The document serves as a comprehensive guide to copiers, covering their functionality, different types, and essential features, such as multifunction capabilities and automatic document feeders. It also discusses considerations for choosing a vendor, calculating costs, and the option to buy or lease a copier. Additionally, the guide includes tips for purchasing and a checklist to assess vendor offerings.

1. BUSINESS.COM GUIDE TO COPIERS

2. CONTENTS
OVERVIEW OF COPIERS 3
FEATURES 6
TYPES OF COPIERS 8
CHOOSING A VENDOR 10
CALCULATING COSTS 12
BUY OR LEASE? 14
PURCHASING TIPS 15
COMPARISON CHECKLIST 16
GLOSSARY OF TERMS 18

3. 3
OVERVIEW OF COPIERS
WHAT
A copier is a machine that replicates a document or
image, creating an exact copy of the original item.
Usually these copies are printed on a sheet of paper
using a process called xerography, which uses heat
and a strong light to copy and transfer the image onto
another sheet of paper. This system is very useful, as it
creates copies of a document that are instantly dry to
the touch, avoiding any smudging issues that can be
caused by printing numerous copies of a document via
an inkjet printer.
“COPIES ARE PRINTED ON A SHEET OF PAPER USING
A PROCESS CALLED XEROGRAPHY, WHICH USES HEAT
AND A STRONG LIGHT TO COPY AND TRANSFER THE IMAGE
ONTO ANOTHER SHEET OF PAPER.”

4. 4
WHY
Copiers are useful in an office environment, as they
can make instant replicas of a document at the press
of a button.
Many larger copiers also have the ability to copy
multiple pages of information with one machine, with
some models automatically printing onto both sides of a
single sheet of paper.

5. 5
HOW
These systems can be an efficient way for a
business to save time and resources, as multiple
copies of a document can be created quickly and
automatically once the copier has been programmed
by an employee.
Programming a copier is very simple, since most
modern copiers have a built-in, touch-sensitive
screen, allowing specific options to be easily seen and
selected. The copier will use the selected options and
continue to run until all requested documents have
been copied and the allocated number of copies have
been printed, allowing bulk copying to be fulfilled with
ease and without wasting employees’ time.
“PROGRAMMING A COPIER IS VERY SIMPLE, SINCE
MOST MODERN COPIERS HAVE A BUILT-IN, TOUCH-SENSITIVE
SCREEN.”

6. 6
There are many different copier sizes and features to
choose from, depending on the size of the business
and the volume of copying the machine will need
to fulfill. Here are some features that can help a
business regardless of the workload:
A multifunctional, or all-in-one, copier will serve most
companies well, as it incorporates multiple useful abilities
in a single machine. Most multifunctional copiers have
the ability to copy, print, scan, email, and fax a document;
and the machine will be capable of initiating all of these
functions through choices that can be selected via the on-board
interface.
Most copiers feature an automatic document feeder. This
means that rather than placing the original document onto
the glass surface of the copier, the machine automatically
grabs the next original from the feeder. Document feeders
can usually handle up to 50 original pages that will be
automatically fed into the copier without an operator
having to spend time positioning each original. Everything
can be programmed at the start of the copying process
and then left to run, saving time and labor.
Another useful feature is a copier’s ability to reduce or
enlarge the size of a document. For example, legal-
FEATURES
“ANOTHER USEFUL FEATURE IS A
COPIER’S ABILITY TO REDUCE OR
ENLARGE THE SIZE OF A DOCUMENT.”

7. 7
size documents can be copied onto letter-size paper
automatically. Many copiers can enlarge a document by up
to 600%, allowing a user to get copies in the desired sizes.
In certain circumstances, a business may need to copy
a document on a larger or smaller paper size than a
standard letter-size sheet (8-1/2” x 11”). Some machines
will allow printing onto paper and envelopes down to
three inches wide or three inches long. Others will allow
printing on legal paper (8-1/2” x 14”), oversized paper,
and many standard paper sizes between the minimum
and maximum settings.
Copiers work by taking paper from one or more paper
drawers. Businesses with high-volume copying needs
will want a machine with a large paper-drawer capacity.
Those companies that frequently need different sizes of
paper-such as legal or letter-should look for multiple paper
drawers that accommodate different sizes of paper stock.
Another useful copier feature is automatic sorting, which
makes copies in the same order as the original. An
automatic collator will copy and collate multiple copies
of a long document. Machines with automatic collators
usually have automatic binding equipment that will staple
or otherwise bind copies of collated documents. The
way to measure the performance of feeders, sorters,
collators, and binders is to determine how large the
original document is and how many copies can be made,
collated, and bound in a single batch.
A money-saving feature that’s now showing up in even
entry-level copiers is the ability to perform two-sided
copying, which saves significantly on paper costs.
“BUSINESSES WITH HIGH-VOLUME COPYING
NEEDS WILL WANT A MACHINE WITH A
LARGE PAPER-DRAWER CAPACITY.”

8. 8
There are two types of copiers currently used by
businesses; however, one is an older system that is
quickly becoming obsolete.
The first type of copier uses the analog system. This is an
older system that works by using an internal mirror to copy
the image of the original document onto a drum inside the
machine. Then, with the use of static electricity, particles
of toner can be used to create the image that has been
mirrored on the drum. It then uses a heated element to
dry and set the toner in place on a sheet of paper-thereby
creating a copy of the original document.
Copiers such as these are rapidly being replaced by
more modern systems, as these older ones lack many of
the features expected by businesses today. However, a
number of these copiers are available from established
vendors at reasonable prices.
The more modern approach to copying uses a digital
system, which copies the original document into memory.
Then a laser is used to imprint the information that has
been copied from the original document onto a drum
inside the machine, toner is applied, and the copy of the
document is printed. Since a digital copier can be linked
to different networks within an office, it allows for the
image that has been copied to be sent to another device
on that network. Digital document sharing is a feature
that can be extremely useful for many businesses.
At the home business level, copiers cross over with
printers. They are compact, designed for the tabletop,
usually with only one paper tray and one output tray. They
have high ink costs and a high cost per page (CPP),
but require little investment or maintenance. Printers at
this level have a useful life of three to five years, and are
designed to be replaced rather than repaired.
TYPES OF COPIERS
“THE MORE MODERN APPROACH TO COPYING
USES A DIGITAL SYSTEM, WHICH COPIES THE
ORIGINAL DOCUMENT INTO MEMORY.”

9. 9
At the small business level, copiers usually run the full
gamut of functionality, including the ability to sort, staple,
and make multiple sets of documents. These copiers
are either purchased or leased and usually come with
maintenance plans. The useful life of these machines is
5 to 10 years. Used machines can be sold or traded in
for new copiers. The CPP for these machines, even with
maintenance costs included, is usually excellent.
Commercial-grade machines are designed for use in
copy/print establishments, coffee shops, office buildings,
post offices, and busy offices-anywhere people need to
make lots of copies of all different shapes and sizes with
a variety of papers and bindings. Commercial machines
usually have sophisticated touchscreens that allow for
departmental accounting, access codes, and card-reader
attachments. At the high end, these machines
can produce comb-bound reports, saddle-stitched
catalogs, and reports in multi-ring binders. Speeds
are blazingly fast-even for color-and the CPP is very
low. While these machines don’t have a useful life any
greater than the small-business-grade machines, they’re
designed to be run at high volume, day and night.
“AT THE HIGH END, THESE MACHINES
CAN PRODUCE COMB-BOUND REPORTS,
SADDLE-STITCHED CATALOGS, AND REPORTS
IN MULTI-RING BINDERS.”

10. 10
There are many features to consider when choosing
a vendor to buy a copier from; however, this decision
can be made easier once certain considerations
have been decided upon.
An important aspect to consider before settling on a
particular copier is the volume of copying it will need
to fulfill within the timeframe of a day and/or week. If
the workload is going to be very high, it may be worth
investing in a large multifunctional copier that produces
a high rate of copied pages per minute (PPM), and
which also has an automatic feeder and sorting function.
This is assuming that there are many long documents to
be copied. If the volume of copying to be done within a
set timeframe is minimal, consider whether this volume
will go up in the future. The higher the chance that
the workload will increase due to business expansion,
the more worthwhile it may be to invest in a more
comprehensive system.
Finishing options. These are finishing touches that
the copier can add to copied documents, such as
cover interposing, which automatically inserts cover
sheets onto printed documents. There’s also a feature
called the mail bin, which sorts documents that are
being copied or printed into different bins for different
employees within an office.
There are some technical considerations that can be
addressed if they’re relevant to a particular business.
These include features such as network security, which
allows only specific users to be able to copy a certain
number of documents per day or to print documents
in color. Another factor is the copier’s ability to send
signals via the network to certain users when the paper
is jammed or the paper drawer needs refilling. This can
serve as an efficient timesaver, as the copier can be
serviced shortly after the issue arises.
CHOOSING A VENDOR
“THERE ARE MANY FEATURES TO CONSIDER WHEN
CHOOSING A VENDOR TO BUY A COPIER FROM.”

11. 11
Many businesses are interested in conserving energy
as much as possible, and there are definitely copiers
available that can contribute to this goal. Some include
automatic sleep modes that are activated when the copier
isn’t in use, as well as toner-saving modes and dual-sided
printing-all of which conserve energy and help the
environment since they reduce paper and toner waste.
Another consideration involves the employees who will
be using the copier. For example, many copiers come
with features for employees with disabilities, such as
accessibility handles, enlarged and tiltable displays
for the sight-impaired, Braille label kits, and voice-recognition
software to help users who may otherwise
struggle to use the machinery. Allowing all team
members to be able to easily use the equipment is a
crucial feature for copiers in modern businesses.
“MANY BUSINESSES ARE INTERESTED IN
CONSERVING ENERGY AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE,
AND THERE ARE DEFINITELY COPIERS AVAILABLE
THAT CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THIS GOAL.”

12. 12
Copiers tend to have three tiers of pricing. Some of
the differences are summarized in the chart below.
Cost
• Home Business: $100 - $500
• Small Business: $500 - $5,000
• Commercial: $5,000 - $25,000
Page per minute (PPM)-B&W
• Home Business: Fast
• Small Business: Very Fast
• Commercial: Incredibly Fast
PPM color
• Home Business: Slow
• Small Business: Ok
• Commercial: Fast
Collating
• Home Business: Yes
• Small Business: Yes
• Commercial: Yes
CALCULATING COSTS

13. 13
# of Sets
• Home Business: 1
• Small Business: 5
• Commercial: 15+
Stapling
• Home Business: No
• Small Business: Yes
• Commercial: Yes
Drilling
• Home Business: No
• Small Business: No
• Commercial: Yes
Binding
Home Business: No
Small Business: Yes
Commercial: Yes-many kinds
Toner cost
• Home Business: High
• Small Business: Medium
• Commercial: Low
Cost per page (CPP)
• Home Business: High
• Small Business: Medium
• Commercial: Low

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There are two payment options available when it
comes to choosing an office copier. It can be bought
outright or leased from a provider. The decision will
depend upon the financial situation of the business
looking for the copier, as well as its current needs
and future plans. Refurbished equipment with a good
service contract is often available at a bargain price.
Renting the machine from a provider has its benefits
and downsides. The cost of renting a copier can be
anywhere from $100 to $500 per month for a large
multifunctional copier. This may seem costly; however, a
maintenance contract is usually included. Renting also
allows businesses to upgrade or downgrade as needed.
If you’re the person making the leasing decision, be sure
to carefully examine the rental contract, as there may
be rules and regulations regarding how often a system
can be upgraded or downgraded, as well as hidden
maintenance expenses.
BUY OR LEASE?
“BE SURE TO CAREFULLY EXAMINE THE RENTAL
CONTRACT, AS THERE MAY BE RULES AND
REGULATIONS REGARDING HOW OFTEN A SYSTEM
CAN BE UPGRADED OR DOWNGRADED.”

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PURCHASING TIPS
Look for a specialist first. If you’re in an industry that
has intense documentation regulations, it would be best
to find a provider with experience in that same field. If
there is no DMS specialist for your field, then try to find a
provider with clients in your industry whom you can call
upon for a reference.
Negotiate a multi-user package. If your needs require a
large number of users, investigate multi-user discounts.
For example, if you have 8 people who need to access
the system, it might be cheaper to buy a 10-user
package than pay for just 8.
Avoid long-term contracts. If your DMS is priced mostly
based on the amount of storage space you reserve or
use, then stay away from long-term contracts that don’t
allow you to renegotiate the rate. The cost of file storage
has consistently dropped by 50% every 18 months for
the past several decades. The rate per terabyte you’re
paying for storage should be cut in half every couple of
years. Make sure you don’t get locked into a long-term
contract that doesn’t take this factor into account.
“IF YOUR NEEDS REQUIRE A LARGE NUMBER OF
USERS, INVESTIGATE MULTI-USER DISCOUNTS.”

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This checklist will help you quickly assess
the best vendor for your needs.
Speed and Cost
PPM (Page Per Minute) – B&W
PPM – Color
Useful Life (In Pages)
Useful Life (In Years)
CPM (Cost Per Month) to Rent
CPM to Buy
Maintenance Contract Cost
Total Costs Per Year
Total Cost Per Page (CPP)
Basic Features
Multifunction (Scan, Fax, Print, Copy)
Automatic Document Feeder
Paper-tray Size
Number of Paper Trays
COPIERS CHECKLIST
My Needs Vendor 1 Vendor 2 Vendor 2

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This checklist will help you quickly assess
the best vendor for your needs.
Number of Output Bins
Maximum Paper Size
Minimum Paper Size
Maximum Paper Thickness
Prints on Envelopes
Advanced Features
Size of Copier Memory
Two-sided Copying
Energy-conservation Modes
Disability-enabled Functions
Office Networking Features
Access Restriction Features
Mail Bins
Binding Features
Stapling
Comb Binding
Cover Sheets
Drilling
Spiral Binding
Other Types of Binding
My Needs Vendor 1 Vendor 2 Vendor 2

18. 18
Copier: A machine that creates an identical copy of a
document or image.
Copier Drum: A component of the copier that is charged
in certain areas with static electricity; it is used in
conjunction with toner.
Cover Interposing: A system that automatically inserts a
cover sheet onto a copied and printed document.
Document Feeder: A system used to feed original pages
into the copier to allow for automatic scanning and copying.
Mail Bin: A function that sorts copied items into different
paper bins for different employees.
Multifunctional: A copier with more than one functionality.
Usually refers to machines that include copier, printer, fax
machine, and scanner-all in one device.
Paper Jam: The term for a situation that occurs when a
sheet or multiple sheets of paper get stuck inside the copier.
Paper Tray: One or more bins that contain blank paper for
use in making copies. The size and number of paper trays
is one of the more important factors in copier pricing.
Toner: A powder that is stored inside the copier; it is
used to form the copied words or images of the original
document on a clean sheet of paper.
GLOSSARY OF TERMS