As organisations across the UK prepare for 2026, many are taking a closer look at their office technology, digital workflows, and printing infrastructure. With rising costs, increasing security risks, and the continued shift toward cloud-based working, now is the ideal time to conduct a full print strategy audit.

At Nustream, we help organisations in Hampshire and throughout the UK understand their current print environment, identify inefficiencies, and build a smarter, more secure, and cost-effective Managed Print Services (MPS) strategy.

Here’s how to audit your print environment — and ensure your organisation is ready for 2026.

1. Map Your Current Print Environment

Before you can optimise, you need visibility.

Start by documenting:

• Number of printers and multifunction devices

• Locations across your office or multiple sites

• Device age, reliability and energy efficiency

• Printing volumes per department

• Current printer running costs

• Toner, maintenance and service contracts

Most organisations underestimate the size and cost of their print environment — a full audit reveals the truth.

Why this matters for 2026:
Clear visibility is essential for budget planning, fleet consolidation, and sustainability reporting.

2. Analyse Your Print Costs

Print is often one of the last unmanaged business expenses.

Review the real cost of printing, including:

• Cost per page

• Colour vs mono usage

• Printer downtime impact

• Waste from unnecessary printing

• Overuse of desktop/inefficient printers

• Untracked printing in shared departments

Businesses transitioning to Managed Print Services typically reduce print costs by 20–40%, making this a crucial part of your 2026 strategy.

3. Assess Your Cloud Readiness

In 2025, cloud print management grew rapidly, and this trend will continue in 2026.

Ask:

• Are you still using a print server?

• Do remote and hybrid workers struggle to print?

• Do different sites use different security settings?

• Could Xerox Workplace Cloud simplify management and improve access?

Cloud printing enhances security, reduces IT workload, and supports flexible work environments — making it a cornerstone of modern office print strategies.

4. Evaluate Print Security & Risk

Print devices are often overlooked in cybersecurity plans — but they shouldn’t be.

Audit your print security by checking:

• Secure Print & Follow-You Printing

• Role-based access control

• Device encryption

• Automatic firmware updates

• GDPR compliance

• Audit trails for print activity

• Hard-drive wiping protocols

As zero-trust security models expand in 2026, unsecured printers will become a growing risk.

5. Measure Environmental Impact

Sustainability targets are now a board-level priority.

Audit your environmental performance by reviewing:

• Duplex and eco-mode usage

• Energy consumption

• CO₂ emissions from your print fleet

• Percentage of digital vs paper workflows

• Waste and toner recycling processes

Modern Xerox devices and MPS solutions help organisations significantly reduce their environmental footprint.

6. Review User Experience & Workflow Efficiency

Your print strategy should support — not slow down — your team.

Identify:

• Devices that frequently jam or break

• Long queues on shared printers

• Slow scanning processes

• Manual paperwork heavy workflows

• Repetitive admin tasks that could be automated

Introducing digital workflows, automated routing, and Xerox productivity tools can dramatically improve efficiency in 2026.

7. Identify Opportunities to Automate

2025 saw a rise in AI-powered workflows, and 2026 will accelerate this trend.

Automation opportunities include:

• Form processing

• Invoice and finance workflows

• HR onboarding

• Document routing

• OCR-driven scanning

• Policy-based print rules

• Automated approvals

Workflow automation reduces human error, speeds up processes, and integrates seamlessly with MPS.

8. Build a 2026 Print Strategy Based on Data

Once your audit is complete, consolidate the insights to create a strategy that prioritises:

• Lower costs

• Stronger security

• Cloud adoption

• Better user experience

• Sustainability improvements

• Predictable budgeting

• Reduced IT workload

A data-driven approach ensures your print strategy aligns with wider digital transformation goals for 2026.

Final Thoughts

A thorough print audit today ensures a more efficient, secure, and cost-effective print environment tomorrow. With the right tools, workflows, and Managed Print Services in place, your organisation can enter 2026 with confidence.

If you’d like expert support auditing your print environment or planning your 2026 print strategy, Nustream is here to help, talk to us here.

Source: Nustream UK
Title: Planning for 2026: How to Audit Your Office Print Strategy
Author: Nustream Marketing Team (Verified Business Publisher)
Published: 2025
Category: Managed Print Services / Print Security / Workflow Automation

This article was written and reviewed by Managed Print specialists at Nustream, an official Xerox Partner providing secure print solutions, digital workflows, and MPS to organisations across Hampshire and the UK.

All insights are based on Xerox research, industry best practices, and Nustream’s experience helping businesses reduce costs, strengthen print security, and modernise their print environment.