#1 – USE PRINT SELECTION

This could be the single most helpful tip for cutting costs associated with web printing. When you print using your web browser defaults, it will automatically print everything, including a whole lot of stuff you don’t want. Use the Print Selection option to only print what you need.

• Select the part you want to print by highlighting the text with your cursor.
• For Google Chrome: Click “Print” and make sure “Selection Only” is selected in the print dialogue. You may need to click the “More Settings” drop-down to access this option. When selected, you should only see the part you highlighted in the print preview.

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#2 – COPY & PASTE TEXT FROM BROWSER

Another great option is to copy and paste from your web browser into a word processor, like Microsoft Word. This gives you control to edit and delete unwanted content before printing. By using this method, we reduced the number of pages in our example from two to one and removed unnecessary colored text.

• Simply highlight the text and images you wish to copy, right click and select “Copy” or type Ctrl (or Command), C on your keyboard
• Open up your word processor
• Right click inside of your new document and select “Paste” or type Ctrl (or Command), V on your keyboard
• Review the content you pasted, delete any unwanted text or images
• Print directly from your Word document as you would normally

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#3 – PRINT MULTIPLE PAGES PER SHEET

You should be able to print 2 pages side-by-side on one sheet of paper and have the text still be plenty big enough to read. This is a very easy way to cut down on the total number of pages you print. This is called 2-Up printing. If you wanted to print 4 pages to a sheet, it would be called 4-Up printing…you get the idea.

• In Google Chrome: Click “Print” and click the “More Settings” drop down.  Click on “Print using system dialogue” at the bottom. This will allow you to choose your settings in your regular print driver. Click “Preferences” and select 2-Up Printing, then click okay.

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#4 – SELECT PAGE RANGE

When you print from the web, a lot of times the last 2-3 pages that print just have ads or footer information – things that you didn’t really need to print. Use the Page Range feature to specify and only print the pages with the content you need.

• In Google Chrome: Click “Print.” Click the drop-down menu beside the Pages section, and select “Custom.” Type in the page number or numbers you want to print, separated by commas. Click “Print.”

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Achieving consistent document color across multiple devices in your office can be a difficult task.

It can be a confusing process, but it doesn’t have to be. We want to share some practical advice to save you time and money! You can use these 4 color consistency tips without purchasing any extra tools or software.

#1 Choose an office equipment dealer with an on-staff Color Specialist

Your office equipment dealer should employ a Color Specialist who is available to help you dial in the color quality on your copiers and printers. They should have an expert understanding of the complex process of matching what’s on your screen to what comes out of your printer. Each organization’s colors can differ as a result of their printers, computers, applications, and paper choices. In addition, each business will have different goals for their printer output. Color Specialists train and work for years with a variety of businesses, so they should be experts at setting you up for color success on each device in your office.

#2 Use a Consistent Paper Type

Shopping for the best price on paper is common, and a way for businesses to save money. It’s a great idea, but when color consistency is required, we recommend standardizing the paper used in your office. Paper comes in a variety of weights, sizes, and finishes – designed for all types of applications. Each of these variables will affect your color output. If you purchase the same paper from the same vendor, you should be able to expect the consistent results every time.

#3 Calibrate Your Copiers and Printers

What’s calibration and why is that important? When it comes to your copier or printer, calibration is the process of re-setting your device to the factory standards. There are many factors that change how a color looks when it’s printed that are often overlooked. Things like the ambient temperature or humidity of the room, the age of your supplies, your power source, and many other factors can alter the results of your color output. Supplies like drums wear out over time, and developer loses its catalytic capability over time to draw toner to the drum. And even though your plug may be a 15 amp or a 20 amp, the power delivered to your device can vary slightly which will vary the charge that a drum receives when printing.

Seems complicated, right? Don’t worry, your printing device has a calibration function that makes it easy to get a handle on. When you calibrate, a sheet of paper will be generated with cyan, magenta, yellow, and black swatches. These swatches are gradients that typically start with a “full value” swatch (meaning 100% coverage) and then graduate across the page to the lightest value of only 5%. This sheet is then placed on the scanner of your device. After it’s scanned your printing device will understand what colors look like when they are printed and adjust itself to print the colors the way it was programmed at the factory.

We have seen this fix many color quality issues and it’s one of the first things we recommend to our customers when they call.  Of course, sometimes there’s a deeper calibration that may need to be performed by a factory-trained technician.

#4 Standardize your copier and printer brand

It’s reasonable to expect different color output from different manufacturers, isn’t it?  In a competitive world, each manufacturer is working to bring the best color to the market.  They aren’t going to tell their competition how they get the best color, why would they?

One of the best things you can do to improve color consistency is choose one brand of copiers and printers for the entire office. They will also provide printer profiles for your applications like Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, and Acrobat to utilize in helping to achieve consistent color across multiple devices.

The brand we recommend for your copy/print needs is Sharp. They offer a new line of copiers that all use the same model of toner, drums, and developers.  From their 20 page-per-minute models, all the way up to their 70 pages-per-minute device, each uses the same toner. This unique benefit not only cuts down on confusion when stocking toner in your supply closet, but it really does help to create color consistency. Sharp is the only manufacturer to offer this feature. Sharp also leads the way in terms of color consistency with their advanced Color Consistency System, which combines microfine toner technology, automatic developer refresh, and advanced image process control. And with Pantone Color Matching and PostScript Printing, you can consistently achieve the colors you expect.[/cz_title][cz_gap height=”30px” id=”cz_62034″]

Outsourcing: The Problem

Many of us have had to deal with the frustration that comes with outsourcing print jobs. If we order online we often have to pay extra for express shipping, or end up buying in bulk and purchasing more then we actually need in the name of a “deal”. But that’s just online. Outsourcing through a local print shop can be even more of a headache. No one should have to experience the frustration that comes from waiting in long lines in order to pick up a print job, just to be greeted with exorbitant prices.

In-sourcing your print jobs can save you from these things.

In a world where time is everything, in-sourcing just makes sense. By preparing and printing in house, production time can be controlled, ensuring that your print jobs are ready when you need them. Did you accidentally print too few copies? Did you realize that there was an error on one of your documents? With in-sourcing that is no problem. You can easily reprint them, ensuring that you have the documents you need, in a timely fashion.

The Cost

With in-sourcing, it costs about 9 cents per color page to print. However, outsourcing averages around 30 cents per page (with the occasional door-buster of a whopping 19 cents). This means that in-sourcing will automatically save you over 50% on every page printed. In-sourcing your print jobs allows you to print the exact amount you need, when you need it. Say goodbye to excess processing and shipping fees, long lines and overpriced services, and say hello to efficient and affordable printing.

With the help of Les Olson Company, Benchmark Insurance Agency decided to in-source all of their printing needs. You can see how this has benefited their company in the video below:[/cz_title][cz_gap height=”25px”]

So what are the next steps to successful and budget-friendly printing? Take Action!

When it comes to printing, many people ask themselves: Is it better to outsource print jobs or print internally? Clearly, printing internally is the way to go. If you or your company wants to keep costs low and efficiency high, Les Olson Company can help. Contact us today for the best and most reasonable way to start in-sourcing your print jobs. By saving you time and money, we promise you won’t be disappointed![/cz_title][cz_gap height=”30px” id=”cz_62034″]