If your office printer is used by multiple staff members, adding secure access can help prevent sensitive documents from being left on the tray or collected by the wrong person. In this article, we explain the most effective ways to secure your office printer without making things complicated for users.
We cover two of the most common methods: setting up a simple PIN code, or using a contactless card and card reader for fast and secure access. This guide will help you decide which option is right for your team and answer some frequently asked questions about compatibility and setup.
Why printer security matters
Many businesses print sensitive documents every day. This could include payroll information, employee records or customer data. Without the right setup, those documents can end up sitting unclaimed at the printer or even picked up by someone else by mistake.
Option one: Secure print with a password
One of the most effective ways to protect sensitive print jobs is to use secure print with a password.
The user presses print from their computer, and the document is held in the printer memory until they walk up to the device and enter their password. Only then is the document released.
This is ideal for teams working with financial information, HR files or anything covered by GDPR.
Passwords can be entered manually at the printer or stored securely in the print driver for convenience. In some setups, passwords can be linked to individual user accounts by IT or managed centrally through print management software, such as PaperCut, where print jobs can be released using your mobile phone.
Option two: Hold print or scheduled print
These options are not secure, as anyone can release the print jobs from the printer. However, if you are looking for a simpler way to control when your documents are released without using a password, there are two alternatives to consider.
Hold print lets you send jobs to the printer as normal, but they stay paused until you are ready to collect them. You simply walk up to the machine, select your job and release it when you are ready.
Scheduled print allows you to set a specific time for your jobs to start printing. For example, you could schedule your large print runs to begin at 8.30 each morning, ready for collection at 9. This is useful if your team prints statements, invoices or mail-outs that are handled at a fixed time of day.
Both of these options reduce the risk of lost or mixed up documents and help you stay in control of your print queue.
Option three: Use a PIN code or card reader
If passwords feel too slow or complex, you can also use a short PIN code or a contactless card to authenticate at the printer.
PIN codes are quick to enter and still offer a good level of security. For even greater convenience, a card reader can be installed on the printer to allow users to log in using a card they already have.
This could be:
- A door entry card
- An access badge
- A travel card like an Oyster card
As long as the card contains a readable ID, it can be used with the printer. The card reader simply links that ID to the user’s print account.
Most office printers are compatible with common card types. The only requirement is that the correct reader is installed to match the cards in use. If you already have a printer, the card reader can be added later, with no need to buy a new office printer.
Is printer security right for your office?
Whether you run a busy finance team or a small team with shared desktop printers, it is worth thinking about how secure your print environment is. With options to suit every size and budget, your printer security does not need to be complicated or expensive.
If you want to avoid lost pages, improve GDPR compliance or simply give your staff a more secure way to collect documents, we can help set it up.
Call us on 01322 643826 to speak with our team and find the right setup for your office or via the contact us page.