Print Management Software
Print Management Software
Smarter Print Management Solutions for Businesses, Schools & Organisations
Connect provides print management solutions for businesses, schools and organisations wanting to make savings and efficiencies by having better control over how their printers, photocopiers and multifunction devices are used.
With a variety of software options available, Connect matches the best print management software to your organisation allowing you to better manage your printing, reduce waste. improve document security and save money.
Connect can assess your print environment see how your organisation currently prints and recommend a software package based on your users, devices, locations, security requirements and the level of control you need. Connect can offer print management software tailored to your requirements.
Whether you want to reduce printing costs, improve security or simply understand where and how your printers are being used, speak to Connect about a tailored solution to your print management.
What Print Management Software Can Help With
- Monitor print volumes
- Identify unnecessary printing
- Control user access
- Enable secure print release with compatible solutions
- Create a more efficient and accountable print environment
- Help control printing costs
What Is Print Management Software?
Print management software allows organisations to make the most of how their printers, copiers and multifunction devices perform. It allows them to have greater control and visibility over their printing and makes their printing cost-effective.
Rather than allowing every user to print freely to any available device, greater control is achieved with software that can introduce rules, permissions and monitoring across your print environment.
Depending on the software selected, organisations can track printing by user, department or device, control who can use which printer and functions. The software can produce detailed usage reports and ensure sensitive documents are only released when the authorised user is present.
For organisations with several printers, departments or locations, print management software can make it easier to see how the entire print environment is being used.
This information can help to identify unnecessary printing, inefficient devices and opportunities to reduce costs.
Additionally, the software offers secure printing that can take control of who and when some printing is carried out, ideal for situations where confidential documents and/or GDPR compliance is required.
Connect is an experienced, independent family business without ties to any manufacturer or tech company. We pride ourselves on helping businesses and organisations to get the best out of their machines. We only suggest the best print management software for your organisation.
Take Control of Your Printing
It can be surprisingly difficult to know exactly how much printing takes place across an organisation or where those costs originate but this can easily be discovered with effective monitoring. Connect matches the best print management software based on your organisation’s equipment and usage needs.
Once installed, print management software provides the information and controls needed to manage printing more effectively.
Depending on the software used and configuration, features can include:
- Print monitoring and reporting – understand printing volumes and activity across your organisation.
- User and department reporting – identify how printing is being used by individual users, teams or departments.
- Print rules and permissions – control who can print, what they can print and which devices they can use.
- Secure print release – keep sensitive documents on hold until the authorised user releases them at the printer.
- Cost management – keep track of print volumes and associated costs.
- Waste reduction – reduce unnecessary printing and prevent unwanted documents being left at the printer.
- Mobile and flexible printing – selected solutions can provide printing options for users working across different devices and locations.
- Centralised print management – make it easier to administer printers and users across your organisation.
- Environmental reporting – selected software can provide information to help organisations understand the environmental impact of their printing.
The exact functionality available will depend on which print management solution is installed. Connect’s experienced team can help establish which features are genuinely useful for your organisation, working with you to find the best software for your organisation’s needs.
If you are unsure how this might work for your organisation you could try Connect’s free Print and Workflow Audit. Our friendly staff can then explain how print management software can make a difference.
Reduce Printing Costs and Waste
Using print management software can save reams of paper and mean far less toner is used, saving money for your business, school or organisation. Gaining better control over print expenditure is one of the main reasons organisations introduce print management software.
Connect has years of experience of working with printers and photocopiers and our staff can recognise where workflows and use of machines in an organisation can be a cost saver.
Once you can see how printing is being used, it becomes much easier to identify where savings could be made.
For example, savings can be made through reducing unnecessary colour printing, single-sided documents, abandoned print jobs and inefficient use of devices.
Print rules can be introduced where appropriate. For example, organisations may choose to encourage double-sided printing, restrict colour printing or direct certain types of print job to the most appropriate device.
Information provided by printer monitoring software can provide insights that lead to more considered printing behaviour.
Connect’s experienced team has worked with a broad range of organisations and has found that compared with an unmanaged print environment, monitoring printing can identify great opportunities for savings.
These savings will depend on your existing print volumes, equipment and user behaviour. Connect assesses these and suggests print management software that is a fit for you.
Why not start with a FREE, no obligation print and workflow audit to see how efficient your print systems are and where savings can be made. Enquire here:
Improve Document and Print Security
As a business, Connect understands that there are times when documents need to remain confidential. We also understand the pressure of GDPR rules. Printing can easily become an overlooked part of an organisation's information security.
A confidential document sent to a shared printer may remain in the output tray until somebody collects it. It could be seen, removed or accidentally picked up by another user.
Secure printing can help address this problem and Connect can help you to find the solution through the most appropriate print management software for your print system.
With compatible print management solutions, a document can be held within the print system rather than being immediately produced. The authorised user then releases the document when they are physically at the printer, using their authentication method.
This level of control can be particularly useful for organisations handling confidential, financial, employee, customer, medical or other sensitive information.
Secure print release can also reduce waste because documents that are sent accidentally and not wanted do not necessarily need to be printed.
With a range of print management systems, you may find it hard to choose the best one for you. Connect is an independent company with no ties so we can help you find the best solution for your individual needs.
Print Monitoring and Reporting
If you don't know how your printers are being used, it is difficult to know whether your print environment is efficient.
Print management and printer monitoring software can provide detailed information about printing activity.
Depending on the solution, reports may be available by:
- User
- Department
- Printer or multifunction device
- Location
- Colour and mono printing
- Print volumes
- Time period
- Cost
- Environmental impact
Rather than relying on estimates, organisations can use real print data to make more informed decisions.
This can help identify heavily used or underused equipment, departments with unusually high print volumes and areas where print policies could potentially reduce unnecessary expenditure. To discuss how this might work for your organisation talk to Connect
Print Management for Multiple Printers and Locations
Managing one printer is relatively straightforward. Managing a larger bank of printers and multifunction devices across different departments or locations can be considerably more complex.
Connect provides managed print services that cover all aspects of a print environment, from purchase or leasing, maintenance and more. Our experienced team work with machines from a wide variety of manufacturers so we can look at your existing equipment and requirements before recommending the most appropriate approach.
Choosing the right print management and accompanying software for organisations with multiple machines can allow for your print operations to be managed from one platform. Proper management can provide a more centralised view of your print environment, helping administrators to understand usage and apply appropriate controls.
Depending on your infrastructure and the software selected, solutions could also support organisations with multiple locations, mixed printer banks, mobile users or cloud-based working environments.
You may not necessarily need to replace your entire bank of printers simply because you want better print management. Compatibility will depend on the equipment and software involved, which is something Connect can assess as part of recommending a solution.
Why not get an experienced team on your side, enquire about your printer and copier needs now.
Cloud Print Management Solutions
Traditionally, printing environments mostly rely on locally managed print servers, drivers and IT infrastructure. Now, cloud-based print management provides another option with serverless solutions.
Depending on the software you choose, cloud-based print management can centralise printer, user, and access management and provide greater flexibility, especially for organisations operating across multiple workplaces.
Cloud-based print management isn't automatically the right choice for every organisation. Your existing IT environment, printers, security requirements, number of locations and working practices all need to be considered.
Like everything there are pros and cons so engaging experts like Connect will ensure you find the best software for you. Connect’s experienced team can discuss your requirements and help you to determine which type of print management solution is best for you.
Cloud-Based or On-Premises Software?
The main difference is the location of the software. With on premises, the software is installed on an organisation’s own hardware at their premises. Cloud-based software is stored on the software provider’s servers, so you will access it through a website or an App.
Print Management Software for Schools
Schools and education organisations can have particularly demanding print environments, with printing taking place across administration teams, teaching staff, departments and shared devices.
Print management software can provide greater visibility over this activity and allow appropriate controls to be introduced.
Depending on the software chosen, schools may be able to monitor usage by department or user, control access to colour printing, introduce secure printing and better understand where their print budget is being spent.
As providers of managed print services, Connect works with schools and education organisations and can recommend a print management solution around their equipment, software, users and requirements.
Print Management Software for Businesses
From small offices to organisations operating across several locations, print management software can help businesses to better understand and control their printing.
The appropriate solution will depend heavily on the organisation.
A smaller business may simply require better visibility and straightforward print controls, while a larger organisation could require secure print release, user authentication, centralised administration, reporting and support for multiple locations.
Connect does not believe in a one-size-fits-all approach. We recommend software and print solutions according to the way your business operates. Considerations not only include cost savings but security, confidentiality, GDPR and more. By engaging independent experts, you are assured that you are getting a product that is best for your organisation.
Choosing the Right Print Management Solution
There isn't one print management package that is right for every organisation. Connect is here to help you make the best choice.
Before recommending a solution, it is important to consider a wide range of factors such as:
- The number and type of printers and multifunction devices you operate
- The number of users
- Whether you operate from one or multiple locations
- Your existing IT infrastructure
- Your current print volumes
- The level of reporting you require
- Whether individual users or departments need different permissions
- Your document security requirements
- Whether secure print release is required
- Mobile, hybrid or cloud printing requirements
- Your existing printer fleet and software compatibility Connect can discuss these requirements with you and recommend a solution that provides the functionality you really need.
Print Management as Part of a Wider Print Strategy
Software is only one part of an efficient print environment.
The greatest opportunities can sometimes be found by looking at your printers, photocopiers, software, print volumes, servicing and ongoing costs together.
Connect can help organisations to review their wider print requirements and provide a range of services including Managed Print Services, business printers and multifunction devices, printer and photocopier leasing, and ongoing printer and photocopier maintenance and support.
Combining suitable hardware with effective print management can provide greater visibility and control over the entire print environment.
Connect offers free, no obligation Print and Workplace Audits that can be a starting point for a more efficient print environment for your business or organisation. Why not find out more
Why Choose Connect for Print Management Software?
Connect helps businesses, schools and organisations find practical print solutions based on their individual requirements.
With different companies offering print management software, choosing between cloud-based and on premises and deciding which of the many functions you will need can seem overwhelming. Connect is an independent family business with forty years’ experience in the printer trade and we’re here to help.
Rather than assuming that one piece of software is suitable for everybody, we can look at your existing print environment, understand what you want to achieve and recommend an appropriate solution.
Whether your priority is controlling costs, reducing waste, improving document security, monitoring printer usage or managing a larger print environment, we can help you identify the most suitable approach.
And if your print management requirements form part of a wider review of your printers and photocopiers, Connect can help with the hardware, software and ongoing support required. Call or make an enquiry, Connect is on your side.
Talk to Connect About Your Print Management Requirements
If you want much better control over your organisation’s printing, call Connect.
Connect will review your current system. We look at your users, equipment, working environment and learn your objectives. We explain what we’ve found and recommend the most appropriate print management software. Independent advice geared especially for you.
Whether you're looking to reduce unnecessary printing, introduce secure print release, improve reporting or gain greater control over multiple printers and locations, we're here to help.
Contact Connect today to discuss the right print management solution for your organisation.
Print Management Software FAQs
What does print management software do?
Print management software helps organisations to monitor and control how their printers and multifunction devices are used. Different software packages offer different functions, including print reporting, user permissions, cost controls, secure print release and centralised management.
Can print management software reduce printing costs?
Print management software can help organisations identify unnecessary printing and understand where print volumes and costs originate. Software allows you to set rules and permissions that encourage more efficient printing. Simply monitoring printing has been shown to yield a 10%–20% saving over an unmanaged print environment.
What is secure print release?
Secure print release holds a print job until the authorised user is at the printer and authenticates using a method supported by the chosen system. This helps prevent sensitive documents being left unattended and can reduce waste from unwanted print jobs. This is ideal where confidential documents are being printed and for GDPR compliance.
Can printing be monitored by user or department?
Many print management solutions can provide reporting by user, department, device or other criteria. The reporting available will depend on the software selected and how it is configured.
Can print management software work with existing printers?
Potentially. Some print management solutions can work with existing and mixed printer banks, although compatibility depends on the software, devices and functionality required. Connect can review your existing print equipment before recommending a solution.
Can print management software work with existing printers?
Potentially. Some print management solutions can work with existing and mixed printer banks, although compatibility depends on the software, devices and functionality required. Connect can review your existing print equipment before recommending a solution.
Is cloud print management available?
Yes. Cloud-based print management solutions are available and can provide an alternative to using traditional on-premises print hardware. Whether cloud printing is appropriate will depend on your organisation's IT environment, security requirements, users and existing equipment.
Which print management software do I need?
This depends on what you are trying to achieve. The number of users, printers and locations, your security requirements, existing IT infrastructure and the level of reporting and control required should all be considered. Connect can assess your requirements and recommend a suitable print management solution. Contact us to find out more
