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What is Collate in Printing?

September 10th, 2024 | 1 min. read

By Marissa Olson

Collating in printing refers to arranging pages of a multi-page document in a specific order before or during the printing process. When you select the "collate" option, a printer organizes multiple document copies in their correct sequential order, such as printing a complete set (pages 1-10) before printing the next set. 

This prevents manual sorting, saves time, ensures accuracy, and adds convenience, especially for documents like reports, presentations, manuals, and billing statements.

Benefits of Collating:

  • Time-Saving: Eliminates manual sorting.
  • Convenience: Documents are print-ready in order.
  • Accuracy: Reduces errors in document arrangement.

Common Use Cases:

  • Reports and Presentations: Ensures sequential arrangement for easy reading and effective delivery.
  • Manuals and Guides: Provides logical flow for understanding instructions.
  • Invoices and Statements: Organizes customer information systematically.

You can adjust the settings in the print dialogue of your printer software or device control panel to turn collating on or off. Understanding when to use collating is essential for efficient printing, especially in business and educational settings where multi-page documents are frequently printed.

Marissa Olson

A true southerner from Atlanta, Georgia, Marissa has always had a strong passion for writing and storytelling. She moved out west in 2018 where she became an expert on all things business technology-related as the Content Producer at AIS. Coupled with her knowledge of SEO best practices, she's been integral in catapulting AIS to the digital forefront of the industry. In her free time, she enjoys sipping wine and hanging out with her rescue-dog, WIllow. Basically, she loves wine and dogs, but not whiny dogs.