SPEAR Upgraded

This summer we upgraded the software for SPEAR, the software used for printing to a copier, and you will notice a few changes. The first thing you may notice is the login screen looks different, but this is only a cosmetic change and does not affect how you log in.

The next thing you may notice is that the screen to release print jobs looks a little different and has a few more features. You will now need to select the jobs you want to print by either putting a check in the check boxes for the jobs you want to print or putting a check in the “Select all” box and then pressing Print.

The new version also let’s you make a couple of changes to your print jobs before you print them. If you go to one of the color copiers, you will now be able to change a print job from color to grayscale (black and white). On both color, and black and white machines, you can also change it from single sided to double sided. This is handy if you missed a setting when you sent the print job or changed your mind how you wanted it to print. SPEAR will show you how much this change will save. It also shows what settings were used when the job was printed.

Two other things that have changed is how you get to the copier functions if you have print jobs cued up and how you log out after releasing print jobs. To get to the copier functions, click on the icon in the upper left hand corner, the buttons under the screen and the pullout from the right will not work. To logout after releasing print jobs, click on the exit icon in the upper right hand corner, the Access button will not work.

If you do access the copier functions from the job release screen, you can go back to the job release screen by pressing the Release button. At this point the buttons below the screen will also work, along with the pullout on the right, for those used to getting at copier functions that way.

Once you have gone to the copier functions from the print job release screen, you will need to use the Access to log out of SPEAR. This applies no matter whether you go back to the print job release screen or not.

If you have additional questions or would like to schedule an in person demo, please let the peripherals group know.