When a Printer Decision Lands on Your Desk
Most printer decisions are triggered by something else happening. Find the situation you are in, and what to do about it before the deadline passes.
Last updated: September 2026
Seven situations usually force a printer decision: a lease term ending, needing to exit early, a breakdown, an office move, the end of financial year, opening a new office, or consolidating suppliers.
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Quick formYour current agreement is coming to an end
This is the most common trigger, and the one with the clearest deadline. Most agreements carry a notice period, and missing it can roll you into a further term you did not choose.
Check the notice window first. Everything else follows from how much time you have left.
- What to check before your term endsThe notice period, the return condition, and the questions to ask before you renew.
- Getting out before the term is upWhat an early exit actually costs, and when it is still the cheaper move.
- Your choices at the end of the termReturn it, renew it, replace it or buy it out. What each one means in practice.
Something has broken, or the office is moving
These are the situations with the least warning and the most disruption. Both have a right order to do things in, and both go badly when the printing is left until last.
An office move in particular needs the device sorted before the moving date, not after it.
- The machine has stopped and you need one nowWhat to do first when the office cannot print, and how quickly a replacement can land.
- Moving office without losing a printing dayWhen to organise the device, and what to tell the removalist about the old one.
- Setting up a brand new officeSizing the device for a team that does not exist yet, without overbuying.
Enquired on Monday and had a printer installed by Friday. Fast, easy, and exactly what we needed.
We have been using Global Document Solutions for about eight years now and would not go anywhere else.
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Quick formThe financial year, or a tidy up across sites
These two are planned rather than forced, which makes them the cheapest moments to act. They are also the two most often left too late.
Tax treatment is general information only. Confirm your own position with your accountant.
- Printers and the end of financial yearHow lease payments are generally treated, and why the timing of the decision matters.
- Too many suppliers, too many invoicesBringing a scattered fleet onto one agreement, one contact and one monthly figure.
- Running five to ten officesWhat changes when the fleet spans more sites than one person can walk around.
The other two questions
Common questions
My printer lease is ending. What should I do first?
Find the notice period in your agreement and diarise it.
Most agreements need written notice before the term ends, and missing that window can roll you into a further term.
Once you know the deadline, you can decide whether to return, renew, replace or buy out.
Can I get out of a printer lease early?
Usually yes, but there is a cost, and it depends on how much of the term is left and what the agreement says about early termination.
Where the remaining term is short, the exit figure is sometimes lower than people expect.
We can review the position with you.
How quickly can a replacement printer be installed?
It depends on the device and where you are.
For an office that cannot print at all, the first step is a call rather than a form, because a loan device or a fast track install is often available while the permanent machine is arranged.
Should I move my existing printer to the new office?
If the device is leased, check the agreement before it goes anywhere: relocation usually needs to be arranged rather than done by the removalist.
An office move is also the natural point to reassess whether the device still fits the team.
Are printer lease payments tax deductible in Australia?
Lease payments are generally treated as an operating expense for Australian businesses and are typically deductible in the year they are paid.
This is general information, not tax advice.
Confirm your own position with your accountant.