up vote 0 down vote favorite
share [g+] share [fb]

We are looking at reducing office costs, and one thing our users tend to do is needlessly print emails. We use MS Outlook 2007 with Exchange Server 2003. Is there any possible way to prevent users from being able to print their emails?

link|improve this question
1  
to put it simply no. Even if there is, they can just screen shot it and paste it to paint or copy and paste the contents to word/notepad/wordpad and print it. – Kyle Mar 11 '11 at 20:27
2  
@Kyle, I know we can't absolutely prevent it, but most of the people we are targeting would never go through those steps to print anyways. Mostly I'm just focusing on Outlook. We just need to make the electronic methods of archiving their messages the 'easy' way. – Kratz Mar 11 '11 at 20:58
Unless of course you stop them from printing at all. – Patches Mar 11 '11 at 21:02
1  
What a horrible idea. If you want a way to piss people off, this would be it – Joe Philllips Mar 11 '11 at 23:40
@d03boy, i'm in IT, everyone already hates me. Besides times are tough, management was just curious if it was a policy that could be enforced systematically. – Kratz Mar 18 '11 at 2:17
feedback

1 Answer

up vote 2 down vote accepted

As Kyle says, people will figure out how to get around it.

Myself, I can't think of any way to make the system printer(s) not available to only certain applications (especially MS applications like Outlook running on Windows).

If you can't take away their printers, then "people policies" are probably your best bet. "New Company Policy: Keep needlessly printing emails and we'll fire you" generally keeps people from printing emails. :)

link|improve this answer
2  
A common business solution is to charge departments or individuals for paper and sometimes toner. – geekosaur Mar 11 '11 at 23:51
feedback

Your Answer

 
or
required, but never shown
discard

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.