Synchronize user and group details overview

PaperCut NG/MF supports synchronizing with many external directories out of the box, however, in some cases syncing with a custom or unsupported directory is required.

Some large networks, particularly those found at established universities, have custom user directories and authentication services that are not directly supported by PaperCut NG/MF. To support these networks, administrators can use scripting and other technologies to build a new custom User Directory Information & Authentication Provider.

User and Group synchronization options

One of the most important tasks when managing PaperCut NG/MF is to configure the User and Group synchronization options. PaperCut NG/MF synchronizes user and group information from a source such as Windows Active Directory (Windows domains) or Google Cloud Directory. 

You also have the option to configure a custom sync source for a user directory. This simplifies system administration because you don’t need to manage a separate database of users and groups. 

If a user is added to the domain or is removed from a group, then PaperCut NG/MF automatically synchronizes this information without any intervention from the administrator. 

Here’s an example of the benefits of automatic syncing:

• Jason configures PaperCut NG/MF to assign an initial credit of $10 to users who are members of the “Students” Windows security group.
• At the start of the new school year, Jason adds 100 new students to the Windows Active Directory.
• Jason also adds all the new users to the “Students” Windows security group.
• When PaperCut NG/MF next synchronizes with Active Directory, the 100 new users are added to PaperCut NG/MF and automatically assigned the $10 initial credit. This is done automatically without any additional work by Jason.

Sync sources

You can synchronize with the following user directories:

• Windows Active Directory

• LDAP (OpenDirectory, Novell eDirectory, OpenLDAP, etc.)

• Google Cloud Directory (for organizations that use Google Workspace for Education, Google Workspace for Enterprise, or Cloud Identify Premium)

• Azure AD (standard)

• Azure AD Secure LDAP

• Windows Standard (local users and groups for workgroup environments)

• Unix Standard (local users and groups / NIS / POSIX)

• Samba

• Custom program (Advanced)

Configuration procedures

• Synchronize user and group details with Active Directory

• Synchronize user and group details with LDAP

• Synchronize user and group details with standard Azure AD

• Synchronize user and group details with Azure AD Secure LDAP

• Synchronize user and group details with Google Cloud Directory

• Synchronize user and group details using custom programs

• Manually synchronize with a user directory

• On demand user creation

Scheduling syncing

By default, PaperCut NG/MF automatically syncs user and group information with your directory each night. You can change the time of the sync if needed - check out Change the nightly maintenance and directory sync times .

You can perform additional full user/group syncs by scheduling a script to run the appropriate server-command command. 

For more information on using the server-command, see Tools - database, server-command scripting, and APIs (Advanced) .