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For example, printed pages must be collated before a book or report can be bound. Once you have established the order for a series, you will need to collate it during printing, on the computer, or by hand.
Collating Printed Documents
Open a multi-page document on your word processor, PDF viewer or other program. This method should work for printing a document from a computer to a connected printer. Commonly used programs that feature this collation option include Word, Excel, Preview and Acrobat Reader.
Click the File tab. Then, click “Print.” Don’t use a shortcut to print the item instantly, because you will want to check the computer settings.
Look for the section of the Print dialog box that says “copies.” Type in the number of copies you would like. The number will need to be more than one copy in order to use the collation feature.
Look for a radio box that says “Collate.” Check the box so that the documents will be printed in chronological page order, rather than all the copies of an entire page being printed at once.
Click “Print” or “Ok.” Your printer should print multiple copies in chronological order until that collate box is unchecked.
Collating Digital Documents
Download your PDF management software. Collating digital documents usually requires merging PDF documents. You can purchase and download Adobe Acrobat, which is the industry standard, or you can download a free program, like PDFBinder. Always make sure you are downloading programs from a trusted site. Adobe and CNET are good locations to get reviews and download software programs.
Install the program. Double click on it in your Downloads folder. Let the installation wizard prompt you to finish installation.
Gather your PDFs in one folder. This means you may have to scan double-sided documents and save them with a page number. It may also mean gathering PDFs from different sources and placing them in a logical order for the multi-page PDF you create.
Open the program. Either drag and drop the PDFs into the program or choose the option to create and combine files.
Position them in the order you would like to see them. Most multi-page PDF creators allow you to move the order up and down until it is perfected.
Press the “Bind” button or the “Combine Files” button. Save the multi-page PDF under one name in an easy-to-access location.
Open your file. Make sure it is collated in the right order. Send or print as required.
Collating By Hand
Place page numbers on the documents before they are printed. If you can’t do this, you will need to identify them by sight according to their subtitles, starting sentences or other individual characteristics.
Print copies of the report one page number at a time. Set each element to print one at a time. You can also simply uncheck the “collate” box on your computer if you’d rather print it uncollated and do it by hand.
Separate each feature of the document into a separate pile. Lay it on a large workspace or on the floor.
Place the piles in order in a semicircle around you. You can order them from left to right or right to left, depending upon your preferred direction.
Gather one page of each element, moving across the semi-circle. When you get to the end, bind the collated copy with a staple, in a folder or with a paper clip.
Repeat until all your copies are collated.
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