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What Is Collation in Printing? (collate meaning explained)

In the correct sense of the word, to “collate” means to collect, arrange, and assemble something in its correct order. Therefore, the word “collate” is commonly used in printing to refer to arranged print documents. If you haven’t come across the term yet, it’s because the phenomenon is more popular among people who print documents in bulk for commercial use.

You’ll learn everything you need to know about collation in printing from this article!

Let’s dive right into it.

What Is the Meaning of Collation in Printing?

Collate is a technical term used in printing to signify the process of arranging printed documents with multiple pages in the order in which they appear. Most printers come with an in-built collating feature to save you the hassle of arranging the documents in their correct order.

For perspective, assume you want to print 30 copies of a document that comes in five pages. Using the collate feature will mean that the printer will generate a 5-page document as a complete set in the right order before generating the next complete copy up until 30 copies are completed and already arranged. This way, you won’t have to sort through jumbled-up copies to arrange them in a readable format.

If you are digital printing, collating will be done automatically by the printer. However, you need to note that the feature may not be the default setting for your printer and, thus, will need to be activated.

On the other hand, if you are using traditional offset printing, collation will be done manually by the machine or by yourself. Either way, since the printer will arrange the document in order, it will be easy to bind them into several readable copies.

Collated vs UnCollated Printing

As the word suggests, uncollated printing is the opposite of collated printing. With that in mind, uncollated simply means that the printed documents will come out in the order you fed them into the machine. In layman’s terms, if you fed page number two before page 10, the finished document will appear like so, forcing you to manually arrange the pages in a way that makes sense.

Uncollated printing is used mostly if you want to print single-copy documents or when the document doesn’t need to be in a particular order. For example, if you print the pages of a poem book, recipes, or phone numbers of members in a meeting, you won’t need the documents to be in a certain order, as they will make sense either way.

Benefits of Collated Printing

Collating has several benefits, especially when printing large volumes of the same multi-page document. Some of the advantages in question include the following:

Saving time

Since collated documents come off the printer in the order they are meant to be read, you will save the time otherwise spent manually arranging the pages in an order that makes sense.

Ensures Your Document Is Accurate

When mass printing multi-page documents that need to be manually arranged, it’s common to make mistakes such as omitting certain pages in some documents or putting the same page twice in other documents.

However, printing collated documents eliminate the margin of error, thus improving accuracy.

It Makes Your Document Appear More Professional

If the documents you are printing are to be used in a professional setting, such as a court proceeding or a proposal submission, collating will eliminate the possibility of some copies having page arrangement or printing errors.

Disadvantages of Collating

Nothing is perfect; therefore, collating has several disadvantages you should consider before choosing this printing method. Some of the notable disadvantages include the following:

More Expensive

Printers that offer extensive collating features are generally more expensive than their counterparts. However, you can argue that the feature will save you time in the long run; hence it cancels out.

Slower Printing Process

Considering collating requires the printer to employ an additional step to ensure the documents are arranged in order, the process generally takes more time and, therefore, takes up more electricity.

Offers Limited Customization

It’s very difficult to customize your page orders in collation. Assuming you wanted to print 50 documents for grade one students and the other 50 for grade two students, you will have to print two batches as you can’t change the first page to indicate the different grades.

How To Access the Collating Feature in a Printer

Considering printers differ in design, software, and functionality, the process for accessing the collate feature will vary from brand to brand. Therefore, if the process aligned below doesn’t work for your specific printer, refer to the user manual for further assistance.

To access the collate feature, follow the steps below:

  • Locate the document you want to print and click on it to open via Microsoft Word or your preferred application.
  • If you are using Microsoft Word click on the File option at the top left of the taskbar.
  • Click on the Print option on the right-hand taskbar.
  • Once the Print dialogue box opens, scroll down till you locate the Uncollated feature and click on the drop-down menu, which will allow you to change the print format to Collate.
  • Adjust the number of copies by clicking the up or down arrow next to the Copies icon.
  • Return to the top of the screen and click on the Print icon. Your new settings should override any other settings that had been set prior on the printer/computer.

Difference Between Online Collating and Offline Collating

Online collating refers to collated documents that are ready for dispatch straight out of the printer. For instance, with documents that are already stapled as separate copies by the machine, you won’t have to perform any additional touches.

Alternatively, offline collating refers to documents that will require final touches from you despite being printed in the rightful sequence. Though this method is a lot more work than its counterpart, there are times when it is necessary. For example:

If the Document Is a Mix of Bleed and No Bleed Pages

Bleed pages in print refer to pages that have images that occupy the whole page right to the edges leaving no default blank margin. Therefore, if there are some pages that require bleed printing, you will need to trim them by hand after the document comes out from the printer.

If the Document Requires Some of the Pages To Be Different Sizes

Assuming the document contains some pages that are of different sizes to the majority, you will need to trim them by hand and then reinsert them back to the book. However, please note that select (rare) printers allow you to customize your collating settings such that each page comes out in its desired size.

Common Types of Binding for Collated Documents

If you use a high-end printer for collating documents, it will offer the option of binding or stapling the copies for you beforehand so that all you need to do is pass them out. In the aforementioned scenario, here are a few of the most common types of binding that will help you decide which style fits your needs the best.

Spiral Binding

Spiral binding is where the copies of each document are bound together with a plastic or metal coil to help secure the document together. This method is popular for notepads or school introduction magazines.

Perfect Bound

Perfect bound is one of the most popular binding methods for print copies. Its popularity stems from the fact that it’s inexpensive yet relatively sturdy. Therefore, it’s commonly used for heavier or longer books such as yearbooks or directories.

Saddle Stitch

Saddle stitch is one of the best options if the document you want to collate is small in that it’s less than 100 pages. Therefore, this binding technique will serve you well if you print out a catalog or user manual.

This technique works for small documents because it works by printing on both sides of one piece of paper, folding it in half and stapling it through the numerous folds.

Conclusion

The art of collating print documents is more common than you think, thanks to the fact that it bears lots of advantages. Everyone can benefit from the feature as much as it’s most useful in commercial printing firms. Additionally, most printers in the market come equipped with the collation feature, and it’s accessible by simply pressing a button or clicking an option.

FAQs

Is collation mandatory when printing?

Collation is important but not mandatory. So, for example, if you are only printing a single-page document or one copy of say, a 5-page document, you can opt to print uncollated copies.

Can I customize the collate settings to only collate specific document pages?

While this is an available feature, most printers and software don’t allow you to choose specific pages you want to collate in a document. Most equipment will require you to collate the whole document and manually sort it out later.

What is collate printing used for?

The collating function is used mainly in commercial printing firms for those who mass-produce books, magazines, notebooks, catalogs, etc. However, some people utilize the feature for primary purposes such as printing a report, brochures, etc.

Where can I go to collate a document if I don’t own a printer?

If you don’t own a printer and want to print collated documents, visit any print shop or library near you for assistance. Luckily, the service should be relatively affordable.