Print management
Office Print Policy Template: Rules That Cut Waste and Risk
Written by Printer.business Editorial Team · Updated
An office print policy sounds bureaucratic, but a good one fits on a single page and pays for itself quickly. It sets sensible defaults so that people waste less paper and toner, keeps confidential documents out of output trays, and makes clear who handles supplies and faults. Below is a template you can adapt, followed by notes on making it stick.
Why bother with a print policy?
- Cost: colour pages can cost several times as much as mono, and duplex roughly halves paper for multi-page documents. See our cost per page comparison.
- Security: uncollected pages in shared trays are a common way for personal and client data to be seen by the wrong person.
- Reliability: a named owner for supplies and faults means fewer days with a broken printer.
- Sustainability: less paper, toner and energy.
Template: office print policy
Copy this, replace the bracketed parts and remove anything that does not apply.
1. Purpose. This policy sets out how [Company] staff use printers and copiers, to reduce cost and waste and to protect confidential information.
2. Scope. It applies to all staff, contractors and visitors using [Company] printers, copiers and MFPs, including remote printing to office devices.
3. Think before printing. Read and share documents electronically where practical. Print only what you need.
4. Default settings. All printers are set to two-sided (duplex) and black and white by default. Change these settings only when a document requires it.
5. Colour printing. Use colour for client-facing documents, marketing material and documents where colour carries meaning. Do not print internal emails or drafts in colour.
6. Confidential documents. Documents containing personal data, HR, payroll, financial, legal or client-confidential information must be printed using secure release (PIN or card at the device) or to a printer in a controlled area. Collect them immediately.
7. Uncollected output. Uncollected print jobs are deleted from the release queue after [24 hours]. Paper left in trays is placed in confidential waste at the end of each day.
8. Scanning. Scan only to approved destinations: [your email domain] and [approved folders or document system]. Do not scan to personal email addresses.
9. Personal printing. Limited personal printing is [allowed / not allowed]. [Any conditions.]
10. Supplies. [Name or role] orders toner, ink and paper. Do not order consumables directly from suppliers who contact you by phone or email.
11. Faults. Report jams that you cannot clear, error messages and quality problems to [name or role / helpdesk]. Do not open service panels marked for engineers only.
12. Security. Do not change device settings or connect printers to the network without IT approval. Report anything unusual, such as unexpected printouts or settings changes.
13. Disposal. Printed confidential documents go into confidential waste. Printers and MFPs are wiped before they leave the office, and empty cartridges are returned through [take-back scheme / recycler].
14. Review. [Name or role] reviews this policy and printer usage every [12 months].
Making the policy stick
A policy that depends on memory fails within weeks. Set defaults technically:
- Configure duplex and mono defaults in the driver on each PC, through a print server or management tool, and on the device itself.
- Use user codes or card login on MFPs to track usage and limit colour where needed. See our multifunction printer guide.
- Turn on secure release for confidential printing; our secure print release guide explains how it works.
- Configure scan destinations centrally so people do not type email addresses by hand.
- Ask your managed print provider, if you have one, for usage reports by user or department.
Supplies and scams
Point 10 in the template matters more than it looks. Small businesses are regularly contacted by sellers claiming to be their “usual toner supplier”. A single named owner for supplies, with known suppliers, makes it easy to say no.
Security links
The policy covers behaviour; devices need technical settings too. Our network printer security checklist covers passwords, firmware, protocols and data wiping, and NIST SP 800-88 explains how to sanitise storage before disposal.
Adapting the template
Adjust the template to the risks and costs you actually have. If you handle health records in the US, add the device, scanning and fax rules in HIPAA compliant printing. If staff work from home part of the week, state whether home printing of client documents is allowed and how printouts are destroyed; how many printers does an office need discusses hybrid offices. To decide which cost rules matter most, start from measured page counts, as described in the office print audit, and the defaults in how to reduce printing costs.
Outsourced print, fax and scanning
A short section on the jobs that do not go to the office printer saves confusion later. Consider adding these clauses to the template:
- Outsourced print. Name the approved print shops, who may place orders, and which jobs go there by default, such as runs above a set size, booklets and customer-facing marketing. Files containing personal data must be sent only through the agreed method. Our guide to outsourcing printing vs in-house helps you draw the line.
- Fax. State which fax numbers or online fax services are approved, who monitors incoming faxes, and that faxes with sensitive data must not sit in an open tray. If you are deciding whether to keep a fax line, see online fax vs fax machine.
- Scanning. Say where scans should be saved, how files are named, and when paper originals can be shredded after scanning. If one person scans in volume, a dedicated scanner may suit them better than the shared device; see document scanner vs multifunction printer.
Keep these clauses short. The aim is that a new starter knows where each kind of job belongs without having to ask.
Review and adjust
After a few months, look at page counts and colour share. If colour use is still high, check which documents are being printed in colour and why. If a device is overloaded, check our guide to printer duty cycle and monthly volume. If costs are still higher than expected, revisit your total cost of ownership and consider whether consolidating devices or a different device would help.
Frequently asked questions
What is an office print policy?
It is a short set of rules about how and what staff print: default settings, when colour is allowed, how confidential documents are handled, who orders supplies and how devices are disposed of.
How do I enforce a print policy?
Set defaults centrally in printer drivers, print server settings or device settings, use user codes or secure release where available, and review usage reports occasionally. Rules that rely only on memory are quickly forgotten.
Should we set print quotas?
Quotas can help in some environments, but in a small office clear defaults and occasional reports usually work better and cause less friction.
Does a print policy help with data protection?
Yes. Rules on where confidential documents are printed, how quickly they are collected and how they are disposed of reduce the chance of personal data being left in output trays or bins.
Should a print policy cover outsourced printing and fax?
Yes, briefly. Say which jobs go to an approved print shop, who can order, and how files with personal data are sent. For fax, say which numbers and services are approved and where received faxes go.
Sources
Printer.business Editorial Team
Editorial team
The Printer.business editorial team writes independent guides on choosing, costing and managing office printers, using primary sources such as ISO/IEC standards, ENERGY STAR, NIST and the UK NCSC.
