Beware of Fraudulent Checks

Many credible businesses use Versa Checks in order to help them effectively do business and process checks on an as needed basis. Because versa checks are so widely available and easy to use, they can be used to lure someone into a false sense of security. Just because you see what appears to be a valid looking business check, be wary of any business you have never dealt with before. White-collar crime is on the rise with the continued advanced in technology and despite the fact that the versa check could appear valid with a logo and security features, it could still be a fake. A versa check system is a great system for businesses to use to create their own checks but because of its ease of use, it can be a potential tool for scam artists.

When dealing with an unknown entity for the first time, you may want to require a certified check or let the check clear before releasing goods or services to someone

Always thoroughly research a company prior to doing business with them, especially if they are newly in business or overseas. The further away the company is from you, the more difficult it can be to validate them so trust your instincts and have a policy in place for doing business with companies that you don’t already have a relationship with.

Printer Paper vs. Copy Paper

Printer paper is made to be thicker for higher quality output. For example, if you put copy paper into an inkjet printer and print off a large image or photo, your output would be on soggy paper and possibly distorted. Copiers lay less ink and produce output at speeds hundreds of times faster than printers. With the exception of color copiers, thinner paper is just right for the average copy machine.

Next time you are out shopping for printer paper, be careful when choosing your printer paper.

Finding Affordable Legal Forms

You can purchase just about any legal form you need from the online office supply stores. For a few extra bucks, you can purchase legal form software from companies like E-Z Legal Forms who sell the popular software "Everyday Legal Forms and Agreements". This and other legal form software can be found at any office supply store or online office supply store.

Custom Envelopes for Special Occasions

With the amount of printing establishments around today, the cost of having custom envelopes and letterhead has decreased significantly. For as little as 35 cents per envelope, you can give any special occasion the attention it deserves. Customized envelopes can include addresses, logos, and even photos. If you don't have time to spend in front of your computer trying to create your own envelopes in Microsoft Word, head down to a printer and let them add some class and sophistication to your envelopes.

Comparing Office Forms Software

According to the many different comparison websites on the Internet, Crystal Decisions, BizTools, and SmartForm Ltd dominate the office forms software world, offering thousands of form templates for personal and small business use.

SmartForm's Anyform 3.1 for example enables you to fill out, calculate, and print any given paper form. The filling out of these forms can be done by hand or by importing data from an ODBC supported Database, like MS Excel, MS Access, Sybase, Oracle, Informix, etc.

Where Crystal Decisions offers products specific to generating Oracle or other database-driven reports.

There are lots of choices when it comes to office supply forms software. Do some comparison shopping and read reviews before you purchase the one that seems to have the best of everything.

Buying Envelopes Wholesale

Until money goes 100% digital and your grandmother has her own Bluetooth enabled Flash drive, people will continue to use envelopes. We consume thousands of envelopes over our lifetime and most-likely pay by the individual box when our supply runs low.

With a little price comparison, you can purchase envelopes at wholesale and pickup an entire case of envelopes at nearly half the price of retail. You will use them in the next 10 years, why not save some money and go the wholesale route?

Finding the Right Color Copy Paper

Look for the best price and stick to paper that is at least 22 lb. Don't get color copy paper confused with printer paper, photo paper, or plain "bond" supply. The label should read "color copy paper" and the price should be a buck or two more per ream than plain bond.

Template Office Forms

There was a time when you might have to paid $10 or more for one copy of a form template. These pre-packaged forms are still available in office supply stores, but are slowly dwindling away as software becomes more and more robust and affordable. For a few bucks, you can pickup office form software that includes thousands of generic templates for everything from real estate to web design contracts.

Office forms found in software today are simple to fill out on the computer, and can be printed or emailed. Do some research to find the software package that's right for you.

The Best Envelopes for Small Business Communication

If you still send data and invoices via snail mail, you should know which type of envelopes are appropriate for a small business.

Small envelopes are not considered professional. Folds should be tri-fold only, leaving only two creases in the paper. The standard business envelope is a #10 envelope.


A #10 envelope is 4-1/8" x 9-1/2". It is the most common business envelope size and is commonly used for standard 8-1/2" x 11" sheets of paper. Security tint is extremely important if you want to protect the recipient's privacy. Look for #10 envelopes with security tint if you are in need of sending snail mail to your customers.

Selecting the Right Copy Paper

There are many choices when it comes to purchasing paper for your printer, abd its important to know what to look for so you can get the best printout for your project. Here are a few tips to get you started:

• Copy paper should not be expensive, since it is thinner than normal paper and used only to make copies (color copies being the exception).
• For black and white copies, you should only purchase 20 lb supply. Buy in bulk to reduce your cost per ream.
  
• For color copies, 20 lb paper can be a little thin. Look for 22 lb or 24 lb for the best quality print. Thinner paper may warp and create a soggy effect.