Managed Print Services (MPS)
An arrangement where an outside provider manages a business's printer and copier fleet for a per-page fee, including supplies, service, and monitoring.
Managed print services (MPS) is an arrangement in which an outside provider takes over the management of a business's printers and copiers. The provider supplies the devices, delivers toner, performs maintenance, and monitors the fleet remotely — usually for a fixed monthly fee plus a per-page charge for everything printed.
How managed print services work
Under an MPS contract, the customer stops buying printers, toner, and repairs separately. Instead, one provider handles the whole print environment:
- Assessment. The provider audits the customer's current devices, print volumes, and costs.
- Fleet design. Devices are consolidated, replaced, or repositioned to fit actual usage.
- Monitoring. Software (such as Printanista or FMAudit) watches each device remotely, collecting page counts and flagging low toner or faults.
- Supplies and service. Toner ships automatically before it runs out; technicians are dispatched when devices fail.
- Billing. The customer pays per page printed — a model called meter billing, often structured as a cost-per-copy contract.
How MPS pricing works
MPS pricing is usually built on a per-page ("per click") rate: one price for black-and-white pages, a higher price for color. The rate bundles toner, parts, labor, and monitoring. A page count from each device's built-in meter — the meter read — determines the monthly invoice. Some contracts add a base monthly minimum or include the hardware lease.
Benefits of managed print services
- Predictable costs. One per-page rate replaces sporadic toner and repair spending.
- Less downtime. Remote monitoring catches low toner and faults before users notice.
- Reduced IT burden. Print support shifts from the internal helpdesk to the provider.
- Right-sized fleet. Assessments typically cut device count and waste.
- Consolidated vendors. One contract, one invoice, one number to call.
Who provides MPS
MPS is delivered by office technology dealers (local and regional copier dealers), by manufacturers selling direct, and by large national providers. Most independent MPS providers run their operations — contracts, meter billing, dispatch, inventory — on a dealer ERP such as e-automate.
Related terms
How Auralis fits in
MPS providers handle a steady stream of routine customer requests — toner reorders, meter-read submissions, billing questions, service tickets. Auralis is an AI support platform that automates this front line for MPS providers, resolving around 70% of routine requests without a human agent. See AI support for managed print providers, or the deeper guide to what managed print services includes.
FAQ
MPS stands for managed print services. It describes a contract in which one provider manages a business's entire printing environment — devices, toner, maintenance, and monitoring — typically billed at a per-page rate. The term is standard across the office technology industry worldwide.
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