What Does Collate Mean in Printing

The word “collate” simply means to collect and arrange in a particular sequence or order. When printing, it means assembling sheets of paper together to create a complete set.

Collating is a procedure mostly used when printing large copies of books with a large number of pages such as yearbooks, catalogs, and booklets.

Furthermore, it is a cute term used in printing to describe the specifics of the print job. Continue reading to discover what collate means when printing and how it can be done.

How to Collate on Your Printer Before Printing?

To print collated documents in the print preview or dialogue box that appears when you click “print document” you’d need to ensure the collate option is selected or ticked before printing.

It is usually represented by a symbol featuring three pieces of paper layered on one another.

When you select this, the printer automatically collates your document and prints it in the right order. Offline collation is also possible and can be performed manually or automated.

If you’re to print documents that have similar characteristics, then it’s easier to collate them automatically. But if they are dissimilar, such as a product catalog, then automatic collation will not work here.

How Can You Collate Print?

Collating is often enabled by default, however, can be adjusted through the print window that appears before printing.

So, how can you collate print? Well, it’s simple; just follow the 4 steps below:

  • After you are finished working on your document and ready to print, click on the File tab at the top left corner.
  • Select print to open a new window or click on the Print dialog box
  • Look for the Collate option and click on it.
  • Make sure to put the number of copies you want to print and press the print button.

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Try collating your printed documents and see how much easier it makes your life, you’ll never have to manually put your papers together again – the printer does all the hard work for you!