For most businesses, printing is one of those hidden expenses that quietly eats away at the budget. Between equipment leases, toner, paper, and maintenance, office printing can account for up to 3% of annual revenue, and that’s before factoring in downtime or inefficiencies.
A print assessment is one of the simplest and most effective ways to uncover these hidden costs. Whether you’re managing a single copier or a fleet of multifunction printers across multiple offices, a professional print assessment can help you cut waste, right-size your equipment, and make data-driven decisions that save thousands per year.
In this guide, we’ll explain what a print assessment is, how it works, and the specific ways it helps New York businesses lower printing costs without sacrificing productivity.
What Is a Print Assessment?
A print assessment is a detailed audit of your organization’s printing environment. It analyzes how your copiers and printers are being used—how much is printed, by whom, and on which devices. The goal is to identify inefficiencies, hidden costs, and opportunities for optimization.
Think of it like a financial audit for your print infrastructure. The process typically involves:
- Usage tracking: Monitoring print volumes across devices.
- Device mapping: Creating a visual layout of where every printer, copier, and MFP is located.
- Cost analysis: Calculating true per-page and total monthly printing costs.
- Workflow review: Evaluating how employees interact with printers (and how much time is wasted on bottlenecks).
- Security and compliance checks: Ensuring sensitive documents aren’t being left unprotected.
Once complete, your provider delivers a comprehensive report outlining current usage patterns and cost-saving recommendations.
The Hidden Costs a Print Assessment Uncovers
Many businesses underestimate how much they spend on printing because the expenses are spread out across departments and invoices. A print assessment consolidates these costs into one clear picture, often revealing inefficiencies like:
1. Oversized or underused printers
It’s common to see high-capacity copiers sitting idle in low-volume departments while smaller desktop printers are overloaded. A print assessment helps redistribute equipment so every device is right-sized for the workload.
2. Redundant devices
Some organizations have multiple printers doing the same job, often because different departments purchased them independently. By consolidating models and leases, you can save significantly on supplies and service costs.
3. Hidden supply waste
Untracked toner orders, inconsistent brand usage, and emergency overnight deliveries can quietly inflate expenses. Assessments bring these issues to light.
4. Unnecessary color printing
Color prints can cost up to 10 times more than black-and-white pages. A print assessment identifies departments or users who rely on color unnecessarily, and recommends settings or policies to reduce waste.
5. Downtime and inefficiency
Devices that frequently jam, run out of toner, or take too long to warm up can reduce productivity across the office. Assessments identify which models are costing you in lost time.
How Print Assessments Save Money on Equipment Costs
The biggest financial benefit of a print assessment is avoiding overinvestment in equipment you don’t need, or underinvestment that causes downtime and inefficiency.
Here’s how assessments help lower your total cost of ownership:
1. Right-Sizing Your Fleet
Many businesses assume more printers equal more productivity, but the opposite is often true. A print assessment pinpoints where you can reduce devices without affecting output, cutting lease, maintenance, and supply costs.
2. Extending the Life of Existing Equipment
An audit may reveal that your current devices are performing well but need firmware updates, better placement, or proper maintenance. That means you can defer expensive upgrades and still improve performance.
3. Identifying Low-Cost Replacements
If new equipment is necessary, the assessment helps you select energy-efficient, low-maintenance models that fit your volume and workflow needs. Providers like Emerald Document Imaging often have access to Ricoh and Canon trade-up programs that further reduce upgrade costs.
4. Streamlining Supply Management
By centralizing toner and paper purchasing, companies can negotiate better pricing and eliminate duplicate orders. This is especially impactful for organizations with multiple offices across Long Island or New York City.
5. Reducing Outsourced Printing
If your team sends projects like presentations or manuals to outside print shops, an assessment can identify when it’s more cost-effective to handle them in-house using a production printer or multifunction device.
When Should You Schedule a Print Assessment?
A print assessment isn’t just for large corporations. Small and mid-sized businesses often see the fastest ROI. You should consider scheduling one if:
- Your printer leases are coming up for renewal.
- Your company is growing, relocating, or merging offices.
- Your team complains about frequent printer downtime.
- You’ve noticed supply costs creeping up month over month.
- You’re interested in moving toward Managed Print Services (MPS).
Emerald Document Imaging offers free print assessments for businesses throughout Long Island, NYC, and the New York metro area, helping organizations of all sizes identify opportunities to save.
What to Expect During a Professional Print Assessment
The process is straightforward and typically takes one to two weeks:
- Initial consultation: Discuss your current challenges and goals.
- Data collection: Devices are analyzed using network tools and/or physical meter readings.
- Usage and cost mapping: Reports identify top print users, cost centers, and inefficiencies.
- Recommendation phase: You receive a detailed summary with suggested optimizations, device consolidation plans, and expected savings.
Most businesses see 10–30% savings within the first year of implementing assessment recommendations.
Why Partner with a Local Provider Like Emerald Document Imaging
Large national copier dealers often take a one-size-fits-all approach. Emerald Document Imaging takes a consultative, regional approach, focusing on what actually makes sense for New York businesses.
That means:
- On-site service within hours, not days across Long Island and NYC.
- Flexible leasing and maintenance options tailored to your budget.
- Support for Ricoh, Canon, and HP devices under one managed plan.
- Real-time cost tracking tools to help you stay on budget year-round.
The Bottom Line
A print assessment isn’t just a diagnostic; it’s a roadmap to lower costs, improved productivity, and smarter equipment investments. By understanding how your team prints, you can reduce waste, extend the life of your devices, and make informed decisions about future upgrades.
If you haven’t reviewed your print environment in the past 12 months, you’re likely leaving money on the table.
Ready to see how much your business could save?
Contact Emerald Document Imaging today for a free print assessment across Long Island, NYC, or the New York metro area.
