You’ve started speaking with the best copier companies near you, and while you begin to evaluate the proposals you notice that different companies are offering different finishing options. How important are finishing options and are they even included in your copier lease? We review a few of the most used and best finishing options and offer some other office technology solutions to optimize your office, all of which should be included in your lease plan.

What are the Top Finishing Options for Your Copiers & Printers?

Considering finishing options on new office devices is important for several reasons:

1. Professional Appearance: Finishing options enhance the overall presentation of your documents, making them look more professional and polished. Stapling, binding, and hole punching help organize and assemble multiple pages, giving a clean and organized appearance to your materials.

1. Time Efficiency: With the availability of finishing options, you can save time by automating tasks that would otherwise require manual effort. For example, automated stapling or collating eliminates the need for hand-stapling or manual page sorting, allowing you to focus on other important tasks.

1. Convenience: Finishing options offer convenience by streamlining the document production process. Instead of performing finishing tasks manually, the copier or printer can handle them automatically, saving you effort and reducing the chances of errors or mistakes.

1. Flexibility: Different finishing options provide flexibility to meet various document requirements. Whether you need to create booklets, brochures, or reports, having the appropriate finishing options allows you to produce a wide range of materials in-house without relying on external services.

1. Cost Savings: By utilizing finishing options on your office devices, you can save money on outsourcing tasks such as binding or laminating. Performing these finishing tasks internally reduces the need to send documents to a third-party service provider, which can be more expensive and time-consuming.

1. Customization: Certain finishing options, such as folding, trimming, or laminating, enable customization to suit your specific needs. You can create documents in different sizes, shapes, or finishes, adding a personal touch or aligning with branding requirements.

1. Environmental Considerations: Some finishing options, like duplexing, help promote environmental sustainability by reducing paper usage. Printing double-sided documents not only saves resources but also lowers costs and minimizes waste.

Considering the available finishing options when choosing office devices ensures that your printing and copying capabilities align with your business needs, improving efficiency, productivity, and the overall quality of your printed materials.

So then, what are the most common forms of copier and printer finishing options?

The most common forms of copier and printer finishing options include:

1. Stapling: This option allows the copier or printer to staple multiple pages together, creating neat and organized sets of documents.

1. Hole Punching: Hole punching is a feature that adds holes to the paper, typically for easy insertion into binders or folders.

1. Binding: Some copiers and printers offer binding options such as spiral binding or comb binding, which create professional-looking booklets or reports.

1. Folding: Folding options allow the copier or printer to fold the paper, commonly used for creating brochures, pamphlets, or letters.

1. Collating: Collating refers to the automatic arrangement of printed documents in the correct order, eliminating the need for manual sorting.

1. Duplexing: Duplexing enables double-sided printing, which saves paper and provides a more eco-friendly printing option.

1. Booklet-making: This option allows the copier or printer to create booklets by folding and stapling multiple pages together.

1. Saddle-stitching: Saddle-stitching is a type of binding that uses staples along the center of folded sheets, commonly used for magazines or booklets.

1. Trimming: Trimming involves cutting the paper to a specific size after printing, ensuring a clean and professional finish.

1. Laminating: Laminating is a process of applying a thin layer of plastic film onto the printed document, offering protection, durability, and a glossy appearance.

It’s important to note that the availability of these finishing options may vary depending on the specific copier or printer model.

Do all copiers and printers scan and fax?

Not all copiers and printers have scanning and faxing capabilities. While many modern copiers and printers are equipped with scanning functions, allowing you to digitize documents and save them electronically, the presence of scanning capabilities can vary depending on the specific model and manufacturer.

Similarly, faxing capabilities are not universal among copiers and printers. Fax functionality may be available in some multifunction devices that combine printing, copying, scanning, and faxing capabilities, but it is not a standard feature in all devices.

When selecting a copier or printer, it’s important to carefully review the product specifications to determine whether scanning and faxing functionalities are included. If scanning or faxing is a crucial requirement for your office, make sure to choose a model that explicitly mentions these features.

Can finishing devices be added to my copier lease?

Yes, it is possible to add finishing devices to your copier lease. Many leasing agreements offer the option to include additional accessories and finishing devices to enhance the capabilities of the copier. This allows you to customize your leased copier to meet your specific needs.

When negotiating a copier lease, you can discuss the desired finishing devices with the leasing company or copier vendor. They will typically provide you with a list of available finishing options that can be added to your lease agreement. These options may include staplers, booklet makers, hole punchers, and other finishing devices.

Adding finishing devices to your copier lease can be beneficial as it provides you with a comprehensive solution for your printing, copying, and finishing requirements. It can save you from the hassle of purchasing and maintaining separate finishing devices, and the cost can be spread out over the lease term.

When finalizing your copier lease agreement, be sure to discuss the specific finishing devices you require, any associated costs, and any maintenance or service agreements that may apply to the added finishing devices.

Are mailing systems something that can be added to my office technology lease?

Yes, mailing systems can be added to your office technology lease in certain cases. Many leasing companies offer the option to include mailing systems or postage meters as part of their leasing agreements. Mailing systems provide various functionalities such as printing postage, processing and sorting mail, and tracking mail items.

When considering adding a mailing system to your lease, it’s important to discuss your specific requirements with the leasing company. They can provide you with information about the available options, associated costs, and any maintenance or service agreements that may be included.

Adding a mailing system to your lease can be advantageous as it centralizes your mailing operations within your office, streamlines mail processing, and may offer cost savings compared to using external mailing services. It can also provide you with convenience and control over your mailing activities.

However, please note that not all leasing companies may offer mailing systems as part of their standard lease agreements. It is recommended to inquire with the leasing company beforehand to confirm if mailing systems are available and to discuss the terms and conditions specific to adding a mailing system to your lease.