Folder Inserters
Folder inserters are machines which automate the manual task of folding a document and inserting it into an envelope. The use of a folder inserter machine is up to 30 times faster than the equivalent job done by hand. Equally, a folder inserter machine is able to handle a variety of envelope and document sizes (including up to C5) and can work with batches of up to 4000 pages at a time.
Using Folder Inserters in Business
It would be easy if all business related document exchanges could be carried out electronically. However, when sending sensitive documents such as invoices or statements, companies may find electronic delivery methods inappropriate. In such cases a company can find themselves faced with the task of sending a large number of documents to various global locations using the postal service. Folder inserter machines make this task easier, cheaper and more practical.
Many companies choose to outsource the folding and sending of large batches of documents. This is because using folder inserters for such batches can require experience and specialist knowledge, which companies such as Newsnet are able to provide. Equally, posting invoices or statements is a job which should be done to the highest standard, as these postal interactions represent a company or business to their clients.
Multiple Page Documents
A folder inserter can be programmed to accommodate many forms of document, including invoices or statements which span between two and five double sided pages (documents larger than this will be enveloped by hand). In order for this to be possible the documents must be sent or emailed to the outsourced company in batches denoting the number of pages a document contains. The folder inserter machines will then be programmed to ensure the correct pages are inserted into each and every envelope.
Postage Payment
Once folding and inserting of documents into envelopes is complete, the resulting batches of statements or invoices need to be sent by post. Large batches of such statements or invoices would be placed into prepaid envelopes of either first or second classification.
Envelopes which are larger in size, or heavier, will require a different method of postage as the cost of posting them must be calculated manually using a Royal Mail price chart. This price must then be entered into a franking machine, which will print an ink stamp onto the envelope.
Franking machines are pre-pay machines which can be topped up by telephone or using an online account. They are easier and cheaper (by at least 2p per letter) than spending money on postage stamps. Franking machines are often extremely useful to companies as allow paper documents to be dispatched efficiently.
Overseas documents
It is frequently found within a batch of statements or invoices that a percentage of those documents are being sent to non-UK destinations. These documents will need to be folded and inserted into special Air Mail envelopes in order that they can be posted. However, when dealing with a large document batch, non-UK intended documents will be interspersed among UK ones. For this reason Newsnet and other folder inserting companies have specialist software which scans document addresses, flagging those with an overseas destination so that they may be folded separately into Air Mail envelopes.
