In a modern economy where gaining a competitive edge is more important than ever, companies across the corporate sector are looking to set themselves apart from other firms in their industry in any way possible. As such, the increasing use of digital platforms and technological solutions for age-old problems has become increasingly popular for a wide array of companies across a host of different sectors and industries.

Revolutionising document management

One such way that digital solutions are being applied to age-old problems is through the FileStar document management system. Using the latest developments in cloud-based technology, the FileStar system has revolutionised the way that companies manage the large quantity of information and documents that need to be processed in order to successfully and effectively carry out their operations. Large multinational market-leaders such as McDonalds and LG currently use the FileStar system to streamline and simplify their document management operations. Here at ASL, we offer FileStar as part of our Managed Print Services.

 

Benefits of the FileStar document management system

Where once company offices were filled to the brim with filing cabinets containing every document necessary for a company’s operations, the FileStar system provides a technologically-savvy alternative. Utilising cloud-based technology, FileStar allows documents of all shapes and sizes to be scanned digitally into a comprehensive system that provides a much greater ease of access. Rather than sifting through a heap of cluttered documents trying to find the required piece of paper, FileStar ensures that each document is logged digitally, and thus can be easily accessed through the click of a button.

Aside from the time saved from not having to physically search through filing cabinets to find the desired document, FileStar also helps to save a great deal of money through the decreased necessity for paper documents, and for the storage facilities to house them. Office space can instead be used more effectively, and rather than spending company resources on reams and reams of paper, funds can be allocated more effectively.

Moreover, FileStar can help companies to truly contribute to more environmentally-friendly practices, which not only benefits conservation efforts, but also can be a useful marketing tool to appeal to a millennial generation that places a greater emphasis on a company’s moral practices.

FileStar’s use of cloud-based technology not only helps with the ease of access to documentation, but it also helps to relieve the pressure on a company’s in-house computer server. With FileStar, there is little to no necessity in running a costly in-house server to store digitised documents; instead, all a company needs is a web browser to access the totality of stored documents.

Another advantage of FileStar’s document management system is the level of security provided. With guaranteed secure access, regular comprehensive auditing, and flexible retention policies, FileStar ensures that any company using the system will meet document compliance requirements.

 

Features of the FileStar system

There are clearly numerous benefits to using the FileStar system; and there are also a host of technologically-savvy features that enhance the user experience to make document management much simpler and user friendly. Some of the unique features that FileStar has to offer include:

1) Compatibility with any Windows operated scanner or multi-function device
2) Paper document scans automatically converted into searchable PDF documents
3) User-friendly web browser interface
4) Comprehensive search engine for easy document access
5) Ability to send documents to FileStar via email
6) Automated document filing and naming system
7) Customisable user access control to documentation
8) File emails and documents from Microsoft Office
9) Ability to create multiple document inboxes

 

How does the FileStar system work?

As the features of the FileStar document management system suggest, using FileStar to digitally file and track documents is easier than ever before. The user simply scans a paper document straight from their device, and the scanned documented is automatically sent to the FileStar cloud-based server and filed in the appropriate folder.

Using a simple yet effective process, the FileStar system has helped to revolutionise the document management process for a host of companies:

1) FileStar cloud connect app

This app is installed on a single computer or server within a company, and is the system which acts to upload scans taken from copiers or scanners.

2) Scan a document from a copier or scanner

By creating a scan profile, which the majority of current scanners and copiers on the market have the ability to do, documents can be scanned with the click of a single button. Once completed, the scanned documented is sent to the FileStar system. This represents the final stage the user needs to complete!

3) Documents get transferred into PDFs

The FileStar system automatically begins processing new documents into PDFs, requiring no input from the user. The FileStar system can be configured at implementation with rules on how to process different documents, ensuring that they are processed correctly. For example, documents scanned through different scanning profiles can be processed in different ways.

4) PDFs get transferred to the Cloud

Once scanned documents have been converted, they are automatically sent to FileStar’s cloud-based server and filed accordingly. If for any reason you should lose internet connectivity, the FileStar app will retain the document locally on the computer it was scanned into, and then finish the upload process once connectivity returns.

5) Search for the documents in your browser

Uploaded documents can now be searched for and viewed using an internet browser.

6) Document lifecycle

FileStar’s access control allows only selected or authorised users to access uploaded documents. Moreover, built-in audit trails keep a record of users who have viewed or edited documents. Retention policy features allow documents to be flagged if they need to be removed due to compliance requirements.

To learn more about how the FileStar document management system can benefit your business, contact us at ASL today!

With the modern world becoming increasingly digitised and relying on technological solutions, the issue of data protection has become more and more important. Over the past few years, there has been a growing number of security breaches and data thefts that have rocked major organisations around the world. However, governments and companies across a wide array of nations and industries have been fighting back.

 

What is GDPR?

Since May 2018, every nation within the EU has adopted the GDPR, or the General Data Protection Regulation, with the hope of ensuring that companies are more protected from potential data breaches, and furthermore that customers can rest assured that their data footprint is in safe hands. The GDPR requires any company within the EU, or that operates within EU borders, to take steps to ensure that they protect the personal data and privacy of citizens and customers in unprecedented levels.

Any company with greater than 250 employees that holds or processes personal information and data must ensure that they comply with the GDPR, and any company with fewer than 250 employees that has the potential to have an impact upon personal information and data must also comply with the regulations.

 

Impact upon companies

Compliance with the GDPR has become of paramount importance to companies across the corporate world, as it is widely recognised that failure to comply with the regulations can be a significant barrier to operating within Europe, one of the world’s largest consumer markets. Furthermore, aside from a purely competitive standpoint, there is the potential for crippling fines for any company shown to have failed to comply with the GDPR.

In the instance of a data breach, the company at fault will incur a fine of up to £23.6 million, or four per cent of the company’s total worldwide annual turnover, whichever figure turns out to be highest. This clearly has the potential to be fatal to many large multinational firms, let alone the wide array of small-to-medium sized companies that operate within the EU’s borders. With such a significant potential risk, companies are thus scrambling to ensure that they have the correct procedures and safeguards in place to avoid this catastrophic situation.

Within firms, data controllers, data processors, and data protection officers have been tasked with ensuring compliance with the GDPR. However, despite the realisation of the importance of compliance, there are still some aspects of many company’s operations that have been neglected. One such instance is the security of the data processed through a company’s printing facilities.

 

Securing the safety of printing data

Whilst the security of the data handled by a company’s printing facilities often go neglected, luckily there steps that can be taken to ensure that printing systems comply with the GDPR. One such step is implementing a Follow Me printing solution.

Follow Me printing solutions are fast becoming the latest innovation in commercial printing procedures due to the increased levels of convenience and security that are provided. Not only do Follow Me printing solutions help to provide greater levels of data security that ensure compliance with the GDPR, but such systems also help to grant greater levels of flexibility and control over the printing process. Moreover, there is also the potential for a decrease in waste created by unnecessary or unintentional printing.

Follow Me printing solutions operate on a very basic two-step process:

1. A user decides to start a desired printing job on their workstation
2. Once the user is physically present at the printer that they desire to use, they start the printing process by verifying their identity through a number of authentication procedures.

This simple process has clear benefits for helping companies to ensure that they comply with the GDPR. Follow Me printing solutions have become increasingly popular in academic institutions for that very reason. For example, a student working at a computer can initiate their desired printing project, and select the desired output printer to be in the location of their next class. Once they arrive at that location, with a simple swipe of their ID card they can execute the printing order they started previously. With such a system, rather than the printed piece of paper simply lying in the printing tray until they arrive, with the potential to be seen by anyone, possibly taken, or simply thrown away, the student can rest safe in the knowledge that the information on the piece of paper has been seen by their eyes only.

Aside from ensuring compliance with the GDPR, a Follow Me system also has clear benefits for limiting printing waste. As the printing job is only executed upon confirmation with an ID card, or on a control panel embedded in the printer, there is no chance of accidental printing that wastes paper and ink. Thus, using a Follow Me system is not only essential for data security reasons; it also has extremely beneficial effects upon overall efficiency and environmental footprint.

To learn more about how Follow Me printing solutions can benefit your business, contact us today!

About 90% of businesses are unable to estimate how much they actually spend on documentation. It’s a big number; and, if you run a business or buy office supplies for one, you likely know how expensive it can be. A typical day in the office brings a great many printed sheets, and you’re probably painfully aware that a lot of them don’t actually need to be printed at all. Inefficient printing is costly, wasteful, deleterious to the environment and – perhaps most importantly of all – unproductive. When paper is wasted on documents which don’t need to be printed, that same paper cannot be used for the documents that do.

 

The Solution

This is where Papercut comes in. Papercut is a software for print control management, which means that it allows you to see what’s in your (or your employees’) print or photocopy queue at a glance. This enables an employer or manager to instantly compare photocopier and/or printer use across departments, or even between devices. When you can see what your business is using the photocopier for, you can work out where to streamline your printer and photocopier use. It can even track and manage printing from Chromebook, Android, iOS and other devices – so if your company has a bring-your-own-device policy, you can still benefit from using Papercut.

 

The Environmental Benefits

The software also offers a boost in eco-friendliness for your company, by not only allowing you to set print quotas but also showing you the key facts about what and how you’ve been photocopying. When it becomes possible to see where paper wastage is occurring, it becomes that much easier to minimise paper waste. The average employee prints around 8,000 to 10,000 sheets in a single year – that’s equivalent to about a tree per employee – and of those about 1,400 are wasted. Think of it this way: if you have just six employees in your company, who each waste 1,400 sheets each, their wasted sheets alone add up to more than a tree’s worth of paper. And wasted sheets are useless, so they may as well be blank. 1,400 blank sheets of paper is an awful lot: imagine stacking it! Print quotas, on the other hand, discourage wasteful printing and photocopying by setting paper use limits, meaning that employees think about their photocopying a little more and hence save a few trees.

Instead, Papercut encourages employees to use modern, digital solutions, like forwarding emails and using the cloud for data; these will save even more time and money as would-be photocopier users never even have to leave their desk. In fact, printing only necessary documents would mean that employees spend more time getting on with work that needs to get done.

 

The Efficiency Benefits

Beyond simply limiting photocopies, encouraging employees to be more responsible with printer use means that paper s saved for the really important stuff – and makes sure there’s always enough paper to go round. Your employees will barely ever have to feel frustrated with a lack of paper or ink (and therefore their workflow won’t be disrupted), and you’ll be able to save money on print supplies for the entire company. It is a fact that printing costs are usually the third biggest expense for a business, after rent and paying wages! The average cost of printing for a company with £10 million in revenue is between £100,000 and £300,000; cutting that down to size would be a significant boost. And small businesses, who would perhaps find that extra saving even more useful, can benefit too – ASL supply businesses of any size with Papercut.

 

Why Us?

Furthermore, Papercut is the single best print control management software on the market today. It has the most features, and it has near-complete cross-platform usability; it can be used with all major operating systems. It’s intuitive and easy to use, and can even be set up and used in 16 different languages. It is, in fact, the one and only true cross-platform print control management system on the market. It is developed by a bright, clued-up team focused on engineering and technology – which means they are focused on making your business that much more productive using real facts and figures.

Nor is Papercut a purely corporate tool. It actually started life as a means of enforcing print quotas for students – as such, it can be used in schools and universities too, and even government departments have felt their benefits. Essentially, in any professional or educational environment where there are photocopiers, Papercut can increase their efficiency and productivity.

 

ASL

ASL offers Papercut as part of their suite of Managed Print Services. If you are interested in acquiring the efficiency that Papercut offers for your fleet of photocopiers, get in touch. ASL offer free phone consultations, after which they can provide you a quote tailored to your business’s exact requirements. Greater efficiency and productivity for your photocopier fleet is within your grasp.

 

  ASL, the office managed services group, are pleased to welcome Nigel Allen onto their board as the new marketing director for the group. Previously one of the board at Kyocera achieving substantial growth over the last 9 years, Nigel brings this wealth of relevant experience to the role, as well as providing ASL with the marketing expertise they need to maximise growth in the short- and longer-term. Nigel’s previous career as the marketing director for Kyocera (Nigel worked for Kyocera for more than fifteen years), ensures he has an excellent insight and knowledge of the sector which will be invaluable as they continue to grow to be one of the largest Independent companies in the market.

Nigel Allen states “I have worked with ASL for many years from the manufacturer side and seen the growth in their business organically and through targeted acquisition. It is a very exciting time to be at ASL and this is further demonstrated with this investment and focus on marketing. My focus will be on ensuring ASL is firmly established in the mind of our target market, with clear messaging and approach to the end user, thereby aiding the sales effort and helping ASL stand out as the leading supplier”

ASL have undertaken a focused programme of acquisitions in recent years which has seen the group evolve into a large-scale organization, offering a diverse selection of services including unified comms, security and production print. Appreciating the positive culture and values which are a key part of the ASL persona, Nigel is eager to work with the rest of the directors to continue to take the company forward towards even greater success.

Mark Garius, managing director of ASL, said, “For a number of years ASL has seen significant growth and reached a stage where it was necessary to strengthen our Board of Directors. We know that Marketing will play a big role moving forward as we continue to acquire and add new services to our portfolio. It is imperative that we communicate our proposition correctly to our current customers as well as new prospects. ASL have worked with Nigel at Kyocera for several years and have always been impressed with his part in their growth and success. He therefore headed a very short list of candidates that we approached to help ASL move to the next level. The other directors and I are very excited about his decision to join the board and add his considerable skill sets and knowledge to ASL.”

ASL – leaders in telephony and printing solutions

ASL is a market leader in managed print services and unified comms in the UK. Currently one of the top ten managed service companies in the country, ASL has acquired a reputation for impartial product recommendations and impeccable customer service at every stage. With well over 100 employees and branches in Basildon, London, Great Yarmouth, Cambridge, Cannock and Milton Keynes, they offer a responsive, customized solution for a wide variety of office requirements. ASL offer independent advice and can supply and maintain a large range of products from global leaders in the print solutions world, including Kyocera, Ricoh, Lexmark, Canon, Konica and Papercut. Flexible financing and a commitment to ensuring each customer gets the very best option for their requirements are crucial to ASL’s continual growth.

 

 

 

For many business owners, the deciding of fixtures and fittings for the workspace can often be one headache you would rather do without. Equipment such as printers, faxes and scanners are all crucial elements of the setup, but can cause issues with regards to sourcing, pricing, installation and maintenance. In addition, there are also a myriad of options to choose from, with regard to brand, type, colour or mono, and a number of other factors which make it difficult to select the one which is best for you. One area you may not have previously considered, however, and one which could prove a positive bonus for your business, is large format printing.

Put simply, large format printing is printing that is carried out using a device that uses media which is larger than standard desktop formats. Examples include A3, 8.5″x11″, and similar. Large format printers may include printers which range in physical size from 12″ wide to several yards, depending on the preferred usage, potential location and design. These printers open a new world of possibilities in regards for potential projects and creative designs and can prove a large bonus feature to your office or workspace if used correctly.

There are a number of benefits which can come with large format printing:

– Speed: A large format printer will be able to offer print speeds which are unmatched by any other multifunction or desktop printer; on average, they are able to produce up to 15 posters in one hour, and include extremely high-quality graphics and images.

– High quality: The droplet technology which is used by large format printers allows microscopic ink droplets, ensuring precision and incredible high-quality images, unable to be produced by standard printers.

– Clarity: The large format printers can distinguish between images and text more easily during the print process. This means it is easier to produce prints clearly and accurately, and display the image and graphics to their best advantage.

– Accessibility: Wide format printers often have large touch screen menus to operate, alter settings, or check connectivity. This means that is easier to use than a typical desktop printer, and is more accessible for those who may have additional issues, or who may not be confident with technology.

– Mobile printing: Accessibility and convenience are also massively enhanced by the mobile printing feature which is common with most large format printers. Users are able to print from mobile phones and other wireless devices, meaning that multiple users can access the printer at the same time without having to be physically connected, and allows you to print from emails on phones or tablets, making the whole process more convenient for everyone.

– Save the environment: For those eco-conscious consumers, there is good news: wide format printers can be more eco-friendly, as the quality is higher, requiring fewer copies. The larger space also allows more information to be contained on a single sheet, reducing the amount of paper and ink which may be required. As an additional advantage, many large format printers tend to use UV curing and low-VOC inks, which are more environmentally friendly.

Wide format printers allow the opportunity to create incredible visual campaigns, with stunning images, eye-catching graphics, and a chance for businesses to really grab the attention of their potential buyers and customers by creating marketing which stands out from the crowd. Having an in-house machine also reduces the need for outsourcing: all printed material can be designed and created within the business, therefore reducing potential costs and overheads, and allowing more profit to be generated.

But isn’t this expensive?

 

Whilst it is undeniable that wide format printing has a huge number of benefits and bonuses for businesses, there is also downside that such equipment can prove costly, particularly in the early days of setting up a business. There is a solution to this however which can solve a number of issues: the option to lease or rent.

Leasing or renting allows you to pay for equipment as you go, saving you the hassle of an initial upfront cost, as well as the cost of ongoing repairs and maintenance. These will often come with full installation service, delivery, and qualified expert engineers on the other end of a phone should something go wrong. This allows you to select the best printer for your business needs, and enables you to focus on what is important: your clients, and leave the technical issues to experts. This solution also allows you to spread the cost, reducing that need for an initial upfront cost which eats into your set up costs.

Large format printing has a number of benefits and could be a valuable asset to many aspects of your business. It is now also more accessible than ever and could prove a lucrative and worthwhile investment

 

 

For many businesses, one of their largest expenses tends to come from the creation and circulation of documents and papers; whether they are for advertising and marketing purposes such as flyers and business cards, internal memos, or simply resources needed for the company.

 

The value of paper-based resources

In this modern world, digital is undoubtedly supreme, with much administration and communication carried out electronically over email or other file-sharing software. There is no denying, however, the value which paper-based resources hold, and they are still important for many companies. One of the issues with this can be the costs involved in purchasing and maintaining printing equipment and material. One must consider not only the initial expense of the printer itself, but ongoing costs (paper, toner or ink), repairs and upgrades, and the hassle of fixing any faults that may appear. Thankfully, there is a solution which could help with all of this: hiring or leasing a printer in London.

ASL, or Automated Systems Group Ltd, has a proud reputation as one of the UK’s largest independent reprographic, managed print services and managed print suppliers. They boast more than 5000 customers across the nation, and have the ability to provide modern, cutting-edge technology from the world’s leading manufacturers, and can offer solutions, consultancy and advice to your business to discover and meet your needs exactly.

How do I hire a printer in London?

 

The process of hiring a printer is a simple one, but one which can save you a great deal of stress down the line! Here are the simple steps:

1) Do your research

What is it you need your printer for? Is it solely to produce information? Do you need to process high-quality images? Access a fax facility? Will you need to copy large numbers of documents or scan detailed information? Make sure you are clear about the needs of your company before you buy, to help you make the best selection.

2) Contact the experts

Once you have a good idea of what you are looking for, it is time to call in the pros! When you contact ASL, you will be assigned a dedicated Account Manager who will oversee the entire process and ensure that everything runs smoothly.

 

3) Find the best solution

With your Account Manager, you can work to find the solution to your problems, using a wide range of options, payment plans and choices to ensure that you get the perfect result.

Still not convinced that hiring a printer is the best option for your business? Take a look at some of the benefits you could reap from leasing your printer rather than purchasing it:

 

1) Keep equipment fresh

Technology is constantly changing, and you want to ensure that your printing solutions remain current and relevant. Hiring makes it easy to upgrade equipment, as well as installing and disposing of unwanted products.

 

2) Select a bespoke product

The expert advice which you receive from ASL means that you are guaranteed a product which meets all of the needs of your business. There is a huge range to choose from, with five main broad categories: colour, mono, large format, duplicator, and 3D.

 

3) Easy, hassle-free installation

Hiring or leasing a printer will also include a fast, friendly and professional fitting service, ensuring that your new equipment is delivered quickly, fits in seamlessly and is up and running as soon as possible.

 

4) Use your money wisely

Purchasing printing equipment can require a large initial outlay. However, ASL offers a wide range of flexible finance options, with the option to rent printers from just £4 per week, including short and long-term contracts, low rates, and rental plans which are fully inclusive, covering any maintenance, replacement parts or any other elements of your printer during the terms of the contract.

 

5) High-quality equipment

ASL is able to guarantee not only top quality service and expert advice, but also the highest quality equipment. All printers boast low running costs and consistent reliability throughout their lives – enhanced by the availability of expert technicians from the ASL Group Engineering team, who are just a phone call away. In addition, the printers guarantee high-quality prints and high-quality output speeds. They also include print, copy, scan and fax options as standard, meaning that all of your business needs are taken care of in one reliable machine.

In the world of ever-changing needs and technology, it makes sense to delegate and outsource wherever possible, and this includes the ability to lease printers. ASL is your best choice to hire a printer in London, and as an added bonus, we will even deliver the printers to you. Wherever you are based in the city, we cover a multitude of areas, including Westminster, Hackney, Camden, Soho, Brixton and Shoreditch. It’s so easy to get started – simply give our experienced sales team a call today, and let us take care of the rest.