TECHNOLOGY
Good low-cost printing is now available for small businesses.
Even though the amount of printing being done today is declining because so much data can be stored for instant retrieval on hard drives or the Cloud, every small business should still have a printer. Today’s multi-function printer (MFP) provides an owner-managed office with most of the capabilities offered by a printing company but at a starting price of about $1,300 for colour and between $500 and $600 for black and white.
If you are considering replacing the old printer or cancelling your lease contract, consider the features now offered on printers that support both Mac and Windows operating systems and are not much bigger than a microwave oven.
Features
Most MFPs have the following features:
- colour and black and white capability
- ability to print on various media of varying size and weight as well as labels and vinyl
- LCD touch screens
- ability to print from a USB and to scan to the USB
- ability to scan and send to a personal computer
- ability to print forms stored on a website
- ability to scan on a flatbed scanner
- automatic feeders allowing scanning of multiple documents as well as duplexing pages to cut back on paper costs
- preview ability on the control panel allowing you to print only the pages needed
- ability to join your wireless network (WiFi) and print right from your smartphone or tablet. (You may need to purchase this option separately.)
- Ethernet ready (Check to be sure in case there are wireless communication issues within your environment.)
- memory in off-the-shelf units: 512 MB or 1 GB, with expansion to 3 GB or more (more memory allows the printer to handle larger or more complex documents, such as images)
- duty cycles up to 150,000 pages per month and eliminating the replacement of costly imaging components
- rated to print from a low of 700 pages a month to 25,000 pages a month
- printing speed for most printers in the range of 40 ppm in colour mode and 50 ppm or greater for mono
- starting to print within five seconds if “on” and within 20 seconds if “sleeping”
- resolution to 2400×1200 dpi if finer detail or richer colour saturation is required.
A monthly warranty can cost as little as popcorn and a movie.
Low-Priced Warranty Package
Up to now, small businesses could never afford a printer that offered all these features. Most small businesses leased a printer and paid a per-page charge for warranty and service. State-of-the-art MFPs from reputable manufacturers carry at least a one-year guarantee and offer extended onsite warranty packages from two to five years for a monthly cost equivalent of popcorn and a movie.
Contact Argento CPA today!
Source: BUSINESS MATTERS
Disclaimer: BUSINESS MATTERS deals with a number of complex issues in a concise manner; it is recommended that accounting, legal or other appropriate professional advice should be sought before acting upon any of the information contained therein.
Although every reasonable effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this letter, no individual or organization involved in either the preparation or distribution of this letter accepts any contractual, tortious, or any other form of liability for its contents or for any consequences arising from its use.
BUSINESS MATTERS is prepared bimonthly by the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada for the clients of its members.
Richard Fulcher, CPA, CA – Author; Patricia Adamson, M.A., M.I.St. – CPA Canada Editor.
Contact us: patricia@adamsonwriters.ca
