Office automation gains momentum

Important tools found in most office environments include the printer, fax machine, photocopier and possibly a scanner. Technological advances have seen these products merge in terms of functionality, and in the process gain significantly from a quality perspective.

Zandre Rudolph, a business manager at Rectron, takes a look at the pace of developments in this arena and at what the office manager can expect to purchase in the not-too-distant future.

Office automation and streamlined working practices are turning businesses into highly efficient, smooth running operations. And at the same, new technological advances are delivering measurable bottom line savings.

The automation of the office environment has progressed rapidly over the past 12 months, spurred on by the advances in multifunction devices that have seen the merger of printers, copiers, fax machines and scanners into single units.

Cost too, has been behind many of the developments, as manufacturers target businesses whose budgets and resources are under pressure, with devices that perform more than one function and so obviate the need for multiple purchases.

As a result, adding new office equipment piecemeal is no longer seen as "best practice". Multifunction devices are today at the cutting-edge of a new style of "facilities management".

There are other drivers behind the current office automation "boom". These include the high cost of office space and the need to reduce the desktop footprint of many traditional machines to meet demands for more compact offices. Ergonomics and aesthetics also play key roles here. What better way than to combine the functions of many, often unsightly, units into a single machine that is as easy on the eye as it is functionally.

The need to link office machines into the corporate-wide network is also a driver for automation as the proliferation of digital copiers, laser printers and other digital devices underlines.

Due to high levels of competition, the specifications of these offerings are becoming increasingly impressive with colour laser printers and multifunction printers now de rigueur in most offices - replacing their older mono cousins.

Manufacturers are also broadening the scope of their multifunction machines in terms of the markets they address. In many cases, a single machine, or at least a single product family, is equipped to cater for demands as diverse as those of SOHO as well as big corporate users.

This versatility, so evident in the lower end of the colour laser market, is also driving down the costs of all automated office products.

One area of caution centres on the ubiquitous fax machine. While many manufacturers are paying lip service to the "all-in-one" concept, some are conveniently leaving out the fax - particularly in entry-level or "bargain basement" multifunction devices.

When the vendor refers - as they are increasingly likely to do - to a "3-in-1" machine, it is most likely to combine printer, scanner and copier.

The "4-in-1" will generally incorporate printer, scanner, copier and fax, while "5-in-1" machines add the option to perform "digital sending".

Digital sending allows the user to scan a document and save it directly to an e-mail archive for immediate onward transmission. Most "5-in-1" machines are network ready.

In the face of these advances, many industry watchers are predicting the demise of paper. This prediction has been around for many years - despite which, paper usage continues to climb.

Paper will always play a role in the business environment, not withstanding the fact that multifunction machines - particularly the large departmental machines - do make it easier to communicate digitally.

For example, instead of having to print an invoice, make a copy of it, fax the original to the consumer and then file the duplicate, new-generation technology makes it possible to send the document to the printer and have it saved on the machine`s own hard drive.

From there, the printer can fax it directly to the customer, print out a copy or make a copy.

While this is a paper-saving methodology, it is also a cost and time-saving system designed to streamline business operations.

The last frontier that remains to be breached in the office automation field is `modularity`.

As soon as designers are able to associate individual tasks with independent modules of a multifunction machine, it will be possible to tailor a single device to meet a specific business demand - or a variety of demands.

So, it might be possible to purchase an entry-level machine for today`s office that can be upgraded to suit tomorrow`s needs, from requirement as well as workload points of view.

Because the choice of multifunction machine is vast - and the technology is moving along at a rapid pace - it is important for the user to consider requirements carefully before making a purchase.

This will help to avoid confusion when choosing a device for a particular environment or task.