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Small and medium business | Business Central, N...
Suggested answer

network printer on prem

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Posted on by 822
 
Hello,
 
I have an installation of business central on prem, the server is on machine A and the client is on machine B: there is no domain, only they shared same network.
the issue is:
i want to print from the client machine (B) to the printer attached on B: how to do this?
what are the steps required? 
 
note: when adding in printer selections: the user, report id and the printer name: i dont see my network printer, even it is installed.

Regards,
David
 
  • Suggested answer
    YUN ZHU Profile Picture
    84,278 Super User 2025 Season 1 on at
  • Suggested answer
    Sohail Ahmed Profile Picture
    3,285 on at
    network printer on prem
    Hi David,
     
    To print from a client machine (B) to its locally attached printer in an on-premises BC setup without a domain, follow these steps:
     
    ✅ Steps to Enable Client-Side Printing in BC On-Prem:
     
    1. Use Business Central Web Client on Machine B
    Ensure you're accessing BC from the web browser on the same machine (B) where the printer is installed.
     
     
    2. Install Universal Print Connector (Optional)
    If you're using Microsoft Universal Print, you can register the local printer through the Universal Print connector so BC can detect it.
     
     
    3. Enable Printer Redirection for Web Client
    BC Web Client uses redirected printers from the browser. Make sure your browser allows print dialog pop-ups.
     
     
    4. Set Up Printer Selections
    In Printer Selections, for the user, assign the report and leave the printer name blank if the browser will handle selection. If using a client add-in, you can define the exact printer name as shown in the browser.
     
     
    5. Run Report & Use “Print” Instead of “Preview”
    When printing from BC, choose Print (not Preview) to get the system to invoke local print dialog on client B.
     
     
    6. If Using Windows Client (RTC)
    If you're still using the old Windows client (RTC), the printer must be installed on the server, or shared from B and mapped on A.
     
     
     
     
    ---
     
    📌 If the printer is not listed, it’s likely because Business Central doesn’t detect client printers unless you're using Universal Print or Cloud Print features.
     
    If printing from a non-browser client, you may need to set up the printer on the server side or use a PDF download and manual print as workaround.
     
     
    ---
     
    ✅ Mark this answer as verified if it helps you.
     
     
  • David Tailor Profile Picture
    822 on at
    network printer on prem
    Hello Yun,
     
    in machine B (Business central client), i can print a pdf or whatever to the printer.
    however from within Business central (client machine), i want to print a receipt and within the code i am using run report with first flag parameter = false (skipping browser window) and system parameters = true to use printer selection.

    i can see the issue that in the server side, in printer selections: Business central cant see the network printer.


    note: i can print any document from the server (outside Business Central) and the job is routed correctly to the network printer attached on the client (machine B)

    i hope i have shared enough and clear information.
     
    Regards,
    David
  • Suggested answer
    YUN ZHU Profile Picture
    84,278 Super User 2025 Season 1 on at
    network printer on prem
    This doesn't seem to be a BC problem.
    Can you see this printer when you print PDF, Excel, etc. files from machine (B)?
    Make sure machine (B) can print first, then set up the printer in BC.
     
    Hope this can give you some hints.
    Thanks.
    ZHU
  • David Tailor Profile Picture
    822 on at
    network printer on prem
    Hi Holly,
     
    thank you and appreciate your quick reply.
    actually i did the same steps you mentioned: and i double check the restarting of the server to make sure that server is reading all the printers installed: however i am still not able to see the network printer.

    Note: in the list of printers in printers and scanners, i can see the network printer.
    also the 2 machines do not share the same Workgroup only same network.

    is there any alternative more straightforwad and simpler?

    Regards,
    David
     
  • Suggested answer
    Holly Huffman Profile Picture
    6,212 on at
    network printer on prem
    Good morning, afternoon, or evening—depending on where you are in the world!
    Hope you're doing well.
     
    To print from a client machine (B) to a locally attached printer in a Business Central on-premises setup—where the server is on machine A and both are on the same network but not in a domain—you’ll need to follow a few key steps to make the printer accessible and visible to Business Central.
     
    Steps to Enable Printing from Client Machine B
    1. Share the Printer on Machine B
      • On Machine B (where the printer is physically installed), go to Control Panel > Devices and Printers.
      • Right-click the printer > Printer Properties > Sharing tab.
      • Check “Share this printer” and give it a simple share name (e.g., HP_LaserJet_B).
    2. Access the Shared Printer from Machine A
      • On Machine A (the Business Central server), open Run (Win + R) and type:
         
        \\MachineBName
        or use the IP address:
         
        \\192.168.x.x
      • You should see the shared printer. Right-click and choose Connect to install it on Machine A.
    3. Restart the Business Central Server Instance
      • After the printer is installed on the server, restart the Business Central Server service so it can detect the new printer.
    4. Configure Printer Selections in Business Central
      • Go to Printer Selections in Business Central.
      • Add a new line with:
        • User ID: the user on Machine B
        • Report ID: (or leave blank for all reports)
        • Printer Name: select the shared printer (it should now appear in the list)
    5. Test the Print Job
      • Run a report from Machine B and ensure the correct printer is selected.
      • If needed, set the printer as default for that user in Printer Selections.
     Notes
    • Business Central only sees printers that are installed on the server machine (Machine A), not directly on the client.
    • If you're using the Web Client, the print job is routed through the server, so the printer must be visible to the server.
    • If you're using Universal Print or PrintNode, those offer more flexibility but require additional setup.
     
    Note: I collaborated with AI to help craft this response and ensure it’s as accurate and helpful as possible.
    Hope this helps some! 

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