The Impact of Copier Technology on Office Productivity

From their inception in the ’50s to their ubiquitous presence in today’s offices, photocopiers have proven to be an indispensable tool for modern enterprises. Photocopiers had an impact far beyond the confines of the office, speeding up the dissemination of information that changed the course of the 20th century in fields as diverse as politics and the arts.

The advent of 3D printing and other digitally-specific techniques of conveying data has changed the way we do business in the modern information age. Photocopiers, however, will likely continue to play a significant role in the workplace for the foreseeable future, regardless of how far technology advances.

In 1959, Xerox introduced the first electronic, user-friendly photocopier, the 914. The “914” could print up to 2,000 copies per month in about seven seconds per copy. This transformed information flow, and by 1966, Xerox was printing 14 billion copies for Americans. As a result, newspapers, posters, and flyers became mainstays in workplaces as diverse as those of entertainment venues to medical facilities.

From its 1970s debut to businesses, the photocopier altered how firms and offices recorded, processed, and stored information. The photocopier allowed staff to print and retain information that workers could comprehend and access without the risk of plagiarism and dishonesty. Photocopiers and printers’ mass-production capabilities allowed firm directors, managers, and employees to trace past comments and documents, boosting transparency in many companies and offices. We examine the impact of copier technology on office productivity in this article.

What is the impact of copier technology on office productivity?

Copiers in the Workplace Today

Since the 1970s, office photocopiers haven’t changed much. The combi-photocopier was the biggest innovation within a decade of office photocopiers. The combi-photocopier  or multi-function printer (MFP) has become the standard office copier because of its versatility. Most of the recent modifications are merely cosmetic.

Photocopiers became faster and more computer-friendly as they switched from optical to digital scanning. Today, digital photocopiers scan and save documents as electronic files before printing a copy. The print quality produced by modern digital photocopiers is noticeably higher than that produced by older analogue models. These days, digital copiers and multifunctional printers are standard office equipment.

Considering the impact on your office productivity, it would be wise to consider the following features when you need to upgrade your stalwart copier.

Features to Consider when Upgrading

Auto Duplex

If your printer supports auto duplexing, then your document will print on both sides of the paper without requiring any manual intervention from you. You’re probably already aware of its existence and the money it can save you by reducing your paper consumption.

You’d be surprised how many people in your office have been doing the same thing for years without ever considering this alternative. Spending just 30 seconds pointing out the “Print on Both Sides” box to them or making it the default setting is all it takes to significantly reduce printing time and costs.

Scan to File

The general idea behind most of these additions — scan to email or scan to file — is to save you time and effort by simplifying common tasks. This feature allows you to send a PDF or scanned document to yourself or a coworker via email after using a copier or printer to scan it.

With the convenience of scan-to-email and scan-to-file functions, you can switch out  your computer with the copier. Even if it only saves a minute, double that by the number of times a day that kind of work needs to be done, and you can see how much time you could be saving.

Put Together and Staple

In decades past, people would spend many hours each month compiling printed guides or presentation packages. Stapling took time from busy workers, regardless of how adept they were with a stapler.

If your copier doesn’t have a booklet collator and stapler, it’s time to upgrade. A booklet printer, as compared to a standard document printer, is a huge time saver. Some copiers may even have the ability to punch holes and do binding.

Character Recognition Technology

The ability to save copied text in a searchable database opens up new avenues for efficiency and analysis. As a matter of fact, the term “character recognition technology” has become synonymous with copier optimisation.

Copier manufacturers have started to include this feature as standard. While most copiers will save the data to their internal drives, some copiers have the capability to upload this information to a cloud-based database that can be accessed from numerous office locations.

Safeguarded Printing and ID Verification

When you use Secure Print Release, even when you click the print button on your computer, the document will not immediately print. When you send a print job to the copier / printer, it will be held in a secure queue that no one else can see until you release it by swiping your badge or logging in.

The majority of copiers also provide businesses with the option to restrict access to the machine by assigning each user a unique PIN. It is a helpful security measure, but there is little to stop users from revealing their PINs. Consequently, some photocopiers and printers now utilise biometric technology. Some of these devices may also employ voice or facial recognition. You can forget a PIN, but your fingerprint  will always be at hand.

Contact us at Copiers Africa to see what we can do for you, if you’d like to see current models of copiers and multifunction printers. We have a wide range of HP copiers for sale and paper shredder rentals. We also offer shredders for sale and can assist with financing options. We recommend you check out Konica Minolta vs Olivetti Copiers if you liked this article.