The Advantages of PrinterWorks West Managed Document Services (MDS) Most organizations do not really know the true cost of document production across their enterprise. They may have some well-constructed data on certain subsets of documents, such as high-volume transactional documents produced in their data centers, or marketing collateral that is outsourced to agencies. Still, there is no single category or line item in the budget that captures the costs associated with personal or departmental communication devices such as personal printers, workgroup printers, scanners and fax machines. The acquisition costs, maintenance, consumables and support for these devices are scattered among cost centers and departments throughout the company. The departmental budgets in turn do not typically segment the expenses associated with printing. They are hidden in catch-all expense items like "Supplies" or "Office Equipment." In fact, corporate profit and loss statements do not contain a line item for imaging equipment and operating cost. Thus, these costs remain largely unmanaged and out of control. A PrinterWorks West, a MDS project can bring the extent of the device fleet, equipment locations and the total cost of ownership into light. Many companies are stunned to find that the ratio of employees to devices can be 3:1 or even lower.