Control Panel Application (CPA)

Last Updated: October 23, 2026

The Control Panel Application (CPA) is an app that you install on a multifunction printer (MFP) so it appears on the device's control panel. The CPA is best known for Secure Release Printing, where users authenticate at the physical device before releasing print jobs sent to the MFP or a pull printer, which increases security and reduces lost documents. Beyond secure release, the CPA also supports Copy / Scan Tracking, QR Code Display, and Simplified Scanning, giving you a single app to manage authentication and printer-based features across your fleet.

Key Points

Review the following key points:

  • You install the CPA on an individual printer from the printer's Apps tab in the Admin Console, or on multiple printers at once using the CPA Manager.
  • Users authenticate at the CPA using username and password, user ID and PIN, or badge scan.
  • Username and password works with Active Directory (AD) and Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) only.
  • The CPA also supports Single Sign-On (SSO) in provider or listener mode.
  • The CPA supports twelve manufacturers, each with its own authentication methods, badge readers, and communication ports.

How the CPA Works

The CPA acts as the embedded app on the MFP's control panel that powers several features. Each feature installs separately and has its own manufacturer support and setup requirements.

Secure Release Print: Users authenticate at the CPA to release print jobs held for a pull printer or secure release printer. This is the core function of the CPA and requires an authentication method to be configured. For more details refer to Secure Release Print.

Copy / Scan Tracking: Uses Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) to track and report the number of copies and scans made on a supported MFP, including which authenticated user made each job. For more details refer to Copy / Scan Tracking.

QR Code Display: Shows a QR code on the printer's control panel that end users scan with the PrinterLogic mobile app to select the printer and release held print jobs quickly. For more details refer to QR Code Display.

Simplified Scanning: Provides a consistent scanning interface across manufacturers, letting end users scan to email or to shared and personal cloud storage directly from the CPA. For more details refer to Simplified Scanning.

You install and manage all four features from the printer's Apps tab, or in bulk across your fleet using the CPA Manager.

Single Sign-On

SSO determines how users authenticate before they use the printer. In Provider mode, the CPA controls sign-in. In Listener mode, another app on the printer controls sign-in.

  • Disabled: The CPA runs as a standalone app, and users do not sign in through SSO.
  • Enabled as a Provider: The CPA acts as the SSO provider. You can lock the printer so that users must authenticate before they can access the control panel.
  • Enabled as a Listener: The CPA listens for another app, which acts as the SSO provider, to authenticate a user. That app passes the user’s information to the CPA, and the user can then select PrinterLogic on the control panel.

Authentication Options

The CPA supports the authentication types in this section. The types available depend on your printer manufacturer and on whether you use LDAP or an, identity provider (IdP), such as Okta or Entra ID. You must enable at least one type. Configure default settings for all printers in the Admin Console, or set printer-specific options on an individual printer’s Apps tab.

  • Username & Password: Users sign in with their AD network credentials. This type works in LDAP environment with mapped attributes only and is not available when you use an IdP.
  • User ID & PIN: Users enter a user ID and a PIN instead of a username and password. This type works with LDAP and IdPs, and suits high-traffic or shared printers. You store PINs in the PrinterLogic database, in AD, or through your IdP. If you store PINs in the PrinterLogic database or enable PIN self-registration for an IdP, users register their own PIN in the Self-service Portal. For more details refer to Print Release Methods and PIN Self-Registration.
  • Badge Scan: Users scan a badge or key card at the printer. This type requires a badge reader on the printer. After a user registers a badge, later scans sign them in without entering credentials. You store badge IDs in the PrinterLogic database or manage them through your IdP. For more details refer to Print Release Methods and Badge Self-Registration.

Next Steps

Refer to the following: