Businesses of all sizes rely on their printers for invoices, marketing materials, receipts, and more. While the move to paperless documentation might be desirable, most industries still need at least some hard copies of certain documents. Statistics suggest that annually, businesses spend around $725 per employee on printing and 79% of IT decision-makers consider printers a critical business need. With that in mind, it makes sense to spend time shopping around for the best all-in-one printing solutions. You want to save time and money by not having to buy separate copiers and printers. But it’s also about improving your company’s sustainability practices and lowering your energy consumption. So, here comes the big question: What features should you be looking for in your multifunction office printer? We’ve pulled together a quick guide to the top three features all good multifunction office printers should have and why you need them.
Multifunction Office Printer Basics
A multifunction office printer, sometimes simply known as an all-in-one printer, is a replacement for several machines that offices used to invest in as separate units. You may also see these types of printers referred to as MFPs: Multifunction Printers.
Your office MFP should cover all printing, scanning, and copying tasks, and may even replace a fax machine, too. While faxing might seem like a technology of the past, the market for fax services remains relevant. There are some industries that utilize fax machines for sensitive legal documents. Some American businesses need fax machines to communicate with international partners in countries where fax is still very popular.
Always check that your chosen MFP has all the functions you require. We also recommend looking for the following three features.
Feature One: Access Control via User Authentication
If a client sends you some highly personal information, would they be happy with everyone in the office seeing it? If you can’t answer “Yes” to that question, then you can’t really print the document on a shared printer. However, if your printer has user authentication features, you’re all set. You can choose a passcode that needs to be entered to access the printer controls. The printer will only start the relevant print job once you enter the passcode. Just don’t wander off halfway through the print task and leave the papers exposed.
Some printers only allow certain members of the team to start print jobs. With this type of user authentication, you’ll need to enter a username and password before you can send a job to the printer. The printer will have access to a database of verified users. If your details don’t match, you won’t be able to print anything.
Feature Two: Duplexing Automatic Document Feeder (DADF)
A duplex automatic document feeder — sometimes called a dual automatic document feeder — is an essential time-saving addition for businesses that need to print high volumes of documents. A standard automatic document feeder (ADF) will work through a stack of paper, feeding it into the MFP one sheet at a time. This is very useful for scanning a large number of physical documents into digital storage.
The DADF goes one step further. It feeds documents into the printer in such a way that both sides can either be copied or scanned. Without a DADF, double-sided documents need to be manually turned over by a team member to complete this tedious task. With a DADF, those employees can return to business-critical tasks and leave the printer to do its job.
A DADF can improve efficiency, productivity, and accuracy. You can use it to help move your firm’s digital transformation journey along faster but also make ad hoc copying and scanning jobs quicker and easier.
Feature Three: Secure Wireless and Wired Connectivity
Traditionally, all computers were wired directly into a print network. Today, of course, the best printers can connect to devices wirelessly. It’s recommended that you source an office MFP that can support both types of functionality. If you have a problem with your Wi-Fi, you can instead simply plug directly into your printer and continue with any printing tasks.
Wireless printing is an essential feature if you require mobile printing access. If your employees have smart devices provided by your company, then they’ll most likely need to print from their phones (or tablets) from time to time. Check if the printer supports mobile printing and what’s required for that. Some printers automatically connect to smartphones while others have a dedicated app.
What’s not recommended is providing access to the print network to non-work devices. Personal phones and tablets are unlikely to pass the requisite cybersecurity standard for your workplace, potentially becoming a serious security risk.
In fact, printer security is an increasingly pertinent issue for businesses across multiple industries. Malicious actors can find their way into business networks via any non-secure channel — including printers. From here, they can access business-critical data and documents that were recently stored in the printer, and even make their way into deeper business systems. Investing in printers that include some level of security straight out of the box is one method of protecting against this. Another surefire way to improve your overall cybersecurity posture is to work with a trusted partner who can offer the best advice on trustworthy hardware and software.
You may also want to look for printers that integrate directly with recognized cloud storage services. The ability to print directly from your online drives can save you time and effort.
Get Help Sourcing Your Multifunction Office Printer
With so many makes and models to choose from — and so many features to sift through —choosing the right multifunction office printer can be challenging. That’s why the dedicated team here at Docutrend works with so many businesses across New York, Totowa, Cherry Hill, Ft. Washington, Edison, and all the surrounding areas. We help businesses just like yours source the right printer hardware at optimal prices. You can choose to lease or buy, and we can also help you find the right device management solutions for a range of office hardware. Get in touch today to find out more.