How Can Managed Print Services Simplify Workflows for Accounting Offices?

Accounting firms can’t afford any down time when it comes to copiers and printers. Having reliable printing services during tax season is absolutely crucial. This is where managed print services can make a huge difference for busy accounting firms.

While the IRS has been increasingly encouraging online submission of taxes and related forms, many accountants still prefer to send in tax returns on paper to avoid possible electronic glitches. Furthermore, tax documents often need to be printed and sent to clients. And sometimes, it is just easier to read, review, and double-check calculations on printed forms than solely using computers.

Whatever the specific reason, paper printing for tax accountants is not going away anytime soon. And it must be reliable and cost-effective to work. So, what is managed print services?

What Is Managed Print Services for Accountants?

Managed print services, or MPS for short, is a consulting service that handles the day-to-day aspects of running and maintaining printers, copiers, scanners, and fax machines at companies. MPS for professional services companies is especially helpful, as many of these types of firms do not have the people power to handle all the aspects of printing well. The managed service provider helps to assess the printing environment, install new and more efficient machines, monitor them for usage, handle toner refills, and more.

MPS for accounting firms provides these services with an eye towards making printing more efficient for accountants. This is especially for busy seasonal times such as April, the default tax deadline, June, a common fiscal year-end for many corporations, and October, when people file their deferred taxes. MPS also provides much greater security for documents, which is especially important for tax consultants.

How Managed Print Services Streamline Workflows for Busy Accounting Firms

The benefits of managed print services are many, and one of those main benefits is streamlining workflows. Inefficient workflows are one of the biggest barriers to productivity in any workplace, and these improper processes can be extremely damaging to accounting firms that have strict tax deadlines to meet.

This is where MPS solutions can really help. They can simplify and improve workflows in a number of ways, such as:

1. Consolidating Printers and Copiers

Many established accounting companies, especially those that have been around for a while, have a hodgepodge of equipment. This equipment could show up in the form of old fax machines, finicky copiers, laser printers on their last legs, and smudged-up scanning machines. A good MPS provider will help assess the current printing inventory to determine what needs to stay and what can go.

Often, replacing printers, copiers, scanners, and fax machines with multifunction printers is the best way to not only upgrade equipment but improve efficiency around the office.

2. Strategizing the Best Placement of Equipment

Where your equipment is housed physically can affect worker productivity. A printer that is stuck on the bottom of a shelf behind one colleague’s desk is hard to get to and disruptive to use. Older printers that don’t have wireless connectivity and only work with certain types of computers are also harder to place in the right areas.

A full audit of printer equipment along with a plan to place fully working equipment in areas that are easy to access and make sense can make a huge difference in office productivity.

3. Monitoring and Correcting Inefficient Use of Printers

Is waste occurring because an old creaky printer is spitting out half of the pages crooked? Then, items need to be printed again, wasting time, paper, toner, and eventually money? What about two employees printing out basically the same thing and duplicating print efforts unnecessarily? What about crappy, bargain bin toner that isn’t working well?

All these problems can be solved with MPS printer oversight, which can monitor printers for usage, properly install and replace toner, and retire worn-out printers when it’s time.

Managed Print Services for Accountants

This article has just scratched the surface of the many managed print services benefits for accounting firms. MPS for accounting firms helps improve workflows, enhance productivity, and reduce wasteful printing, all while reducing costs. This helps firms focus on their tax clients, not printer problems.

Office Technologies is a leading provider of managed print services. We have a powerful suite of MPS services, including printer service, automated supplies fulfillment, print fleet optimization, and print usage tracking for accounting firms. Contact us today for a free assessment.