| There are many reasons rubber stamps are | | | | sophistication of today's copiers. |
| inappropriate for document identification; here are | | | | 4. Stamping is most always done manually. Documents |
| some to consider: | | | | that have multiple pages end up being mostly |
| 1. They are expensive. A self-inking rubber stamp that | | | | unprotected due to the tendency to mark only the first |
| is only 11/16" x 2" costs $29.95; a 1 " x 2 1/2 " self-inking | | | | page. In this regard, the use of rubber stamps actually |
| stamp costs $37.95. And, that is for each person doing | | | | encourages document mismanagement. |
| any document work! Moreover, these stamps only | | | | 5. The purpose of a document is easily altered when |
| come in the color, size and font originally required. | | | | using rubber stamps for document management. A |
| Things change. | | | | document marked on the first page and/or in the |
| 2. They waste time and decrease worker efficiency. | | | | margin is no defense for unintended use. |
| When multiple copies of the same document have to | | | | 6. Errors are frequently made when stamp the |
| be disseminated to different recipients, such as | | | | changed pages only of a multiple page document. By |
| marketing, clients, file, etc., this requires the worker to | | | | way of example, a user has made changes to a 21 |
| manually apply the appropriate stamp to each copy of | | | | page document. Page 3, 7, and 15 have been modified |
| the document. In the case of many copies, this usually | | | | and must be marked as such but the entire document |
| results in the first being printed - then a trip to the copy | | | | must be printed. Doing such marking manually is |
| machine to make the others - and then requires the | | | | tedious, a waste of time and prone to mistake. |
| process of marking them. | | | | 7. They are mostly ineffective and outdated for |
| 3. Content is covered if a stamp is used in the body of | | | | today's paper document management requirements. |
| the document. For that reason, most stamps are put in | | | | Manually marking documents with self-inking stamps is |
| the document margins. This threatens the integrity of | | | | limited to what you have available in you desk drawer. |
| the document by allowing it to be copied with the | | | | If unique or special marking is required, a stamp must |
| stamp easily removed. Thus, a "draft" easily becomes | | | | be ordered and still requires manual application. |
| and "original" with no trace of the stamp given the | | | | |