Advances in print technology have opened the door for businesses to complete more sophisticated projects in-house. Rather than outsourcing production printing to a commercial printer, companies are increasingly asking if they can—and should—print more with their own office equipment. The answer depends on what kinds of projects you are completing and what type of office equipment you have to complete the tasks.
Factors to Weigh When Deciding What to Outsource or Print In-House
Cost Considerations
Analyze how much will it cost you to print a document yourself versus how much it will cost a vendor to produce it? Cost-per-page (also known as price-per-page) is the amount to it costs to print each page—either black-and-white or color—including all factors such as service and supply expenses. You should already be tracking this amount regularly so that you have a baseline number of how much you are currently spending on print.
Usage and Access
How many employees or departments use your office equipment? If several other people share the printer, you should consider how long they will be without access while you are completing high volume print runs or large print jobs.
If you decide to print in-house, print large runs off hours to minimize the disruption. Or, if you will be printing a massive number of documents regularly, consider investing in production print equipment for these types of jobs.
Quantifying Labor
There are more considerations than just cost when deciding on the best option for your next print job. Beyond the actual printing, there are things such as compiling, stapling, and other finishing options to explore. If you are printing a multi-page brochure, it is very convenient to receive them bound and boxed from a print vendor rather than devoting staff time to gathering and stacking them post-print. If you only execute a few these types of projects, your office multifunction printer might have the power and finishing options to tackle this job.
Regardless of what you are creating, it is imperative that you have the proper print equipment available to execute your print projects. If you have questions about office equipment, such as multifunction printers and production print presses, contact us for answers.
