Office Process Automation

Have you ever had a printer mysteriously “act up” after someone changed a setting or discovered a security feature turned off without anyone knowing? Misconfigurations are one of the most common causes of security vulnerabilities in office technology. Something as simple as an incorrect setting can lead to a cybersecurity incident.

Printers are no exception; in fact, they’re some of the most vulnerable devices. It’s easy for settings to get tweaked, features to get disabled, and security gaps to quietly open. Most teams don’t realize anything happened until IT is troubleshooting or a risk assessment reveals an exposure.

This is where Xerox’s Configuration Watchdog becomes a powerful safety net for organizations that rely on secure, well-managed print environments.

Before we get into the details, the goal of this blog is simple:

Can you say for certain whether the documents you send through your office printer are 100% secure? Printers can seem harmless, but as they modernize, they behave much more like networked computers than simple office appliances. And like computers, they’ve become real targets.

In fact, according to Verizon’s 2025 Data Breach Investigations Report, exploitation of vulnerabilities now accounts for 20% of data breaches. Even more concerning is that 22% of those attacks targeted edge devices like printers and VPNs.

In other words, printers are no longer “set it and forget it” devices. They should be active parts of your security measures, and if they’re not properly protected, they can quietly become one of your biggest vulnerabilities.

As a print vendor, we specialize in securing print environments. And as Xerox partners, we know that the right security features can make all the difference.

It’s not easy running a business right now. Between rising costs, technology growing faster than budgets, and the ongoing tug-of-war between in-office and remote work, many small business owners in Texas are feeling stretched thin. While the goals of profitability, growth, and stability remain the same, the path to reach them has become less predictable.

At Strategic Technology Partners of Texas (STPT), we work daily with local businesses such as independent medical practices and school districts, as well as marketing agencies and construction firms. While every organization is unique, we’ve noticed five recurring challenges that nearly every Texas SMB is trying to overcome, and more importantly, the smart ways they’re tackling them.

If your organization has more than one printer, you know things can get complicated pretty quickly. It can start with small things like one team printing differently than another, scanned documents being saved in different folders, and workflows relying on memory instead of process. And before you know it, you’ve lost track of time and your budget.

The challenge isn’t only about printing; it’s also about what happens to documents once they've been printed or scanned.

As a print vendor serving organizations across Texas and Southern Oklahoma, we’ve seen these patterns play out in offices, schools, healthcare networks, manufacturing facilities, and local government environments. The needs vary, but the root issue is often the same: the print environment isn’t functioning as a system. And when print and digital workflows don’t align, people work harder than they need to.

Year-end can be a chaotic enough time without worrying whether your printers can keep up. Between financial reports, HR packets, donor letters, student materials, tax documentation, and marketing projects, many organizations see their highest print volumes in the final six to eight weeks of the year. This is when even minor print issues can feel major.

Trust us, as print vendors, we’ve seen the challenges.

But you don’t have to be caught off-guard. With some preparation, you can avoid toner emergencies, surprise expenses, and last-minute equipment breakdowns.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through practical steps to help you stay ahead of your year-end printing surge. This will ensure your team remains productive and your printers continue to operate smoothly.

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