uniFLOW Online Cloud Print Management for London Businesses
Control secure printing, scanning, user access and print costs through one centrally managed cloud platform, with practical assessment, device advice, rollout planning and ongoing support.
What is uniFLOW Online?
uniFLOW Online is a secure, cloud-based print and scan management platform developed by NT-ware, part of the Canon Group. It helps organisations control who can use printers, release documents securely, track print and scan activity, manage costs and connect document workflows to approved cloud services.
Unlike a basic cloud-printing service, uniFLOW Online can bring authentication, print release, accounting, reporting, mobile printing and scan workflows into one managed environment. Its core platform does not require a dedicated local print-management server, making it relevant to London organisations that are moving services to the cloud or simplifying IT across several offices.
The right configuration depends on your devices, identity platform, required print and scan functions, job-storage policy and subscription. London Printer Rentals can assess those requirements as part of a wider Managed Print Services strategy.
Important fit checks
Feature availability can vary by subscription, device, operating system, region and integration method. Before rollout, we recommend confirming:
- Exact device compatibility
- Identity and authentication method
- Print-job storage location
- Required scan destinations
- Reporting and cost-centre needs
- Support and training responsibilities
Where uniFLOW Online can improve an office print environment
Print problems rarely come from one printer alone. They develop when users, devices, permissions, reporting and support are managed separately. A well-planned uniFLOW Online deployment can address several of these issues together.
Confidential pages left at devices
Hold jobs in a secure queue and release them after the user authenticates at a suitable printer, helping reduce unattended and misdirected documents.
Limited visibility of print costs
Account for print, copy, scan and fax activity by user, device or cost centre, then use reports to identify waste and support better purchasing decisions.
Too much print-server administration
Move core print management to a SaaS platform and design an appropriate print path for each user group, without maintaining a dedicated uniFLOW server on site.
Inconsistent access across locations
Apply centrally managed users, groups and print controls across compatible devices at different offices while retaining location-specific requirements.
Manual scan-and-file processes
Create repeatable scan profiles and route documents to approved email, cloud or document-storage destinations, subject to the selected subscription.
Hybrid and guest printing
Give authorised users practical submission and release options for office, mobile, guest and supported home-working scenarios without opening unrestricted device access.
If confidential document release is the main requirement, see our dedicated secure printing solutions for London offices.
uniFLOW Online capabilities
uniFLOW Online is modular. The table below describes capabilities that may be available, rather than promising that every function is included in every subscription or supported on every device.
| Capability | How it can help | What must be confirmed |
|---|---|---|
| Secure print release | Users submit to a secure queue and release work at an eligible device after identification. My Print Anywhere can let a job follow the user between devices. | Device integration, job-storage method and release workflow. |
| User authentication | Control access using options such as PIN, proximity card or a connected identity provider, with device functions assigned by user or group. | Card-reader support, identity design and device capability. |
| Accounting and reporting | Track print, copy, scan and fax activity and report by user, device, department, location or cost centre where configured. | Required reporting depth, rates, cost centres and data retention. |
| Rules and budgets | Apply budgets, charging logic or policy controls to selected users and workflows to support cost management and more deliberate printing. | Subscription, user groups and agreed print policy. |
| Cloud print submission | Support approved desktop, mobile, web, email, cloud-storage and Microsoft Universal Print pathways, depending on the chosen design. | Operating systems, licences, security policy and user locations. |
| Cloud-connected scanning | Use managed profiles to scan to supported destinations such as Microsoft OneDrive, SharePoint Online, Teams, email, Google Drive or selected document systems. | Destination support, permissions, metadata, processing and file format. |
| Mixed-fleet support | Bring supported non-Canon devices into the same environment through an embedded applet, Release Station, mobile release or direct-print approach. | Exact manufacturer, model, firmware and required feature parity. |
uniFLOW Online assessment, setup and support
A successful deployment starts with the way your organisation actually works. Our service is designed to connect the software decision with device suitability, user experience, support and the wider print strategy.
Step 1
Assess
Review users, sites, devices, volumes, current print queues, identity systems, scan workflows, security concerns and support requirements.
Step 2
Design
Define the required subscription capabilities, authentication method, job-storage approach, print pathways, scan destinations, policies and reporting structure.
Step 3
Verify
Check model and firmware compatibility, network prerequisites, identity integration, card readers and the functions available on Canon and non-Canon devices.
Step 4
Pilot
Configure a controlled user and device group, then test print submission, secure release, scanning, reporting, failover expectations and day-to-day usability.
Step 5
Roll out
Phase the agreed configuration across users, departments or locations, coordinate compatible device supply where required and provide clear administrator and user guidance.
Step 6
Support and optimise
Review service issues, usage reports, policies and changing business requirements so the print environment remains practical after launch.
Device status, toner and meter monitoring are separate from user-level cloud print management. Where both are required, they can be considered together through our remote management applications.
Does uniFLOW Online remove the print server?
uniFLOW Online is delivered as a public-cloud SaaS platform and its core management service does not require a dedicated local uniFLOW server. That can reduce the infrastructure and maintenance associated with a traditional on-premises print-management deployment.
“Serverless” should still be interpreted in the context of the chosen workflow. Local software or components may be used for functions such as local print-job storage, client submission or scanning to an on-premises network folder. A compatible Microsoft Universal Print design can provide a fully cloud-connected pathway without a local print server, hub or connector, but licensing and compatibility must be checked.
Architecture questions we review
- Where should print jobs be stored?
- Which users need local, cloud or mobile submission?
- Is Microsoft Universal Print already licensed?
- Are network-folder scan workflows still required?
- What happens if a site loses internet connectivity?
- Which endpoints need software or queue deployment?
Microsoft 365, Entra ID and cloud workflow integration
uniFLOW Online can use Microsoft Entra ID as an identity provider and can centrally manage users and groups through supported directory synchronisation. This can reduce duplicate user administration and align print access with an organisation’s existing identity approach.
Depending on subscription and configuration, users can print from or scan to services including OneDrive, OneDrive for Business, SharePoint Online and Microsoft Teams. Native Microsoft Universal Print integration can add secure release, My Print Anywhere, mobile printing, accounting and cost-centre options to a cloud-managed Windows print environment.
Integration does not remove the need for access design. Tenant permissions, conditional access, administrator roles, scan destinations, data region, retention and the location of print jobs should all be confirmed before implementation.
Canon and mixed-fleet compatibility
uniFLOW Online has deep integration with compatible Canon multifunction devices through embedded applications for login, secure print release and scanning. It also supports selected non-Canon environments through embedded applets, a uniFLOW Release Station, mobile release or direct printing.
Mixed-fleet support does not mean that every printer provides the same functions. Canon, HP, Lexmark, Sharp and other devices may use different integration methods, and available authentication, scanning, finishing and accounting features can vary. Model, firmware, accessories and current vendor support must be checked before quotation.
London Printer Rentals can review your existing fleet and advise whether to retain compatible equipment, introduce selected devices or plan a more consistent Canon printer and photocopier fleet.
Compatibility review checklist
- Manufacturer, model and firmware
- Embedded app or Release Station support
- Card reader and authentication method
- Print, copy, scan and fax accounting
- Secure release and finishing options
- Required scan destinations
- Network and internet prerequisites
Who is uniFLOW Online suitable for?
London offices and SMEs
Businesses that want controlled printing and scanning without running a dedicated local print-management server.
Multi-site organisations
Teams that need central administration, consistent authentication and reporting across several offices or device locations.
Hybrid workforces
Organisations that need approved print submission and document capture beyond a single traditional office network.
Schools and education groups
Education teams that require user controls, budgets, mobile printing, reporting and secure release.
Explore Managed Print Services for schoolsLaw firms and professional services
Document-heavy teams that need confidential release, client or matter cost allocation and structured scan workflows.
Explore Managed Print Services for law firmsFinance, HR and operations teams
Departments that need stronger access controls, repeatable scanning and clearer reporting for sensitive or high-volume document processes.
uniFLOW Online vs PaperCut: which is the better fit?
Neither platform is automatically the best choice for every organisation. The decision should reflect your device fleet, preferred hosting model, identity system, scan workflows, reporting needs, internal IT capacity and support requirements.
| Option | Typical architecture | Potentially strongest fit | Points to assess |
|---|---|---|---|
| uniFLOW Online | Public-cloud SaaS with no dedicated local uniFLOW server required. | Canon-centred fleets, Microsoft cloud environments, secure cloud printing and advanced cloud-connected scan workflows. | Subscription, mixed-fleet feature parity, job storage and internet dependency. |
| PaperCut MF | Self-hosted print management with direct multifunction-device integration. | Organisations that want extensive device support, established on-premises control or a highly configurable server-based deployment. | Server ownership, updates, integration requirements and implementation scope. |
| PaperCut Hive | Cloud-native print management with edge components and broad vendor support. | Mixed fleets and organisations seeking PaperCut’s fully hosted cloud approach. | Required scan depth, device support, identity integration and commercial model. |
We can review the choice in the context of your devices and wider MPS requirements. See our PaperCut print management service for the alternative route.
How much does uniFLOW Online cost?
There is no responsible single price for every uniFLOW Online deployment. Cost depends on the subscription and capabilities selected, the number and type of devices, the required integrations and the work needed to assess, configure, test, migrate and support the service.
Important cost factors include:
- Cloud Print & Scan, Cloud Image Processing or Cloud Essentials requirements
- Number of compatible Canon and non-Canon devices
- Authentication, card readers and identity integration
- Secure release, mobile printing and guest printing requirements
- Scan destinations, OCR, indexing and document-processing workflows
- Microsoft Universal Print and other third-party licensing
- Pilot, migration, training and ongoing support
- Any new printer rental, photocopier leasing or device purchase
An assessment lets us separate essential requirements from optional features and check compatibility before a proposal is prepared.
Discuss Requirements and CostsSecurity and compliance considerations
uniFLOW Online can strengthen document controls through user identification, device access rules, secure queues, authenticated release, audit information and administrator roles. NT-ware states that its information-security and cloud-security processes are certified to ISO/IEC 27001:2022 and ISO/IEC 27017:2015 and that the service is hosted on Microsoft Azure.
Those capabilities do not make an organisation automatically compliant with UK GDPR or any sector-specific obligation. Your organisation remains responsible for deciding what data is processed, who can access it, where it is stored, how long it is retained and whether the complete configuration meets its legal and contractual requirements.
We recommend that security, IT and data-protection stakeholders review the current product documentation, tenant region, identity controls, print-job storage and scan destinations before approval.
Why speak to London Printer Rentals?
Cloud print software works best when it is matched to the right devices, support model and business process. London Printer Rentals can consider uniFLOW Online alongside the practical realities of printer supply, device placement, maintenance, toner, user training and ongoing service.
London-based print expertise
Advice shaped around London offices, multi-site teams and document-heavy organisations, with nationwide service capability where required.
Software and devices considered together
Compatibility, user workflow and support are assessed alongside suitable Canon multifunction printers and your existing fleet.
Flexible equipment options
Printer rental, photocopier leasing and purchase options can be considered where new equipment is required, with the applicable terms confirmed in the proposal.
Ongoing service support
A print-management rollout can be aligned with maintenance, toner and printer and photocopier service support.
London Printer Rentals is not presented on this page as the developer of uniFLOW Online. Product features, subscriptions and compatibility remain subject to current NT-ware and Canon specifications.
uniFLOW Online FAQs
Plan the right cloud print environment
Tell us about your users, locations, Canon or mixed printer fleet, Microsoft environment, security requirements and scan workflows. We will help you establish whether uniFLOW Online, PaperCut or another managed print approach is the most practical fit.