Managed Print Service Provider (MSP)

A hardware vendor offering services designed to assist business end-users streamline the management of, and minimize costs associated with printing and imaging. Managed Print Service Providers are professionals that work with your business to assist in the design, implementation and also assist with managing an imaging and printing infrastructure that is tailored to your business requirements.

Managed Print Service (MPS)

Is the process of managing hard-copy device fleets (copiers, printers, multifunction devices, and fax machines) in a unified fashion. The term is commonly associated with outsourcing the fleet to an external vendor. There are typically three stages to the process and an MPS solution can help to cut ownership costs, enhance productivity and reduce energy consumption.

Outsourcing

The process of contracting services to a third-party/MSP (managed print service provider).

Vendor neutral

A vendor neutral print service provider, such as NewField IT, is an organization focused on analysing currently owned assets with the aim to optimize print environments. A vendor neutral, or independent, company has no ties or affiliations to specific manufacturers working across the market options to provide a best-fit solution. The employing organization therefore can avoid the need to dispose of equipment or purchase new equipment as the solution design will be prepared to fit with existing assets.

See > independent service provider

Independent service provider

An independent service provider, such as NewField IT, is an organisation focused on the optimization of current print fleet assets and works across a broad range of resources across print hardware manufacturers and vendors.

See > Vendor Neutral

MFP

Multi Function Printer.

See > Multi Function Device

MFD

Multi Function Device.

See > Multi Function Device

AIO

All-in-one machine

See > Multi Function Device

Multi-Function Device (MFD) - Also known as MFP, AIO

A single machine incorporating functions of multiple devices in one. Often used as space saving solution within smaller offices or to provide centralized document management/distribution/production in a large-office setting. A typical MFD may act as a combination of some or all of the following devices: Printer, Scanner, Fax, Photocopier and email.

Duplex printing/scanning

The process of printing and/or scanning to both sides of a single piece of paper without the need for manual intervention; a process often seen in smaller environments, typically as a cost saving or environmentally-friendly print enhancement.

CPP

Cost per page / cost per print. The individual cost associated with a printed sheet of paper.

Document imaging

A form of enterprise content management and refers to the systems replicating the documents commonly used in business.

See also > Electronic Document Management, Document Management System

Document Management System (DMS)

A document management system (DMS) is a computer system (or set of computer programs) used to track and store electronic documents and/or images of paper documents. It is often viewed as a component of enterprise content management (ECM) systems and related to digital asset management, document imaging, work flow systems and records management systems.

See also > Electronic Document Management

Electronic Document Management

Technology built around the need to manage and secure the escalating volume of electronic documents (spreadsheets, word-processing documents, PDFs, e-mails) created within an organization.

See also > Document Imaging, Document Management System

TCO

See > Total Cost of Ownership

Asset management

The practice of managing the life-cycle of a businesses’ physical assets from acquisition through disposal, including components of print and IT infrastructure, such us printers, photocopiers and computer hardware.

Total cost of ownership (TCO)

A financial analysis designed to help end-users and enterprise managers determine the direct and indirect costs, and financial impact, of a product or system over its entire life-cycle.

Follow me printing

A relatively new concept in document output management. Traditionally users send print jobs to chosen device and walk to collect. Modern print software solutions allow users to send these documents to a non-specific printer. In this solution, prints are not processed automatically but instead, users walk to their chosen device (photocopier, MFD, printer or MFP) and “release” or “pull” the job down from the central software by entering a pin number, user name, swipe card or thumbprint. Thereby providing ultimate-user flexibility and waste control as the system can be set to automatically delete un-released jobs after a set period of time.

Document work-flow

A relatively new concept in document output management. Traditionally users send print jobs to chosen device and walk to collect. Modern print software solutions allow users to send these documents to a non-specific printer. In this solution, prints are not processed automatically.