HP Offers Small Businesses Workflow Platforms, ePrint Technology

HP rolls out a host of applications, wireless printers and channel partner offerings to midmarket companies.

Technology giant Hewlett-Packard announced imaging and printing solutions and devices designed to help small to medium-size businesses and enterprise organizations enhance employee productivity, both in the office and on the go. These include expanding HP solutions suitable for the enterprise but scaled for SMBs and delivered by channel solutions partners, the introduction of strategic technology partners Hyland Software and Nuance, as well as new workflow solutions for health care and financial services enterprise customers and new and enhanced multifunction printers ideal for the office environment and featuring ePrint capabilities.

Applications, available through select channel partners, include ePrint Enterprise for businesses with on-the-go workers who need to access and use content from their smartphones; Access Control Printing Solutions for businesses that need a more secure, less wasteful print environment; and the HP and TROY secure document printing solution for businesses that need to print high-value, black-and-white documents with antifraud security features using plain paper and their HP PCL5 LaserJet printers and multifunction printers (MFPs).

"In recent years, IT organizations have been under tremendous stress to control and reduce costs while also investing in business process innovation," said Jeff Hayes, president of InfoTrends, a market research and strategic consulting firm. "Successful organizations realize they need to strategically invest across their entire IT infrastructure, including business printing."

The company is also offering SMBs two downloadable applications designed to streamline document workflows and processes. The Web-Connected Business App, accessed through a printer's touch screen, is designed to increase productivity with improved document workflows. The latest business app from HP includes the ability to print business forms through the DocStoc app. The LaserJet MFP Wizard Console is a set of tools on select HP LaserJet MFPs that help SMBs manage and streamline their document handling processes. The wizards make it possible for users to set up send-to-email and send-to-folder workflows to create and distribute scanned documents.

HP also added two partners to its Solutions Business Partner (SBP) program, which combines an imaging and printing portfolio, a platform strategy, and document management expertise with solutions from a range of software partners. Hyland joins the SBP program as a Platinum partner: HP will be selling Hyland's solution OnBase, an enterprise content management suite.

Nuance also joins the program as a Platinum partner and offers a document capture solution at the scanning device that securely integrates with an intuitive user interface for performing on-demand capture tasks. HP will resell Nuance eCopy ShareScan. Omtool, a current member of the HP SBP program, is introducing new workflow components including Image-In Connect, Image-In Queue and AccuRoute Extensions for Microsoft SharePoint.

The company's device portfolio now includes two networked HP LaserJet MFPs with features such as ePrint to streamline document workflow. The LaserJet Enterprise M4555 MFP series features several enterprise tools, including Web Jetadmin for monitoring and management, FutureSmart firmware and the company's Open Extensibility Platform to simplify the development and deployment of HP and third-party solutions. The LaserJet Pro M1217nfw MFP includes print, scan, fax and copy functionality, as well as Ethernet and wireless networking standard.

"Customers need a partner that can help them solve complex business issues," said Bruce Dahlgren, senior vice president of HP's managed enterprise solutions business. "Our new technologies and innovations are designed to transform paper-intense processes into simple digital workflows, allowing businesses to identify new opportunities for growth."