Shaheed Cajee, Product Manager
4 min read
Location aware printing... It feels similar to network printing. But is it? Companies worldwide welcome employees back into the office alongside the advent of hybrid work set-ups as the ‘new normal’. This semi-return to normal has brought back an age-old problem.
How can users get access to multifunctional print devices and printers across different locations?
Having seen the many benefits of remote work for employees and businesses, many organizations are embracing hybrid working models. People are hardly based full-time in one location. Some travel between different offices (as well as working across various departments) and IT administrators have to manage a fresh influx of helpdesk calls from individuals who can’t connect to network printers.
Location-aware printing goes a step beyond network printing and allows seamless network and printer connections in different locations without the need for IT involvement. With a simple connection to the network, available printers automatically become accessible to the user.
In this article, we’ll discuss the benefits of location-aware printing. Specifically, we’ll discuss how it can help organizations supercharge productivity and address common print issues.
What Is Location-Aware Printing?
Location-aware printing (or location-based or proximity printing) allows users to easily access printers within a particular wireless network. Users within a specified IP address range can conveniently access any networked printer installed in that same range.
The location-aware printing feature has a gravitational pull on IT teams as it allows them to easily manage printers across multiple locations. End-users can also print securely without having to worry about where they’ll find a printer, print queues, or troubleshooting overworked printers.
It conveniently addresses the need for end-users who work across different locations to automatically switch to printers at their location.
Traditional print infrastructures typically require you to install print drivers and set up new devices every time, as well as manage device and printer settings. With location-aware printing, the printer availability transition happens autonomously.
By enabling a cloud printing solution, organizations can simplify print management and effectively reduce the burden on IT departments. A big part of that comes from modern print drivers or a full-featured single driver, which enables location-aware printing.
📖 Read on → Boost IT Efficiency with Cloud & Never Touch Drivers or Servers Again
Benefits of Location-Aware Printing
Aside from simplified device management and ease of use, location-aware printing lends itself nicely to organizations looking to reduce costs and workload while increasing productivity. Here are a few benefits that interested organizations can leverage:
Reduced Costs
Cloud-based printing features such as location-aware printing ease your wallet in multiple ways. The feature ensures lower printing costs through:
- Savings from less backup and individual printers needed per employee
- Less spending on paper and toner due to fewer printing mistakes
- Lower maintenance and support costs
Reduced IT Load
Helpdesk calls about print troubleshooting and installation concerns can quickly bog down IT departments. As a result, they’re forced to focus on active print management and maintenance. On the other hand, a centralized print infrastructure reduces IT load, allowing them to focus on tech-related, mission-critical tasks that support the business.
📖 Read on → 6 Driving Forces to Get a No Print Management Solution
Increased Productivity
Speed and ease of use facilitate and help supercharge productivity through fewer errors and more agile network printing (i.e., location based printing). Without worrying about technical printing requirements or location concerns, employees can work more efficiently from any location. They can trigger print jobs from their mobile devices and access documents wherever convenient.
Ultimately, IT departments get to leverage a short path to digital transformation that allows them to securely store data in the cloud and enjoy a productive hybrid workforce that can uphold the security values of employers by mitigating the risks of the previously difficult-to-regulate home office working environment.
📖 Read on → 7 Productivity Benefits of Cloud Printing
Enable Location-Aware Printing With SAFEQ Cloud
At Y Soft, we want to make print less complex. We understand that it can be challenging for IT to accommodate users working from home or who work across several locations and require access to different devices. Print management is time-consuming for IT. Also, it can be frustrating for employees who find they can’t print when they need it.
With location-aware printing in SAFEQ Cloud, users can securely access default printers regardless of network or location. SAFEQ Cloud simplifies print fleet management and enables easy printer access without IT intervention.
SAFEQ Cloud’s location-aware platform automatically discovers and shows users available printers at their location. This feature lets them connect and print immediately, wherever they are. The features automatically display available printers and remove those that are unavailable. The only printers you see, are the ones you can use then and there.
Location aware printing increases efficiency and print security as it is virtually impossible for users to print from a device that is not at their location. With SAFEQ Cloud, it’s easier to manage printer deployment, configure default settings, and control access from a central point.
Easier Administration
SAFEQ Cloud lessens the load on IT, plain and simple. How so? SAFEQ Cloud simplifies print fleet management, enables printer access without IT intervention, and eliminates time-consuming helpdesk calls. Hence, IT teams have more time to work on critical tasks.
With our hybrid cloud printing solution, there’s no need for IT administrators to map and assign print queues for users. The cloud solution can help reduce print-related helpdesk tickets and eliminate the need to set up new printers for each location. The SAFEQ Cloud PC Client automatically manages devices based on administrators’ settings.
Simplifying Print
By removing print driver and printer mapping requirements, SAFEQ Cloud streamlines the user onboarding process. Employees don’t have to waste time configuring or setting up new devices. They can get straight down to work without having to scroll through multiple printers and drivers.
In a nutshell, SAFEQ Cloud simplifies printing and lessens the burden on IT team members. It also adds additional value to the bottom line. Organizations benefit from cost savings associated with allocating expensive IT resources for administration and ongoing support for the print infrastructure.
FAQs on Location-Aware Printing
Q1) Do Cloud-Based Tools Improve Printing?
True cloud printing solutions offer various improvements to traditional means of printing. With higher availability, security, and less work for in-house IT departments, cloud-based printing tools pave the way for a simplified, robust IT infrastructure. With features like location-aware printing, mobile print, pull printing, and serverless printing, cloud print solutions improve the quality of businesses' entire print and IT ecosystem.
Q2) What does a Print Cloud Solution Solve?
Firstly, cloud print software helps solve issues with maxed-out capacity in IT departments by cloud providers taking on print maintenance on behalf of IT teams. Cloud solutions are more robust and secure, which solves the issue of everyday infrastructure malfunction and print troubleshooting and offers users a reliable print setup that won’t let them down.
Final Points
If your business operates from multiple locations, branches, or even countries — why not look into cloud printing with SAFEQ Cloud? We offer a full 30-day free trial of the software with no upfront commitment or investments. With SAFEQ Cloud, you can make accessing printers seamless for everyone printing, regardless of their location or network.
Instead of a massive leap of faith, take a deliberate first step towards cloud printing with our guided demo. Our experts are ready to guide you through a demo, giving you the best first-hand experience of SAFEQ Cloud.
