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Your First ScrewDrivers Pro/Enterprise Deployment

Welcome to ScrewDrivers Pro and Enterprise! This tutorial walks you through your first complete deployment, from database setup through admin console configuration. By the end, you'll have a fully functional print and scan management system.

What You'll Learn​

By completing this tutorial, you'll have:

  • Set up the SQL database for ScrewDrivers
  • Installed the Admin Console for centralized management
  • Configured your first Print Server
  • Created printer assignments and profiles
  • Successfully tested print job routing
  • Gained understanding of the Pro/Enterprise architecture

What You'll Need​

Before starting, make sure you have:

  • SQL Server instance (SQL Server 2016 or later, including SQL Express)
  • Windows Server for Admin Console and Print Server (2016 or later)
  • Administrator access to servers and SQL
  • Test workstation or virtual session for client testing
  • At least 2-3 printers available for configuration
  • Basic Windows and SQL administration skills
  • About 2 hours to complete the tutorial

Prerequisites​

This tutorial assumes you're familiar with:

  • Installing Windows applications and services
  • Basic SQL Server administration (creating databases, users)
  • Windows Active Directory fundamentals
  • Network printing concepts

If you're new to SQL Server, don't worry—we'll walk through exactly what you need.

Tutorial Overview​

We'll build your print management infrastructure step by step. The Pro and Enterprise editions use a centralized database and the ScrewDrivers Administration desktop console, which gives you much more power than Essentials.

What We'll Build Together​

You'll create a complete enterprise print management system:

  • License Server - install and activate your licensing
  • Database setup - create the SQL database that stores all configuration
  • ScrewDrivers Administration - install the management console
  • Print Server configuration - set up your first print server
  • Printer profiles - create reusable printer configurations
  • User assignments - connect users to printers intelligently
  • Client deployment - install and test the client application
  • Validation - print test jobs and verify everything works

By the end, you'll have a working system that scales to hundreds or thousands of users.

Understanding the Architecture​

Before we start installing, let's understand what makes Pro/Enterprise different from Essentials.

The Components​

SQL Database The central repository for all configuration, assignments, and reporting data. Everything is stored here, not in local configuration files.

ScrewDrivers Administration The desktop management console (a .NET 4.8 application) that connects to the database. Everything — printers, assignments, profiles, reporting — is managed from here.

Print Server(s) One or more servers that handle print job routing. They read configuration from the database and route jobs to physical printers.

Client Applications Lightweight clients on workstations or sessions that intercept print jobs and send them to Print Servers.

Scan Servers (Optional) Servers that handle scan job routing for network scanners.

Why This Architecture Matters​

This design enables:

  • Centralized management - One place to configure everything
  • Scalability - Add Print Servers as you grow
  • Reporting - Track all print activity in the database
  • High availability - Multiple Print Servers for redundancy
  • Advanced features - Sophisticated routing rules, printer profiles, detailed analytics

Step 1: Prepare SQL Server and the License Server​

Two pieces of infrastructure come first: a reachable SQL Server and your licensing.

Prepare SQL Server​

You don't create the ScrewDrivers database by hand — the ScrewDrivers Database installer does that in Step 2. What you need now is a SQL Server that's ready for it: a supported edition, TCP/IP enabled, and an account with rights to create a database. Setting Up SQL Server for ScrewDrivers walks through editions (SQL Express is fine for most deployments), authentication choices, ports, and named instances.

Success checkpoint: You can connect to your SQL Server from the machine where you'll run the installers.

Install and Activate the License Server​

If you're using concurrent licensing (CCU or CCS), install the Tricerat License Server — use the latest version, and note that ScrewDrivers 7.9.6+ requires v6.0.7.0 or later:

  1. Run TriceratLicenseServer_<version>_x64.exe on your license server (this can share a machine with SQL or Administration in small deployments).
  2. Activate with your v7 activation code — v6 codes don't work with v7 products.
  3. Verify the license service is running.

Using a nodelocked (NLS) license instead? Skip the License Server — you'll enter your key during component installation. See the license types overview if you're not sure which model you have.

Success checkpoint: License Server running and activated (or nodelock key in hand).

Step 2: Create the Database and Install ScrewDrivers Administration​

Run the ScrewDrivers Database Installer​

The ScrewDriversDatabase installer performs every high-permission database action, and you run it once per environment:

  1. Run ScrewDriversDatabase_<version>_x64.exe with an account that can create databases on your SQL Server.
  2. Enter the connection: server name (see name syntax for ports/instances), authentication mode, and credentials.
  3. Let it complete — it creates the database, builds the schema, and initializes authorization for ScrewDrivers Administration.

That last part matters: initially, only Domain Admins, Local Admins of the machine where this installer ran, and the account that ran it can use ScrewDrivers Administration. You'll grant other admins access later from the Permissions tab.

Success checkpoint: The installer completes without errors and the database exists on your SQL Server.

Install ScrewDrivers Administration​

ScrewDrivers Administration is a desktop application, not a website — it needs .NET Framework 4.8, no IIS involved:

  1. Get the installers from your Tricerat contact — always the latest release.
  2. Run ScrewDriversProOrEnterprise_<version>_x64.exe on your management server or admin workstation.
  3. Select the Administration component (and only the components you need on this machine).
  4. Enter your licensing (License Server address, or your nodelock key) and database connection when prompted.
  5. Complete the installation.

First Launch​

  1. Start ScrewDrivers Administration from the Start menu.
  2. Log on as one of the authorized accounts (a Domain Admin, a Local Admin of the machine where the Database installer ran, or the account that ran it).
  3. You should see the console: an icon bar, the Objects pane on the left, and the Information pane on the right. The Admin Console Overview tours the layout.
  4. To give other administrators access, open the Permissions tab and add them — ScrewDrivers Administration permissions are separate from domain account permissions.

Explore the Interface​

Take a moment to look around:

  • Objects pane - printers, print servers, configuration objects, and profiles
  • Owners - the users, groups, OUs, and clients you assign objects to
  • Assignments tab - connects objects to owners, with inheritance
  • Information pane - the selected object's configuration form
  • ScrewDrivers Reports - print activity analytics (via the Reporting tab)

Don't worry about understanding everything yet—we'll use these features as we progress.

Success checkpoint: The Admin Console is installed and accessible.

Step 3: Install Your First Print Server​

Now let's install the Print Server that will actually route print jobs.

Download the Print Server​

  1. Return to the Tricerat Support Portal
  2. Download the Print Server installer for Pro/Enterprise
  3. Save it to your Windows Server (this can be the same server as Admin Console or different)

Run the Installation​

  1. Launch the installer
  2. When prompted for database connection, enter:
    • Same connection details you used for Admin Console
    • The Print Server reads its configuration from the database
  3. Complete the installation
  4. The service starts automatically

Register in Admin Console​

The Print Server needs to be registered:

  1. Return to the Admin Console
  2. Navigate to Print Servers
  3. You should see your new Print Server listed
  4. Click on it to view details
  5. Verify status shows "Online"

If it doesn't appear, check:

  • Print Server service is running
  • Database connection is correct
  • Firewall allows communication between Print Server and database

Success checkpoint: Print Server is installed, registered, and online.

Step 4: Configure Your First Printer​

Let's add a printer that ScrewDrivers can manage.

Add a Printer in Windows​

First, ensure you have a printer installed on your Print Server:

  1. Open Devices and Printers on the Print Server
  2. Add a printer if you don't have one already
  3. Note the exact printer name (e.g., "HP LaserJet Office Floor 3")

For this tutorial, any working printer is fine—physical, network, or even a virtual PDF printer.

Create a Printer Profile​

Printer profiles define how printers behave. They're reusable configurations:

  1. In Admin Console, navigate to Profiles → Printer Profiles
  2. Click Create New Profile
  3. Name it "Standard Office Printer"
  4. Configure settings:
    • Duplex: Two-sided printing
    • Color: Black and white default
    • Paper: Letter/A4
    • Quality: Normal
  5. Save the profile

You can create multiple profiles for different needs (color printing, high quality, draft mode, etc.).

Add the Printer​

Now register the printer in ScrewDrivers:

  1. Navigate to Printers → Add Printer
  2. Select your Print Server from the dropdown
  3. Choose the Windows printer you installed earlier
  4. Give it a friendly name (users will see this)
  5. Assign the printer profile you just created
  6. Enable the printer
  7. Save

The printer is now known to ScrewDrivers and ready for assignment.

Success checkpoint: You have a printer configured with a profile.

Step 5: Create Your First Assignment​

Assignments connect users to printers. Let's create a simple assignment.

Understand Assignments​

In Pro/Enterprise, you can assign printers based on:

  • Users - Specific individuals
  • Groups - Active Directory groups
  • Organizational Units - Entire OUs
  • Locations - Physical sites or offices
  • Sessions - Specific session types (Citrix, RDS, etc.)

For this tutorial, we'll create a simple user-based assignment.

Create the Assignment​

  1. Navigate to Assignments
  2. Click Create New Assignment
  3. Select Entity Type: User
  4. Search for and select a test user from Active Directory
  5. Add printers:
    • Select your configured printer
    • Set as default printer
  6. Save the assignment

Now when that user logs in, they'll automatically get this printer as their default.

Understand Priority​

If a user matches multiple assignments, priority determines which applies. Lower numbers = higher priority.

Success checkpoint: You've created an assignment connecting a user to a printer.

Step 6: Deploy and Test the Client​

Time to install the client and test actual printing.

Install the Client​

  1. Download the client installer from Tricerat Support Portal
  2. Run it on a test workstation (or in a virtual session)
  3. When prompted for Print Server, enter your server address
  4. Complete installation
  5. Restart if prompted

Test User Login​

  1. Log in as the test user you created the assignment for
  2. Open Devices and Printers
  3. You should see your assigned printer appear automatically
  4. Verify it's set as default (if you configured it that way)
  1. Open Notepad
  2. Type: "My first ScrewDrivers Pro/Enterprise print job!"
  3. Print using the ScrewDrivers-provided printer
  4. The job should print to your physical printer

Monitor in Admin Console​

Watch what happened:

  1. Return to Admin Console
  2. Navigate to Reports → Print Jobs
  3. You should see your test print job logged
  4. View details: user, printer, time, page count, etc.

This is the power of Pro/Enterprise—every print job is tracked.

Success checkpoint: You've successfully printed through ScrewDrivers with centralized management!

Step 7: Understanding What You Built​

Let's review the system you just created.

The Complete Architecture​

Test Workstation          SQL Database          Print Server          Physical Printer
┌─────────────────┐      ┌─────────────┐       ┌──────────────┐      ┌─────────────┐
│ Application     │      │             │       │              │      │             │
│      ↓          │      │ Config &    │       │              │      │             │
│ ScrewDrivers    │─────→│ Assignments │←──────│ Print Server │─────→│  Printer    │
│ Client          │      │             │       │              │      │             │
└─────────────────┘      └──────┬──────┘       └──────────────┘      └─────────────┘
                                │
                         ┌──────┴──────┐
                         │             │
                         │ Admin       │
                         │ Console     │
                         │             │
                         └─────────────┘

Everything is centralized:

  • Configuration stored in SQL
  • Management through the ScrewDrivers Administration console
  • Print Servers read config from database
  • Clients connect to Print Servers
  • All activity logged for reporting

Key Differences from Essentials​

Essentials:

  • Configuration files on each Print Server
  • No management console
  • No centralized reporting
  • Limited scalability

Pro/Enterprise:

  • Database-driven configuration
  • ScrewDrivers Administration console
  • Comprehensive reporting
  • Scales to thousands of users
  • High availability options
  • Advanced assignment rules

Next Steps​

Congratulations! You've deployed ScrewDrivers Pro/Enterprise and understand the core architecture. You're ready to expand.

Continue Learning​

Continue the getting-started path:

Go deeper: the Administrator's Guide is the complete Administration console manual.

Expand Your Deployment​

Ready to move beyond testing?

  • Add more Print Servers for redundancy and load balancing
  • Create printer profiles for different business needs
  • Configure group-based assignments for department-specific printers
  • Explore reporting to understand print usage
  • Set up scanning if you have network scanners

Get Help​

If you encounter issues:

What You Accomplished​

Take a moment to appreciate what you built:

✅ Set up enterprise-grade SQL database infrastructure ✅ Installed and configured the Admin Console ✅ Deployed your first Print Server ✅ Created printer profiles for consistent behavior ✅ Built user-to-printer assignments ✅ Successfully printed and tracked jobs centrally ✅ Understood Pro/Enterprise architecture

You now have the foundation for enterprise print management. Welcome to centralized, scalable, intelligent print infrastructure!