The computer may reign triumphantly in this day and age, but the paperless office is far from a reality. Particularly for smaller firms that process payroll and accounts internally, paper business forms like invoices, purchase orders, checks, order forms, and account statements are here to stay.

This guide is designed to give you the facts you need to buy business forms for your firm. The various sections are listed in the box above. You can choose to read this guide from beginning to end, or jump directly to a section of interest.

Types

On the whole, business forms fall into two categories: stock forms and custom forms.

If your company is image-conscious, or if you have very particular needs for your forms, custom forms can differentiate you from others in your industry or satisfy your firm's unique needs. However, for most businesses, stock forms will be adequate--they are actually more diverse than you might think.

Pre-formatted stock forms are designed to be used by multiple companies. Most forms are printed with an area designed specifically for adding a company's name or logo. Yet, while the basic stock-form price usually includes the cost of adding a company name, you'll need to figure in $25-$100 more for a logo. Overall, stock forms tend to be rather economical.

On the other hand, custom-designed forms (especially when ordered in quantitites less than 2500) tend to be considerably more expensive. This is because they require a separate print run each time they are ordered. In addition, custom-designed forms usually require a longer lead time to print. Nevertheless, their advantages in accommodating specific needs are undeniable.

Comparison Shopping

When shopping, be sure to get quotes from different vendors before going with a particular one.

But perhaps even more importantly, know exactly what you need: Are you looking for forms perforated in a certain place? Do you need them printed with serial numbers? Are security features necessary? What size and how many parts do you need for your multi-part forms? Should the edges be designed with holes for continuous printing? By answering all of these questions before you even speak with a vendor, you'll be able to get a more accurate quote on the forms that will work best for you.

Finally, make sure to receive a sample of the form before you place your order. Even stock forms can differ slightly in the way that they are produced across manufacturers; by understanding what your supplier will be providing, you won't be surprised with what you get.

Where to Buy

There are a number of channels for buying forms. Some forms printers sell directly through catalogs and direct sales forces, eliminating the middleman and usually offering the best prices. Smaller businesses in particular will usually benefit more from the lower overhead of catalog purchases. However, choices can be limited, so shop around.

Distributors, on the other hand, work almost as consultants, taking orders and passing them along to the printer best suited for the job. You'll usually have to pay a slight markup for this convenience, but if you don't know much about forms, you might find it useful to take advantage of these companies' expertise; they may offer options you hadn't even considered.

Many software companies offer forms to go with their financial programs as a supplement to their services. But just as you aren't required to buy your personal checks from the bank, software-compatible forms don't needto be bought from the software company. In fact, turning to the other channels can be a quick way to lower your costs.

Buying Tips

Paper as backup
In these computer-dependent times, it pays to have a backup of paper forms to help you keep your office running in the event of unexpected technological failure.

Don't rule out laser printing multi-part forms
One way to avoid laser printing multi-part forms altogether is by printing the same information multiple times on a perforated sheet.

Consider carbonless
The cost of carbonless paper has dropped so much that the difference between that and carbon inserts has become negligible.

Reader-friendliness
Make your forms as easy to read as possible. Serif fonts work best for large blocks of text (like directions), while sans serif type is preferred for elements of the form that require immediate interaction with the reader (like captions or titles).