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Using the Add Value Station

With the self-service Add Value Station, users can add money to their account or even create a new account without staff involvement.  The system uses any standard ABA-Track 2 magnetic stripe card so a user can create an account with virtually any magnetic stripe card in his/her wallet (e.g. a bank card, a gas card, etc.).  Users access their account by swiping their card and then add funds through a standard bill acceptor. They are guided through the process with messages displayed on the Add Value Station display panel. 

Create New Accounts

If the ability to create a new account is enabled, the user can create an account by either swiping any compatible magnetic stripe card in the reader or by typing in an account number manually.  If the system is configured to require PINs, the user is then prompted to enter and confirm a PIN, with a limit of 20 characters.  The user would then insert the desired amount of cash into the Add Value Station and then press the '#' key. The system then prints a receipt indicating how much was added to the account.

Add Value to Existing Accounts

The user swipes his/her card or enters the account number, and if required, enters the appropriate PIN.  If the system finds that the account number and PIN are valid, and the query account balance option is NOT enabled, the user would then be prompted to insert cash into the system.  When the user has inserted the desired amount of cash, he/she would press the '#' key to finish the transaction.  A receipt indicating the original balance, the amount being added, and the closing balance would be printed. 

Querying an Existing Balance

The user swipes his/her card or enters the account number, and if required, enters the appropriate PIN.  Provided that the account number and PIN are valid, then the user is presented with the option of querying the account balance or adding value to the account.  When the Account Balance option is selected, the current account balance is displayed for a period of approx. 5 seconds.  The Add Value Station then returns to the initial prompts.
 

Using the Print/Copy Device

The Print / Copy Device allows for walk-up copying, and if enabled, print vending from the OCS software.  The accounts used by the system need to be setup in the OCS User database. 

Copy Vending

At the prompt, the user swipes his/her card or enters the account number.  If a PIN is required, the user would then be prompted to enter the PIN for this account.  Once the Print / Copy Device has validated the account and PIN, the device begins a copy session.  A copy session enables the attached photocopier for the selected price lines (where the price for that particular line is non-zero). If the device has been configured for Print Vending as well as Copy Vending, there is one more step: once the device has validated the account, the user is prompted to enter 1 for copy vending, 3 for print vending, or any other key to cancel.   

When the user has finished copying, he/she would press the Enter key on the Print / Copy Device unit to terminate the copy session.  Alternatively, if the user waits too long between photocopies, the device would automatically terminate the copy session itself. 

While a copy session is in progress, the account used to accumulate the charges will be locked.  Regardless of how the copy session was terminated, the account used for the session will be updated with the new value and unlocked.

Copy Vending with Bill-To Accounts Enabled

Copy vending with the Bill-To accounts option enabled is very similar to the standard copy-vending mode.  The only difference is that the initial account entered is used to gain entry to the OCS system, no charges will be accrued against this account.  This account will be referred to as the originator in all transactions.  Once the Print / Copy Device has validated the originator account, the user will be prompted to enter the Bill-To account (and PIN, if required).  If the Print / Copy Device can validate this account, and there are sufficient funds available, it will begin a copy session as above. 

Print Vending

In order to be able to access the print vending functionality, the Print Vending option needs to have been enabled within the Print / Copy Device Device configuration and a printer (with prices) assigned to the Print / Copy Device.  The user enters the account, and PIN as in the Copy Vending section.  With the Print Vending option enabled, the Print / Copy Device prompts the user to press 1 for copy vending, 3 for print vending, or any other key to cancel.  The display of the Print / Copy Device changes to "Retrieving Job Info, Please Wait…" while the Print / Copy Device is obtaining the list of print jobs associated with the account NAME.  If no jobs can be found associated with the account name, then the Print / Copy Device displays "No Print Jobs Available for you", waits approx. 5 seconds and returns to the initial prompt for account number.   

If there were any jobs found that were associated with the account name, the Print / Copy Device displays "'+' to print Jobs: #" on the first line, where # represents the total number of jobs found for this user name.  On the second line of the Print / Copy Device display is "↑↓ to scroll".  The user would scroll through the list of jobs and press the '+' key to print the listed job.  Once the user presses the '+' key, the Print / Copy Device determines if there are sufficient funds available to pay for the selected job.  If not, the Print / Copy Device displays the following message: "Insufficient Funds, Please add value".  If sufficient funds are available, the Print / Copy Device then displays the number of pages, the cost of the job, and the options "1=Print 3=Cancel".  If the user accepts the charges and presses 1, the job is released to the printer, the account updated, and transaction entries posted.  The Print / Copy Device then returns the display to the list of available jobs, with the job just printed marked with an asterisk.  If the user declines the charges, the Print / Copy Device returns the display to the list of available jobs.  

Once the user has printed all of the listed jobs, or if the user presses the 'C/CE' key, the user's account is updated and unlocked, and the Print / Copy Device display is returned to prompting for an account entry.