Staples Office Superstores

Staples Office Superstores

Staples Office Superstores

The debate rages on about how practical a paperless office could be. Anyone who has worked in any commercial or government organisation will know that removing paper altogether is a noble but distant aim. However, there are things that every organisation can do to reduce the volume of paper it uses, and therefore the amount of paper eating into the stationery budget.

Reduce Printing

Lowering the number of items printed also reduces ink costs and may seem obvious, but it’s surprising how often items are printed just to be thrown away.

  • Remove unwanted pages. Are header sheets produced to identify who printed the job? If so, are they necessary? A tray next to the printer to hold prints until collection may be the answer.
  • Run periodic "print audits". A log (using the back of a previously used page, of course) next to a printer on a given day, where colleagues have to record what they are printing and why, may help to change attitudes. For example, how many emails are printed and stored in files when they could be kept in electronic folders?
  • Using an electronic fax system and/or email enables users to send documents without having to print them first. Passwords can be used to protect documents from unauthorised viewing and editing if they are of a sensitive nature.
  • If an organisation produces long documents, proofing software tools assist the checking of documents prior to printing.

Printed documents are not only expensive to produce, they are also costly to store and destroy, so reducing printing altogether is the most efficient way of lowering paper-related costs.