FAQs > Office Machines FAQ's
office machines faqs
Questions
about:
Calculators
Dictation
Machines
Copiers
Labelmakers
Cash
Registers
Calculators
What is the warranty on calculators?
Warranties vary depending upon the manufacturer, make and model – they
generally tend to be around 1 year though you will find some with a 2
year warranty.
Which calculators are suitable for use
in school?
Scientific calculators (inc. some financial models) are suitable
for use in schools, and tend to be used in higher level Maths classes.
Do you stock replacement ribbons/rolls
for my printing calculator?
Yes, you’ll find calculator supplies (inc. ribbon and pinks)
under the Calculator Accessories section.
Do you sell slim calculators?
Yes, pocket calculators are amongst the slimmest you’ll find and
will fit neatly into your bag, briefcase, etc.
What does solar powered mean?
These calculators contain solar cells and they store energy from
the light (sun or other source), which powers the battery so as long as
there is light your calculator will work. This is a very common
feature on most desktop and pocket calculators – they are small and
don’t need large amounts of energy (ie from a battery or mains cable)
to run.
Back to top
Dictation Machines
Should I get a digital or analogue
machine?
A digital machine allows you to store recordings onto a media
card (called an SD card), which you then download to your computer
either through a USB cable or via a docking station. It is a lot like
digital cameras you get nowadays where a card stores all your photos
and you then download.
An analogue machine on the other hand requires a mini-cassette to store
recordings to and a desktop transcription machine to insert the tape
into in order to transcribe from. These days it is generally more
cost effective to buy a digital version as there are many models on the
market and as such accessories are becoming a lot more competitively
priced.
Back to top
Copiers
What types of photocopiers are there?
There are 3 main types of copier:
Portable copiers – these machines are smaller with handles for easy
movement around the office. They tend to have a manual feed sheet too.
Thy are fine for small amounts of copying though the quality is not
brilliant – suited to home office or personal use.
Desktop copiers – these are large standalone machines most commonly
seen in offices. The print quality and reliability of these machines
justifies their greater cost.
All-in-one copiers – these machines tend to contain a fax, copier and
scanner facilities and are a useful tool if you need to save space in
the office.
My photocopies look faded, is there a
reason for this?
Firstly check the original you are photocopying from. If this is
faded then your copies will also be faded. On the other hand if
the original is good quality, then it may one of two things … firstly
check your toner levels, as these start to run out the copy can appear
faded. Secondly, it may be the drum unit that needs replacing – in this
case an engineer will be required to fit it for you.
I need to print multi-page documents
with print on both sides of the paper. Which machine would suit me best?
There are a number of features to look out for, firstly a machine that
can Scan Once Print Many (SOPM) is very useful. The document is scanned
once and then stored in the copiers memory so you do not need to
re-scan. Secondly look for a machine with ADF (an Automatic Document
Feeder). Rather than placing each sheet on the glass cover area, you
place the whole document in the ADF and it will automatically lift each
page and scan. An RADF (Re-circulating Automatic Document Feeder) is a
mechanism within the machine that flips the paper over and prints on
the other side thereby printing on both sides as required (without
having to manually turn over the sheets), this is also sometimes
recorded as being a duplex machine.
Back to top
Labelmakers
What types of labels are available?
There are loads of different types of labels available, choose what you
would like to use them for and see our recommendations below:
Everyday addressing items (letters, packages, etc.)
Standard Address Labels – these are either coloured or white and
come in a range of sizes. Check whether your printer is laser or inkjet
though as you will need to buy corresponding label sheets.
I want to give an extra special finish
Clear Labels lend a quality look and feel to an item
To use in my labelmaker machine
You will need Continuous Labels for these machines – they come
in a roll, which can be fitted in your labelmaker machine (ie Dymo)
I want to print out labels for my
lever arch files
Look for Filing Labels, which have been shaped specifically to
fit a lever arch file size.
I want to print labels for my CDs/DVDs
Look for Media Labels. Again these are cut to specifically fit
on different media storage devices.
I want to use a label to seal a
confidential item and make it tamper proof
Look for Anti-tamper Labels. These prevent opening and the lower
level of the label reveals a stop message if tampering has been
attempted.
How do I prevent my label sheets from
jamming?
Manufacturers suggest fanning the sheets (if using more than
one) and knocking the edges against a solid surface (ie desk top) to
ensure they are lined up. Most sheets do come with anti-jam
guarantee but it is worth checking yourself – any edges that are
curling, or labels that have been removed then replaced may cause a jam
in your machine, which may not be covered by the guarantee.
Do I have label software on my
computer?
These days most software packages (ie Microsoft) contain label
templates. Check by opening a blank new document and go to the tools
menu and there should be an option for creating labels.
Back to top
Cash Registers
Can I keep track of spend in different
departments in a store?
Yes. Cash registers have a number of ‘departments’, which must be
selected before the sale is made so that sale is assigned to the
correct department – sales for each department can then be totalled
separately.
Can I buy till rolls and printer
cartridges here?
Yes, please visit Cash Register Accessories
Back to top