Seven FAQs about MPS Best Practices

When we get questions about managed print, our answers draw on years of following (and instigating) MPS best practices in these areas:

• Print cost recovery
• Optimized, integrated document workflow
• Firmware update scheduling
• Eco-sustainable printing
• Mobile printing for business
• Flat-rate MPS billing
• MPS invoicing processes

Read on for our answers to FAQs about these recommended managed print best practices. 

7 Questions about Best Practices in Managed Print Services

1. What data can you expect to get from print cost recovery solutions?

Use of a good print management tool is a non-negotiable MPS best practice. We have software to automate cost tracking and associate dollar amounts for each type of recoverable transaction. You “recover” the organizational expenses internally through interdepartmental billing. Entities like libraries and universities often use cost recovery to bill print and copier users.

2. Can you integrate environments, endpoints and processes across document workflow? 

Our print management solutions easily fit within most environments and will be configured to your document workflow needs and preferred user experiences. MFPs and printers securely print and scan in almost any way you like within your workflows. We have in-office, WFH, mobile and BYOD printing well covered, so users can print from Chromebooks, Android, macOS, iOS and Windows devices. We connect endpoint-driven processes to Microsoft 365, QuickBooks and Salesforce to digitize document workflow. Combine that with our in-house integration expertise plus dependable hardware and software. 

3. How do I know if our printers need firmware updates?

It does matter what firmware version your devices are on. Otherwise, you could find your scanning no longer works; your printer quality is bad, or someone has hacked your network. These are all possible outcomes of ignoring firmware updates. Sometimes nothing happens, and sometimes there are issues. 

MPS best practices recommend establishing a regular update procedure for many printer brands and models. With the latest software update in the device firmware file, various things will be updated, with the most important being security patches. Good MPS technicians know the technology and importance of why manufacturers suggest keeping firmware updated as part of the managed print service.

4. How does MPS help with eco-sustainable managed print?

A good managed print partner wants to talk about recycling toners, utilization rates, power requirements and printing technology as they relate to sustainability in your business. We share the market’s concern over the metals and plastics entering our water tables and dumps, and we’re committed to helping companies create and sustain environmental policies across printing devices and locations. 

One MPS best practice for eco-sustainable print services could be something as simple as a robust recycling program. A good MPS partner brings eco-sustainable print practices, like making sure printers are utilized correctly, and there isn’t paper waste.

5. Why would I want mobile print for my business?

Mobile, remote and WFH printing are no longer novelties. Today’s employees expect that business technology will accommodate the needs of users pretty much anywhere. We are talking about mobile printing, for work that needs to be done on endpoint devices like a printer, scanner or copier. 

If you want a person to be able to print, but not be on your network, then you will probably use a mobile app for mobile device printing. The location could be at a university library or a hotel business center, any application where users need to print via mobile. A good print services partner can get you started with applications like that. Users upload to the mobile app, or email the printer or copier directly. 

Ask your MPS partner about a mobile print solution to accommodate different workflows to secure endpoint devices. This would include printing from a MacBook, cell phone and tablet computer, including endpoint devices. Each user should have secure cloud access when on WIFI and on a network. 

6. What does a flat rate mean in managed print services?

The biggest argument for a flat rate managed print program is simplicity. As the print management client, you know your exact printing costs, and you can break them into even monthly payments. This gives you control over accounting, as well as allowing you to cap the cost of printing for your company. A flat rate MPS program could be ideal for your company, especially if you want one set price each month without constant meter reads on the printers (because you pay the same no matter what you print.) 

7. How does managed print invoicing work?

Why is invoicing so important? If done based on best practices, MPS invoices give you valuable insight into device inventory, costs, volumes and other important information. Invoicing can be a gamechanger when it comes to best practices for managing your printer fleet. With proper print invoicing and accounting practices, costs that are otherwise overlooked become easy to see, bring into reports and fix.

Another reason to pay attention to invoicing as a best practice is so accounting can charge back by department. Larger businesses or even schools, particularly if they charge back to a general ledger code or a department, need an invoice with a simple summary page that shows how much a department prints and the print costs. Otherwise, printing costs get out of control, and while some departments do a good job at managing costs, you won’t know where the cost improvements are coming from.

We Make MPS Best Practices Part of Our Toolkit

The burden of applying MPS best practices falls to the professional managed print company you hire. This expert team should know how to take your program to the next level.

For us, print management best practices are all about helping you know what your devices are doing through clear reporting and billing, so you can make informed decisions about print policy, consolidation and device management.

We solve that for customers, not just in understanding where the money is going, but in execution of a managed print strategy to reduce costs and keep them under control.

Got More Questions?

Did we cover all your questions? We have a few we’d like to ask in a no-obligation print assessment. Maybe you have some not covered on this MPS FAQ list. Just reach out because we’ve got answers.