Printing - Money Saving Tips

The information below was first circulated by the Assistant Vice-Chancellor, Finance and Commercial Projects on 13 April 2011.

Local Printing

  • Don’t print unless you have to.
  • Read e-mails on-screen. Develop a filing system that allows you to reference e-mails with other files – e.g. save e-mail (Outlook Message Format - .msg) to S: drive which can then be opened by anyone with access to that folder.
  • Make use of online systems to share information: e-mail, SharePoint, Blackboard etc.
  • When printing, do a Print Preview and only print the pages you need. To specify pages click the Office Button, then Print, then type the page numbers required, e.g. 1,4,6-9. Avoid printing legal disclaimers, virus check confirmations etc found on e-mails.
  • Don't use colour unless absolutely necessary; it can be 5 to 10 times the cost:
    • UWE logo does not need to be in colour, especially on internal documents.
    • Never print order forms or draft copies in colour.
    • Tables don’t always need colour. Simple graphs work well in shades of grey.
    • Never print in colour just for a red paragraph dividing line or for e-mail addresses.
  • Edit documents so the last page doesn't contain just a few lines.
  • Check your Word document is set to A4 paper size with 20mm margins all round. This will maximise the amount of text on a page.
  • Check the language in Word is set to English (UK) to avoid reprints for spelling.
  • In Excel, use Page Break Preview mode to see where the page breaks will fall before printing. Use ‘scale to fit’ so the spreadsheet prints on as few pages as possible.
  • Use Print Preview in all applications to avoid printing mistakes.
  • Use double-sided printing whenever possible; edit documents to have an even number of pages.
  • Use booklet printing (two pages per side) if available. Combined with duplex this can save up to 3 sheets of paper per 4 pages printed and still be legible.
  • Print documents in draft mode to reduce toner/ink usage - ideal for review copies.
  • Use an appropriate device for printing - larger runs should go to shared printers/MFPs.
  • Don’t use inkjet printers; they are 10 times more expensive than large laser printers.
  • Try to send your printing to machines in batches to reduce overall energy costs.
  • Switch printers off at night.

Sending Print to Printing and Stationery Services (PSS)

  • Plan larger print jobs so you have time to send to PSS.
  • If you are printing/copying over 100 pages (e.g. 1 copy of 100 pages, 2 copies of 50 pages, 4 copies of 25 pages) it is cheaper to send to PSS.
  • Jobs over 250 pages should always be sent to PSS. Individual jobs fewer than 100 pages should be printed locally.
  • Tape binding is 30 times more expensive than stapling. Try:
    • Fly stitching (see photo)Fly-stitched booklets
    • Single staple in the top left
    • Double staple on left
    • 2 or 4 hole punching and adding to a binder
    • Card covers can be provided on all of these products.
  • Sending jobs to PSS electronically reduces time and cost of scanning and cleaning up the document. See this page.
  • Order the right quantity - it is usually cheaper to print more copies in a single operation.
  • Rather than printing in colour, think about printing mono on coloured paper.
  • Ensure your job complies with corporate standards (read Marketing and Communications web pages about the Brand Project). If the job does not comply, PSS are required to change it, which is a chargeable service and delays your job.
  • If you send PSS the same job regularly in hard copy, ask them to send you back the PDF they create so you can resend it next time. PSS can usually edit the PDF if required next time.
  • Finally, help PSS to save the University money by giving them as much notice as possible to print your job so they don't have to work overtime to print it.

Give PSS a call (84670) or e-mail printing@uwe.ac.uk for further advice and ideas.


QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Q. Why do I have to get all my print requirements from Printing and Stationery Services (PSS)?
A. PSS either produce the goods in-house or buy from companies who offer good value for money, volume discounts and have been appointed through the public sector purchasing processes. PSS also ensure that the University’s brand guidelines are followed accurately.

Q. My job is urgent and there isn’t enough time to send to PSS, what can I do?
A. Contact PSS immediately to see if they can accommodate your deadline. PSS will outsource the job to a trusted supplier if it cannot be done in-house. You must plan printing time in your project/workload and tell colleagues contributing to the document to plan. Poor planning costs the University real money!

Q. How much notice do PSS need?
A. Ideally you will give PSS a minimum of 7 days to turn work around, but they understand that from time to time customers have short lead times imposed on them. PSS will work with you to achieve your dates.

Q. Do some jobs take longer than others?
A. Yes! The more complex the job the longer it will take. For example, if a job has to be printed using the Litho process (i.e. using liquid inks) then drying time has to be built into the production time to avoid the job being spoilt. Call PSS for advice.

Q. My documents are confidential, can I send them to PSS?
A. Yes. PSS are trusted to print all confidential documents. Any particularly sensitive documents can be given special treatment. Confidential items are returned in plain wrappers to named individuals, can be hand-delivered at additional cost or collected from Emersons Green. Ensure you tick ‘Confidential’ on the order form.

Q. My project is funded externally. Can I buy the print or printer direct?
A. No. All purchases have to be routed through PSS to protect the UWE brand, follow correct procurement processes and ensure full use is made of University assets. The only exception is where the external funder raises the orders and pays the invoices direct. Even then, you should try to route these through PSS so the University benefits from additional external revenue.

Q. My project is funded by the European Regional Development Fund and they have strict rules about internal supply. Does this mean I should place orders with external suppliers?
A. No. You must still use PSS. Finance and PSS are investigating how the ERDF’s strict financial reporting requirements can be met. In the meantime, special arrangements allow PSS to manage the supply of goods and still meet the reporting requirements.

Q. Can I talk directly to a supplier so they understand my requirements?
A. No. You should talk to PSS as they have vast experience. For particularly complex jobs it may be appropriate for a joint meeting with PSS and the supplier.

Q. I’ve already had the job printed/received the goods without involving PSS.
A. This is a breach of Financial Regulations and jobs that do not comply with the UWE brand have to be destroyed. Send an original of the item produced, together with all correspondence, the original invoice and a printing order form quoting your cost centre, to PSS. They will review the job, settle the invoice with the supplier and charge your cost centre. They will also refer the matter to the Head of Procurement who will decide whether a ‘Breach of Financial Regulations’ form has to be completed.

Q. Why does an order cost more from PSS than a supplier I have found?
A. PSS costs are inclusive of VAT and delivery. Some suppliers do not have items in stock so lead times will be longer and the quality of goods may not match the University’s requirements. PSS are obliged to add a ‘mark-up’ to recover the cost of their overheads. Have you added the cost of your time in unnecessarily searching for the goods?

Q. I want to buy a cheap printer for my own use; why has this been blocked?
A. The total cost of ownership of ‘cheap’ printers is much higher than the simple purchase cost and an embargo has been placed on all printer purchases pending approval of a Print Strategy Project. You should use nearby printers for the time being.

Q. The Canon MFP keeps breaking down. Why won’t you replace it?
A. Every printer in the University should have someone assigned to keep it topped up, report faults and help colleagues. Older machines are being replaced from June 2011, in the meantime Canon are committed to maintaining the existing fleet. Paper should be loaded in accordance with advice on PSS’s web page - follow the link to Photocopiers.

Q. Why is it so important to load whole reams of paper into the Canon machines?
A. Most of the Canon machines deployed in staff areas are 46-50 page per minute machines. The paper therefore has to move very quickly and accurately through the machine and consequently spends very little time in the fusing area which has to be heated to a high temperature to ensure the toner is bonded to the paper correctly. Paper that is too damp or too dry, usually caused by reams being left open in unsuitable areas, is then adversely affected by this high temperature. Loading whole reams at a time largely overcomes this problem.

Q. Why is it so important to load paper a certain way up into Canon printers?
A. When paper is made it is wound onto a reel so has a natural curve. A printer will also tend to curve paper as it passes through. If the direction of these curves is the same the paper can be deformed more than the machine can handle, leading to paper jams. Loading paper as recommended results in the natural curve being flattened.

Q. Is the paper PSS use environmentally friendly?
A. Yes. The materials PSS procure already carry strong environmentally-friendly credentials – a high proportion of the paper is recycled (some with 100% recycled content), the rest comes from FSC or PEFC certified sources.