From Data to Action: The Power of Widgets in Print Management Toward 2026

The printing industry is entering a phase in which data and reporting play a leading role. Modern MPS (Managed Print Services) solutions generate a large amount of valuable information about printing devices and their environments. In a market marked by hardware commoditization, declining page volumes, and accelerated digital transformation, leveraging this data is no longer optional—it is crucial to remain competitive.

In fact, a recent report highlights that the focus is no longer solely on printers as hardware, but on services, software, and their integration with surrounding IT and data ecosystems.

In this article, we analyze why reporting in MPS solutions is vital for both organizations and providers, how it brings together multiple sources of information (agents, counters, alerts, consumables, service tickets, users, etc.), and how dashboards with graphical indicators (widgets) enhance decision-making. We also explore key trends toward 2026 and practical examples of how data can uncover opportunities. The goal is to provide a clear, strategic view for CIOs, IT managers, and providers managing print fleets in the digital era.

What Data Does a Modern MPS Solution Collect?

Print management software typically installs an agent on the customer’s network (or uses a dedicated device) to collect data from all equipment. The main categories of information enabled by these solutions include:

• Agent and device status: The monitoring agent reports which printers are connected and alerts when devices stop sending data to the portal.

  
  

• Usage counters: Print, scan, and copy metrics (color and B/W), periodically retrieved via SNMP. These are essential for cost-per-page billing and usage analysis.

  
  

• Consumables and automated ordering: Monitoring toner, ink, and replaceable parts levels. Enables alerts and automated replenishment before supplies run out, while providing full supply history traceability.

  
  

• Service tickets and incidents: Reports track response times, resolution, and technical performance, supporting SLA compliance and continuous improvement.

  
  

• Real-time technical alerts (SNMP): Detect jams, empty trays, network errors, low toner levels, and more. Centralizing this information allows for proactive fleet management.

  
  

• Data by company, location, or department: Reports can segment metrics and costs by customer, site, or organizational unit.

  
  

• User auditing (e.g., PaperCut integration): Identifies who prints what and under which policies, helping allocate costs and detect overuse or unusual behavior.

  
  

• Trend and anomaly detection: Historical and comparative reports can be generated—page volume evolution, incidents per device, toner usage versus volume, and more.

  
  

All of this delivers a 360° view of the fleet. As one industry expert notes, “reports are a fundamental part of managed services, capturing data on uptime, consumption, SLA compliance, and counters.” This intelligence enables cost optimization, anticipation of needs, and risk reduction.

Additionally, leading MPS solutions allow exporting and integrating this data with other systems via APIs or connectors. For example, counter readings can be sent to an ERP, or alerts connected to a help desk. In this way, the MPS platform becomes a centralized hub of critical print information.

The Value of Dashboards with Interactive Widgets

All this information would be overwhelming if not presented clearly. This is where dashboards with visual widgets come in—a key feature of modern MPS solutions.

A dashboard is a live control panel that displays key indicators through charts, tables, and summarized metrics, making data interpretation easier.

At a glance, users can see connected/disconnected agents, critical alerts, pending consumables, charts by printer model, and rankings by print volume. This consolidated view enables monitoring the overall fleet status and quickly detecting patterns or issues.

Benefits of visual widgets include:

• Immediate understanding: A pie chart can show which manufacturer dominates the fleet or whether print volumes are rising or falling. The human brain processes visual patterns faster than numeric tables.

  
  

• Real-time monitoring: Unlike static monthly reports, widgets update continuously. A CIO can see at any moment how many devices are operational, pending alerts, or pages printed to know-date.

  
  

• Role-based personalization: Each user can tailor their view to their role. Technical teams prioritize ticketing and alerts, while finance managers focus on costs and projected consumption.

  
  

• More effective collaboration: Dashboards are easy to share in meetings and align customers and providers around key metrics. Some systems even allow customers limited portal access, strengthening trust and transparency.

  
  

In short, the dashboard is the interface where data becomes decisions. Its interactive, visual design improves control, efficiency, and continuous learning.

Who Benefits the Most?

• CIOs and Technology Directors: Gain an executive view of KPIs such as total cost, SLA compliance, and digital transformation progress—enabling ROI, sustainability, and security measurement based on real data.

  
  

• IT Managers and Administrators: Use widgets as daily operational tools to prioritize tasks, detect anomalies, and manage multiple sites from a single portal.

  
  

• Channel Owners and MPS Providers: Consolidate management across customers, optimize resources, and improve profitability with alerts, comparative reports, and data-driven consultative sales opportunities.

  
  

In all cases, printing shifts from being a “black box” to a highly optimizable, data-driven process.

Real-World Success Cases

• Digitalization opportunities: Analysis of high scan volumes without document management revealed manual processes that could be digitized, adding customer value.

  
  

• Unjustified consumables orders: Discrepancies between manual orders and actual usage were identified. Approval workflows were adjusted and automatic thresholds implemented to control costs.

  
  

• Low-profit, high-coverage devices: A device with excessive coverage eroded contract margins. Pricing was renegotiated or the device replaced.

  
  

• Disconnected devices: Equipment with communication failures due to network or agent issues was identified. Inactivity alerts and connectivity checks were activated to avoid critical data loss.

  
  

Conclusion: Toward 2026, Data and Reports Are the New “Toner” Driving Print

The days when print management was limited to replacing cartridges and fixing trays are long gone. In 2026, print management is data management. Market trends—from Artificial Intelligence to hybrid cloud and sustainability pressures—converge on a common need: analytics and full visibility across the print environment. Channels once focused solely on hardware must now rely heavily on software and dashboards to remain relevant.

Implementing an MPS solution with robust reporting and interactive widgets delivers tangible benefits: significant cost savings, higher uptime, improved user satisfaction, more secure operations aligned with corporate policies, and continuous evolution toward more efficient digital workflows. It is no coincidence that 71% of organizations plan to increase MPS investment in the short term—the promise of these platforms goes far beyond printing, delivering business intelligence and continuous improvement opportunities.

In practice, a strong MPS program with a comprehensive reporting suite acts as a “silent analyst” in the background, monitoring the fleet 24/7 and uncovering insights that would otherwise be lost in daily operations. Those who know how to interpret and act on this data gain a competitive edge.

Therefore, CIOs and IT managers should demand clear reports, open integrations, and real-time dashboards from their MPS providers. And providers/partners who embrace this data-driven philosophy will differentiate themselves by delivering truly end-to-end managed services, becoming strategic technology allies to their customers.

In conclusion, the future of printing—even with fewer physical pages—will be far more intelligent. MPS reports and widgets are the cornerstone of that intelligence, illuminating the path toward more effective, secure, and profitable document management. Those who invest today in leveraging these tools will be better prepared to lead the print market in 2026 and beyond, where information—not ink—will be the most valuable resource.