You’ve done very well with your home business and are ready to take on a couple of employees. You've rented a small office, got some cheap office furniture at Staples, picked up several inexpensive computer systems (for some advice on that subject, you might want to try Top 5 Budget Desktop PCs Under $500). And you figured that you could just move in your trusty all-in-one printers/scanner/copier. Right?
Well, maybe. First, check to make sure that your current all-in-one is networkable -- in other words, that you can connect it to the computer network that your other computers will be connected to. If it isn't, there is a way around this -- your staff can have access to a printer that is connected to one of the systems on the network. However, this can slow things down considerably, so it's really not a good idea. However, as more and more all-in-ones include network connections, it becomes less of an issue.
In addition, a home all-in-one inkjet is fine for occasional printing, but if you've got several people using it, you're going to run through ink very quickly -- and the device may not be built for that kind of constant use.
As a result, it's a good idea to think about what kind of printing you and your staff are going to be doing. There are several possibilities.
What's Right For: Offices That Fax
If you're doing most of your work online, but just need some faxing features to send out those hardcopy contracts, this type of multifunction may suit your needs.
Home and small offices often need printers that will pump out document quickly and consistently. For that, a low-cost laser printer is best.
Businesses that have a lot of paperwork would be well advised to store past and present documents in digital form. Document scanners are the fastest and easiest way to accomplish this.
