The Benefits of Secure Print Release for Your Business

Here’s a scenario for you. You press print but forget to collect your document from the printer tray. Worse still, the printout in question contained confidential or sensitive information. Very quickly an honest mistake has suddenly transformed into a security risk. 

Well, don’t panic, you’re certainly not alone. Printing has been a vital element for a multitude of work environments for decades, yet it can still present some significant challenges. Direct printing in a large workforce without proper configuration can result in workflow and security issues. To address these challenges directly, businesses can benefit from adopting print management software with print release functionality.

What is Secure Print Release?

Unsecured printers are vulnerable to cyber attacks, which can result in sensitive data being compromised. In simple terms, secure print release is a solution that ensures that printed documents are released only to authorized users. This helps to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive information and protects businesses from potential data breaches. Let’s drill down into some of those benefits and find out why secure print release could be hugely beneficial for your business.

 Enhanced security

The big one. Security. By requiring users to authenticate their print jobs at the printer, it ensures that only authorized personnel have access to sensitive information. This not only safeguards a company's confidential data but also prevents unauthorized access and ensures compliance with regulations such as HIPAA and GDPR.

 Reduce waste

With traditional printing methods, it's easy for employees to send multiple print jobs to a printer, only to realize later that they didn't actually need all of those pages. With print release, employees must physically go to the printer and release the job before it's printed, which encourages them to double-check and make sure they actually need the print job. This reduces the amount of unnecessary printing and ultimately leads to cost savings and a more environmentally-friendly workplace.

 Industry-specific benefits

Print release and secure printing can provide industry-specific benefits that cater to the unique needs of certain businesses. In the legal industry, print release can help ensure that confidential documents are not left unattended in a printer tray, preventing unauthorized access to sensitive information.

In healthcare, print release can help ensure that patient information is kept confidential and healthcare professionals are only printing what they need, thus reducing the risk of unnecessary printing and waste. Meanwhile, in education, print release can help teachers and administrators control the number of copies being made, ensuring that they are staying within budget while also reducing paper waste.

Combining MPS and Secure Print Release

By combining managed print services and secure print release, businesses can achieve a comprehensive print management solution that addresses both efficiency and security concerns. MPS providers can help businesses implement secure print release solutions as part of an individual print management strategy, resulting in increased cost savings, improved sustainability, and enhanced security and compliance.

How can we help?

If you're looking to improve your company's printing processes and safeguarding practices, why not get in touch with Lanier South West. Let’s start streamlining your workflows, reducing costs, and enhancing security, all the while contributing to a more sustainable printing environment. Sounds pretty good to me!