Final answer:
The first stage of troubleshooting should involve using the ping command to test communications with the printer. If the ping is successful, the workstation can communicate with the printer and further troubleshooting is needed for printer setup or the device itself. If the ping fails, the issue is likely network-related.
Step-by-step explanation:
When troubleshooting an issue where a user is unable to send print jobs to a shared workgroup printer from a Windows 7 workstation, the first stage should include verifying the basic connectivity. A simple and effective step to start with is to use the ping command to test communications with the printer. This will help determine whether the workstation can communicate with the printer over the network. If the ping is unsuccessful, it indicates a connectivity issue which could be network-related rather than a problem with the printer itself or the printer driver. In such a case, network troubleshooting steps would be necessary. If the ping is successful and the printer is reachable, the issue might be related to the printer setup on the workstation or the printer itself.