How to Integrate Your Print, IT, and Document Systems

Small businesses often adopt technology one step at a time. A printer is purchased when the old one fails, new IT tools are added when storage runs low, and document management software is introduced when filing cabinets overflow. Each decision feels practical, yet the result is often a collection of systems that do not connect.

When tools operate in silos, employees lose time switching platforms, data becomes difficult to share, and leadership struggles to see the bigger picture. Fortunately, solving these challenges does not require replacing everything at once. Integration makes it possible for print, IT, and document systems to work together seamlessly.

Standley Systems helps small businesses eliminate silos and maximize the value of their existing tools. The following steps show how to build a connected office environment that ensures your technology works for you, not the other way around. 

Step 1: Evaluate Your Current Systems 

Improvement begins with a clear understanding of the technology already in place. Map out the main categories:

• Print and Imaging: copiers, desktop printers, production devices, scanners
• IT Infrastructure: servers, cloud storage, backup solutions, networking tools
• Document Management: scanning applications, storage platforms, workflow software

Examine how these systems interact. Do employees manually scan and upload files into a separate program? Are authentication requirements inconsistent? Are multiple platforms offering the same features, creating redundancy?

An honest evaluation highlights inefficiencies and uncovers areas where integration will have the greatest effect. At Standley, our assessments are designed to provide this clarity and outline a path toward unified processes.

Step 2: Choose Compatible Technologies 

Integration requires tools that communicate effectively. When selecting new equipment or software, ask these questions:

• Does it integrate with our current IT infrastructure?
• Can it connect with cloud storage and collaboration tools?
• Does it support common file formats and protocols?
• Will it adapt as the business expands?

A multifunction printer, for example, should do more than print. It should integrate with a document management system, scan directly into cloud workflows, and use authentication tied to the network. Document management software should also connect easily with storage and backup tools.

Implementing and integrating these systems on your own can be complex. Standley partners with leading providers to ensure that recommended solutions are not only strong individually but also designed to work as part of a connected ecosystem.

Step 3: Implement Unified Authentication 

Password overload is a common problem. Employees juggle separate logins for printers, document platforms, and IT systems, which slows them down and increases security risks.

Unified authentication or single sign-on simplifies this process. Employees use one set of credentials across all systems, improving security and saving time. Daily tasks like scanning to email, retrieving documents, or releasing print jobs become faster and more secure.

Working with a partner like Standley helps businesses align authentication across devices and platforms, ensuring compliance while keeping processes user-friendly.

Step 4: Automate Workflows 

Manual steps waste valuable time. Without integration, employees often:

• Print documents, scan them again, and upload them manually
• Email files to themselves to move them into another system
• Walk between different devices for different tasks

Automation resolves these inefficiencies. For example, a scanned invoice can route directly to the correct folder in a document management system. Approval workflows can launch automatically when documents are added. Print jobs can be released securely only after user authentication, reducing both waste and risk.

Step 5: Establish Centralized Management 

Managing technology becomes much simpler when systems are connected and overseen from a single control point. Centralized management delivers several benefits:

• Monitoring print usage across the entire organization from one dashboard
• Tracking document storage, backup status, and security updates in real time
• Pushing software or firmware updates simultaneously across all devices
• Resolving issues more quickly through unified troubleshooting

For example, when the City of Purcell, Oklahoma was dealing with unreliable copying, printing, and supply disruptions, Standley worked with city leaders to assess all systems in use. What emerged was a suite of managed print services that included automated supply replenishment, fast local field service, and a dashboard to monitor performance and usage. Standley also centralized authentication and data protection efforts, ensuring each device complied with required security standards. The result for Purcell is reduced downtime, eliminated wasteful overstocking of supplies, and ensured that print and document tasks flowed smoothly (without separate systems for different departments).

Standley helped Purcell replace a fragmented, hard-to-maintain setup with centrally managed, reliable printing and copying, which improved operational efficiency, employee confidence, and service delivery.

Step 6: Train Staff for Success 

Even the most advanced systems require proper adoption. Without training, employees often fall back on old habits such as unnecessary printing or manual workarounds.

Effective training should:

• Show how integrated processes improve efficiency
• Provide hands-on demonstrations of new workflows
• Offer ongoing resources for refresher training and onboarding
• Reinforce best practices for security and compliance

We know that technology only works when people know how to use it. That’s why Standley provides practical training and support to help employees adopt integrated processes with confidence.

The Business Impact of Integration 

When print, IT, and document systems work together, the benefits are felt across every department:

• Efficiency Gains: Less time spent on manual tasks, more time for valuable work
• Cost Savings: Reduced redundancy, lower supply waste, predictable maintenance
• Improved Security: Unified authentication and centralized oversight protect sensitive data
• Better Decision-Making: Clear visibility into performance drives smarter investments
• Scalability: Systems grow with the business instead of holding it back

For small businesses, these improvements create an advantage once reserved for larger organizations.

Your Office, Seamlessly Connected 

Disconnected systems slow operations and create unnecessary costs. Integration allows businesses to maximize the value of the technology they already own, transforming separate tools into a unified platform for success.

Since 1934, Standley Systems has helped Oklahoma and North Texas businesses streamline print, IT, and document systems. From proactive support to integrated solutions, our focus is on creating efficiency, improving security, and delivering measurable results.

Ready to eliminate silos and unlock the full potential of your technology? Schedule a Standley Systems assessment today and see how integration can make your office work smarter.