Welcome to our FAQ page! Here, you will find answers to the most frequently asked questions regarding the printer integration and the Xentral Spooler. This page offers you quick and helpful information that supports you in using our platform. No matter if you need setup assistance, error solutions or tips for optimal usage – our FAQ is here to help you out!
How does the Spooler App work?
How does the Spooler App work?
Once per second, the Spooler App asks Xentral for print jobs. If available, the Spooler App fetches a maximum of 10 print jobs, which are then assigned the status processing in Xentral. Then, the Spooler App sends each print job to the respective printer separately. As soon as the printer is done with the print jobs (success or failure), the Spooler App assigns the status completed or failed to the print job.
The process steps are as follows:
Receipt of the print job in the Spooler App
The file is saved on the hard drive (so that the printer can access it)
Execution of the print command (including the file path)
Deletion of the file from the hard drive (after printing)
How do I optimally set up my printers in Xentral to ensure stable automatic printing processes for shipping labels, product labels, and delivery notes? Specifically, what is the best configuration for spoolers (central vs. decentralized) and how are the various printer settings prioritized?
How do I optimally set up my printers in Xentral to ensure stable automatic printing processes for shipping labels, product labels, and delivery notes? Specifically, what is the best configuration for spoolers (central vs. decentralized) and how are the various printer settings prioritized?
For stable printing processes, a central spooler should be preferred to optimize performance. The spooler must be active at all times. Printers can be configured both centrally (e.g., within logistics processes or shipping methods) and decentrally (in the user settings). User-specific printer settings take precedence over project settings, except for label reprints, which use the printer originally assigned to the task. The order of priority is: User settings > logistics/shipping method settings > project settings.
What is the meaning of the print job statuses?
What is the meaning of the print job statuses?
The print jobs in the Print jobs menu in Xentral have the following meaning:
Status | Meaning |
created | The print job has been created, but not yet fetched by the Spooler App (e.g. because there is no internet connection or the app is not running). |
pending | The print job has been fetched by the Spooler App, but has not yet been processed (because it is still in the queue of the operating system). |
processing | This status is assigned as soon as the Spooler App is processing the print jobs, e.g. after they have been fetched from Xentral. If print jobs remain in the processing status, this means that the operating system or the printer itself are not sending any feedback to the Spooler App (e.g. due to a printer timeout or because the print jobs are in the queue). |
completed | The document has been printed successfully - at least this is what the operating system has communicated to the Spooler. If documents are still not being printed, there is an issue with the operating system or the printer itself. |
failed | The operating system/the printer could not finish the print job. Please check the error message that you can find in the Reason column at the very right side of the Print jobs menu. |
Can I delete print jobs?
Can I delete print jobs?
No, it is not possible to delete print jobs. You can either download the document to print it manually or repeat (retry) the print job. As of now, there is no group function for retrying print jobs in bulk.
The print format is wrong. What can I do?
The print format is wrong. What can I do?
The Spooler never changes the format. In case you want to change the format, you need to do so externally, e.g. in the DHL Business Customer Portal in case you are trying to print a DHL shipping label, or go to the printer settings in your operating system.
Note
The Spooler never changes any files but simply prints them just as they are received.
Why is the test page not printed?
Why is the test page not printed?
This issue often occurs with label printers and is mostly related to the printer driver. The Spooler does not change the format. If the printer driver cannot process the format, nothing is printed. The test page template is always in DinA4 format. To solve the issue, try printing a real shipping label.
Why are delivery notes and shipping labels not printed automatically, even if the printer is set up in Xentral and the test page is printed successfully?
Why are delivery notes and shipping labels not printed automatically, even if the printer is set up in Xentral and the test page is printed successfully?
To activate automatic printing of delivery notes, the printer has to be selected for each stage of the logistics process in the project settings under Logistics/Shipping. In addition, the printing of he desired receipts must be activated in the project settings. The printer for shipping labels is determined in the settings of the respective shipping method in the Shipping methods Module.
The label printer does not print anything, even though the print job is displayed as Completed in the spooler. Why are the print jobs not handed over to the printer queue at the computer?
The label printer does not print anything, even though the print job is displayed as Completed in the spooler. Why are the print jobs not handed over to the printer queue at the computer?
Check the format settings for the printer direclty on your computer, since those are often the cause for this issue. The format settings in Xentral must be identical to the computer’s printer settings. Check if the print jobs are temporarily saved in the Xentral Spooler file on your computer (Windows: C:\Users{someUsername}\AppData\Roaming\xentral-spooler3, MacOS: /Users/{USERNAME}/Library/Application Support/xentral-spooler3).
How can I target different printer trays?
How can I target different printer trays?
The Spooler and Xentral are not able to target different printer trays directly. As a workaround, you need to set up a separate printer for each tray on the computer on which the Spooler App is running. In other words, you have to duplicate the printer in your operating system and select a tray in the printer settings. Those “trays” will then appear in the Spooler and have to be set up as separate printers in Xentral. Thus, you create one printer configuration per tray.
Do I need multiple Spoolers if we have several locations?
Do I need multiple Spoolers if we have several locations?
Not necessarily. Basically, you can use as many printers as you like using only one Spooler - provided that all printers are part of the same network or server and that the Spooler App has access to all of those printers - regardless of the location they are at and the number of users that are working with them.
Note
The fewer Spoolers are active, the better system performance will be.
Is it possible to print from two different Xentral instances on the same PC using a single label printer connected locally via USB?
Is it possible to print from two different Xentral instances on the same PC using a single label printer connected locally via USB?
If you have two Xentral instances open simultaneously in your browser and want to print from both (meaning you are working with a single spooler on the same machine), this is technically not possible. The spooler always accesses the same central settings.
If necessary, you can log out of the spooler in one instance and log back in within the other. Alternatively, you can use a second computer for one of the instances.
Is it possible to install the Windows Spooler on a Windows server instead of the user profile?
Is it possible to install the Windows Spooler on a Windows server instead of the user profile?
Yes, this is possible. If you install the Spooler on a Windows server instead of the user profile, the Spooler may run in the background or as a service so that print jobs are passed on even if the user is currently logged out.
You can achieve this by creating a Windows service with a PowerShell command. Here is an example:
New-Service -Name "Xentral Spooler Service" -DisplayName "Xentral Spooler Service"-Description "Xentral Spooler Service" -StartupType Automatic-BinaryPathName "Speicherpfad/xentral-spooler3 Setup 3.0.0.exe --service"
Important
Note that this is an advanced use case for the Spooler App. Programming knowledge is required for the setup. Since this is a custom setup, Xentral cannot offer in-depth support in case of issues.
The setting for location-based printing keeps on being deactivated in my browser. How can I resolve this issue?
The setting for location-based printing keeps on being deactivated in my browser. How can I resolve this issue?
In Chrome and Edge browsers, the setting for location-based printing may be deactivated automatically. Go to your browser’s website settings to make sure that access to the local network is not blocked. If it is, activate local network access in the browser settings and restart your browser.
If you are using Chrome, open the path chrome://flags/ and make sure that the option Local Network Access Checks is set to Default.
How do I determine which person may use which printer for which documents?
How do I determine which person may use which printer for which documents?
In Xentral, you can determine printer usage in the following places:
Automatic printing: the relevant settings for this are available directly in the project (Projects > Open project > Tab: Settings > Tab: Logistics/Shipping) in the sections Shipping process and picking, Stage 1 (Picking/Order picking) and Stage 2 (Pack) at dispatch station. In addition, automatic printing is determined by the settings for the shipping methods you are using (Shipping methods > Open shipping method > Expert settings) and your pick list profiles (module Pick list profiles).
Manual printing: In the user settings (User > Open user > Tab: Other settings, use the settings Default printer, Default label printer, Printer level (shipping) and Printer level (parcel label) to determine which printers the user may access.