Calculation methodology

Transparent assumptions.
No black-box ROI.

Every result is derived from visible calculator inputs. This page describes the formulas currently implemented in js/calculator.js; it does not introduce separate or aspirational calculations.

Open the Calculator

Model principles

What the calculator is designed to do

The calculator compares an annual current-state print cost with an annual optimized MPS cost. It then adds separately entered routing, remote-management and mobile-productivity benefits to calculate annual saving. The model is deterministic: the same inputs produce the same outputs.

Calculator privacy

Calculator fields and imported spreadsheets are processed in the browser. Calculator inputs are stored in browser localStorage for convenience and are not submitted to a server or Google Analytics. After analytics consent, site-usage data and fixed interaction-event names are sent to Google Analytics. Contact and future account data remain separate.

Units

Page volume is monthly at input and annualized by multiplying by 12. Click rates and paper are per page or sheet. Lease rates are per device per month. Software is per device per year. Implementation is a one-time amount.

Visible starting points

Savings assumption presets

Presets populate the existing fields; they do not add hidden factors. Conservative and Typical MPS Environment are available in the free calculator. Manual editing of these policy assumptions is the Custom mode and requires Pro access. With Pro enabled, editing any preset field changes the selector to Custom. A preset is a starting point, not evidence that a saving will occur.

Policy inputConservativeTypical MPS Environment
Force mono10%20%
Proposed duplex10%15%
User-deleted jobs5%8%
Auto-expired jobs0%0%
Digitization / reduce copies0%0%
Job routing optimization5%10%
Other validated policy saving0%0%

Proposed-duplex preset values are absolute starting targets. If the Pro-only current duplex reference is higher, the proposed field remains at that floor and the assumption selector reports Custom. Digitization remains zero unless a specific paper process will genuinely be digitized as part of the project. Other validated policy savings remains zero unless a customer-specific assessment supports it.

Current and proposed TCO

Cost formulas

Annual page volumes

Monthly B&W pages = AMV × (1 − color ratio)
Monthly color pages = AMV × color ratio
Annual pages = monthly pages × 12

Current annual print cost

Current click cost = annual B&W pages × current B&W CPP
+ annual color pages × current color CPP

Current paper cost = total annual pages × paper cost per entered paper unit
Current lease = current monthly lease per device × current devices × 12
Hardware depreciation = current devices × average printer price ÷ lifespan
IT administration = IT hours per month × IT hourly rate × 12
Downtime = current devices × downtime hours per device per year × cost per downtime hour

Current annual cost = clicks + paper + lease + depreciation + IT + maintenance + downtime

Entered current usage and charges are assumed to already reflect existing duplex behavior. The optional Pro current-duplex rate therefore does not reduce current TCO; it establishes the minimum proposed duplex rate and the reference point for incremental improvement. Hardware depreciation is included only when average printer price is greater than zero. Maintenance is the annual amount entered by the user.

Direct MPS annual cost

Duplex uplift = max(0, proposed duplex rate − current duplex rate)
Annual software = software per device per year × new devices
New lease = monthly lease per device × new devices × 12
New click cost = optimized B&W pages × new B&W CPP
+ optimized color pages × new color CPP
New paper cost = optimized pages × (1 − duplex uplift × 0.5) × paper cost per entered paper unit

Direct MPS annual cost = new clicks + new paper + new lease + annual software

The displayed direct MPS annual cost does not subtract routing savings or productivity benefits. Those benefits are added separately in the annual-saving formula below.

Volume and behavior

How print policies are applied

Mono conversion

The selected percentage of annual color pages is reclassified as B&W. It changes the optimized color/B&W mix but does not by itself remove pages.

User-deleted and expired jobs

Combined deletion rate = min(user-deleted rate + expired rate, 95%)
Deleted pages = total annual pages × combined deletion rate

The 95% cap prevents the two fields from eliminating the entire fleet volume.

Digitization and other validated savings

After deletion = annual pages − deleted pages
Final optimized pages = after deletion × (1 − digitization rate) × (1 − other validated rate)

These factors are multiplicative rather than simply added. The Excel importer does not set a digitization saving; it reports observed scan share only. Observed workbook duplex populates the current reference and becomes the proposed-rate minimum.

Duplex

Duplex uplift = max(0, proposed duplex rate − current duplex rate)
Incremental duplex sheets saved = final optimized pages × duplex uplift × 0.5
Proposed paper units = final optimized pages × (1 − duplex uplift × 0.5)

The 0.5 factor represents two pages using one physical sheet. Current duplex does not alter entered current TCO. The proposed field is clamped to at least the current rate, and only the increase above that floor creates paper and tree savings. Click volume is not reduced by duplex.

Routing optimization

Percentage mode = optimized click charge × routing rate
Precise mode = min(redirected pages, final optimized pages) × max(0, high-device CPP − low-device CPP)

A positive precise redirected-page value overrides percentage mode. Redirected pages are capped at the optimized printed volume.

Remote management and mobile productivity

Remote benefit = entered annual value, only when locations > 1
Mobile benefit = users × jobs per user per month × (minutes saved ÷ 60) × hourly rate × 12

The mobile hourly rate falls back to the IT hourly rate when the mobile rate is zero. These are productivity benefits and require supportable customer inputs.

Financial outputs

Annual savings, cumulative savings, ROI and payback

Annual saving = current annual cost − direct MPS annual cost
+ routing saving + remote-management saving + mobile-productivity saving

Total contract saving = annual saving × contract years
Total contract value = (new clicks + new lease + annual software) × years + implementation

When any routing, remote-management or mobile-productivity value contributes a positive benefit, the calculator displays a reconciliation from direct operating-cost saving through each populated benefit to the total annual financial benefit. Zero-value benefit lines remain hidden.

Waste estimate

Net volume reduction = (annual pages − final optimized pages) ÷ annual pages
Annual waste estimate = (current click costs + current paper cost) × net volume reduction

This is a blended estimate based on the variable current print cost. It is not an invoice reconciliation.

ROI and payback treatment

The model compares total contractual cost with total benefits. Because MPS software is required throughout the selected multi-year contract and is commonly bundled into the commercial commitment, the engine treats the full contract software cost as part of “total investment” for ROI and payback. When lease and software are bundled into one monthly fee, allocate the fee between the lease and software inputs without entering the same amount twice. To avoid counting software twice in the ROI formula, annual software is added back to annual saving for those two outputs.

Total software over contract = annual software × years
Total investment = implementation + total software over contract
Annual saving for ROI = annual saving + annual software

Payback months = total investment ÷ (annual saving for ROI ÷ 12)
ROI % = ((annual saving for ROI × years) − total investment) ÷ total investment × 100

If total investment is zero, payback is shown as Immediate and ROI is shown as No investment. If annual saving for ROI is not positive, payback is not available.

Break-even chart

No-MPS cumulative cost at month m = current monthly cost × m
With-MPS cumulative cost at month m = total investment + effective MPS monthly cost × m

The chart uses the same investment and annual-saving-for-ROI treatment as payback. The orange point is plotted at the calculated payback month.

Indicative sustainability

Environmental estimates

Counted sheets saved = incremental duplex sheets saved + deleted-job pages
Estimated trees saved = counted sheets saved ÷ 8,333

The estimate counts duplex and deleted-job sheets only. It does not currently add digitization or other-policy page reductions to the tree estimate. “One tree per 8,333 sheets” is a simple calculator constant, not a lifecycle assessment; paper weight, recycled content and forestry assumptions vary.

Non-financial indicator

Solution Coverage Indicator

The indicator is a 0–28 summary of which modeled capabilities are included. It does not change savings formulas and does not measure solution quality, financial return or organizational maturity. It is not a certification, benchmark or substitute for an audit. The existing weights remain provisional until validated against real assessments.

ConditionPoints
Unmanaged to MPS2
Software cost greater than zero5
24/7 monitoring enabled2
MFA enabled2
Digitization rate greater than zero4
Mobile printing enabled2
Routing percentage or precise routing enabled3
User-deleted jobs greater than zero3
Proposed duplex rate greater than current duplex rate2
Mono rate greater than zero with color volume2
Other validated policy rate greater than zero1

Coverage tiers are Focused (0–7), Expanded (8–14), Broad (15–20) and Comprehensive (21–28).

Use responsibly

Limitations and disclaimer

  • Results depend on the completeness and accuracy of inputs and the realistic adoption of modeled policies.
  • Tax, financing, inflation, discount rates, residual value, energy, staffing changes and contract indexation are not modeled unless represented through an entered cost.
  • Current duplex defaults to 0% when no measured reference is supplied. It is an improvement floor and does not recalculate entered current usage or charges.
  • Routing and productivity benefits are added to annual savings but are not subtracted from the displayed MPS annual-cost strip. A conditional reconciliation identifies populated benefits.
  • Currency selection changes labels and number formatting only; it does not perform exchange-rate conversion.
Full disclaimer

This calculator presents an estimation based on assumptions and indicative inputs provided at the time of preparation. Actual results, savings and costs may vary depending on real-world conditions, usage patterns, implementation, contractual terms and other factors. The analysis is for planning and comparison only. It does not constitute financial, legal or procurement advice, a binding commercial offer, or a guarantee of savings or future performance. Validate material decisions against measured fleet data, supplier contracts and appropriate professional review.