Now it’s the perfect time for in-plant print managers in higher education to assess how their operations are performing. From admissions brochures to course packets, athletics programs to alum outreach materials, your shop plays a mission-critical role across departments. But how do you measure success? 

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) provide a data-driven approach to understanding your in-plant’s effectiveness, identifying areas for improvement, and showcasing your value to stakeholders. Whether you’re reporting to procurement, administration, or IT, these metrics can help secure future funding, justify equipment upgrades, and align your shop’s services with campus needs. 

Here are five essential KPIs every higher ed in-plant should be tracking—and why they matter. 

When students leave campus and administrative demands slow down, higher ed in-plant print shops have a golden opportunity: summer. This often-overlooked off-season is the ideal time to step back, reassess operations, and make improvements that will pay dividends throughout the academic year.

Whether you're looking to optimize workflows, upskill your team, expand into new services, or modernize your fleet, summer provides the time and space to make strategic moves. Here are four key areas where your in-plant can gain an edge before fall rush begins. 

As spring semesters wrap up and mortarboards take flight, one often-overlooked team is working overtime to make sure higher ed institutions shine: the in-plant print shop.

May marks one of the busiest and most critical times of year for campus print teams — with a flurry of commencement activities, end-of-year reports, and a full slate of summer prep already underway. From diplomas to orientation packets, in-plant printing departments are the behind-the-scenes champions in keeping higher education running smoothly.