The Growing Cost of Printing in Education
As student populations continue to grow, so do the costs associated with managing print environments in schools and universities. Printing is one of the top five external expenditures for IT departments, consuming significant portions of already stretched budgets. With the cost of color printing being up to eight times higher than black-and-white, inefficient print management can quickly become a financial burden.
Educational institutions must find ways to track and optimize print usage to avoid unnecessary spending and reduce environmental impact. However, monitoring printing habits and enforcing cost-saving policies can be challenging without the right tools. This is where print analytics and dashboards come into play.
Understanding the Print Challenges in Education
Higher Education
Universities experience high print volumes, with thousands of students printing assignments, research materials, and lecture notes daily. Many institutions, like Berry University in Georgia, have implemented student-paid printing models to raise awareness of environmental and financial costs.
The shift to remote learning due to COVID-19 has also impacted printing behaviors, leading some students to consider bringing personal printers to campus. Universities must manage these evolving needs while ensuring print security, cost efficiency, and sustainability remain at the forefront!
K-12 Schools & Multi-Academy Trusts
Schools face similar challenges, albeit with different dynamics. While printing is generally free for students and staff, the costs of printers, toner, and paper remain substantial. A 2020 study found that a single teacher uses between 25-75 pages daily, contributing to an estimated 34 billion pages printed in schools across the U.S. each year.
Unauthorized or abandoned printing further compounds the issue, leading to unnecessary waste and security risks. Without visibility into print usage, schools struggle to implement effective policies that balance educational needs with cost control.
The Role of Print Management Software
Many schools and universities have adopted print management software like PaperCut to tackle these challenges, offering them:
Waste Reduction: Tracking and controlling print usage to cut down on unnecessary printing.
Cost Savings: Implementing quotas, charging models, and efficiency measures.
Security Enhancements: Secure print release with ID cards to prevent abandoned or unauthorized prints.
Environmental Benefits: Monitoring paper usage and promoting sustainability initiatives.
However, while print management software helps control costs, many institutions still struggle with data visibility. Generating useful reports is often cumbersome, requiring IT teams to manually compile and distribute insights each month.
Why Schools & Universities Need Print Dashboards?
Intuitive BI dashboards for PaperCut (MF or Hive) provide the missing link between raw print data and actionable insights!
Now, you can offer your educational client’s real-time visibility into unique print trends, costs, and environmental impact, helping school boards, admin, faculty, & students, make data-driven decisions!
Experience Business Intelligence Dashboards in action by clicking through our demonstration video below!
Key Benefits of Intuitive Business Intelligence Dashboards!
Optimized Device Utilization: Identify underused and overused printers to balance the load and extend device lifespan.
Improved Cost Management: Gain insights into print demand by department, faculty, or student group to refine cost-saving strategies.
Policy Enforcement: Analyze printing behaviors and set rules to encourage responsible usage.
Environmental Impact Tracking: Monitor and report on sustainability efforts to attract eco-conscious students and stakeholders.
Enhanced Security: Ensure compliance by tracking document flows and identifying unauthorized print activities.
Seamless Reporting: Generate customized reports instantly without relying on IT support.
Mobile and Remote Access: View print data from anywhere, whether in meetings or on the go.
How Intuitive Simplifies PaperCut Management
Intuitive Business Intelligence has worked with leading universities and schools to implement print dashboards that integrate seamlessly with PaperCut. Here are some of the solution benefits:
Pre-Configured Dashboards: Designed specifically for education, with insights tailored to institutions’ needs.
Easy Data Navigation: Visual analytics that make it simple for administrators to explore and interpret data.
Fast Deployment: Get up and running in hours, not months.
Customizable Interface: Align dashboards with institutional branding for a professional look and feel.
Empowering Education with Data-Driven Decisions!
By leveraging print analytics through Intuitive BI dashboards, educational institutions can take control of their print environments, reduce waste, save money, and enhance security.
Whether in K-12 schools, universities, or MATs, print dashboards offer a smarter, more efficient way to manage printing—turning data into actionable insights that benefit students, staff, and budgets alike.
Are you ready to revolutionize your institution’s print management? Contact us today to learn more about Intuitive for PaperCut!
