Collate means to print pages in their correct, sequential order. When you print 10 copies of a 5-page document, turn on collate and you’ll get ten sets in order: pages 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, then 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and so on. With collation turned off, you get all ten copies of page 1 stacked together, then all ten copies of page 2, and so on.
If you are printing anything that needs to stay in order, just like a booklet, report, training packet, or contracts, you want it collated. Trust us! This will make organizing your documents so much easier. If you are printing a single-page document, like handouts or flyers, collation does not apply because it take multiple pages to collate.
Collated vs. Uncollated: A Visual Difference
Collated for 3 copies of a 4-page document:
Page 1 → Page 2 → Page 3 → Page 4
Page 1 → Page 2 → Page 3 → Page 4
Page 1 → Page 2 → Page 3 → Page 4
Uncollated for the same job:
Page 1 → Page 1 → Page 1
Page 2 → Page 2 → Page 2
Page 3 → Page 3 → Page 3
Page 4 → Page 4 → Page 4
A collated set is ready to be stapled, folded, or handed out as complete sets. Uncollated printouts require manual sorting of each page, unless you actually want the stacks separated. For example, if you are distributing single pages to different teams or sections, then it makes sense to turn off collate for the print job.
When Should You Collate?
From our experience, you should collate these:
+ Multi-page reports and proposals
+ Training manuals and workbooks
+ Booklets, brochures, and catalogs
+ Meeting agendas and board packets
+ Contracts and legal documents
+ Annual reports
+ Event programs
Collate does not apply to these since they are single page documents:
+ Single-page flyers
+ Single-page postcards
+ Letterhead in bulk
+ Business cards
+ Posters
How Do Printers Collate?
On commercial printing equipment, collation happens inline as part of the bindery workflow. The press or finishing line gathers pages in the correct order as they come off the press, and the collated sets feed directly into folding, stitching, perfect binding, or trimming. At Bacchus Press, this happens on our Heidelberg and Ricoh production equipment with finishing handled in-house, which is faster and more accurate than collating after printing.
For office printing, collation is a setting in your print dialog. The printer prints one full set, then the next, then the next, instead of running every copy of each page in sequence.
The Collate Setting on Your Printer
The collate option appears in almost every print dialog. Here is where to find it:
Microsoft Word (Windows or Mac):
File → Print → look for the “Collate” or “Collated” checkbox in the Settings panel. On Windows, it is usually a dropdown labeled “Collated” or “Uncollated.” On Mac, it is a checkbox labeled “Collate.”
Adobe Acrobat / Adobe Reader:
File → Print → check the “Collate” box under the page range options. The icon next to it shows the two output patterns side by side.
macOS Print Dialog (Preview, Pages, any app):
Click “Show Details” if the dialog is collapsed. The “Collate” checkbox appears in the main panel. It is checked by default in most macOS apps.
Google Chrome / Browser Printing:
Click “More settings” in the print dialog. Toggle “Collate” on or off. Default is on.
If you only need one copy of a multi-page document, collation makes no difference. The setting only affects multi-copy print jobs.
What Does Uncollated Mean?
Uncollated means the printer outputs every copy of each page before moving on to the next page. For three copies of a 4-page document, you get three of page 1, then three of page 2, then three of page 3, then three of page 4. This is faster on some printers because it reduces the number of times the printer has to load the file, but it requires sorting before the output is usable as complete document sets.
Uncollated is the right choice when you actually want stacks of identical pages, such as when distributing different pages to different stations or recipients.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does collate mean in printing?
Collate means printing pages in correct sequential order so that each copy of the document is a complete, ordered set. A 3-page document printed in 5 collated copies produces 5 complete sets of pages 1-2-3, ready to staple or hand out.
What is the difference between collated and uncollated?
Collated prints complete document sets in order (1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3). Uncollated prints all copies of each page together (1-1-1, 2-2-2, 3-3-3). Collated is ready to use as bound or stapled documents. Uncollated requires sorting before anything else.
Do I need to collate when I print one copy?
No. Collation only matters when you are printing two or more copies of a multi-page document. For a single copy, the setting has no effect.
What does the collate setting do on my home printer?
The collate setting tells your printer to output complete sets in order rather than stacks of identical pages. With collate on, you can staple or bind each set as it comes out. With collate off, you have to sort the output yourself.
Is collated printing slower?
On some printers, yes, slightly. The printer has to process the full document multiple times instead of caching one page and printing all copies of it. On commercial presses with inline finishing, the difference is negligible because collation is part of the production flow.
What does collate mean on a copier?
The same thing. The copier outputs complete sets in order rather than stacks of each page. Most office copiers default to collated output.
Need a Multi-Page Print Job Done Right?
Bacchus Press has been producing collated, bound, and finished print work for Bay Area businesses since 1975. Reports, booklets, training manuals, board packets, and event programs are all produced in-house at our Emeryville facility, which means tighter quality control and faster turnaround. Get in touch to discuss your project.
