Time clocks are ideal for use with employee time attendance. Unfortunately employers cannot always rely on their employees to be honest. The “honor system” and hand written time cards can be easily manipulated and employers can be cheated out of thousands of dollars. It is also legally wise to use a time clock, as you can
prove what hours have and have not been worked.

There are a wide variety of time clocks to choose from. Over the years, time clocks have been designed so they can be placed on a countertop or mounted to a wall. Many time clocks even add the time worked,
making payroll calculations easier. A new addition to the time clock family is time recording software that can be installed on a personal computer. Time recording software allows your employees to clock in through a computer. The time is automatically added up and it is easy for employees to clock in and out.

Digital electronic time clocks are the newest style of time clock available on the market. These time clocks are slowly replacing the traditional punch-style time clock. Digital time clocks store clock in and out times electronically, in the machine. Many digital clocks keep a running total of time worked and help calculate hours worked for payroll. Some have a touch pad device that allows you to punch in a code and clock in or out. Other digital time clocks can be interfaced with a computer or a printer for larger organizations.

Some newer time systems also have the ability to use a magnetic stripe, like you see on a credit card. Many employers will put this magnetic strip directly onto a photo ID card that can be used to clock in and out. This data is stored in the device and can provide you with exact details on time worked. Some of these devices can be interfaced with a computer or printer. Security features built into digital time clocks prevent any kid of manipulation or abuse of time worked.

Dumpster diving is considered a legal practice and opens the door to identity fraud and corporate espionage. CDs, floppy disks and paper documents are just a few of the items typically found in garbage cans and dumpsters. A thief can take this information and use it for creating fake identities. Businesses have been known to sift through competitors’ garbage for information that will give them a competitive edge. Unfortunately for these victims, proper protection would have been simple and relatively inexpensive.

Paper shredders have been around for a while, yet you would be surprised how many people have yet to purchase one. These devices effectively destroy paper documents. Shredders are also manufactured that will destroy CDs and floppy disks. A CD/floppy disk combination shredder can be purchased for as little as 614 dollars. Inexpensive strip cut shredders do not always do the job. Data cut into one-quarter-inch strips can often still be deciphered and pieced back together. For this reason, cross-cut shredders have become increasingly popular. Documents fed through a cross-cut shredder are unreadable and provide maximum security.

Placing a paper shredder in every department, although ideal, is not always possible. For this reason, secure document containers are available. Secure document containers are a large container, often in the shape of a
shredder, that have a small slit used for depositing paper. Paper fed through the document container opening cannot be retrieved without a key. Once the secure document container is full, an authorized person with a key can empty the container. Discarded paper can then be taken to a centralized shredder for
proper disposal.

Finding a paper shredder is easy. Finding a high-quality shredder that won’t burn out after a few hours of use is sometimes difficult. Purchasing a shredder that can meet your business needs is vital. ABC Office specializes in paper shredder technology, and can help you on your way to finding paper shredder solutions.

You’ve probably seen it before. A metallic, shiny logo or name that appears on books, photographs and other products. How is it done? Is the process complicated? The process is called foil stamping. You will be surprised how easy it is and who actually uses it.

Foil stamping is very easy to use, and looks clean and professional. Foil stamping involves a thin layer of metallic foil that is pressed, with the use of a die, into a product. By use of heat, any foil that touches a surface is fused to it. Because the die presses into the surface, the foil fuses everywhere pressure is applied.

What are foil stampers usually used for? Foil stampers are most commonly used to stamp a name into a book. You will often see books with an individual’s name in metallic lettering at the base. Foil stampers are
also commonly used for photographs. Usually photographers will stamp their company name or the individual’s name into the photograph. This will usually be seen diagonally on a corner. Foil stampers are also used for weddings to stamp the name of the couple into a napkin or an announcement.

Foil stamping machines come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Desktop units are lightweight and are manually operated. These stampers are nice for low-volume jobs. Desktop foil stampers can be easily transported and setup.

Larger machines are available for high-volume foil stamping. Some foil stampers are available in a pneumatic (air-powered) design. Pneumatic foil stampers operate very quickly and eliminate a lot of manual work.

Foil stamping foil is usually sold in rolls. These rolls are available in different lengths, colors and styles. Some foils stick better to leather, wood, paper, vinyl or plastic. Always be sure you know what you are going to be stamping before purchasing a foil stamping achine or supplies.

Counterfeit money is a growing problem that continues to grow with technology. Color copiers, printers,
scanners and high-tech software make counterfeiting money easier than ever before. Criminals can use a personal computer to quickly create a counterfeit bill that can pass by the naked eye as legal tender. This growing problem is costing businesses around the world thousands of dollars in lost revenue

Although many counterfeit bills may pass the naked-eye check, many additional features are put into a bill for easy authentication. Many counterfeit detectors are now available to help thwart counterfeiting efforts using several methods to detect fake bills.

These are some of the methods currently available:

Currency created by a color copier or printer produces an image that rests on the surface of paper that can
easily be seen when UV light is placed over it. Tiny particles of toner outside the image can also be easily seen with a UV light. Bill counters and counterfeit detectors have a UV light built into the machine. If a counterfeit bill is run through the machine, an alarm or light will alert you that the banknote is counterfeit.

U.S. banknotes are made with magnetic components. Several foreign currencies and travelers’ checks are also made with magnetic components. MG detectors are capable of detecting the magnetic components in money. When a detector does not find the presence of the magnetic components, an alarm or light will sound letting you know the money is counterfeit.

U.S. and other foreign currencies are printed with special marks and symbols that cannot be seen without the use of a magnifier. By using a magnifier, and knowing what to look for, you can see if the bill is counterfeit. This process takes longer and is not built into automatic bill counters or counterfeit detectors.

Watermarks are marks that are specially embossed into U.S. and other foreign currencies. These watermarks can be easily seen when held up to fluorescent light. Watermarks are hard to duplicate and when fake, are easily detectable.

Some U.S. and foreign currencies have a metallic, color-changing emblem stamped into the banknote. An example is the U.S $100 bill that has a stamp in the lower right hand corner that will change from black to green. This is easily detected by the naked eye. Light reflection stamps are not detected by automatic bill counters and counterfeit detectors.

To learn more about the history of counterfeit money, please take a look at our counterfeit prevention guide.

Many bill counters are also built with counterfeit detection in them. One of the more popular bill counters on the market is the ABC V-10. This bill counter is compact, portable and can count up to 600 bills a
minute.

The need for signature pads is growing. It is no longer a matter of saving paper and getting rid of clutter. Digital signature pads make signing documents easy by allowing patients, clients or customers to sign their signature electronically. The pad sends the signature to a computer in the form of an image.

Electronic signatures can be placed in Excel, Word and other documents. The signature pads can also be interfaced with other software programs. Pharmacies will often use the signature pads to get a signature from a customer who is getting a prescription. Signature pads are also used to get signatures for credit card transactions. A signature capture pad can be used in almost any location a signature is needed. Some signature tablets can even be used for note taking and filling forms. The notes and forms are electronically
captured and saved on a computer.

Hard-wired pen tablets are good for use in close proximity to a computer. One problem discovered is that signatures are not always gathered near a computer. Due to this inconvenience, wireless pen tablets have been growing in popularity. Many wireless pads have a working distance of 500 feet within line-of-site and 50 feet in non line-of-site locations.

Some of the more unique capture devices include the IDGem 4000 fingerprint sensor. This standalone fingerprint scanner uses a standard USB connection to provide you with valuable fingerprint data and help you secure your transactions.

ABC Office has continued increasing its inventory of signature pen tables due to the in increasing popularity.  ABC Office has dozens of different models of signature capture devices
available.

At first they may look like pizza cutters fixed to metal bars, but the Rotatrim rotary paper cutters have moved up the line as the preferred method for precisely cutting paper. The idea is simple; a circular blade slides back and forth along a supporting rail. The result is paper that is precisely cut. You no longer have to worry about crooked cuts and ruined photos.

Rotary cutters first gained their popularity by scrapbookers who used them to cut photographs for albums. Photographers soon caught on, and rather than use a ruler and an exacto knife, now use rotary cutters as well. Rotary paper trimmers are now used by graphic arts departments, advertising agencies, print shops, universities, architects, drafters and more.

Mid-level Rotatrim rotary cutters are inexpensive and can precisely cut up to three millimeters of paper at once.

Rotatrim has taken these trimmers to the next level, creating industrial versions of this reliable paper cutter.

Industrial rotary cutters can cut up to four millimeters (5/32-inch) of paper at once and sheets of paper up to 99-inches in length. Industrial cutters are not only capable of cutting through paper, but can also cut through hardboard, rubber and shim steel

Motor powered Rotatrim rotary cutters can be operated with the push of a foot petal.

Jeremy Mayfield, a sales associate with ABCOffice.com, says that he always recommends the Rotatrim Cutters. “Customers are happy to hear that they don’t have to rely on traditional arm cutters that are unreliable and can cut at an angle”, says Mr. Mayfield. He has never had a complaint from a customer, and uses the cutters himself for occasional jobs.

Ordering online has made shopping easier and more convenient for all of us. The ability to visit a store from your computer means you don’t have to visit a brick and mortar store to get what you need. You can now avoid traffic and save time, all with the convenience of ordering from home or work. This doesn’t always go without a hitch. Some online retailers don’t have customer service / phone support and orders can take a long time to ship.

At ABC Office, we have our own facility, service technician, customer service staff and warehouse. Because we have these services in-house, we can offer you a better shopping experience. About twice a year, we send our customers a survey. In this survey, we ask for feedback and recommendations.

As a result of our June 2004 survey, we have decided to make a few changes to the way we process orders. We believe that these changes will make the ordering process run smoother and help you get your order more quickly. We have created a new service called the 48-hour ship or notify guarantee.We want to give you the peace of mind to know that your order is being taken care of. We understand that your order is important and we want to make sure you get it as soon as possible.

We now guarantee that your order will ship within 48 business hours; or if delayed, we will notify you of its status. Please feel free to take a look at this new policy here: Ship or Notify Guarantee.

ABCOffice.com today announced its new Web site, UsedOfficeEquipment.com, that offers discounted office equipment and supplies of new. The new site sells equipment used for demos, returned items and equipment slightly cosmetically scratched during shipping. All products work like new, carry a warranty and are given a rating according to the condition of the equipment. All used items carry a quality rating based on a five-star scale. One-star being usable, but well worn and a five-star rating identifying a product barely out of the box. Each item is clearly marked with stars so customers can know what to expect. Customers will find UsedOfficeEquipment.com (http://www.used-office-equpiment.com) an ideal Web site for great deals on the office equipment they need.

UsedOfficeEquipment.com provides large, color pictures of a wide variety of office equipment including paper folders, paper shredders, laminators, binding machines, paper cutters, shrink wrappers and more. After browsing through office equipment choices, customers can call a customer service representative to place an order and receive answers to any questions. The office equipment and supplies can be delivered to any office or building.

Keeping an office running smoothly and flawlessly can be a difficult task. Manpower is often unavailable and projects keep stacking up. Office equipment helps automate and often eliminate these tasks. Customers can organize documents with a binding machine, create photo-Ids in-house with a card printer, quickly fold papers and brochures with a paper folder or destroy sensitive documents with a paper shredder.
Ordering is simple at UsedOfficeEquipment.com (http://www.used-office-equipment.com). Customers can call toll-free Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. MST. A knowledgeable customer service representative then assists with ordering the office equipment and supplies. Customers can also order online via the UsedOfficeEquipment.com secure shopping cart.

To view Used Office Equipment’s complete office product and supplies, visit http://www.used-office-equipment.com