Nowadays “businesses don’t want just a copier; they want a lot more.” Just like the digital camera or all-in-one, the buying power and sheer demand by the business consumer has required the copier to do more.
Over the last few years, we have seen less development in hardware updates (new copier features) and more on the software side for copiers. Of course, machines are continually becoming smaller, cheaper, and faster, but we see more value-added features being developed that support specific vertical markets, like legal, healthcare, and enterprise corporations.
Some of these features include:
- Scan directly to email or network folders – Before we had this ability, it took some time to scan a document, store it on a drive or portable USB drive, and walk it back to your desktop computer to then craft an email and send it. Today, you can do this right at a coper/MFP. As long as it has this feature and the device has been configured by your IT department and the dealer that installed it, you can do this by using the display panel and selecting where you want it to go. To a single staff member, a distribution group, or a predefined set of network folders.
- Convert to Microsoft Word: OCR (optical character recognition) – This feature has diminished the industry of word processing and data entry. Copiers/MFPs can scan a document, recognize all of the type on a page, type all of the characters, and save it directly to a Microsoft® Word document. And it’s surprisingly accurate if it’s a good clean original.
- Convert to PDF – This option is another time saver. As fast as your copier can scan a document, it can save it into an Adobe® Acrobat® PDF (portable document format) file for you to distribute to anyone for easy viewing and access.
- File Encryption – The ability to scan and encrypt a file allows you complete control of who can view or use the file once your copier/MFP has converted it from paper to a digital format. This is a very valuable feature for legal and medical users so that they can protect their clients personal and financial information.
- Access Control – This area can provide multiple efficiencies for business including limited access to machine use allowing only authorized users to access your device (eliminating use by visitors for devices in open areas), and reducing costs by predetermining which users can use color printing which can be expensive during higher volume runs.