How much do you really know about your business’s printing habits? If you’re like most organisations, the answer is probably “not enough.” From toner costs to wasted paper, unmanaged printing can quietly eat away at your budget, and productivity.
That’s where a print audit comes in.
A print audit gives you a clear, data-driven view of your entire print environment. It highlights inefficiencies, uncovers hidden costs, and lays the groundwork for smarter, more sustainable print strategies. In this blog, we’ll explain exactly what a print audit involves, what it can reveal, and why your business should consider one.
What Is a Print Audit?
A print audit is a comprehensive assessment of how printing is managed in your organisation. It involves analysing your devices, print volumes, workflows, and associated costs. The audit can be carried out manually or, more commonly, using monitoring tools that automatically track usage over a set period.
Typically, a print audit is the first step taken by a managed print provider like Carden Managed Print when onboarding a new client. It’s used to understand your current setup so that a more efficient and cost-effective solution can be recommended.
What Does a Print Audit Measure?
A good print audit looks beyond the surface. Here are the key areas it examines:
- Print Volumes: Total number of pages printed by each user, team, and device; broken down by month or department.
- Device Usage: Identifies which printers are overused and which are underutilised, helping to balance the load more effectively.
- Cost Per Page: Tracks the true cost of printing, including consumables, maintenance, and energy use; not just the upfront hardware price.
- Print Types: Measures colour vs mono printing, single-sided vs duplex, and the ratio of draft to final-quality prints.
- Workflow Bottlenecks: Highlights inefficient processes, such as multiple manual steps to scan and print, or users printing unnecessary copies.
- Security Risks: Identifies vulnerabilities such as shared devices with no authentication, or documents left uncollected in output trays.
Why Your Business Needs a Print Audit
Still wondering if a print audit is worth it? Here’s what it can do for your organisation:
- Uncover Hidden Costs: Many businesses are shocked by how much they spend on printing. A print audit makes those costs visible (so you can start reducing them).
- Right-Size Your Fleet: Avoid spending money on printers you don’t need, or burning out a single device because it’s handling too much.
- Boost Efficiency: Streamline print workflows, reduce waiting times, and make your team more productive.
- Improve Security: Secure print release, access controls, and better visibility help protect sensitive documents.
- Support Sustainability Goals: Find opportunities to cut down on paper waste, lower power usage, and recycle consumables more effectively.
What Happens After a Print Audit?
Once the data has been collected, your provider will prepare a detailed report outlining their findings. This includes:
- A snapshot of your current print environment.
- Cost breakdowns and usage patterns.
- Security or compliance concerns.
- Actionable recommendations for improvement.
From there, you can choose to implement a tailored Managed Print Service (MPS) plan. This might include replacing old devices, rolling out print policies, automating toner ordering, or introducing cloud printing and secure release.
Importantly, the audit also gives you a baseline, a starting point to track improvements over time.
How to Get Started with a Print Audit
The best way to begin is by partnering with a trusted managed print provider. At Carden Managed Print, we offer flexible audit options:
- Remote audits using secure monitoring software.
- On-site reviews for a more in-depth look at physical device layouts and workflows.
The process is straightforward and non-intrusive, typically running over a 1–2 week period. And to be clear: this is a review of your systems, not your people. The goal is to improve processes, not point fingers.
Data-Driven Print Decisions Start with a Simple Audit
A print audit gives you the insights you need to take control of your printing environment. It helps you reduce costs, boost productivity, improve document security, and align with sustainability goals.
At Carden Managed Print, we offer no-obligation print audits to businesses looking to take the first step towards smarter print management.
Ready to find out what your printers are really costing you? Contact our team today to schedule your free print audit.
