Firmare upgrades for KMC C253 Printer - Better stored document management?

[Stirton.M]

emujo, You can transfer files from box to box....or copy them as I recall....

[emujo]

With page scope and the control panel, I can move docs from 1 box to another, but I can only merge documents using the control panel. I suppose this is because if I am using page scope, KM assumes I can do the required merging with my PC and then manage the docs (send back to box, print, delete ect). So I go back to my original reply...if the thread starter can't do this from the MFP, it's a settings issue, or it may be a functional limitation due to the geographical area of the world he is in..maybe this is not a app that is included for his region..like the voice option for clearing jams on the C652 series...it's available, but not in the US. Emujo

[jschool]

Thank you all for your comments and efforts - I have been unable to come back to this last week but spent a little more time on the Firmware checking and will also clarify my difficulties.

First, The Firmware: Thanks Mr. Spock for your complete list. My firmware is almost exactly the same as yours with the exception of additional/different components like our finisher, etc... The only thing that may seem relevant is that You did not include a 'Panel CPU' firmware, where as I have one listed. This is in addition to the 'MFP Operation Panel' and 'Operation Panel Message Data'. Here are my firmware numbers:

BOOT: A02E0Y0-1E00-G00-04
MFP controller subset: A02E0Y0-1F00-G00-70
MFP controller: A02E0Y0-0100-G10-R5
MFP controller system: A02E0Y0-1000-G10-R5
MFP controller print controller: A02E0Y0-3000-G00-65
MFP controller print controller font: A02E0Y0-3F00-G00-22
MFP controller print controller Demo Page: A00J0Y0-3E00-G00-00
MFP controller MIO: A02E0Y0-5000-G00-80
MFP controller PSWC: A02E0Y0-5100-G00-06
MFP controller MIB IF: A02E0Y0-5200-G00-J1
MFP controller IPP IF: A02E0Y0-5300-G00-82
MFP controller TCP/Socket: A02E0Y0-6300-G00-J2
MFP controller OPEN API: A02E0Y0-7000-G00-11
MFP controller operation panel: A02E0Y0-8000-GM0-30
MFP controller PIC: A02E0Y0-8200-G10-23
MFP controller CSRC control Body: A02E0Y0-8300-G00-80
Scanner: A02E0Y0-0023-G00-34
Printer: A02E0Y0-0050-G20-08
FAX board controller 1: 15LA-0040-G01-10-000
Operation panel message data: A02E0Y0-8100-G00-K1
ADF: A01H0Y0-0024-G00-12
Finisher (FS-519): A0D60Y0-0071-G00-00 (Different Finisher)
Panel CPU: A02E0y0-8900-G00-00


Now, in response to emujo and Sirton.M:
Background:
1. We are a school and use the device to print course materials.
2. The mailboxes are used exclusively to store print jobs/settings for these materials
a) Only print jobs are used to ensure quality of printout (ie: we do/will not print then scan to mailbox(!)
b) Staff that operate the device can learn the Device Panel to nagivate mailboxes and print books, but it is impractical to expect them to learn how to manage the finer points of the windows driver settings to get the right settings for re-sized booklets, saddle stiching, etc...
c) If these print jobs were not stored in the mailbox, they are so big, it would take too long to re-send the jobs from a PC each time they are to be used.
3. We have over 40 mailboxes and 300+ print jobs.

Problems:
1. The frequenly touted (by KMC sales) box operator is useless to our company because it ONLY allows the management of Scanned jobs. Print jobs simply do not appear
2. Both in the Panel and in the Web-interface, I cannot move more than a SINGLE job at a time. This means that maintenance of over 300 documents is impossibly slow, repetitive and frustrating for anyone with an IQ of over 60.
3. In the panel, it is not possible to print more than ONE copy of a selection of multiple documents. ie: if I had 10 module booklets to print for 10 students, I cannot multiple select them and print 10 of each. I need to single-select, print 10, then single select the next item and print 10, etc... or multiple select all 10 booklets and print 1 copy of each, then wait for the printing to finish and repeat 9 more times. In the case of 10 books for 10 people it means I need to do 10x more work. Imagine when we have to do this for 40+ documents and 40+ students - again, makes us really really think poorly of KMC - especially given that we raised these specific usage patterns with the sales staff.

These are problems that cause is daily difficulties.

Then whe have general usability issues with the web interface that indicate NO usability testing was ever done on this tool - not even any reasonable translation checking.
It is because of this that I assumed we had been given an early-release of the firmware - thinking that most self-respencing companies would at least want to release incremental improvements to corrent horribly designed and translated elements of their product. Sadly it seems this may not be the case since Mr. Spock and Sirton.M seem to agree that I have the lastes firmware.

I would appreciate your thoughts on the issues I am seeing - but if this is really the last update KMC released for the device I am very disspointed with their attention to deficits in already-released equipment and will be certain not to include them in any future considerations for MFP equipment.

Again - thank you all for your time and comments! It is far more than I have received from KMC and was most undexpected....

Regards

Alex

[emujo]

I think this will solve at least one of your issues...go to the user box that you want to print multiple sets...select all of the documents you want to print..now select "COMBINE", the screen will change to a list of all the documents you have selected, press OK. Now the finishing options and # of copies should no longer greyed out. You can input # of copies, staple and duplex options. Let us know. Emujo

[BlueBlazer]

Have you considered setting up an external printer server. It seems that the document flow you are talking about could be better managed by an external PC. A dedicated print server would keep transfer time to a minimum and allow for future expansion as you rolled out more course packs.

These are problems that cause is daily difficulties.

I only make this suggest because I work at a university that is rolling out a KM workflow system.
Konica's box printing solutions are great for low volume, high user base, not so great for large volume which you are referring to, especially a c253, which is a great machine, just not quite the speed you may be looking for the amount of volume you are seeing.

I don't mean to step on any toes, but it just seems like you may have more success looking outside of KM's work flow solutions.