In many organisations, printing is an invisible cost. Pages are produced daily without much thought, yet the expenses add up: from paper and toner to wasted time and inefficient workflows. A print audit shines a light on these hidden costs, helping businesses cut waste and unlock real savings.

Recent studies in 2025 show companies trimming up to 30% in printing expenses following audit-driven optimisations (Apprico, 2025).

What Is a Print Audit?

A print audit is a detailed review of how printing devices are used across your business. It looks at:

• Print volumes: how many pages are being printed per department.
• Device usage: which machines are overworked and which are underused.
• Costs: including consumables, maintenance, and energy.
• Sustainability impact: the environmental footprint of your printing habits.

The results often surprise businesses. They can reveal duplication, unnecessary colour printing, or even unsecured devices that leave sensitive data at risk.

Real-World Examples

1. A Law Firm Saving 35%

A mid-sized law firm discovered through an audit that 60% of their print jobs were single-sided and in colour, despite most documents only needing black-and-white. By implementing duplex defaults and colour restrictions, they cut paper use by a third and reduced toner costs significantly.

Enabling duplex (double-sided) printing as the default can cut paper use by up to 50% (4over4, 2025).

2. A Healthcare Provider Reducing Waste by 40%

In a healthcare organisation, multiple departments had separate printers and contracts. This created duplication and inefficiency. Consolidating into a managed print service not only reduced print waste but also gave IT teams a single point of control. They cut costs by 40% while strengthening compliance.

In fact, studies show that in healthcare, Managed Print Services (MPS) can reduce printing costs by more than 50%, both immediately and in the long term (Toshiba, 2025).

3. A Manufacturer Improving Security and Efficiency

A print audit revealed unsecured printers left sensitive invoices and HR files exposed. By introducing secure print release (staff collect documents using ID cards), they improved confidentiality and reduced abandoned print jobs by 25%.

Secure print release tools significantly reduce unnecessary printing and waste (Right Digital Solutions, 2025).

The Business Case for Print Audits

• Cost savings: Many companies see reductions of 20–40%
• Sustainability: Less paper and toner means a lower carbon footprint
• Productivity: Centralised, well-managed print environments reduce downtime
• Security: Controlled print environments help protect sensitive data

According to industry research, organisations can expect 20–40% reductions in print-related costs after conducting a comprehensive audit

Take the Next Step

A print audit isn’t just about cutting costs. It’s about creating a smarter, greener, and more secure workplace.

Ready to uncover the hidden costs in your business?