Pay for Print FAQ

  1. Why can't I login to the payforprint.ubc.ca website? I can login to CWL, so I know that my password is working.
  2. How do I add value to my card in cash?
  3. Why is my account balance at $0 on the Pay for Print website? I know that I have money on my Residence Mealplan or UBCcard plan.
  4. Why didn't my print job come out on the right paper size when using web print? My PDF document specifies 11 x 17 size paper.
  5. Why didn't my print job come out in the correct orientation when I use web print? I generated the PDF file in landscape mode.
  6. The quality of my printout is very poor, who can I get a refund from?
  7. Can UBC Okanagan visitors use the Pay for Print system in Vancouver?
  8. What does "external adjustment" mean on transaction history?
  9. I am unable to use my TD bank card to put money on my account.
  10. I need to print specific pages of my Microsoft Office (e.g. Word, PowerPoint, Excel) document but the web system will not allow me to select a page range. How can I print only a few pages?
  11. I need to print a web page and upload it to web print. How can I do this?
  12. Who should I contact if I lose my UBCcard? 
  13. I am having difficulties adding funds to my UBCcard, who should I contact?
  14. There are funds in my account, but I'm still unable to print.
  15. Can my UBC Food Services gift card be used with Pay for Print?

 

1. Why can't I login to the payforprint.ubc.ca website? I can login to CWL, so I know that my password is working.

You need to log in to Pay for Print using your EAD account. If you are a student, this is your CWL account with a ".stu" added to the end (eg. student1.stu). If this still does not work, it may be that your passwords have not been synchronized. Please change your password at http://www.cwl.ubc.ca. This will synchronize your passwords to EAD. If you are still not able to login, please submit a support ticket to the IT Help Desk.

2. How do I add value to my card in cash?

Funds can be added to your card via the card vendor on level 3 of the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre.

3. Why is my account balance at $0 on the Pay for Print website? I know that I have money on my Residence Mealplan or UBCcard plan.

You may need to activate your Pay for Print account if you have an existing Residence Flex Plan or UBCcard Plan. Please click on the "Add Funds – UBCcard" link and login to the UBCcard Plan website. After you login, please click on the "Activate my student UBCcard".

4.Why didn't my print job come out on the right paper size when using web print? My PDF document specifies 11x17 size paper.

While using Web Print, you can print on different sizes of paper and in portrait or landscape orientation. Whichever size and orientation your original document is saved in, that is how it will be uploaded to Web Print and that is how it will print out. More information is described in the Location/Description section of the printer selection page when you submit your print job.

5.Why didn't my print job come out in the correct orientation when I use web print? I generated the PDF file in landscape mode.

All print jobs are set to portrait mode. If you need something printed in landscape mode, please rotate your document 90 degrees and save the document using the adobe reader.

6. The quality of my printout is very poor, who can I get a refund from?

Print services are offered across via multiple departments. The following is a resolution matrix based on the type of problem and the department offering.

  • Print Quality Issues: e.g. faded output, streaks
  • Printer Issues: e.g. jammed printer, out of paper
  • Workstation Issues: e.g. unable to print
  • Print Queue Issues: e.g. queue is jammed
  • Account Issues: e.g. I loaded my card but the money isn't there

 

Department Print Quality Issues Printer Issues Workstation Issues Print Queue Issues Account Issues
Arts Arts ISIT Arts ISIT Arts ISIT Arts ISIT UBC Food Services
Library Circulation Desk Xerox UBC IT Desktop UBC IT Desktop UBC Food Services
SALA SALA Plotter Assistants SALA Plotter Assistants UBC IT Desktop UBC IT Desktop UBC Food Services
Computer Science Computer Science Tech Computer Science Tech Computer Science Tech Computer Science Tech UBC Food Services
SHHS Residence Front Desk Xerox N/A UBC IT – SHHS Team UBC Food Services
LFSLFS ITLFS ITLFS ITLFS ITUBC Food Services

7. Can UBC Okanagan visitors use the Pay for Print system in Vancouver?

Unfortunately, visitors from UBC's Okanagan campus are unable to use Pay for Print with their UBCcard at this time. If you are a visiting student, staff, or faculty member, you may purchase a guest card from any UBC Food Services outlet or from the vending machine on the 3rd floor of the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre.

8. What does "external adjustment" mean on transaction history?

Pay for Print uses the UBC Food Services meal plan as its primary payment method. When purchases are made at Food Services outlets, Pay for Print recognizes them as "external adjustments" to your available balance. Please note that an adjustment may contain multiple purchases across days, not necessarily a single purchase.

To view your full transaction history, please login to the Student Housing & Hospitality Services website.

9. I am unable to use my TD bank card to put money on my account.

TD's new bank cards do not work with the Pay for Print system because they have one extra digit. You may wish to add money to your card using cash instead. There is a copy card vendor located on level 3 of the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre where you can add money to your UBCcard using cash/coins. If you have any questions, ask at any library service desk for more information.

10. I need to print specific pages of my Microsoft Office (e.g. Word, PowerPoint, Excel) document but the web system will not allow me to select a page range. How can I print only a few pages?

If you are using web print, you may need to save the pages you wish to print in a separate document. Below are some video explanations on how to manage each process:

11. I need to print a web page and upload it to web print. How can I do this?

To print a web page via the web print option of Pay for Print, you will need to save the file first. The easiest way to do this in most browsers is to save it as a pdf or xps file. Below are brief instructions for several popular browsers:

Firefox

  • Firefox menu (top left of screen) > Print > Select 'Microsoft XPS Document Writer' as printer > Click OK
  • Name your file
  • Upload xps file to Web Print

Internet Explorer

  • File > Print > Under Select Printer, choose Microsoft XPS document writer
  • Select Print
  • Name your file
  • Upload xps file to Web Print

Google Chrome

  • Chome menu (three bars at top right of screen) > Print > Destination > Change > Save as pdf
  • Save your file
  • Upload pdf file to Web Print

Safari

  • File > Print > pdf (button in bottom corner) > save as pdf
  • Upload your pdf file to Web Print

12. Who should I contact in the event that I lose my UBCCard?

Users can report a lost UBCcard online at https://services.ubccard.ubc.ca/ or by calling 604.827.5900. Deactivation is permanent and all meal plan, Pay for Print, and library services will be blocked until a replacement card is issued by the Carding Office in the UBC Bookstore. Guest cards that are lost have no method of recovery.

13. I am having difficulties adding funds to my UBCCard, who should I contact?

CWL issues:

  • You must have a valid, active Campus-Wide Login (CWL) account in order to add funds to your UBCcard.
  • If you hold multiple affiliations with UBC (student, staff, and/or faculty), please ensure that you use your correct CWL account.
  • If you are unsure of which account to use, check the CWL myAccount page (https://www.myaccount.ubc.ca) or contact the UBC IT Service Centre at 604.822.2008 for assistance.
  • If you have not logged into Pay for Print or other EAD-enabled services (such as Student and Alumni Email, FASmail, or Home Drive), you may need to reset your password before being able to access the balance information. Please visit the CWL myAccount page (https://www.myaccount.ubc.ca) to update your password and try again. For students, your EAD username is your_cwl.stu, all other users share the same CWL and EAD username.

Meal Plan: If you have not previously activated your UBCcard or Residence Flex meal plan, you must do so before using Pay for Print. To activate your account, please visit the Student Housing and Hospitality Services site (https://secure.housing.ubc.ca/cas/sgw/pfp_account.check_ead_account). If you encounter difficulty adding funds to a meal plan, please contact UBC Food Services at meal.plan@ubc.ca for assistance.

Card Vending Machine: If you encounter any difficulties with the vending machine in the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, please inform a library employee or call the UBC IT Service Centre if it is after hours at 604.822.2008.

14. There are funds in my account, but I'm still unable to print.

If the Web Print portal (http://payforprint.ubc.ca) and the Student Housing & Hospitality Services website (https://secure.housing.ubc.ca/cas/sgw/ws_mpvan_plans.accounts?p_action=VIEW_ACCT) show that you have a positive balance in your account, please ask a librarian to submit a help desk ticket on your behalf or contact the UBC IT Service Centre at 604.822.2008.

15. Can my UBC Food Services gift card be used with Pay for Print?

The UBC Guest Card is the only card other than the UBCcard that can be used for Pay for Print. The gift card is only for use at Food Services outlets and the balance from a gift card cannot be transferred to a Guest Card. If you currently have a Gift Card and are ineligible for a UBCcard, please purchase a Guest Card from the vending machine in the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, third floor.