FAQ
Find quick answers to the most common questions about our services, contracts, and support.
A DCA (Data Collection Agent) is a tool used to monitor printer devices and collect essential data such as page counters, consumable levels, error messages, serial numbers, and device models. This information is securely transmitted to a central cloud server (CPS), enabling proactive service, automated billing, and consumable management.
DCAs are non-invasive and read-only:
- They do not install drivers, push updates, or alter printer settings.
- They are suitable for high-security environments (e.g., financial, healthcare, military).
- They only collect operational data—never user data, print job content, or sensitive document info.
In Noetics:
- A DCA record links to a contract and customer, typically placing discovered devices into a PILOT contract.
- Devices marked with model = Discover are automatically updated with the correct model after the first DCA read.
- Monitoring begins once the DCA is connected to a contract.
Noetics currently integrates with the following DCA platforms:
- Nubeprint CPM (Noetics native DCA)
- PrintFleet
- EKM
- KPAX
- MPS Monitor
More integrations are planned as the platform evolves. We have the ability to take you with your current DCA if you want to. Our system can plug into the data collected by these "External DCAs" and store it directly in the Noetics platform.
CPM only collects non-sensitive operational data from printers. This includes:
- Serial number
- Model, MAC address and IP address
- Page counters
- Consumable levels
- Error messages displayed by the device
It does not collect user data, print jobs, document names, or printer settings. All data is read-only via SNMP and fully auditable.
Here's how a Data Monitoring screen gets filled in for a single read in Noetics. To see it go to MPS > Devices > Data Monitoring (Data being filled in depends on printer and what the DCAs collect). Right click and open image in new tab to see
There is also MPS > Operations > Counters to allow a more organized view of meters collected:
Yes. The built in Noetics DCA agent is open source, and its full source code is included with every installation. This makes it 100% auditable. Users can extract the code by renaming the CPM executable (e.g., cpm.exe) to a .zip file and decompressing it, allowing full inspection of how the agent operates and what data it transmits.
- Install or extract the CPM .msi package.
- Locate the executable file (cpm.exe or monitor-silent.exe).
- Rename it to .zip (e.g., cpm.exe.zip).
-
Decompress it using any standard archive tool.
This will give you access to the agent’s source code and internal structure.
No. DCA does not run as a persistent background service. It is only launched manually or by the Windows Task Scheduler and does not remain resident in memory. This design eliminates common security vulnerabilities associated with always-on services.
The Noetics DCA is not installed as a Windows service. Instead, it is run as a Scheduled Task. It only consumes resources when it is actively running, which improves security and reduces system impact.
Data is transmitted over either HTTPS (port 443) or HTTP (port 80), depending on how the user configures it. HTTPS ensures secure, encrypted transmission, while HTTP allows for full visibility and auditability of the data being sent.
Yes. By configuring the Noetics DCA to use HTTP, all transmitted data is visible in plain text. This allows users to inspect the traffic and verify exactly what is being sent — including its content, origin, and destination — for full transparency.
No inbound ports need to be opened. The Noetics DCA only uses outbound ports 80 (HTTP) and 443 (HTTPS) for transmission, which are standard and typically already open on firewalls.
All data is transmitted to a fixed processing server over the internet. The server has a known, public IP address, allowing for controlled and auditable network behavior.
Yes. The Noetics DCA is designed to meet stringent security and compliance requirements, including:
- HIPAA (Healthcare)
- SOX (Financial transparency)
- GLBA (Financial data privacy)
- FISMA (Federal information security)
- ENISA (EU cybersecurity directives)
- RFCs for communication and data transmission protocols
This makes it suitable for use in healthcare, finance, military, and government sectors.
No. The Noetics DCA is a read-only, non-invasive tool. It does not require printer configuration changes, does not install as a service, and does not push drivers or updates. It only uses SNMP in read-only mode to gather data.
If a list of IP addresses is not provided, the DCA performs automatic discovery across the network using SNMP. This process is designed to be slow and efficient to avoid consuming bandwidth or disrupting devices. Discovery can be accelerated if printer IPs are known and preloaded.
Yes. The DCA supports complex network topologies, including segmented VLANs and WANs. It can be deployed on central or subnet-specific servers, and multiple CPMs can be used to cover different network segments. It works without requiring changes to network routes, printer ports, or firewall settings.
A contract invoice in Noetics is a billing document generated based on meter readings and pricing rules set on machines under Enterprise contracts. These invoices are created monthly in DRAFT state, allowing the accounting team to review and send them individually or in bulk. Invoices are visible in our built in customer portal and you can take payment directly in the system via CC or ACH using our built in fintech solution.
Invoicing is triggered automatically if the customer has “Auto Invoice” enabled and an Invoice Cycle date set. The system calculates charges using current meter data and contract terms, including proration for machines added mid-cycle. Devices in Pilot contracts are excluded from invoicing. Manual invoice generation is also supported and can be used on it's own or paired with automation.
- Go to Contacts > Customers > Open the customer > Sales & Purchase tab
- Enable Auto Invoice
- Set the billing day of the month in the Invoice Cycle field
- Go to MPS > Contracts > Machines on Contract > Pick a Machine
- On the Installation tab ensure printer is in INSTALLED status
- Go to the Invoicing tab
-
Choose a Minimum type mode:
- NONE: bill actual usage
- COMBINED: a single covered copy for all meters combined
- SEPARATED: separate covered copies for B\W and color
- Choose an Invoicing group per machine
- STANDALONE: bill separate base and overage rate for this machine
- GROUP#:
- If all meters for all machines are in one group and share covered copies (B\W and Color separately), this will be GROUP1
- If there are multiple groups sharing different copies and rates, choose GROUP2, GROUP3, up to GROUP10 for the number of groups on the contract
- Set Covered copies and rates per machine
- If there is a group of machines sharing covered copies, choose one machine to carry the copies for the group and set the rest of the machines to 0
- (Black or Color) Price over minimum would be your rate over the covered copies.
- Minimum (Black or Color) copies would be the covered copies for the corresponding meter type
- (Black or Color) Price under minimum would normally be 0 unless you bill minimum copies vs a base
- Add up to 5 fixed-cost items under the Monthly Flat Fees section on the right
- Maintenance: This is normally the base rate on the contract.
- Monitoring: This was originally meant to bill for DCA monitoring, but can be used as another field for a base in the instance that you want to setup meter group base rates as opposed to Contract or equipment base rates (ea terms).
- Leasing: This would be for internal leasing or if you bill the lease and pay the leasing company (opposite of pass thru from the leasing company).
- Other 1: This is a misc charge.
- Other 2: This is a misc charge.
If a printer is active only part of the month, some costs are automatically prorated based on the Install Date or Contract Start Date (whichever is later).
- Maintenance, Monitoring, and Leasing fields are prorated
- Other 1 and Other 2 are NOT prorated
- Go to: MPS > Contracts > Machines on Contract
- Open a machine > Installation tab > Check the Install Date
- Ensure the printer is INSTALLED
- Confirm the Install Date — billing will begin from this date, or from the Contract Start Date if it’s more recent
There are two methods:
- Automatic: If Auto Invoice is enabled, the system generates billing reports and sends them via email on the set day.
-
Manual:
- Go to MPS > Roles > Customers (see "How can I manually invoice?" section below)
Automated invoicing is configured by going to Contacts > Pick a Customer, then navigating to the Sales & Purchase tab and enabling the "Auto Invoice" checkbox. You’ll also set the Invoice Cycle, which determines the day of the month when invoices are generated. The system will automatically gather meter readings from ENTERPRISE contracts on that day and generate a draft invoice with all calculations included.
The system also supports proration. For example, if a contract begins on 01/01 and billing is set to the 1st of the month, but a $300 maintenance machine is added on 01/15, the system will only bill $150 for that cycle, matching the active period.
You can manually generate invoices for a customer using the manual invoice wizard.
Steps to manually invoice:
- Go to MPS > Roles > Customers.
- Find and select the customer.
- A new option will appear above your customer list
- Click Actions > Manual Invoice
You’ll see a popup where you choose how to process the invoice:
-
Only meters:
This option pulls meter data (initial, final, page type) and stores it in Operations > Counters. It’s useful for reporting or preparing to invoice. Be sure to set the "To Date" to today and click Invoice. -
Only invoice:
This option uses stored meter data and applies billing logic (groups, minimums, overages, etc.). It generates a billing report in Contracts > Contract Usage, which will automatically sync to Accounting > Customers > Invoices or can be pushed manually. -
All:
Runs both steps above — pulls the meters and generates the invoice. This is the standard option for live environments.
Important notes:
- Meter reads can be pulled from any contract (PILOT or ENTERPRISE).
- To generate actual invoices, machines must be on ENTERPRISE contracts. The wizard only invoices machines on active Enterprise contracts.
- If “Auto Invoice” is enabled and a billing cycle is defined on the customer, the system will run these steps for you automatically and generate a draft invoice in Accounting.
If an invoice was created using incorrect pricing (e.g., a wrong per-page rate was entered in the Invoicing tab):
- Delete the invoice in the Noetics Billing module.
- Correct the rates on the machine or contract record.
- Return to the customer record and use the Manual Invoice action to regenerate the invoice.
There’s no need to change the meter values or the last invoiced date. The system will use the existing meter data for the new invoice.
If the mistake was in the meter values used during invoicing:
- First, delete the invoice — this is required to unlock the meter records.
- Go to Operations > Counters and delete the incorrect meter entries.
- Once removed, the system will automatically update the last invoiced date and allow you to re-enter the correct values.
- Return to the customer and regenerate the invoice using the Manual Invoice action.
- You must delete the invoice first before deleting any associated meters.
- You can only delete the most recent meter readings. Older readings cannot be removed if newer ones exist, to preserve the meter evolution logic.
Yes. Dealers can combine equipment lease charges and MPS service fees into a single invoice. This is done by populating values in the "Monthly Flat Fees" fields on machine records. The system picks up those values and includes them in the generated invoice, aligning with the one-invoice model preferred by some dealers.
Yes, in Noetics you can maintain your in-house leasing company. If you share the CoA or have a totally separate one, we can maintain both in one database and control access, reporting and functions independently.
Lease costs can be handled in two ways:
- Option A: Assign the full lease cost to a single “master” machine in the group.
- Option B: Prorate the lease amount across all machines in the contract. This method is ideal for contracts where the install base may change over time.
The lease cost is then added to the invoice using the Leasing field and prorated automatically based on billing cycle duration.
These are customizable charge fields used to pass through flat monthly costs that we don't want to prorate. Think of it as miscellaneous charges
They appear on the invoice under labels that can be renamed to match your preferred billing language.
These values are not prorated and will always bill a fixed number.
If each location is treated as a separate customer (which is often the case in ERP systems), then the recommended approach is to create a separate contract and customer record per location. Machines discovered by the DCA can be assigned to the appropriate contract, and the customer address will auto-populate at the printer level. This also ensures that each location gets its own invoice.
Alternatively, if all locations fall under a single customer, users can manually update the Company and Location fields on each machine. This allows the same customer record to reflect different physical locations.
There are two ways to handle this scenario:
Option 1:
Treat each location as a separate customer in the system. Each will have its own contract, making it easy to manage location-specific billing and movement of machines. The company name and location will update automatically when a machine is reassigned.
Note: This approach will generate separate invoices per location since each is treated as a distinct customer.
Option 2 (Preferred):
Keep everything under a single customer record to streamline billing. Reflect different company/location names by:
- Updating the Company Name on each Equipment record
- Manually adjusting the Location fields
This lets you manage multiple locations under one billing account. For bulk changes, export and re-import the following fields using Excel:
- External ID
- Serial Number
- Model
- Variant
- Company
- All Location fields
This method helps ensure accurate install details while minimizing contract clutter.
If a machine was skipped due to missing meters or other issues, don’t worry. If you enter the meters after billing, the system will automatically include the usage in the next billing cycle. Alternatively, you can manually trigger an invoice to catch up the missed charges.
Invoices will not generate if the contract is of type PILOT. PILOT contracts are non-billable by design—they allow monitoring and setup but do not support invoice generation. To enable invoicing, machines must be moved to an ENTERPRISE contract.
The system calculates Black pages as Total minus Color. If the Color count exceeds the Total, it results in a negative value, which is invalid. In such cases, the system blocks invoicing to avoid incorrect billing. Ensure that the Color counter is equal to or less than the Total counter.
Yes, you can manually enter counters via Open Cloud and attempt to trigger invoicing using the “Only Invoice” button. However, this only works if the machine is under a billable (ENTERPRISE) contract. Also, this workflow does not function in test databases unless specific configurations are enabled—otherwise, it may affect production-linked data.
Allowance refers to the amount of usage—typically the number of printed pages—included in a customer's contract at no extra charge. Allowances are usually defined per billing cycle and may apply to black & white pages, color pages, or both. In Noetics, an allowance is set at the machine or group level and defines the minimum included volume before overage charges apply. The system can calculate this per device or by aggregating the total across a group of machines. Allowances help automate billing and ensure customers are only charged for usage beyond what their contract includes.
Yes. If multiple machines (e.g., black & white printers) are part of the same contract, their meters can be billed together using a shared group allowance. You would assign both machines to the same group (e.g., “Group1”) and set their invoicing method to combined. This allows their usage to be calculated collectively.
There are two ways to handle the allowance:
- You can define equal minimums per machine (e.g., 3,750 on each machine to total 7,500).
- Or define the full allowance on one machine (e.g., 7,500 on one, 0 on others). In this case, you must manually update the total if new machines are added to the group.
Yes. You can group machines for black meters only, while leaving color meters billed separately. For example, in a 3-machine setup, you could set a shared black allowance for Group1 and assign 0 allowance for color, which would then be billed independently per machine.
No. In the current system, each machine can only belong to one billing group, and that group defines the pricing logic for both black and color meters. Unlike some other platforms, dual group assignment is not supported.
CPI stands for Cost Per Impression (or Cost Per Image) and refers to the price charged for each printed page. In Managed Print Services (MPS), CPI is used to calculate billing based on actual usage, either for black & white or color pages. In Noetics, CPI is defined on each machine record under the Invoicing tab as:
-
BW CPI
- Color CPI
Overages refer to the amount of printer usage—typically measured in pages—that exceeds the base allowance included in a customer’s contract. For example, if a contract includes 5,000 black pages per month and a machine records 6,200 pages, the extra 1,200 pages are considered overages and are billed at the configured per-page rate.
In Noetics, overages are calculated automatically when a machine’s usage goes beyond the set threshold defined in its pricing setup. The system applies the configured "Price over minimum" (black and/or color) to the excess volume, and this is reflected in the contract invoice during the billing cycle. Overages only apply when an allowance is present and separated from flat-fee billing.
Minimum types define how allowances are set for each machine on a contract. You have three options:
1. Separated
- Define separate allowances for Black & White and Color copies
- Ideal when you want to bill or track each type independently
2. Combined
- Set a single total allowance that includes both Black & White and Color copies
- No need to distinguish between the two in billing or reporting
3. None
- No minimum allowance is set for the machine
- All usage is billed as overage
Book pricing refers to the default or list price set for products, services, or page rates before any discounts, custom agreements, or overrides are applied. Book pricing serves as the baseline for quoting and billing, and is often stored in a central pricing catalog or rate table. Dealers may adjust this pricing per customer, per contract, or during negotiation—so the book price is essentially the "starting point."
A lease refers to a monthly payment agreement between a dealer (or leasing provider) and a customer for the use of printing equipment. Instead of purchasing devices outright, customers pay a fixed monthly fee over a set term (commonly 36–60 months), allowing them to access hardware without large upfront costs. This leasing model often works alongside a separate service agreement for maintenance, consumables, and support.
There are two types of billing approaches when it comes to leasing:
- Bundled - The dealer will bill for the lease payment on their monthly contract invoice and then on a agreed-upon cadence. Remit the collected funds to the leasing company
- Traditional - The customer will receive a invoice from the leasing company for the lease payment and the dealer will bill for their service as per the contract
Once the equipment is delivered, the dealer is to send an invoice to the leasing company for the full value of the equipment to collect the payment
In Noetics, based on the configuration on the sales order our system will auto fill the lease payment per machine so that when invoices go out it includes the lease payment (for bundled billing)
Once a deal is signed our system will do all the calculation and setup a lease record in the system for you that is connected to the contract and the sales order.
Pass-through service means that when we sell a piece of equipment with service included and we mark it as Pass Through service, the service will be a line on the lease because we want to bill the leasing company for that service rather than the customer.
A rate card is a table that defines the cost structure for leasing equipment based on:
- Lease term lengths (e.g., 24, 36, 48, 60 months)
- Purchase options (e.g., Fair Market Value, $1 Buyout)
- Price ranges of the deal (e.g., $25,000–$49,999)
- Rate factors used to calculate monthly payments
You multiply the deal value by the rate factor from the card to get the monthly lease payment. Rate cards are provided by leasing companies to standardize and automate lease pricing.
A rate factor is a decimal used to calculate the monthly lease payment for a deal. Common in leasing, it simplifies payment calculations. For example, a $10,000 device with a 0.020 rate factor results in a $200 monthly lease. Rate factors are typically provided by leasing companies and are used to structure customer payment plans.
Purchase options are the choices a customer has at the end of a lease agreement for their equipment. These options may include purchasing the equipment at its fair market value (FMV), completing a $1 buyout to take full ownership, upgrading to new equipment, or simply returning the device with no further obligation. The specific options available are defined in the original lease agreement and provide flexibility based on the customer’s needs at the end of the contract term.
Lease terms are the lengths of time (in months) that a lease agreement lasts. For example:
- 36 = 36 months = 3 years
- 60 = 60 months = 5 years
- 69 = 69 months = 5 years and 9 months
These terms define how long the customer will make payments before the lease ends. The term you choose affects the monthly payment:
- Shorter terms (like 24 or 36) usually mean higher monthly payments.
- Longer terms (like 60 or 69) reduce the monthly cost but extend the obligation.
Leasing companies offer different terms to give customers flexibility based on their budget and how long they plan to keep the equipment.
A credit application is a form submitted to request financing or leasing approval for equipment. It provides the leasing provider with the customer’s financial and business details to assess risk and determine eligibility. Approval is typically required before entering into a lease agreement or financing plan for MPS equipment. In our system when a credit application is submitted that will also make a lease in a pending approval state - when the credit application goes to Booked, the lease will be moved to active.
In the Managed Print Services (MPS) industry, maintenance, service, or base refers to a recurring charge that covers the essential support and upkeep of a customer’s printing devices. This includes services like preventive maintenance, technical support, dispatch for repairs, and sometimes a base volume of included pages. It's a fixed fee billed regardless of usage and forms the foundation of most service contracts. Depending on the agreement, this charge may be billed separately or grouped with leasing on a single invoice.
In Noetics, the maintenance or base charge is managed as part of the contract invoice cycle, but only for machines under ENTERPRISE contracts. PILOT contracts do not trigger billing, including service charges. Maintenance charges can be set per machine, or assigned to a master device in a group.
Base charges can be added to the invoice using defined fields and are tracked within the Invoicing tab on each machine record. Noetics also supports proration, so if a machine is added partway through a billing cycle, the base charge is automatically adjusted based on the number of active days.
Yes. Annual contract escalation is supported and allows dealers to automatically increase CPI (cost per impression) rates, overage charges, and maintenance fees each year based on the contract’s start date. Escalations can be configured either system-wide (for all contracts) or per contract, with separate percentages for each charge type and for each year—up to seven years.
The system uses a daily automation process to check active contracts and apply the correct increases each year. Proration, contract types, and machine-level billing settings are respected, ensuring that escalations apply only where intended. This helps dealers keep pricing aligned with inflation, rising costs, or long-term agreement terms—all without manual updates.
An EMAR (Electronic Medication Administration Record) machine is a specialized device used in healthcare environments, typically powered by a generator and only active during emergencies. These machines can be part of broader contracts but may require unique billing rules because they are intermittently powered on.
In such cases, base (maintenance) fees may be billed monthly, while overages are billed quarterly.
“Toner Only” machines are those for which only toner is included in the service contract—other consumables like drums or fusers are excluded.
To configure:
- Turn OFF thresholds for excluded consumables (e.g., drum, fuser) in the machine record.
- Use % thresholds (not days remaining) to trigger toner-only alerts and orders.
- “All Inclusive” machines will have all relevant thresholds active for full monitoring and supply fulfillment.
The "Machines Managed" count on a contract shows all machines linked to that contract, regardless of their current status (e.g., Installed, Not Installed, Retired). This count is not automatically filtered based on activity status.
If you want to see only active or billing-eligible devices, you can use the saved filters at the top of the view — such as:
- "Active" – shows machines that are Installed
- "Pending" – shows machines that are Not Installed
To ensure that inactive machines (like those marked as Retired) don’t clutter your view or get miscounted in billing prep:
- Mark the machine’s status as Retired under MPS> Contracts > Machines on Contract — this removes it from billing eligibility.
- When viewing "Machines Managed" from a contract, use the "Active" filter to see only Installed machines or the "Pending" filter to view Not Installed machines.
- To get a full picture of all non-retired machines, you can combine both filters or create a custom one that includes both Installed and Not Installed statuses, while excluding Retired.
A sublease, as referred to by dealers, typically means adding a new piece of equipment to an existing lease agreement so that the customer continues to receive a single monthly lease invoice. This is not a formal sublease in legal terms, but rather a consolidation of payments for multiple leased devices into one invoice.
A coterminous lease aligns the new lease with the remaining term of the original lease. In practice, this means:
- The leasing company offers a reduced term (e.g., 50 months instead of 60) for the new device.
- The equipment is added to the master lease via a Schedule A document.
-
The system should reflect this by either:
- Adding the full lease value to a “master” printer, or
- Prorating lease costs across machines using designated fields (e.g., Lease Payment).
You can use the Lease Payment field to capture individual lease charges per machine. For example:
- Enter the full lease value on the master machine, and set all others to 0.
- Or spread the lease values across machines. The system will total these and include them in the invoice.
This setup supports multiple leases under a single invoice, with no extra configuration required from the customer side.