Banner page
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A banner page is used in computerized printing in order to separate documents (or "print jobs") from each other and to identify the originator of the print request by username. If a username is unavailable, the originating computer hostname or IP address might be substituted. These pages are typically used in office environments where many people share a small number of printers. In some cases, print jobs are sent to a central processing area where messengers take the printouts back to the owner, but the usual practice in modern office environments is for the user to retrieve his or her own documents. The banner page makes it clear who printed each job.
Depending upon the configuration, the banner page may be generated by the print spooler—software running on a computer which buffers and prioritizes print jobs—or by the printer itself. A banner page usually has the primary identifier of the owner (username, hostname, IP address, etc.) printed prominently, either in a large font or with some very simple ASCII art to make patterns out of plaintext characters. A date and time stamp are also frequently included. Some organizations may choose to include a confidentiality notice on their banner pages, to discourage employees from taking documents off the premises.
Similarly, a title page is frequently included (or even required) when sending a document using a fax machine.
