What is SmarTech?
It allows our shredders to send notifications to users about the status of their auto feed shredding job. They can receive confirmation the shredding job has been completed or status messages (such as bin full or paper jam). This improves performance and productivity in the workplace, allowing users to spend less time at the shredder and not have to walk back to check on its status.
How does SmarTech work?
It communicates from the shredder over the internet to a user’s smart phone or tablet to provide notification on their shredding job.
Is it easy to use?
Yes - this app is designed to be easy to use and for you to get notifications wherever you are, after a few simple setup steps the first time a shredder is used.
Does it involve any complicated set up?
No. SmarTech works directly out of the box with Bluetooth -- no setup required. Connecting to the internet over your wireless network takes a few extra steps. Depending on your network security, an IT Administrator may need to perform these steps (see later questions).
What should I do if I see the following icons lit on the status or notifications on:
Cooling
Nothing - the app is telling you that the shredder is cooling down. After heavy use, the shredder will take additional time to protect itself and keep the motor in good condition. During this time, the shredder is just paused; it will resume shredding, and your documents will remain locked if you set a lock code. You will still receive a job complete notification after a brief delay.
Bin Full/ Door open
In order for the shredder to be able to start shredding again action needs to be taken. Someone needs to go to the shredder and either empty the bin or close the door.
Low oil
This is telling you that the shredder will soon need oil. The shredder will continue to function without oil, but may decrease the life of the machine. Please ensure that you have oil to add to the shredder. If you need additional oil, you can use the supply order page in the app to order some directly.
Jam
In order for the shredder to be able to start shredding again action needs to be taken. Someone needs to go to the shredder and remove the paper jam.
How can I tell that it is a SmarTech shredder?
There will be a SmarTech label attached to the shredder. If you approach the shredder with a mobile device running the SmarTech app, the app will connect to the shredder automatically.
What products will this app work with?
Auto Feed 300X, 600X, & 750X models.
Information Security
Does it store any personal information?
No. It works by registering the mobile device with the device manufacturer and creating a generic ID for the app to use. Notifications generated by the shredder are sent back to the mobile device manufacturer with that ID, for them to send the notification directly to you. The app does not store any personally identifiable information. Generic operational information from the shredder is stored to be able to know when to send notifications to users.
Does it store any company information?
No. The only company information that can be provided is through (1) naming the shredder manually with a name that could identify the company and (2) completing the product registration, which is optional.
How long is the information stored for?
Information is stored in a continuous format, called "blob storage". This storage is infrequently managed and can be maintained for twelve months or more. Nothing personally identifiable is ever stored in this manner.
I am using manual shredding mode and not getting job complete notifications.
The app is designed for use with the shredder in Auto Feed mode only - you will not get any notifications if using the manual slot, or if shredding completes in less than ten seconds. In either case, shredding will finish before you can leave, so this stops the SmarTech technology from sending you excess notifications.
Does it require an email address?
No. Email addresses and other personal information are not gathered by the app. These items are part of the optional product registration.
What type of information is transmitted?
It only transmits data about the shredder's operation, including which buttons are pressed, which icons are lit, and if the motor is running. These are the same things you can see by looking at the shredder's control area.
How does it transmit the data?
The shredder uses Bluetooth in close proximity to identify the user's mobile device -- this prevents sending notifications to all users every time the shredder is used.
The shredder uses wireless networking to reach the internet when sending notifications, so users can be far away from the shredder without worrying about their connection.
How long is the user’s device registered for?
A mobile device is only registered with the shredder until the next use. As soon as shredding completes, the mobile device is unregistered.
The shredder will remain listed in the mobile app, just in case you want to check on the shredder remotely. If the shredder is not used or checked for 90 days, the app will remove it from its list.
Setting Up & Configuration
How to I add the shredder to my network?
Open the app and turn the shredder on to cause them to connect automatically. In the app, open the settings for the shredder and select Wireless Connection. In the list of networks that appear, choose which network the shredder should join and enter the password when prompted.
How do I set my app up on the network?
The app uses the mobile device's internet connection. This could be a wireless network or a cellular data plan. There is no requirement to be on the same network as the shredder. There is no additional setup required for the app.
What devices is it compatible with?
The app requires an iOS or Android device with support for Bluetooth LE.
What is the Bluetooth range?
Using Bluetooth, the shredder only scans within a few meters to prevent connecting to distant users on accident. Once connected, the communication can be maintained for up to 30 meters (although this may be reduced by obstructions such as walls, appliances, and other wireless products). The connection will be dropped once the app is closed to free the shredder for other users, although internet connections will continue to provide status and notifications.
Why do I have to have Bluetooth and wireless?
You have to have Bluetooth to connect to the shredder initially, to determine which user should be notified of which activities.
You have to have an internet connection to receive the notifications, to alleviate any distance concerns.
Please note that the shredder does not require either connection to shred documents. It will continue to perform as an Auto Feed shredder with no wireless connection at all. Wireless connections are only needed to provide users with notifications remotely.
Our company does not wish to have any wireless devices on its network. Can we still use an Auto Feed shredder?
Absolutely! The Auto Feed shredder will still perform as an excellent shredder for your documents with no wireless connection at all. Simply skip the setup steps to connect the shredder to a network and the shredder will continue to function offline. If your company would like to take additional steps to shut down the shredder's wireless capability permanently, this can be done quickly and easily. Because this operation is permanent, please contact customer services for instructions to walk through this process.
Do I have to use Bluetooth?
Yes. Bluetooth is used to identify which mobile device should receive notifications. It is also used during setup to determine which shredder to configure.
Ongoing management
How many admins & users can you have on one shredder?
There is no limit to how many users can use a shredder.
There is no limit to how many administrators a shredder can have.
There is no limit to how many shredders a user can link in their app.
There is no limit to how many users can register for notifications.
Can you have multiple shredders in same room?
If you have multiple shredders in the same room we recommend placing no closer than 8m apart. This will prevent accidentally connecting to a different shredder.
How long does it take to update the status?
Network traffic and signal strength can cause timing to vary, but notifications will arrive within a few seconds of the shredder completing its task.
What if I change the name of a shredder?
You can change the name of the shredder in the settings (up to ten characters). Other users will not see the new name on the shredder until the next time they connect via Bluetooth. Please be aware that notifications will use this name, so users should be able to identify their shredder based on the name you choose.
How do I know when ordering supplies that they are the right ones for my shredder?
If you connect to a shredder by Bluetooth with using the app, the app will be able to determine the model number and the correct supplies automatically. If you are away from the shredder, the app will use the last shredder that you connected to as a reference.
How do I register my shredder for warranty purposes?
In the app, simply select the settings menu and choose Product Registration.
How do I know if there is a firmware update available?
In the Wireless Connection area of the settings menu, there is an icon for firmware updates. If an update is available, there will be a blue dot next to this icon.
If I move a shredder between departments what should I do?
As long as the shredder can continue to use the same network connection, you do not have to do anything. We do recommend that you update the shredder's name so that users will know where to find it.
I don’t want to get notifications anymore. How do I turn those off?
You have a few options to stop notifications:
(1) The simplest is just to not connect your mobile device before shredding. That will stop you from being notified after shredding.
(2) If you still receive error notifications from other users that is because you are registered as an administrator of that shredder. To unregister, connect your app to the shredder over Bluetooth, open the settings menu, and deselect Administrator. You will not receive any further updates from this shredder unless you register again or connect your app before shredding.
(3) For shredders that you no longer use or may no longer have access to, the app will automatically remove these shredders from your list after 90 days of inactivity.
(4) If you want to stop notifications for all shredders, you can go the settings menu of your mobile device and stop notifications for the SmarTech app entirely. You will need to reverse this process later to continue gaining the benefits of SmarTech on your device.
How long does the shredder need to be running before I see it on my device?
The shredder needs to be running for at least 7 seconds before the app will track its activity. This prevents sending notifications when only shredding a few documents quickly.
What happens if power or the internet connection is lost?
The shredder will resume shredding once power is restored.
An internet connection is needed to send notifications, although the shredder will work without it.
Once the internet connection is restored, the shredder will reconnect automatically -- you do not need to reset anything.
Is there any reporting that can be done with the data collected in the cloud?
Unfortunately, the data is not being analysed at this time. In the future, for users that complete the product registration, we would like to be able to improve our warranty and repair services by monitoring your usage and services. Please stay tuned.
Can I get email notifications?
Unfortunately, SmarTech is limited to mobile devices at this time. We are investigating email and computer support to keep you connected and informed. Please stay tuned.
Can I check the status of a shredder remotely?
Yes. A shredder's status can be checked over the internet at any time, as long as you have connected your app to that shredder over Bluetooth at least once in the last 90 days.
Do I have to be on same network as the shredder?
No. Your mobile device just needs to have access to the internet to receive notifications.
My shredder no longer appears in my app. What happened?
Shredders are automatically removed from the app if they have not been used in 90 days. Just walk up to the shredder with the app open and it will reconnect automatically.
How can I remove a shredder from my list?
Shredders are automatically removed from the app if they have not been used in 90 days. If you would like to clear the list immediately, you can delete and reinstall the app to return all settings to default.
My app connects to my shredder but I never receive any notifications. Why not?
The SmarTech app needs your permission to send you notifications. If you did not allow this when the app was installed, you will need to go to the settings for your mobile device and allow notifications. You will also need to be connected to the internet for notifications to reach your device.
Who receives notifications, and what information is shared?
Users that connect their device to the shredder before using will receive all notification types, but only for their shredding job.
Administrators for a shredder will receive only unsuccessful notifications, but for all shredding jobs for that shredder.
There are three types of notifications:
1) Shredding was successful.
2) The paper bin is full or the door was opened while shredding.
3) The paper feed has been jammed.
Each of these notifications will also include the shredder's name.
Why do I keep getting notifications when I'm not using the shredder?
Users that have registered as the administrator for a shredder will receive a copy of any unsuccessful notification. If you would like to stop these notifications, connect your app to the shredder over Bluetooth, open the settings menu, and deselect Administrator. You will not receive any further updates from this shredder unless you register again or connect your app before shredding.