Whether you have ever printed a multi-page sheet-document, such as a presentation, brochure or booklet, you might have seen an option in your printer preferences named collate. It is an insignificant checkbox that turns out to be quite important and is even ignored most of the time that produces great efficiency in the arrangement of your printed work.
What then is collate when it comes to printing and why is this important? Ok, let us simplify it.
Understanding Collation in Printing
To put in simple terms, to collate is to arrange several printed copies in a particular pattern. When you print a multi-page document, and check the option named as collate, the printer will print full and consecutive sets of the document.
For example:
Suppose, you need to print three pages of a five-page document.
Collating, as you can see, makes every copy of your document come out to be a complete and properly ordered set that is ready to be stapled, bound or even distributed.
The usefulness of Collating
Collation can be very helpful during printing:
- Reports
- Booklets boxes
- Training materials
- Student assignments
- Business proposals
Collating will do this for you unlike manual sorting of pages once they are printed and this saves time and eliminates chances of errors.
When You Might Not Need Collation?
In certain situations, it makes more sense to disable the collate option:
- In case of mass-producing flyers, handouts or posters that are not a set; each page is printed in large volumes.
- When you are in need of a single page of a document, say you want to print page 3 of a document more than once.
- In case you are interested in customized packing of papers whereby you can sort, bind or even fold the pages after printing.
- In such a case it might be more efficient to print all of the page 1s, then all the page 2s, etc.
Collate in digital printing vs physical printing
Collate is a printer setting that may be chosen prior to the job starts in digital printing. The collate option is inbuilt in most of the current printers, particularly the new office and commercial printers.
Collation requires a separate step in manual or offset printing, either by a human hand or by a finishing device such as a collator or binder.
Conclusion
In brief, collating entails organizing your multiple page printouts in case it is multiple copies. A small work area that can do a lot to save time and make your papers presentable and well arranged in a book format. At home, in the office, or printing at the commercial print shop, knowing what collate means will help you get smooth, and more professional results.
Look twice at that collate check mailer boxes next you print- it may save you a lot of time you did not realize you already wasted.
