Follow Me Printing: A Smarter Way to Reduce Print Waste and Costs

The Problem: How Can You Secure and Control Office Printing?

Managing print security, reducing waste, and improving efficiency can be a challenge for any business. Sensitive documents such as contracts, financial records, or private client information should never be left unattended on a printer.

But waste isn’t just about uncollected documents it’s also about printing errors. How many times have you printed a job only to realise you had A3 selected instead of A4 or printed in colour when black and white was enough? These small mistakes add up, increasing toner and paper waste unnecessarily. Follow Me Printing ensures that documents are only printed when an authorised user is present to collect them. It also gives users the chance to review print settings before release, helping businesses reduce unnecessary printing costs, improve security, and streamline office workflows.

At Axia Office, we work with businesses across Australia to implement Follow Me Printing as part of a customised Managed Print Services solution. Our expert team tailors recommendations to your specific needs, whether you require a single-brand fleet or a mixed-brand solution for the best possible price and performance.

Unclaimed Print Jobs Are a Risk to Your Business

Unclaimed Print Jobs left on photocopiers can lead to security breaches, compliance risks, and wasted resources. For many industries, unsecured printing is a serious concern:

• Legal firms handling confidential contracts and client files.

• Medical and healthcare providers printing patient records and prescriptions.

• Educational institutions managing private student data.

• Financial and government organisations producing sensitive reports.

Printing mistakes, such as accidentally selecting A3 instead of A4 or printing in colour when black and white was sufficient, can also drive up costs.

Follow Me Printing eliminates these risks by ensuring that documents are printed only when the intended recipient is at the device. It also allows users to adjust print settings before releasing jobs reducing waste and saving money.

What is Follow Me Printing?

Follow Me Printing is a secure print management system that holds print jobs in a central queue. Documents are only released when an authorised user authenticates at the printer.
This solution prevents unauthorised access, reduces paper and toner waste, and gives employees greater flexibility to print from any compatible device in the office.

How Does Follow Me Printing Work?

1. Send Your Print Job

Users print as usual, but instead of sending the document directly to a specific printer, the job is held in a secure print queue.

2. Authenticate at the Printer

The user verifies their identity using a PIN, swipe card, or mobile app at any authorised device.

3. Review and Release the Print Job

Before releasing the document, the user can review print settings and make adjustments, such as switching from colour to black and white or selecting the correct paper size.

4. Print Securely and Efficiently

The document is printed only when the user is physically present, reducing the risk of unauthorised access or misplaced documents.
This system works with a wide range of commercial printers and photocopiers, including Canon imageRUNNER ADVANCE DX, Epson laser printers, and Sharp multifunction devices. Axia Office can provide custom recommendations based on your business needs, including mixed-brand solutions for the best possible price and performance.

The Benefits of Follow Me Printing

1. Protect Confidential Documents

Sensitive documents are never left unattended on a printer, preventing unauthorised access. This is essential for industries that handle legal, medical, financial, or student records.

2. Reduce Waste and Costs

• Uncollected print jobs are automatically deleted, eliminating wasted paper and toner.
• Industry surveys indicate that almost 15% of jobs sent to a hold/release queue are never printed, reducing unnecessary printing expenses.
• Users can adjust print settings before releasing jobs, preventing costly mistakes such as printing in colour when black and white is sufficient.

3. Improve Workflow Efficiency

• Users can print from any compatible device in the office, reducing bottlenecks at busy printers.
• Employees spend less time searching for lost print jobs.

4. Increase Flexibility Across Multiple Locations

• Employees can retrieve documents from any authorised printer, improving convenience in multi-office environments.
• Follow Me Printing integrates seamlessly with uniFLOW Online and other print management platforms.

5. Gain Visibility and Control Over Print Costs

• Monitor who is printing, what is being printed, and when to track expenses.
• Implement cost-saving measures based on detailed reporting.

Matched perfectly for Manged Print Plans or Unlimited Print Plans for one fixed monthly invoice.