The office printer is one of the oldest connected devices in the building, and one of the most overlooked. Under a managed print service, every printer reports its page counts, faults and toner levels, so supplies arrive before they run out and engineers turn up with the right part. Here is how it works, who uses it, why the reporting so often breaks, and how to fix it.
The 30-second version
- Managed print means a supplier looks after your printer fleet for a cost per page.
- Printers report meter readings, faults and toner levels automatically.
- Schools, councils, NHS trusts, law firms and retailers commonly use it.
- Reporting often fails at branches and on locked-down networks.
- A SIM gives printers their own connection, separate from your network.
On this page
What is managed print?
A managed print service, or MPS, is an arrangement where a supplier provides, maintains and supplies your printers, usually charging per page printed. The major manufacturers, including HP, Canon, Ricoh, Xerox, Konica Minolta and Kyocera, all offer managed print, as do many independent dealers.
It depends on data. Each printer reports its page counts, supply levels and error messages, either directly or through a small data collection program on the network, so the supplier can bill accurately, send toner automatically and fix faults quickly.
Why it is useful
- No more running out. Toner is sent before it is needed.
- Accurate billing. Meter readings arrive automatically, with no estimates.
- Faster repairs. Engineers know the fault before they arrive.
- A right-sized fleet. Usage data shows which printers earn their place.
- Less admin. Nobody chases readings or orders supplies by hand.
Who is already using it
Managed print is standard practice across schools and universities, councils, NHS trusts, law and accountancy firms, and retailers with branch networks. Anywhere with more than a handful of printers tends to move to it, because the savings in admin and supplies add up quickly.
Why printer reporting breaks
- Branches and small sites with no suitable network point, or one the print supplier is not allowed onto.
- Locked-down networks where firewalls stop reporting traffic getting out.
- A switched-off PC. Where reporting runs through software on a computer, it stops when that computer is turned off or replaced.
- Temporary sites such as site offices, with no network worth relying on.
How Synergy Max can help
We supply and support the connectivity that lets managed print reporting work, working alongside your existing print supplier rather than replacing them.
- IoT SIM cards, including multi-network SIMs that use whichever UK network is strongest
- Pooled data across every device on one account, with one simple bill
- Monitoring, so a device that goes quiet is noticed and chased
- Private, managed access, so devices are not sitting on the open internet
Find out more on our Managed print connectivity page, or see everything we connect on our IoT SIMs page.
Printers going quiet?
Tell us how many printers and sites you run. We will recommend the simplest way to keep them reporting.