Key Takeaways from 2025: Rethinking Print Management for a Modern Workplace
As the year unfolded, it was clear that print management had evolved far beyond printers and paper. It became about enabling secure, efficient, and scalable workflows—wherever work happens, on any device. Throughout the year, businesses that reimagined their approach to print and workplace automation saw meaningful improvements.
Here’s what stood out, and how these lessons can help you build a more resilient, future-ready workplace.
Print Security: Everyday Protection, Everywhere You Work
What we learned:
Organizations uncovered hidden risks lurking in their print infrastructure—unsecured endpoints, unmanaged home printers, and gaps in audit trails. The shift to hybrid work made it clear: security isn’t a one-time fix. It needs to extend to every device and location, including Arm-based devices (e.g., Microsoft Surface, Copilot+ PCs) and employee-owned laptops.What works:
- Secure release printing ensures only the right person picks up sensitive documents.
- Encryption (in transit and at rest) and detailed audit trails help organizations meet compliance needs and maintain visibility.
- Centralized management gives IT teams control, even in complex, distributed environments.
Why it matters:
A single unsecured print job can still lead to data breaches or compliance headaches. By making security part of everyday workflows, organizations protect sensitive information and build trust with customers and partners. Today, print security is a daily practice, not a checkbox.How Tungsten helps:
Tungsten Automation’s platform extends robust security to every endpoint—including Windows Arm devices—so your teams can work flexibly without compromise. Secure release, encryption, and centralized oversight are built in, helping you stay ahead of evolving threats and compliance demands.Print Automation: Transforming Workflows for Modern Work
What we learned:
Manual print management—installing drivers, troubleshooting errors, managing queues—drains IT resources and frustrates users. In contrast, print automation empowers organizations to work smarter, faster, and more securely. Hybrid print capabilities let employees print securely from anywhere, while upcoming cloud-agnostic S3 compatibility (Q1 2026) will enable seamless print across any cloud environment—public, private, or hybrid.What works:
- Automated driver deployment and print queue management reduce IT workload.
- Cloud-based capture and OCR streamline document workflows, getting information where it needs to go—fast.
- Hybrid and mobile printing empower employees to work flexibly, without sacrificing security or control.
Why it matters:
When routine tasks are automated, teams focus on higher-value work. Automation reduces errors, improves compliance, and helps organizations adapt quickly to new business needs. Today, automation frees people to focus on what matters most.How Tungsten helps:
With Tungsten’s Printix platform, hybrid print is seamless—whether your users are in the office, at home, or on the go. Native support for Windows Arm, Chromebooks, and more means everyone gets a consistent, secure experience. Automated provisioning and cloud-based management free up IT, while users enjoy frictionless printing wherever they are. And with cloud-agnostic S3-compatible storage coming soon, you’ll have even more flexibility to align print and capture workflows with your evolving cloud strategy.Business Growth: Scaling with Ease, Without Growing Pains
What we learned:
As organizations expand across regions, devices, and cloud platforms, they need print solutions that can keep up. A true cloud-agnostic S3 compatible architecture has emerged as a necessity, giving organizations the flexibility to scale with ease by enabling print wherever it makes sense—public cloud, private cloud, or a hybrid mix.What works:
- No vendor lock-in: organizations choose the best cloud for their needs, optimizing for cost, compliance, and performance.
- Centralized, web-based management makes it easy to onboard new users and devices, including Windows Arm and Chromebooks.
- Integration with existing business systems (like Microsoft 365 and SAP) ensures print management grows alongside the business.
Why it matters:
Scalable, flexible print infrastructure means organizations can support new locations, remote workers, and evolving compliance requirements—without costly overhauls or disruptions. Today, the right infrastructure supports growth, not complexity.How Tungsten helps:
Coming in Q1 2026, Tungsten Printix will offer true cloud-agnostic S3 compatible integration. Whether you use AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, or private S3-compatible storage, you can route print jobs, store documents, and maintain audit trails—without being tied to a single vendor. This flexibility supports your growth and compliance needs, now and in the future.Cost Savings: Save, Secure, Simplify
What we learned:
Print costs can spiral—especially with wasted jobs, abandoned prints, and complex server infrastructure. In 2025, organizations that prioritized transparency and automation achieved greater efficiency and real savings.What works:
- Eliminating print servers and automating provisioning reduces infrastructure and support costs.
- Usage tracking and reporting (with tools like Power BI) help allocate costs and identify savings opportunities.
- Secure release and policy-driven printing cut down on waste and support sustainability goals.
Why it matters:
Every dollar saved on print is a dollar that can be reinvested in innovation. Simplifying print management also frees up IT and operations teams to focus on strategic priorities. Today, cost savings come from visibility, control, and smarter choices.How Tungsten helps:
With Tungsten Printix, you gain visibility and control over print usage, costs, and policies—without hidden fees or complexity. Predictable, per-user pricing and robust reporting make it easy to manage costs and support sustainability.Looking Ahead: Building a Future-Ready Workplace
2025 showed us that print management is about more than just printing—it’s about enabling secure, efficient, and scalable work for everyone, everywhere. As we move into 2026, organizations are taking these lessons forward to build more resilient, future-ready workplaces.
Whether you’re concerned about hidden risks, looking to automate workflows, or planning for growth, the right approach to print makes a measurable difference. Tungsten Automation is here to help you navigate these changes with confidence—so you can focus on what matters most.
With nearly 40 years of experience and the trust of over 25,000 organizations worldwide, Tungsten continues to lead the way in secure, cloud-agnostic print management. Our commitment is to help you simplify complexity, reduce risk, and unlock new efficiencies—no matter where or how work happens.
Curious how these lessons could apply to your organization? Explore Tungsten’s approach to secure, cloud-agnostic, future-ready print management—or connect with our team to see how we can help you move forward.
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