

Soon, features like network printing, scanning, and faxing all became required operations of the device. Over time, demand and competition required copier manufacturers to innovate and build new features into the copiers so that they could do more in the office. This is why it was originally called a "photocopy." Then a piece of paper with another electronic charge passed over the drum to adhere to the toner and produce the copier. The drum had an electrical charge making an exact negative image of the original. It started in the 1970s with an optical scanner using a bright light flashed onto the original document and then reflected a light-sensitive drum. The history, or evolution, of the copier, is very similar to that of the digital camera. Copiers and scanners operate in similar ways, but how they output information is much different. But as digital technology improves and becomes increasingly more affordable, a paper-free piece of technology like a scanner could meet all of your document reproduction needs and replace your traditional copier.

Photocopiers are pretty standard pieces of office equipment, has been a mainstay in most offices since the late 1970s and early 1980s. Does your office need to make physical copies? Or do they need to scan in papers so they can add them to your office's document management or e-filing system? Maybe that results in looking at a SOHO MFP versus an Office MFP versus some individual scanners for your employee's desks. This is especially true when you consider that just about every help-article out there starts with something like, "understand what you need" as the first step to buying a new MFP. "What's it matter, anyway? I mean, 'copy vs scan' is an essential thing, right?" Well, they might seem similar, but you find rather quickly that understanding what the difference is between devices and functions is a necessity when it's time to go shopping for a new one. So many people conversationally lump copying and scanning together perhaps that's due in part to so many offices today having a multifunctional device, which negates the need for specifying the difference when you're asking someone to run over and "scan me a copy" or something. Thankfully, small-business owners can choose the features that are best for their applications by taking a good look at the differences between scanners and copiers. There is no definitive "best" option for everyone. These days there are so many different options for copying and scanning documents and images that choosing one can be mind-boggling.
