While printing might feel like a simple part of everyday office life, it’s also an area where hidden costs and inefficiencies can quietly build over time. A print audit can help you get a clear picture of how your team prints and where smarter settings or processes could make all the difference.
Whether you want to reduce service-related disruptions or encourage more sustainable printing habits across the team, print auditing gives you the insight you need to make confident, cost-effective improvements.
What is a print audit?
A print audit is an opportunity to review how printing fits into your day-to-day operations and where it can run more efficiently. It explores usage patterns, device performance, and workflow behaviours so you can make informed adjustments that reduce waste and support more sustainable office practices.
Modern print auditing examines:
- Print volumes by user, department, and device.
- Colour vs. black-and-white usage to identify cost drivers.
- Single-sided vs. duplex printing to spot waste.
- Document types and sizes to match devices to workflows.
- Peak usage times to optimise device placement.
- Device health and maintenance needs to prevent breakdowns.
If sustainability is a priority for your team, you may also find it helpful to explore eco-friendly printing features and sustainable workplace practices to build on your audit findings.
How to audit printer usage
A print audit doesn’t need to be complex. The key is to focus on visibility before making changes. Below is a simple, repeatable process you can use in any workplace, regardless of size or industry.
Step 1. Gather data from your printer or print server
Start by downloading usage or activity reports from your multifunction devices or print server. Look for high-level insights such as total pages printed, colour vs mono output, duplex usage, and peak printing periods. Many devices offer built-in reporting, and cloud-connected printers may provide even more detailed analytics.
Step 2. Identify who prints what (and how often)
Understanding which roles or departments rely most on printing helps highlight operational patterns rather than individual behaviour. For example, finance may print reports, HR might be printing onboarding documents, while admin teams handle forms and labels. This information helps you align printing methods with actual business needs.
Step 3. Analyse high-cost printing behaviours
Look for patterns that increase costs or create unnecessary output, such as frequent colour prints, single-sided printing, reprints due to formatting, or staff printing to the nearest device rather than the most efficient one. These trends are often the easiest place to start making improvements.
Step 4. Review your printer fleet setup
Check that each device’s placement, features, and workload match real usage. One overworked machine can drive higher servicing needs, while underused machines may cost more than they deliver. Sometimes, simply relocating or consolidating devices leads to better habits.
Step 5. Calculate your total printing costs
When estimating cost, include more than ink and paper. Consider servicing, leasing, downtime, energy usage, and consumables replacement frequency. This helps you determine a more accurate true cost-per-page.
Step 6. Document the findings and set targets
Once you have a clear picture, establish realistic improvements. From there, you can create simple printing guidelines or policies that support these goals. Policies might include default printer settings, when to use colour vs mono, recommended devices for larger jobs, or steps to review documents before printing. Clear, friendly policies help build consistent habits and make improvement easy for everyone.
How to enable print auditing on your devices
Most business-grade printers already include audit and reporting features. All you need to do is turn them on and make sure the right data is being captured.
Using built-in printer tools
Many multifunction printers come with reporting dashboards that track usage across colour, mono, duplex printing, and paper size. These settings are usually available through the device admin panel or an online management portal.
- Access the admin panel on your device or online management portal.
- Enable usage and reporting features you want to track.
- Export or schedule regular usage reports.
If you’re not sure where to find them, your device manual or manufacturer’s support page is a good starting point.
Using print management software
If your organisation uses server-based or cloud print management software, you can access more detailed analytics.
- Log in to your existing server-based or cloud print management dashboard.
- Review available analytics such as department or user usage, trends over time, and cost centres.
- Activate optional features like secure print release, automated rules, or alerts for high-volume jobs.
Practical ways to reduce printing costs and waste
Rather than try every idea at once, start with small but measurable improvements based on your audit insights. This may include changing device defaults, updating older hardware, or shifting routine printing to digital workflows.
You can explore a full breakdown of cost-saving strategies, recommended settings, fleet planning tips, and best-practice habits in our comprehensive guide to print optimisation.
Smarter printing starts with visibility
Taking the time to understand how your business prints can lead to meaningful and lasting improvements. From reduced running costs to smoother workflows and more sustainable everyday habits, a print audit gives you the clarity to make changes with purpose.
If you’re not sure which features your devices already have, or you’d like help setting up accurate reporting, our team can configure print auditing for you and walk you through the results. We can also help you identify quick-win opportunities and recommend settings or tools that suit your workflow and sustainability goals. Get in touch today.
