Does NCR paper expire, and why are my copies faint?
Work through the checks below in order. The first two solve most cases.
1. Check the pen
Carbonless paper needs a hard, narrow point to burst the ink capsules on the back of the sheet. A ballpoint pen with a fine or medium tip is best. Other pens let you down in different ways:
- Gel pens and rollerballs glide across the surface with very little pressure. The top copy looks fine, the copy underneath is weak.
- Felt tips and markers have a soft, wide point that spreads the pressure out.
- Pencil is too soft and smudges on the top copy.
If your staff use whatever pen is lying around, keep a box of cheap ballpoints in the van or at the counter. It is the single easiest fix.
2. Press firmly
Every extra layer in the set spreads the pressure a little. In a duplicate book the copy is usually crisp. In a triplicate book the third copy is always a shade lighter than the second, because the pressure has passed through two sheets. Firm, steady handwriting fixes most of it. So does writing in capitals for numbers and totals, which are the details that matter most on a copy.
3. Write on a hard surface
Writing on your knee, a car seat or a pile of paperwork absorbs the pressure before it reaches the copy. Rest the book on a clipboard, a van dashboard tray or the cardboard back of the book itself. Our books have a stiff cardboard back for exactly this reason.
4. Use the writing shield
The writing shield is the stiff card that wraps around the front of the book. Slide it under the set you are writing on. Without it, your pen pressure goes straight through to the sets underneath and leaves faint marks, or "ghost" writing, on invoices you have not used yet. Customers sometimes throw the shield away thinking it is packaging. It is not.
So does NCR paper actually expire?
Not on a fixed date, but it does age. The ink capsules and coatings are chemical, and over time they become less reactive. Heat speeds that up. Paper suppliers recommend storing carbonless paper at normal room temperature, roughly 20°C to 24°C, with moderate humidity, which is broadly what a normal office or home provides.
The places where books age fastest are the places many tradespeople keep them:
- on the dashboard of a van in summer
- on a windowsill or near a radiator
- in a damp shed or garage
If you buy a year's supply at once, which is often cheaper, keep the spare books in their box in a cool cupboard and take one out at a time. Our guide How many invoice books will you need in a year? helps you work out a sensible order size so books are not sitting around for years.
Do NCR copies fade over time?
The copies themselves are fairly stable when they are kept closed in a book, away from light. Copies that are pinned to a wall, left on a dashboard or kept in a clear plastic sleeve in the sun can fade. This matters because the copy in your book may be the only record of a sale. Revenue generally expects business records to be kept for six years, and it asks that invoices issued on paper are kept in paper form. We cover the rules in How long do you need to keep invoice copies in Ireland?
How to store used books so copies stay readable
- Keep finished books closed, in number order, in a box or file.
- Store the box somewhere dry and dark, not in a garage or attic that gets hot in summer.
- Write the date range and first and last invoice numbers on the cover of each finished book.
- Do not laminate copies or seal them in plastic. It can trap heat and damp.
When the problem is the paper, not the pen
Very occasionally a batch of paper is at fault. The signs are weak copies with a good ballpoint, firm pressure and the shield in place, or copies that are blotchy rather than just light. If that happens with a book we printed, contact us with a photo and your order number and we will look at it under our quality guarantee.
If you want to understand what is going on inside the paper, How does NCR paper work, and is it the same as carbonless or thermal paper? explains the coatings. If you are thinking of printing your own forms instead, read Can you print on NCR paper with a laser or inkjet printer? first.
Books that copy clearly from the first page
Discoverprint prints every NCR book to order, so the paper has not been sitting on a shelf, and every book comes with a wrap-around writing shield and a stiff cardboard back to write against. Our personalised invoice books come in A4, A5, A6 and DL, duplicate or triplicate, numbered and perforated, with free design and free delivery anywhere in Ireland. See the full NCR books range.
Read next
Frequently asked questions
- Does NCR paper have an expiry date?
- Carbonless paper has no printed expiry date, but it slowly loses sensitivity with age, heat and damp. Stored cool, dry and out of sunlight, unused books stay usable for a long time. Books left in a hot van or on a sunny windowsill deteriorate much faster.
- Which pen is best for NCR paper?
- A ballpoint pen with a fine or medium tip, pressed firmly. Gel pens, rollerballs and felt tips glide over the paper with too little pressure, and pencil is too soft to give a clear copy.
- Why is the bottom copy of my triplicate book faint?
- Each layer spreads the pressure a little, so the third copy is always slightly lighter than the second. Firm pressure, a ballpoint pen and a hard surface under the book make the biggest difference.
- Do NCR copies fade over time?
- Copies kept closed in a book, away from light and heat, stay readable for years. Copies left in direct sunlight or pinned up on a warm wall can fade, so file your retained copies somewhere dark and dry.
Sources
- Printing Supplies Direct: How does carbonless paper work? (storage conditions)
- Revenue: How long do you keep records for?
