The following appears on incontextmag.com
By Alan Joch – It’s no secret that multifunction products (MFPs) deliver efficiency in a box. The compact devices combine printer, scanner, copier and fax machine functionality in single networked units to serve a variety of workgroup and departmental needs.
When one MFP does the work formerly done by four discrete devices, enterprises shrink hardware footprints and the costs and management overhead that come with running multiple machines.
The latest generation of “smart” MFPs (SMFPs) is taking efficiency a step further.
These units use prebuilt connections to leading enterprise applications and give IT administrators options for easily adding advanced features over time.
The result: SMFPs are becoming onramps to larger information ecosystems that enable enterprises to replace paper with electronic documents and optimize business processes throughout their organizations.
