For many individuals and businesses, printing documents is an everyday task. However, not everyone is familiar with all of the terminologies associated with the printing process. One of these terms that you may have come across while printing is ‘collated printing’. But what does that mean, exactly? In this article, we will explore the meaning and importance of collated printing.
Defining Collated Printing
Collation, in the world of printing, refers to the process of sorting multiple pages or parts of a document into a specific order. When printing is ‘collated’, each set of pages comes out in their respective sequence. For instance, if you are printing a 10-page document and want 5 copies, a collated print will give you five sets of documents with pages 1 through 10, each in sequence. On the contrary, if the print is ‘uncollated’, you’ll get five copies of page 1, then five copies of page 2, and so on till page 10.
Why is Collated Printing Important?
According to the workflow and the need of the hour, the choice between collated and uncollated print can be made. If you have multiple copies of a multipage document to disburse, collated printing can save you a lot of time and effort. You won’t have to manually sort through each page and assemble them in order. Think about putting together information packets, reports, or manuals – with collated printing, they’ll come already sorted out which can be a huge time-saver.
Choosing Between Collated and Uncollated Printing
Not every situation calls for collated printing, and there are times when uncollated may be more beneficial. Uncollated printing works better when you need bulk copies of a single page, like flyers, brochures, or posters. This way, you can optimize the printing speed as printing multiple copies of the same page can be faster than printing different ones.
Using the Collated Printing Feature
Most modern printers and copiers have the option to choose between collated and uncollated printing. This option can usually be found within the print dialogue on your computer. Based on the requirement, you can toggle between the two settings. You might want to review your printer documentation or help menu to clarify any doubts on how to achieve this.
In conclusion, understanding the meaning of ‘collated printing’ can help simplify your printing tasks, saving both time and effort. It can be particularly beneficial in a business or office setting, where handling paperwork efficiently is key. So, the next time you’re setting up a print job with multiple sets, remember the ‘collated’ option could do wonders on productivity.