Question : Printing Log

Hi. Here is the problem: In a retail environment, employees have access to a single Windows XP Professional computer for use in printing certain documents. Via the computer, they sign on to a online mainframe system (COBOL and CICS), enter in some search information, run a query which returns the desired information back to the screen, and they print that information to a network printer next to the computer. At this point, the programming department administering the mainframe system does not want to modify any of the back end stuff (the COBOL, JCL, CICS programs). I'm looking for a way to be able to log and see what documents employees printed. This is because, while they physically can print anything they look up via the mainframe system, they have been told they are only allowed to print certain documents. We want to make sure they're not printing things they're not supposed to. I researched a bit on Windows XP's audting feature (unless someone has some other suggestion). I was able to set up the auditing feature by following the steps at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310399 but I don't know quite how to use it. What I'm looking to be able to do is see what documents were printed or were attempted to print.  I'm not able to find where those are. I don't need all of the other entries that appear in the security log. Just looking for what was printed. I don't know how to identify which of the entries pertain to printed items and which don't. Any help or suggestions are appreaciated.

Answer : Printing Log

Those logs will be displayed in the Security Event log of the machine that hosts the queue (the local computer if there is no print server). You get to this by Right-clicking My Computer > Manage > Event Viewer > Security Log

You might also want to take a look at this free app:

http://www.karenware.com/powertools/ptprnlog.asp

HTH

Pete