What features should I look for in a print management solution?

The worst thing you can do, from a business perspective, is marry the first print management solution that buys you a coffee. There are dozens of print management platforms out there, and they all have strengths and weaknesses, pros and cons. You need to ask questions – a lot of questions – compare quotes, and factor in a range of requirements before making a serious commitment.

Here are a few features you should explore before locking in a print management vendor.

A user-friendly interface

This is an underappreciated aspect of print management. If no one can properly use your whiz-bang platform, it’s not doing any good (or saving you any money).

An intuitive print management interface simplifies your setup and daily operations, reducing the learning curve for IT staff and end users. It should offer easy-to-navigate dashboards and controls streamline administration, ensuring smooth deployment and ongoing maintenance of the print environment without extensive training.

So, how do you know if something’s user-friendly? You’ve got to actually try it out and get hands-on. We’ve built a whole suite of demos , so your team can check out our interface before dropping a pile of cash. Smart, huh?

Centralised print management

Print management without centralised control is like accounting software that can’t help with taxes. The whole point of a print management platform is to allow sysadmins to manage all print activities from one location.

Whether managing printers across departments or global offices, a unified approach enhances visibility, simplifies policy enforcement, and enables efficient resource allocation across the organisation. Tasks like: driver deployment, troubleshooting, automating print queues, firmware updates, tracking consumables – everything should come back to your print management dashboard.

Security features to protect sensitive data

Robust print security is a non-negotiable when you’re shopping around. If the salesperson can’t talk security, make a polite excuse and get out of there. For print management platforms, look for solutions that offer data encryption, user authentication, and secure print release at a minimum.

These features help prevent unauthorised access, protect confidential documents, and ensure compliance with data protection regulations such as GDPR and/or HIPAA. You can also ask about more advanced security tools, like digital watermarking , print auditing , and biometric hardware support .

Print job tracking and reporting

Detailed reporting tools are your print management bread and butter. They provide insights into who is printing, what is being printed, and when each job occurs. This visibility helps identify wasteful practices, detect anomalies, and create accountability, all while allowing IT to fine-tune print policies and improve resource usage. It’s also handy when the auditors come a-calling, allowing you to instantly pull detailed logs of your entire print history.
Here’s a short list of just some of the things worth tracking.

Cost management and cost-cutting tools

Again, if your print management solution isn’t measurably saving you money, is it still a solution or just another piece of useless software?

Effective print management offers hands-on cost control tools like user quotas , print rules , and usage analytics . By limiting unnecessary printing and promoting responsible behavior, businesses can significantly reduce their print-related expenditures over time.
Speaking anecdotally, we’ve helped some businesses save up to 70% on their print costs. How’s that for ROI?

"Speaking anecdotally, we’ve helped some businesses save up to 70% on their print costs. How’s that for ROI? quote here "

Compatibility with a range of devices

There’s nothing worse than signing a contract with a print management vendor and finding out—surprise!—the platform isn’t even compatible with half your fleet. Broad compatibility ensures that whatever solution you choose works seamlessly with existing MFDs, devices, and various operating systems.

This compatible flexibility avoids the dreaded vendor lock-in, supports diverse environments, and reduces the need for costly hardware replacements. And don’t forget compatibility with stuff like Active Directory (AD) and third-party integration APIs .

You can run through PaperCut’s supported devices over here .

Cloud Integration for remote print management

We’ve extensively covered the benefits of cloud printing before. To cut a long story short, there are a lot. Cloud-based print management supports hybrid and remote workforces by enabling users and IT teams to manage and monitor print jobs from any location and (ideally) any device.

This flexibility enhances productivity and ensures consistent print services, regardless of a user’s physical presence. For more tips on remote and hybrid work environments, check out this article .

Automated driver management for ease of maintenance

This is one of those hidden benefits that users don’t care about, but your sysadmins definitely do. The days of manual driver deployment are dead, and no one shed many tears.

Automated deployment and updating of printer drivers saves IT time and ensures devices always run the latest versions. Big win right there. This (in turn) reduces errors, minimises downtime, and eliminates the hassle of manual installations across user machines. It comes back to the centralized control piece we mentioned earlier: by automating driver deployment, you simultaneously create a consistent, up-to-date print environment across all devices.

Much better than putting out ticket fires like a crazy person.

Scalability and growth potential

Another important question you should ask a print management vendor is: Can this platform scale , and how? Scalable print management systems accommodate business expansion effortlessly. Whether adding new users, printers, or locations, look for a solution that can adapt on the fly without major infrastructure changes, supporting long-term growth with minimal disruption.

This is technically possible with physical print infrastructure, like on-site print servers, but becomes way easier (and cheaper) once we start talking cloud .

Sustainability features

Sustainability might seem like a nice-to-have, or something to bring up as an afterthought, but considering the average office worker churns through 10,000 pages per year , anything you can do to shrink that number is going to save you serious money.

Energy-efficient printers alone can save you 30% on energy costs right off the bat. Environmentally-conscious businesses should seek tools that encourage duplex printing, monitor paper consumption, and provide eco-friendly usage reports. These features help reduce waste, lower energy usage, and align printing practices with sustainability goals – great for the annual ESG reports!

As you can see, choosing the right print management solution isn’t just about ticking boxes, it’s about finding a platform that fits your business like a glove (without holding your budget hostage). Ask the tough questions, test the interface, and don’t settle for bells and whistles you’ll never use.

The right features can save time, money, and more than a few headaches. Choose wisely, and your future self (and your IT team) will thank you.