Office Paper Buying Tips - Part 2

Multi-Purpose Paper

Multi-purpose copier paper is the everyday workhorse of the office. It is usable for a variety of different jobs.
Common Used for:
» General copying and printing needs
» Printing Proofs and drafts
» Printing emails and inter-office correspondence
» Printing Forms

In general you want to look for a brightness rating between 90 and 92 and a weight of 16-20 lbs, and a smoothness between 160 and 170. Consult Part 1 of this guide for a description of these terms. Multi-use paper is good because it delivers reliable performance for a wide range of common printing jobs, is inexpensive, and available in all common sizes.

Laser Printer Paper

Laser Printer Paper is designed for use on laser printers when appearance is important and quality is key.
Common Used for:
» Printing executive reports, contract documents, legal documents, résumés
» Printing analysis charts and graphs (especially when printing in color)
» Printing announcements or documents with complex graphics

When purchasing laser printer paper, look for a brightness rating between 92-and 96, a weight of 22-32 lbs, and a smoothness under 100 -- lower smoothness rating will give you sharper images. Laser printer paper, like multi-purpose paper is relatively inexpensive and comes in enough varieties and qualities to suit everyday jobs and special print jobs alike. Above all, it is valued because it improves the performance of laser printers, allowing them to reach their potential for quality images and documents.

Inkjet Printer Paper

Inkjet Printer Paper is used for, you guessed it, inkjet printers! It is perfect for making sure that your images and ink don't bleed on the paper.
Common Uses:
» Printing Proposals, Presentations, Flyers (on inkjet printers)
» General printing especially with color images (again, on inkjet printers)

For inkjet paper, look for a brightness rating around 96, a weight between 20 and 24 lbs, and a smoothness under 100. As before, lower smoothness is better. Inkjet paper is nearly a must for getting quality prints of documents, photos, or anything else from an inkjet printer. it is designed to the hold the liquid ink on the surface and produce dense, full colors and text. For presentations graphic or image-intense documents, inkjet paper is the best thing for the job when using an inkjet printer. Matte- and gloss-coated inkjet paper can add some enhanced quality, giving extra brilliance to the colors within a print.

Continued next week...

Office Paper Buying Tips - Part 1

Many people think that buying paper for copiers, printers, etc is an easy task, but business, schools, and institutions waste an exorbitant amount of money every year by ordering or using the wrong paper for the job. We decided to give some quick tips for people who think they might fall into this category, a super crash course on paper buying.

Many types of paper are specifically designed for certain uses, while also remaining viable for general-purpose copying and printing. The main categories of paper are as follows -- this list is not exhaustive, but is meant to cover the general categories of paper you will find on our site and elsewhere.

» Multi-purpose Paper
» Laser printer paper
» Inkjet Printer Paper
» Color Copier Paper
» Recycled Paper
» Security paper

Before we continue with the guide, we should definitely get some of the terminology out of the way to prevent any confusion for first-time or inexperienced buyers.

» Acid-Free: This describes paper made without process acids. Acid-free paper has a longer shelf life and is good for long term archiving without turning yellow.

» Basis Weight – This term describes the weight of 500 sheets of paper as measured in lbs. The higher the weight, the thicker and more substantial the paper (16lbs, 20lbs and 24lbs are common weights). Thicker paper is used for things like resumes, cards, invitations, while lighter paper is used for more common jobs.

» Caliper – The caliper of paper is its thickness measured in thousandths of an inch or in millimeters. The higher the caliper the thicker the paper. Higher caliper paper also has a higher basis weight as described above.

» Post Consumer Fiber – The amount of previously-used paper material contained in recycled paper. Expressed as a percentage of the overall material used to make the paper.

» Ream – The ream is the basic bulk unit of paper - equal to 500 sheets of paper.

» Sizes – The U.S. standard measurements are 8.5” x 11” (Letter), 8.5” x 14’ (Legal); European sizes (A4, A5, etc.)

» Smoothness – This one is self-explanatory, but as a note, the smoother the paper the sharper the printed image. Lower smoothness indicates smoother paper.

Come back next week for our explanation of each type of paper and how it should be used to get the most our of it!

Stocking Classrooms for the New School Year

Across the nation children of all ages are headed back to school, and teachers and administrators alike are finalizing lesson plans, curriculums, and classroom preparations. On top of hanging calendars, posters and helpful visual aids, classrooms need to be stocked with the office supplies essentials that allow the learning process to continue. This school year, whether you are a teacher yourself and looking to get some extra supplies, or you are a school administrator looking to shave precious dollars off of the school supplies budget, GotoForms.com is a great place to get all of the basic office supplies you need at great prices.

Paper of all kinds: As simple a thing as paper is, GotoForms, over the years, has become the sole source of printer paper, fax paper, inkjet and copier printer, and colored paper for thousands of business and schools. We offer low prices, quantity discounts, and fast, convenient shipping so you can keep the classroom and office running smoothly and without interruption. Check out our copier supplies and paper section and check our prices against expensive brick and mortar or online stores, and see how much you can save on this most basic of needs for the new school year.

Electronics in the classroom: Despite continuing improvements in technology, nothing replaces a box of handheld calculators in an elementary or middle school math classroom. For schools looking to stock up and help their budding mathematicians succeed, GotoForms has simple handheld calculators for as low as $2.41!

Filing Supplies: For teachers looking to get better organized, new filing supplies, accessories, folders and more will help keep student papers and records straight and avoid the always frustrating prospect of losing students' assignments. We have a wide selection and vast array of options for filing folders and supplies, so check it all out and order in bulk to save money on your order and on shipping.

We hope all of you have a great start to the new school year, and are proud to help supply so many classrooms and schools across the country.