Time. There’s never enough of it. We can measure it with clocks, watches, calendars, and hourglasses. But somehow it’s still unquantifiable… at times. Because there’s so much time, it’s easy to squander, so we feel like we’re always running out of it.
If left unchecked, your printing is a business workflow that can waste a lot of time for users and administrators. Forgotten print jobs or inefficient printing setups translate to a waste of resources, and one of those resources is you guessed it - precious seconds, minutes, hours, and it all adds up to lost days, weeks, months, and even years.
Deploying print queues and drivers, BYOD and mobile printing, granting permissions, security, and authorization, the modern printing environment presents countless time-consuming tasks.
But your workplace doesn’t fall victim to one of the hidden costs of printing. Here are 5 ways you can spend less time printing.
1. Adjust print settings
One of the easiest ways to save time is to adjust the print settings. By default, most printers are set to print at the highest quality, which is often unnecessary. Lowering the print quality to draft or fast-draft mode can significantly reduce the time spent on printing. Also, consider adjusting the paper size and layout to optimize printing, reducing the number of pages printed.
2. Implement print policies
Another way to reduce printing time is by implementing print policies. These policies can limit the number of pages a user can print, set limits on the number of color prints, and specify which printers are available to each user. By selecting these policies, you can encourage users to be more mindful of their printing habits, ultimately reducing the time and cost spent on printing.
3. Use print management software
Print management software can streamline the printing process and reduce the time spent on printing. This software can provide real-time tracking of print jobs, identify inefficient printing practices, and provide cost analysis reports. By using print management software, organizations can optimize their printing practices and reduce the time spent on printing.
4. Go “lesspaper” aka paperless where you can
By implementing paperless workflows where appropriate for your business, you eliminate the need for printing documents that can remain as digital workflows. You can use digital documents, e-signatures, and cloud-based storage solutions to replace some printed copies. Going lesspaper reduces the time spent on printing, reduces paper waste, and contributes to environmental sustainability.
5. Educate Users
Finally, educating users about the importance of reducing printing time can be an effective way to change printing habits. Providing training and resources on optimizing printing practices can encourage users to be more mindful of their printing habits and ultimately reduce the time spent on printing.
3 time-saving print solutions from PaperCut
You caught me. Reason #3 was print management software, and I’m going to use this section to plug PaperCut’s time-saving print solutions.
1. BYOD printing: Mobility Print
Users want their printing to just work. They expect printing to function seamlessly using the devices and operating systems they are already familiar with: iPhones, iPads, Androids, Windows, Macs, and Chromebooks. You name the device, users want it to talk to the printer without additional steps to install drivers, etc.
PaperCut’s BYOD printing solution Mobility Print saves time for end-users and administrators alike. No matter what device you’re using, you can press print natively in whatever OS, and the printing will work seamlessly. Sysadmins simply install from their administration console.
2. Shared print queues: Find-Me printing
Find-me printing is our version of “pull printing”, or as we like to call it - “printing magic.” It means you can print from any printer in your organization. A single queue is shared among all printers, eliminating the need to test, deploy, and manage multiple printer drivers.
By reducing the number of administrative tasks, this single solution saves time and effort for those pressing print and those doing the administration behind the scenes.
A single queue grants access to the entire fleet of printers, no matter where a user is, resulting in higher productivity and less time spent waiting in queues for users. Users don’t have to wait for a specific device to finish printing before retrieving their job. They can simply walk to their preferred printer and collect their document, even if someone else is using the printer they initially selected.
For administrators, Find-me printing means quick and easy print enablement, getting users set up, and fewer support calls.
3. Automatic driver deployment: Print Deploy
Imagine having to manage just one machine as an administrator, or at least one of each OS type. There would be no need for “deployments” or complex setups, just the installation of a driver, a test, and happiness. Adding a new printer driver or queue would be as simple as updating that single machine, testing it, and experiencing happiness again. Fortunately, Print Deploy brings this dream scenario to life for administrators.
Print Deploy makes installing print queues and drivers lightning-quick and completely automated. Users easily find and choose the print queues they need. They then self-install them on their device of choice. Admins, therefore, have one less time-consuming task. Queues are installed without you needing to get involved. Users can move around the office and print no matter where they are.
This self-service printer installer frees your IT team and saves time no matter what size your business is.
Save time and print with PaperCut
Your printing doesn’t need to eat away at your most precious resource. Follow the five steps above and see time savings immediately. And, hey, if your print management software of choice just happens to be PaperCut, equip the above three solutions and we promise happier, time-rich users and administrators.
