A practical guide, because you can’t fix what you don’t know is broken
When did you last take a proper look at all your office equipment? Not just a glance while walking past. A real look.
When did you last check which printers are actually being used? Which copier is costing you a fortune in repairs? Which scanner hasn’t been touched in six months? Which device is still under warranty, and which one expired years ago?
If you’re like most businesses, the answer is “never” or “not recently.”
And that’s normal. Office equipment is background noise. You notice it when it breaks. You ignore it when it works. But here’s the thing: by the time something breaks, you’ve already lost money. Sometimes a lot of money.
A regular office equipment audit changes that. It helps you spot problems before they become emergencies. It saves you money on supplies, service, and energy. And it ensures your team has the tools they need to work efficiently.
In this article, I’ll walk you through why equipment audits matter, what to look for, and how to run one without it becoming a huge project.
Let’s dive in.
Part One: What Is an Office Equipment Audit? (In Plain English)
Let me explain without the jargon.
An office equipment audit is simply a systematic review of every device in your office that prints, copies, scans, faxes, or otherwise helps your team work.
The goal is to answer three questions:
- What do we have? (Make, model, age, condition)
- Is it working well? (Reliability, speed, quality, cost)
- Should we keep it, replace it, or remove it?
What to include in your audit:
- Printers (desktop and network)
- Copiers
- Multifunction devices
- Scanners (standalone and built-in)
- Fax machines
- Shredders
- Laminators
- Binding machines
- Any other device your team uses regularly
How often: Most businesses benefit from a quarterly (every 3 months) light audit and an annual deep audit.
Part Two: Why Audits Matter (The Hidden Costs of Not Knowing)
Before we get into the how, let’s talk about what you’re missing by not auditing.
Hidden Cost 1: Unused Devices
You’re paying for devices you don’t need.
| Hidden cost | What it looks like |
| Idle energy use | That old printer in the corner? It’s drawing power 24/7. |
| Supplies for unused devices | Toner expires. Paper gets damp. All wasted. |
| Service contracts | Are you paying to maintain a device no one uses? |
| Space | Every unused device takes up valuable floor space. |
Example: A business discovered during an audit that they had three printers on one floor. One was used constantly. One was used occasionally. One hadn’t been used in six months. They removed the unused printer, saved on supplies and energy, and freed up desk space.
Hidden Cost 2: Inefficient Devices
Some devices cost you more than they save.
| Hidden cost | What it looks like |
| High cost per page | An old printer might cost 5p per page. A new one might cost 2p. |
| Frequent repairs | Service call after service call adds up. |
| Slow speed | Your team waits for prints. Time is money. |
| Poor quality | Misprints get thrown away and reprinted. Double waste. |
Example: A business was using an old colour printer for all their printing. An audit revealed that 80% of their printing was black and white internal documents. They switched to a monochrome printer for internal use and saved 60% on toner costs.
Hidden Cost 3: Security Risks
Old equipment often has old security.
| Hidden cost | What it looks like |
| Unpatched firmware | Old devices don’t get security updates. They’re vulnerabilities. |
| Hard drives full of data | Returned or sold devices still contain your documents. |
| Default passwords | Many devices still have “admin” as the password. |
| Unencrypted data | Scans and prints can be intercepted. |
Example: A business returned leased copiers without wiping the hard drives. An audit of their process revealed this risk. They now wipe every drive before return.
Hidden Cost 4: Supply Waste
You’re probably buying supplies you don’t need.
| Hidden cost | What it looks like |
| Duplicate toner | Two people ordering the same cartridge. |
| Expired supplies | Toner and paper expire. You’re throwing money away. |
| Wrong supplies | Buying the wrong cartridge because no one checked the model. |
Example: A business had a cupboard full of toner cartridges for printers they no longer owned. An audit revealed £400 of unusable stock.
Part Three: What to Look For in an Audit
Let’s get specific. Here’s what you should check for each device.
For Every Device
| Check | What to look for | Red flag |
| Age | Date of manufacture or purchase | Over 5-7 years old |
| Usage | Monthly page count (if available) | Less than 100 pages per month (unused) or more than 2x duty cycle (overloaded) |
| Repair history | Number of service calls in last 12 months | More than 2-3 calls |
| Running costs | Toner cost per page, energy usage | Higher than modern alternatives |
| Print quality | Test page (streaks, fading, smudges) | Visible defects |
| Speed | Time to first print, pages per minute | Noticeably slower than when new |
| Security | Firmware up to date? Default password changed? Hard drive encrypted? | No updates, default password, no encryption |
For Printers and Copiers
| Check | What to look for | Red flag |
| Paper trays | Clean, free of debris, guides working | Jams, misfeeds |
| Rollers | Clean, not shiny or worn | Slipping, jams |
| Toner/ink | Expiry date, usage | Expired, near empty |
| Network connection | Stable, fast | Frequent disconnections, slow jobs |
For Scanners
| Check | What to look for | Red flag |
| Glass | Clean, no scratches | Streaks on scans |
| Automatic document feeder | Feeds reliably, doesn’t jam | Frequent jams, misfeeds |
| Scan-to-email | Works consistently | Frequent failures |
| Software | Compatible with current operating systems | No drivers for current OS |
Part Four: The Audit Process (Step by Step)
Here’s a simple process you can follow.
Step 1: Create an Inventory (One Time)
Walk through your entire office. Every room. Every cupboard. Every desk.
List every device that prints, copies, scans, faxes, shreds, laminates, or binds.
For each device, record:
- Make and model
- Serial number
- Location
- Approximate age
- Any obvious issues (jams, noise, quality)
Pro tip: Take photos. You’ll forget what things look like.
Step 2: Gather Data (Quarterly)
For each device, collect:
Usage data: Most modern copiers and printers have built-in counters. Look for “total pages,” “print volume,” or “counter” in the settings menu.
Service history: If you have a service contract, ask for a report. How many calls? What problems?
Supply usage: How often are you replacing toner? What’s the cost per page?
Team feedback: Ask your team: “Which device frustrates you most? Which one would you not miss if it disappeared?”
Step 3: Analyse (Quarterly)
For each device, ask:
- Is it being used enough to justify keeping it? (Rule of thumb: more than 100 pages per month for a printer, less than that and it’s probably not worth it.)
- Is it costing more than it should? (Compare running costs to modern alternatives.)
- Is it reliable? (More than 3-4 service calls per year is too many.)
- Is it secure? (Firmware updated? Password changed? Hard drive encrypted?)
Step 4: Decide (Quarterly)
For each device, choose one:
| Decision | When to choose it |
| Keep (no action) | Device is working well, costs are reasonable, team is happy |
| Repair | Device has a specific fixable problem, repair cost is low |
| Replace | Device is old, unreliable, expensive to run, or missing critical features |
| Remove | Device is unused, redundant, or taking up space |
Step 5: Act (Quarterly)
- Remove unused devices (recycle or donate responsibly)
- Schedule repairs for devices worth keeping
- Plan replacements for devices that need upgrading
- Update your inventory
Step 6: Deep Audit (Annually)
Once a year, go deeper:
- Check firmware versions against manufacturer websites
- Verify that security settings are still correct (passwords changed, encryption on)
- Test backup devices (if you have them)
- Review service contracts (are you paying for devices you no longer have?)
- Check warranties (what’s still covered, what’s expired?)
Part Five: The Quarterly Audit Checklist
Use this checklist every three months.
Printers and Copiers
- Page count recorded for each device
- Test page printed and checked for quality
- Toner levels checked (expiry dates, remaining)
- Paper trays cleaned and checked
- Service history reviewed (last 3 months)
- Team feedback collected (“any issues with this device?”)
- Decision made (keep/repair/replace/remove)
Scanners
- Scan glass cleaned
- Scan-to-email tested
- Automatic document feeder tested (5+ pages)
- Decision made (keep/repair/replace/remove)
Network and Security
- All devices still on the network? (No rogue devices)
- Firmware versions noted (check against latest)
- Default passwords? (Ensure all changed)
- Hard drive encryption confirmed (where available)
Supplies and Consumables
- Toner/ink inventory checked (expiry dates, quantity)
- Paper inventory checked (quantity, condition)
- Other supplies checked (staples, binding supplies, etc.)
- No expired or damaged supplies in cupboard
Contracts and Costs
- Service contracts reviewed (still active? still needed?)
- Lease agreements reviewed (end dates, renewal terms)
- Monthly costs calculated per device
Part Six: Real Examples
Here are a few examples of businesses that benefited from regular equipment audits.
Example 1: The Unused Printer
A professional services firm had five printers across their office. During an audit, they discovered that one printer had printed only 47 pages in the last three months, less than one page per day.
The fix: They removed the unused printer. It was taking up desk space, drawing power, and requiring occasional maintenance.
The result: They saved £50 per year in energy, eliminated maintenance costs, and freed up space for a small meeting table.
Example 2: The Expired Warranty
A small business assumed all their equipment was under warranty. An audit revealed that their main copier’s warranty had expired 18 months ago. They had been paying for repairs that would have been free.
The fix: They purchased a service contract for the copier and set a calendar reminder for the renewal date.
The result: No more surprise repair bills. Predictable monthly costs.
Example 3: The Costly Old Copier
A busy office had an eight-year-old copier. It worked, so they kept using it. An audit compared its running costs to a modern alternative.
The maths:
- Old copier: 3p per page for toner + £400 annual service + high energy use
- New copier: 1.5p per page for toner + £200 annual service + low energy use
At 10,000 pages per month, the old copier cost £300 more per month in toner alone.
The fix: They replaced the old copier.
The result: The new copier paid for itself in eight months.
Example 4: The Security Risk
A business was about to return three leased copiers. An audit of their process revealed that they had never wiped the hard drives. The drives contained client contracts, employee records, and financial statements.
The fix: They wiped the drives before returning the machines. They added “drive wiping” to their equipment return checklist.
The result: No data breach. A policy that prevents future risk.
Part Seven: Making Audits Happen (Without Becoming a Chore)
Audits are valuable. But if they’re too much work, they won’t happen.
Keep it simple:
- Quarterly audit: 30-60 minutes. Focus on the big things (usage, quality, costs). Don’t overthink it.
- Annual deep audit: Half a day. Do the full checklist.
Assign ownership:
- One person is responsible for the audit (office manager, operations lead, IT person)
- They don’t have to do all the work, but they own the process
Use tools:
- A simple spreadsheet works fine for inventory
- Set calendar reminders for audit dates
- Take photos (easy way to remember what you saw)
Integrate with existing processes:
- Add audit tasks to your regular team meeting agenda
- Combine with quarterly supply order review
- Pair with service contract renewal dates
Final Thoughts
Regular office equipment audits sound like extra work. But they save you far more time and money than they cost.
You discover unused devices that are wasting space and energy. You spot ageing equipment that’s costing you a fortune in repairs. You identify security risks before they become breaches. You right-size your fleet and stop paying for devices you don’t need.
Once a quarter, take 30 minutes. Walk around. Check your devices. Ask your team. Look at the data.
You’ll be surprised what you find. And you’ll be glad you looked.
If you’d like a friendly, no-pressure chat about office equipment audits, whether that’s help getting started, advice on what to look for, or just honest guidance, just reach out.
We’re independent. We’re here to help. And we won’t sell you things you don’t need.