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Must Have Equipment for Your Office

Not having all the necessary tools in your office can limit your ability to complete a job on time. It’s likely you can think of many of the important elements of your office immediately, like computers, printers, paper, pens and pencils, but what else do you need? Be prepared before you need to complete the project by including a laminator, binding machine, and paper cutter in your office. If you anticipate handling currency or disposing of confidential documents, also consider picking out a money counter and/or paper shredder.

I have chosen these five office products because of the frequency in which they can be used to complete projects, organize documents, maintain security, or be more precise. All of these utilities are important in creating a successful work environment and can be added to your office at a reasonable cost. I have put together a list of very brief buying guides for each of the five categories below.

Laminators
Laminators can be used in conjunction with binding machines to create professional-looking booklets, or by themselves to protect documents and images. The type of laminator you choose will greatly depend on the size of documents you intend to laminate.

There are two main types of laminators: pouch and roll. Pouch laminators are best for smaller documents that require a sturdy laminate, like ID cards. Roll laminators are best suited for wider formats, thin paper, and photographs. Roll laminators are less restricting because a the dimensions of a page are limited only by the length of the roll of film. For a pouch laminator, the page you wish to laminate must fit inside a pouch before you proceed.

For general office use, a moderate sized roll laminator is usually sufficient. Check out the GBC HeatSeal Ultima 65 which is easy to use and perfect for most standard sized documents.

Binding Machines
Binding machines are vital in creating professional presentation and marketing tools for your business. There are a variety of binding styles including: coil and spiral, comb, glue, stitch, and staple. Typically, coil, spiral, and comb binding are used in business settings. These machines are the easiest and least expensive to operate and can be stored in a relatively small space.

Before you decide on a specific binding machine, consider the types of binding that may be common in your office. Determine the necessary maximum specifications in terms of the machine’s punching and binding size capabilities. For instance, if you will be binding legal size documents, the binding capabilities must be 14” or more. Depending on the number of pages you will typically binding, consider machines that are capable of punch more or less sheets at a time.

Finally, investigate the cost of supplies needed for a normal job. How much are covers and coils or spirals for your new booklets? Will you be making hundreds or just a few? Generally, plastic binding options are less expensive and easier to use, but for binding larger documents or to prevent breaking a binding, metal may be a better option. For small to medium size work loads, you can find a sufficient binding machine like the Akiles Coilmac for under $400.

Shredders
Paper shredders are imperative to maintaining the security in your office. When you are dealing with a client’s or your own confidential documents, don’t second guess yourself, use a shredder to ensure the information is safely disposed of. There are many shredders that are capable of providing at least a minimal level of security in an office. Shredders range from desk side models to departmental models. Choosing the right shredder will depend on your business’s shredding scope and size.

Desk side shredders are best for one to three users with minimal shredding needs. Commercial office shredders are intended for use in larger departments with higher shredding demands. Depending on the necessary security level within your office, you may want to consider purchasing a high security paper shredder with a locking waste basket. High security shredders use cross cut technology to cut paper, and other materials, into indecipherable bits.

Paper shredders also come with extras like the ability to shred CDs and DVDs or an automatic shut off feature to prevent paper jams. Consider GBC’s Shredmaster line of shredders to fulfill your office needs.

Paper Cutters
Paper cutters help cut down time for completing large projects or help straighten edges for smaller scale presentation handouts. Either way, paper cutters are an important addition to any office. Decide on the paper cutter that is right for you based on the amount of paper you intend to cut at one time and how wide the documents are that you intend to cut.

The most common type of paper cutter is the guillotine cutter. The guillotine cutter uses a large swinging arm to cut through paper laying flat beneath it. These cutters come in various sizes and cutting capabilities that are perfect for small to medium work loads. Guillotine cutting blades are replaceable in most cases and if not, they a removable to enable sharpening.

If you intend to cut large amounts of paper frequently, electric and hydraulic powered paper cutters are capable of making identical cuts repeatedly with little to no manual operation. Also, these models typically have LCD displays so the user always knows what the machine is doing. Check out the Duplo 490 Hydraulic cutter for large scale precision cutting.

Money Counters
Money counters are vital to the success of any business that accepts currency, particularly cash, especially in large amounts. Money counters increase precision and productivity, and reduce the time needed to count bills. Counters are available with counterfeit detection capabilities that can cut down on fraudulent activities and reduce potential losses as well. Don’t continue to count and recount when you can make a small investment in ensuring you’re always right!

Currency counters are available with a variety of individual specifications and features including: a certain number of bills per minute, UV/MG counterfeit detection, LED displays, and variable counting speeds. Additional features will increase the price of the unit, but may greatly increase your business’s productivity. Consider the Industria MX-2000 Dual currency counter with counterfeit detection for your office or business.

I hope this list was helpful in clarifying the reasons why your office may benefit from the addition of one or all of these tools. If you have any other items that you have found made your life easier in the office, let us know with a comment below!

The Importance of Counterfeit Detection

You may already be familiar with the benefits a money counter can provide to your business. These may include: saved time, increased efficiency and/or productivity, and reduced losses due to human error. But have you considered the benefits of upgrading to a currency counter that is capable of detecting counterfeit bills as well?

For businesses and organizations that accept large amounts of cash on a daily basis, counterfeit currency should be a legitimate concern. It is easier to pass a fake bill at a supermarket or retail outlet because cashiers see bills all day and may become lax in their attempts to ward off wrong-doers. With the help of counterfeit detection tools, counterfeit bills can be detected quickly to rid your organization of potential problems or losses due to the use of counterfeit bills.

For instance, you may currently own the AccuBanker AB1100 bill counter. This machine is capable of counting 1200 bills per minute which can save your business time and money. However, if the batch of bills you are counting contains counterfeit bills, how will you know? There is no way you would know, but upgrading your machine to a counter/counterfeit detector can help greatly reduce losses. Adopting the use of counterfeit pens and counting bills with machines equipped with counterfeit detection will decrease the chance of fake bills passing through your system.

You may be skeptical, no one would use counterfeit currency in your establishment, right? Sadly, this is not the case. In fact, upwards of $40 million in fake bills can be circulated throughout the U.S. each year and the problem is much worse over seas. On average, Secret Service officers in Los Angeles seize around $100,000 in counterfeit currency every week.

Government officials insist the best way to detect counterfeit bills is still ‘look and feel’. Real U.S. currency has a certain texture and look that can’t be faked by most inkjet printers. However, using counterfeit detection practices and machines makes passing fake bills in your business less enticing to potential counterfeiters.

Counterfeit detection machines, can use either UV detection or magnetic detection technology, or sometimes both, to detect fake bills before they are circulated. Consider upgrading your counter to a machine with counterfeit detection capabilities (check out the Industria MX-2000) or adding a counterfeit detector to your operation. Detection machines like the AccuBanker D200 can be easily incorporated into everyday transactions for use when a cashier or teller is suspicious about a particular bill.

Finding a fake bill after a transaction is great, however, consumers or businesses who accept fake bills are not entitled to reimbursement once the currency is discovered to be counterfeit. Also, keep in mind that who attempt to pass counterfeit bills to avoid a loss are considered felonious. Always report suspicious currency to your local authorities so the proper action can be taken. Remember, the potential hassle and loss can be eliminated with simple preventative action and the proper investment in counterfeit detection tools!

Some Tips for Deciding on a Money Counter

    You may initially consider buying a money counter to eliminate wasted time or to increase counting accuracy; or both.  But once you have decided to purchase a money counter, how do you know which one is right for you?  I did some research recently to develop a list of criteria to help you decide!  It is important to choose the counter that best fits your company’s needs to increase efficiency and productivity during the money handling process.

Counterfeit Detection
    First, consider whether you will need the option of counterfeit detection.  If counterfeiting is a concern, you may want to purchase a counter/counterfeit detection combination machine.  Typically these detectors use ultraviolet light or a combinations of ultraviolet light and magnetic detection to prevent the acceptance of fake bills.  In general, money counters with added counterfeit options are more expensive and machines with both ultraviolet and magnetic detection are usually a little more expensive, but offer increased protection and versatility.  In businesses completing a high number of transactions with large bills, money counters/counterfeit detectors are vital to accuracy and security.

Discriminators and International Currency
    To make counting even faster, machines are available that are able to detect different bill denominations.  These machines are called discriminators and are usually much more expensive than a typical money counter, but can be a huge time-saver for businesses counting large amounts of cash.  Some counters are capable of detecting international bills, as well as separating smaller sized bills.  When counting bills from multiple countries, international detection is a must.

Vertical or Horizontal Feed
    Machines are available that can be loaded flat, by stacking bills, or loaded standing up, on the bill’s side.  Machines that accept stacked bills are called horizontal feeders and those that accept only bills on edge are called vertical feeders.  A horizontal feed allows the user to stack more bills into the hopper and reduces time when counting a large number of bills.  For counting less than 100 bills at a time, a vertical feed is sufficient.

Additional Features
    Money counters come with a variety of extra features to accommodate almost any counting needs.  For instance, some models come with an external count display that allows more than one person to view the running count.  This feature is perfect for situations when a teller is counting bills for a customer.  Machines intended for large counting operations often come with a dust shield to deflect dust and debris away from the operator’s face.

Warranty and Service
    Finally, like any product you may consider buying, investigate the specific brand’s  warranty and service agreements.  Ideally, you will want to find a money counter that remains under warranty for at least one year.  Many manufacturers offer on-site service packages for maintenance and repair on your counter.  To ensure you purchase a counter that has a long life, find one that offers the best possible warranty and service agreement.

    When you are looking for a money counter remember there are an assortment of models with different features, don’t settle on a machine that doesn’t fully accommodate your needs.  Examine all the possible features and choose the product that helps increase your efficiency and productivity the most.  Use these basic guidelines to help narrow your product search and find the counter that is right for you!