For many organisations, printing remains one of the most under-analysed areas of business expenditure. Hidden costs, fragmented fleets, and lack of visibility often result in wasted resources and inefficient workflows. That’s why print analytics, a key component of Managed Print Services (MPS) has become essential for modern businesses seeking to improve efficiency, security, and sustainability.

At Nustream, we help companies across the UK implement print management solutions powered by Xerox technology, giving them the insights they need to track, optimise, and reduce print-related costs.

Understanding Print Analytics

Print analytics refers to the collection, measurement, and analysis of data related to printing activity across your organisation. It allows businesses to monitor how, where, and by whom printers are used, providing the information needed to control costs and make informed decisions.

Think of it as your print management dashboard. Instead of guessing how much paper, ink, and energy your business consumes, you gain precise visibility into usage patterns, trends, and expenses.

When integrated with Managed Print Services, print analytics becomes a powerful tool for driving operational efficiency and sustainability.

Why Businesses Need Print Analytics

Most companies underestimate how much printing costs them. According to industry research, unmanaged print environments can account for up to 3% of a business’s annual revenue. Without the right monitoring tools, it’s impossible to know where those costs originate.

Key challenges include:

• Multiple printer brands and models with no central oversight

• Uncontrolled colour and personal printing

• Paper waste from abandoned jobs

• Untracked device maintenance and toner orders

Print analytics addresses these issues by providing full transparency, empowering leaders to identify inefficiencies, enforce policies, and forecast future print needs accurately.

How Managed Print Services Enable Data-Driven Printing

Managed Print Services (MPS) transform printing from a reactive process into a data-driven strategy. Nustream’s MPS solutions use print management software to collect real-time data from every device across your fleet, whether on-site or in remote locations.

This data is then analysed and presented in visual dashboards that display:

• Print volumes per department or user

• Colour vs. mono usage and cost

• Duplex (double-sided) printing ratios

• Device uptime and maintenance history

• Toner levels and supply consumption

• Print cost per page and per device

With these insights, businesses can take immediate action, setting print quotas, enforcing duplex defaults, or replacing inefficient devices.

Key Metrics to Track with Print Analytics

To get the most value from your print management data, focus on the following key performance indicators (KPIs):

1. Total Print Volume

Understanding how much you print is the foundation of effective cost control. MPS analytics reveal print volumes across teams and time frames, helping identify where usage spikes or declines occur.

2. Cost per Page

Different devices and print settings carry different costs. Tracking cost per page including toner, maintenance, and energy enables accurate budgeting and smarter fleet optimisation.

3. Device Utilisation Rates

Underused printers waste money, while overworked devices lead to breakdowns. Analytics show whether printers are being properly distributed across departments.

4. User Behaviour

Who prints the most? Are employees using colour unnecessarily? Analytics provide accountability and encourage responsible printing habits.

5. Energy Consumption and Sustainability

Sustainability goals are a priority for modern businesses. Print analytics help track paper and power usage, contributing to measurable reductions in environmental impact.

The Role of Print Management Software

The backbone of print analytics is print management software, technology that integrates with your devices to collect and analyse data automatically. Xerox’s suite of tools, including Xerox Workplace Suite and Xerox Workplace Cloud, provides real-time monitoring and reporting that supports data-driven decision-making.

These platforms allow you to:

• Monitor every device from a single dashboard

• Automate supply replenishment through smart alerts

• Generate usage reports for internal cost allocation

• Enforce compliance policies such as GDPR and data security

• Support hybrid and mobile printing for remote teams

By pairing Xerox’s advanced analytics with Nustream’s managed print services, businesses gain a complete ecosystem for secure, efficient printing services and long-term cost control.

Turning Data into Action

Collecting data is only the beginning. The true power of print analytics lies in transforming those insights into action.

For example:

• If analytics show one department uses 60% of colour printing, Nustream can implement print management rules to default that group to black and white for internal documents.

• If a printer is consistently underused, we can reallocate it to another site saving maintenance and energy costs.

• If usage reports show frequent after-hours printing, it may indicate security vulnerabilities or unauthorised access.

These data-led actions create measurable results, typically reducing print-related costs by up to 30% while improving uptime and compliance.

Integrating Print Analytics into Business Strategy

Forward-thinking organisations are now treating print analytics as part of their broader digital transformation. When combined with digital printing workflows, cloud document storage, and app-based printing, analytics help streamline document management and create a seamless connection between physical and digital assets.

The result is smarter printing services  built on data, automation, and continuous optimisation.

Conclusion

In today’s data-driven business landscape, you can’t manage what you don’t measure and printing is no exception. Print analytics provides the visibility and control every organisation needs to optimise usage, reduce costs, and strengthen compliance.

At Nustream, we combine Xerox’s cutting-edge analytics tools with expert managed print services to deliver measurable improvements in efficiency, sustainability, and cost management.

👉 Take the first step toward intelligent printing. Book a free print assessment with Nustream

Source: Nustream UK

Title: Print Analytics 101: How to Track Costs and Usage with MPS
Author: Nustream Marketing Team (Verified Business Publisher)
Published: 2025
Category: Managed Print Services / Print Analytics / Cost Optimisation

This article was written and reviewed by print analytics and managed print specialists at Nustream, an official Xerox Partner providing managed print services, data-driven print management, and digital workflow optimisation across the UK.
All technical insights are based on verified Xerox reporting tools, MPS analytics case studies, and Nustream’s experience in reducing print costs and improving efficiency for UK organisations.