Master Your Ricoh Copier: 7 Time-Saving Features You Aren’t Using
Does your office Ricoh copier feel like a mysterious beast? You use it for copies and maybe a scan, but it beeps, flashes, and seems to hold secrets you don’t have time to learn.
What if you could tame it? Beyond the basic functions lies a suite of powerful features designed to save you time and simplify your workday. Let’s unlock that potential.
Here are 7 time-saving Ricoh copier features you probably aren’t using (but definitely should be).
1. Secure Print (aka Follow-Me Printing)
What it is: Instead of your print job immediately coming out (and sitting in the tray for anyone to see), it’s held in a secure queue on the copier until you personally release it.
Why it’s a time-saver:
- No More Rushing: You can send a print job from your desk and release it when you actually get to the copier, not when the printer decides it’s ready.
- Confidentiality & Security: Perfect for printing sensitive documents like pay stubs, contracts, or HR reports. No more wasted paper from unclaimed prints, and your privacy is guaranteed.
- How to use it: When you print, look for “Secure Print” or “Follow-Me” in your printer settings. You’ll be prompted to enter a PIN. Enter that same PIN at the copier’s touchscreen to release your job.
2. Scan to Email with a Single Touch
What it is: Program the copier’s touchscreen with one-touch buttons that automatically scan and email documents to pre-set addresses or groups (e.g., “Accounting,” “Project Team”).
Why it’s a time-saver:
- Eliminate Repetitive Typing: Never manually type an email address into the copier again. This cuts a 60-second process down to 10 seconds.
- Reduce Errors: No more typos in email addresses causing failed deliveries.
- How to use it: Ask your office administrator to set these up. They can usually program these buttons using the web interface of the Ricoh copier.
3. Scan to Cloud Storage
What it is: Directly scan a paper document and save it as a PDF to your company’s cloud storage, like Microsoft SharePoint, OneDrive, Google Drive, or Dropbox.
Why it’s a time-saver:
- Skip the Middleman: No more scanning to email, saving the attachment, and then uploading it to the cloud. It’s a direct digital pipeline.
- Instant Organization: Documents go straight to the correct digital folder, making them instantly accessible to your team from anywhere.
- How to use it: On the copier’s touchscreen, select the “Scan” function and look for the cloud storage icons. You’ll likely need to log in to your account once to authenticate.
4. The Document Feeder’s Secret: Mixed-Size Originals
What it is: Many modern Ricoh copiers can automatically detect and scan a stack of documents with different paper sizes (like a letter, a legal sheet, and a receipt) in the Automatic Document Feeder (ADF) without jamming or errors.
Why it’s a time-saver:
- No More Pre-Sorting: You don’t have to waste time separating your stack by size before scanning. Just load the whole pile and let the copier figure it out.
- Faster Batch Scanning: This is a huge time-saver for scanning large, disorganized archives of paper.
- How to use it: Look for a setting called “Mixed Size Originals” or “Auto Paper Detection” in the scan menu and ensure it’s enabled.
5. Customizable Shortcut Buttons on the Touchscreen
What it is: You can save your most complex, multi-step tasks as a single, one-touch shortcut icon on the copier’s home screen.
Why it’s a time-saver:
- One-Task Execution: Imagine a button that: Scans a double-sided document → Saves it as a searchable PDF → Emails it to the “Client Files” group. Instead of 10 taps, it’s just one.
- Personalized Workflow: Your most frequent and complicated tasks become simple.
- How to use it: This is often found in the “User Tools” or “Program” settings on the copier’s panel. You can create, name, and save your own workflows.
6. Two-Page Separation Feature
What it is: When scanning a book or magazine, this feature allows you to place two pages (left and right) on the scanner glass. The copier will then automatically split them into two separate, correctly oriented digital pages.
Why it’s a time-saver:
- Cuts Scanning Time in Half: You don’t have to lift the lid, reposition the book, and scan each page individually.
- Perfect for Books & Magazines: It’s the fastest and most accurate way to digitize content from bound materials.
- How to use it: In the scan settings, look for “2in1” or “Book Separation” mode. Select it, place the two pages on the glass, and start the scan.
7. Mobile Printing & Scanning
What it is: Using Ricoh’s free apps (like Ricoh Smart Device Connector or Ricoh Print & Scan), you can print directly from your smartphone or tablet, or scan a document and save it directly to your mobile device.
Why it’s a time-saver:
- Print from Anywhere: Got a document on your phone you need in physical form? No need to transfer it to a computer first.
- Scan to Your Pocket: Quickly scan a whiteboard or a paper handout and have the PDF save directly to your phone’s photo gallery or files app for immediate sharing.
- How to use it: Download the relevant Ricoh app from the App Store or Google Play, follow the setup to find your office copier, and you’re ready to go.
Your Challenge for Today: The next time you’re at the copier, try just one of these features. We bet you’ll be hooked. Master your tools, and you’ll master your time
