Transcript
A BUYER’S GUIDE TO COPIERS & MULTIFUNCTION SYSTEMS
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Five Things You Need to Know Before Investing in a Copier or Multifunction System Introduction Multifunction systems (also known as Multifunction Printers (MFP) or Multifunction Devices (MFD) combine printing, copying, scanning and faxing into one device. Properly configured and deployed, these systems can bring tremendous benefits to an organization. • • •
Cost Savings through consolidating print, copy, fax and scan devices into one unit, reducing the number of supplies to stock and maintenance contracts. Environmental Impact through two-sided (duplex) printing and reducing the power consumed by three or more devices into one energy-efficient device. Productivity Improvement by integrating scanned documents into your business workflows with features like scan-to-email and scan-to-file.
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CONTENTS 1. 2.
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Determine Your Requirements Consider Your Business Processes and Workflow Minimize Your Environmental Impact Determine the Best Acquisition Method Choose a Service Partner
A BUYER’S GUIDE TO COPIERS & MULTIFUNCTION SYSTEMS
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Network Efficiency with fewer devices for your I.T. department to support on the network. Image Enhancement with color output that allows you to print marketing, sales and training documents in house as you need them. Security through the ability to hold print jobs at the device until the user enters a PIN. Management through consolidated reports that allow you to measure and control print usage in your organization.
Get The Most From Your Investment The important thing is to make sure that your multifunction systems are deployed in a way that integrates with the way you do business. In this buyer’s guide you will learn the key areas you need to evaluate when considering the best multifunction systems for your business.
1. Determine Your Requirements First you need to determine your core requirements. This impacts the class of multifunction systems you’ll need. Multifunction Systems come in a full spectrum of speeds, sizes and output volumes ranging from personal devices to departmental workhorses. Most companies benefit from a combination of both. Centralized or Decentralized Deployment? In a decentralized deployment a large number of personal or small workgroup devices are placed throughout the company with one user per device. In a centralized deployment larger workgroup multifunction systems are shared by a group of people. Pros Decentralized
Centralized
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Cons Closer to end users
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Fewer devices to manage
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Faster output speeds
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More finishing options: stapling, hole punch, folding
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More paper supplies
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11X17 printing and copying
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More devices to manage
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May have higher cost-per-page
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Users may encounter some exercise as they walk to the copy room!
A BUYER’S GUIDE TO COPIERS & MULTIFUNCTION SYSTEMS
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Fortunately today’s multifunction systems are a lot less noisy than the big copiers or the past. This means that even larger workgroup machines fit well into the middle of a busy office environment. The systems also have compact designs that take up less space than yesterday’s copy machines. When combine printer, copier and fax functions into one system you can realize even more space savings. What is Your Monthly Volume? The next question to ask is how many pages do I print and copy in my office each month? One of the easiest ways to calculate this is by the number of cases of paper you buy each month. A typical case of copy paper contains 10 reams with 500 sheets per ream. So, each case of paper is 5,000 sheets. If you find yourself ordering 10 cases a month, you office is using 50,000 pages. Another way to determine your monthly volume is to measure it. The company that sponsored this buyer’s guide can install non-invasive print reporting software on your network. This will tell you exactly what your print volume is on each of your devices. It also helps you discover how many printers you have on your network and what each device costs to operate. Do You Need Color? Color communicates. From marketing collateral to training materials and financial reports there are many uses for color output. Until recently if you wanted good color printing you either had to buy a separate color printer or outsource your color printing to a local print shop. Many of today’s multifunction systems are “color-enabled.” This means that you can print in black & white for the bulk of your work. When you need color you simply select color from the print driver or control panel. Color output costs more than black and white output because instead of using one supply, color printing combines four supplies: black, cyan, magenta and yellow. As a result, the costper-page for color is higher than black and white. However, the cost for color has dropped dramatically over the past few years. You’ll be pleased at the options available. Many companies are concerned about controlling their costs if they deploy color. The can be accomplished a number of ways. You can authorize certain users to use color. You can also track color print usage by user. If someone is printing everything in color you can send them a note to advise them to only use color when necessary.
What Features Do We Need? There are many features available on today’s multifunction systems. You may not need all of these features. So, it is important to thoughtfully consider the ways that you are going to use the system. Of course, when you see new features like booklet making, you may discover new ways to use your multifunction system. Here are some of the features you want to consider: Document Feeder The document feeder needs to productively process documents for copying and scanning jobs. Most of today’s document feeders can duplex scan, meaning that they capture images from both sides of the page. You’ll want to consider how many pages are in your average copy and scan job. This will determine how much capacity you need. Document feeders are typically available at up to 100 page capacities. Don’t worry if some of your jobs are more than 100 pages. Most systems allow you to scan more than 100 pages into a single copy or scan job.
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WARNING When it comes to smaller multifunction devices the temptation may be to head down to your local office supply store and buy systems “off the shelf.” This can be an issue for several reasons: • Durability Most retail devices are made for personal use and will not stand up to the rigors of daily office use. • Networking These devices may not have the ability to integrate with your network infrastructure. The hourly cost of a network technician to try to get these to work may cost more than the device itself. • Supplies Cost Generally the less expensive the device, the more expensive the print cartridges. Since the supplies end up being the largest portion of the total cost of ownership you want to make sure you have multifunction systems with a low supply cost—or best of all, a cost-per-page agreement that includes all of your supplies.
A BUYER’S GUIDE TO COPIERS & MULTIFUNCTION SYSTEMS
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Finishing (Stapling, Folding, Hole Punch) One of the biggest productivity drains when it comes to copying and printing is finishing the documents. You can recapture the time spent stapling or hole punching documents by adding finishing features to your multifunction systems. •
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Stapling You can choose a system with a single position stapler (top right for portrait documents) or a multi-position stapler. A multi-position stapler allows you to staple in the top right on either portrait or landscape documents. It also can do two staples down the side. This gives you the right stapling combination for every type of document. Booklet Making This is a favorite among many multifunction system users. You can scan in a stack of letter sized documents and output an 11X17 booklet that is folded and stapled. This is great for all kinds of applications. Hole Punch Some multifunction systems offer hole punching. This saves you from having to buy expensive pre-punched paper. When you need to put documents in a binder you simply select “hole punch” from the control panel or print driver. Typically hole punching offers three holes down the right side of the page or two holes across the top for folder applications.
Faxing Later in this buyer’s guide you’ll learn about scan-to-email which is quickly replacing faxing. However, many companies still need to be able to send an receive faxes. You can add faxing features to most multifunction systems. This lets you send and receive faxes just like you were using a stand alone fax machine. One thing you may want to consider is a fax server. This allows you to have one single fax line for your company, saving the cost of multiple fax lines. Inbound faxes can then be routed to the recipient’s email address or printer. Many multifunction systems can be configured to send outbound faxes through your fax server as well. Paper Trays How many sizes of paper do you need? Some offices only need letter paper while others use legal and ledger paper. You may want a paper drawer for letterhead, although many companies that have color-enabled multifunction systems no longer use pre-printed letterhead. You may need a drawer for heavy paper stocks. Most multifunction systems can be configured with multiple paper trays. When you are installing a centralized multifunction device for multiple people to share you want to make sure you have the largest paper capacity possible to reduce the amount of times users have to change paper. If a system is printing 20,000 pages per month, that’s 1,000 pages per business day—two reams of paper. If you only have a 250 sheet paper supply, you’ll find yourself stopping to add paper all day long. If you have a 5,000 sheet paper drawer, you can load up the system once a week.
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2. Consider Your Business Processes and Workflow The next areas to consider are your business processes and workflow. When considering multifunction systems make sure to take the time to consider how they could be integrated into your business processes. Multifunction systems provide a bridge between the paper and digital worlds we live in. Paper and digital documents are the key vehicles by which information flows through business processes. When you can streamline the flow of this information you can deliver tremendous benefits. How Will You Use Scanning? Scanning converts paper information to digital information. There are many ways to use scanning to improve your business processes: •
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Communication: Scan-to-Email allows you to deliver scanned documents directly to email addresses. Users simply enter email addresses into the control panel of the MFP. Scanned documents become PDF attachments. This allows you to get a document directly to the recipient’s desktop or mobile email. This streamlines communication, speeding up your business. Archiving: Scanned documents can be saved to a network folder or an Electronic Document Management (see below). This allows your paper documents to be stored, secured and backed up on your computer network. Workflow: Scanned documents can be directed into a workflow. For example, consider a typical sales order process. The order is printed and signed by a customer. Then, it can be scanned and routed to the accounting department to set up the account. The document can then be routed to the shipping department to fulfill the order. The shipping ticket is printed along with an invoice. When the invoice payment is received it is scanned and forwarded to the accounts payable department to record the payment and generate a commission. Your employees have instant access to the trail of the document throughout the process. Automation: Many parts of this process can be automated using advanced scanning software. Barcode recognition can be used to read barcodes off of documents and route them to the correct locations. Optical Character Recognition (OCR) can convert scanned text to editable text. This can be used to name or index the document. It could also created data that could be imported into your business software.
What About Electronic Document Management? An Electronic Document Management System (also known as a Content Management System) allows you to create a secure, searchable archive of your business information. Scanned documents can be stored in the same folder as other electronic documents like Microsoft Office files. This allows you to create one place to search for the information you need. File name, multiple index fields and even full-text search can be used to find files. Password-protected access gives you control over who can see what information. Since the information is in digital format, it can be backed up, enabling a disaster recovery plan. All of this can also be done through cloud applications, giving you global access to your information and minimizing your expense.
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A BUYER’S GUIDE TO COPIERS & MULTIFUNCTION SYSTEMS
Do You Need Faxing? Faxing used to be a critical communication method. Today, some business processes still depend on faxing. However, for many businesses, faxing is a service they need from time-totime. Most multifunction systems allow you to add faxing as an option. This means that you no longer need to maintain separate fax machines. Combined with scan-to-email your multifunction systems can become a central hub for communication in your business. Businesses with critical fax applications may want to consider a fax server. This allows all faxes to be routed through a server. The server keeps a record of every inbound and outbound fax. These can be routed to an Electronic Document Management System (above) for archive and retrieval. This could be particularly helpful for industries that have to comply with government regulations related to privacy and information archive. Some multifunction systems can be configured to send faxes through the fax server. This also can minimize the number of active fax lines your business needs.
3. Minimize Your Environmental Impact Businesses are beginning to realize that there are smart ways to reduce their environmental impact that can also reduce costs. Multifunction systems can be one of these strategies. Device Consolidation Some of the largest consumers of electricity in the office are printers, copiers and fax machines. The reason for this is that most of these system use heat to fuse the toner to the paper. Heating up the fuser section consumes energy. When you combine multiple printers, copiers and fax systems into one you can substantially reduce the power consumption of your office. Energy Star Newer multifunction systems are Energy Star certified. This means that they have been built to include the latest energy-saving strategies. Once again, this can help reduce your cost. Duplex Printing There are many ways to reduce paper consumption. One of the simplest is to enable duplex (two-sided) printing. You can set this as the default for printing and copying. Not only will this reduce the environmental impact of paper usage, it will also reduce your costs.
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4. Choose the Best Acquisition Method The next step is to choose the best acquisition method. One of the best things about office technology is that you have the opportunity to enjoy the productivity, workflow and environmental benefits without having to make a capital expense. Should You Purchase or Lease? Leasing your multifunction systems allows you to view printing, copying, faxing and scanning as a service. You simply pay for the systems as you need them. Leasing offers several benefits: • •
Reduced Capital Requirements: With a lease you can get the technology you need without tying up capital that could be used for other core parts of your business. Flexibility: You needs will likely evolve. This means you may want to add or move systems. A lease can allow you the flexibility you need as your needs change.
What about cost-per-page agreements? Many companies offer cost-per-page agreements where you only pay for the prints, copies, scans and faxes that you use. These arrangements typically include the supplies (toner) along with service and preventative maintenance. In some cases, the cost-per-page can also include the hardware. This gives you a simple way to get the information you need. Can I bundle all of my print and copy devices into one support agreement? In some cases you can bundle support for all of your printers and multifunction systems into one agreement—including printers that you already own. This allows you to have one company to call for service and supplies for all of your office equipment. When you are investigating multifunction systems consider bundling all of your equipment support into one arrangement.
5. Find a Partner The most important part of buying multifunction systems is to find a local partner who can help you get the systems you need, integrate them into your workflows and be there to provide support. With the right partner your multifunction systems can become a real asset to your business. Do they have great references? With multifunction systems tightly integrated into your business processes you need a partner who provides responsive service. Everyone says they have great service. Make sure you find a company that backs up their service claims with references from other local companies. Do they provide remote monitoring and meter collection? New remote monitoring technologies allow service partners to watch the status of your multifunction systems and respond to problems proactively. Some service issues can be handed remotely. If the device requires on site maintenance a technician can be dispatched. If the system is running low on toner this can be automatically shipped. Remote monitoring helps you maximize productivity by avoiding downtime. The same technology can also be used to collect meter readings from your systems. In the past someone had to go to each and every copier once a month to report the number of pages used from the each system’s meter. This took a lot of time and also created the potential for billing errors. Remote meter readings automatically gather this information, saving you time Brought to you by:
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and making your billing more accurate. These systems can also create usage reports which can help you find cost reduction opportunities as you improve your office equipment strategy. Do they have network certification? To maximize your return on technology your multifunction systems can be tightly integrated with your computer network and line-of-business software applications. As a result you need to choose a partner with experience and certification in networking and computer support. Look for a partner with a proven track record of integrating both hardware and software.
Conclusion Look at your multifunction systems as more than a copy machine or printer. Consider these versatile systems a strategic part of your technology mix. Your multifunction systems can bring your business new levels of productivity as they are integrated with your computer network and business processes. They can help you reduce costs while minimizing your environmental footprint.
About Technocom Technocom provides a full portfolio of document solutions including copiers, multifunction systems and network printers. We take a strategic approach to understanding your business goals and workflow. By integrating hardware and software we are able to help our clients improve productivity and increase security while reducing expenses. To learn more about how we could help your organization, contact us today. Technocom 10714 Independence Pointe Pkwy Matthews , NC 28105 www.technocomusa.com (704) 8475200
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