or Restrict color printing for users or groups in the Color Printing Controls are checked.

Configure the Restrictions for Software Applications

  1. To set the default color printing setting for all software applications, click the drop-down menu under Restrictions for Software applications, and select either Enable Color Printing or Disable Color Printing.
  2. To enable or disable color printing for a software application, click the above the software application table. The Application Settings page opens.
  3. In the Application Name field, enter the name of the software application.
  4. Use the Color Control drop-down menu to select either Enable Color Printing or Disable Color Printing.
  5. Click Apply.
  6. To change a software application’s color printing permissions, click Edit in the software application table.
  7. To remove the color printing restriction from the software application, click the check box next to the software application name, and then click the above the table.

Configure the Restrictions for Users or Groups (Sign In and Permission Policies)

The following steps provide information on how to configure access restrictions for user types, access types, and sign-in methods.
note:
Manage users, user access, and print feature polices in the Access Control page. For more information on Access Control, go to Access Control (c04558075).
note:
By default, all color print features for Guest are set to Access Granted and User are set to Full Access, which do not require a sign-in method. Sign-in is not required unless the sign-in method is changed in the Sign-In Method column from Use Default to one of the three sign-in methods (Local Device, LDAP, or Windows).
note:
When a print job is sent to the printer, there is a USERNAME variable included in the Printer Job Language (PJL), which is also sent to the printer, and all users share the same permissions. If the USERNAME variable is blank, which may be the case when using third party print drivers, the print job is considered to be from a Guest user, and will print in black and white or color as configured in the Restrict Color settings in the EWS. However, sign-in authentication is not applied to remote print jobs, which may result in those print jobs printing in color even if color printing is restricted.
  1. Determine the appropriate level of access for a Guest.
    • Access Granted: Allows a Guest to use the specified print feature without signing in
    • Requires Sign In: Requires a Guest to sign in to use the specified print feature
    If the Guest is set to (Requires Sign In), guests will not be able to copy or print in color. Only User accounts configured for access will be able to copy or print in color after signing in to the printer.
    1. To disable all color print features, click the check box under Guest. The check boxes are now set to (Requires Sign In) to use the color print features.
      -OR-
    2. To disable a specific color print feature, click the check box in the Guest column that is to the right of the print feature. The print feature is now set to (Requires Sign In).
  2. Determine the level of access for a User.
    • Full Access: Allows a User to use the specified color print feature after signing in at the printer control panel
    • Access Denied: If a User tries to print or copy in color, even after signing in to the printer, all color print features are disabled
    1. To disable all color print features, click the check box under User. The check boxes are now set to (Access Denied). If a print feature is set to Access Denied in the User column, the access in the Guest column automatically changes to Requires Sign In.
      -OR-
    2. To disable a specific color print features, click the check box in the User column that is to the right of the color print feature. The color print feature is now set to (Access Denied). If a print feature is set to (Access Denied) in the User column, the access in the Guest column automatically changes to (Requires Sign In).
  3. Determine the Sign-In Method for color print features for walk-up users at the printer’s control panel.
    note:
    By default, the Sign-In Method is set as Local Device; however, this does not require sign in to use a color print feature unless the sign-in method is changed for the specific color print feature from Use Default to Local Device.

Step five: Save the configured Restrict Color settings

  1. At the bottom of the Restrict Color page, click Apply to save the configured settings.

Step six: Use the Color Usage Job Log to monitor color printing

  1. From the EWS top navigation menu, click Tools.
  2. In the left navigation pane, click Reports.
  3. In the Reports option list, click Color Usage Job Log. The Color Usage Job Log page opens.

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