If you run your own business, or are in charge of ordering stationery at work, then you’ll know just how important it is to have the right stationery and office supplies at all times. Here’s what you need for the modern business.

1. Despite so much paperwork being replaced by computer records, and buying and selling online, you’ll still have some filing to do. Have you got enough filing cabinets to hold all the important documents and letters, and employee details that you need to keep?

2. You’ll need to make sure that you have plenty of storage space for all the product brochures, manuals, instructions and everything you’re your staff need to carry out their jobs. You might want to give every employee their own cupboard space, or choose to have a central cupboard that stores everything.

3. Flipcharts are invaluable in meetings if you have a lot of meetings, or spend a lot of time thinking of ideas and refining processes and procedures. If you work in groups, then a flipchart is one of the best ways to get all your thoughts down in one place.

4. Every member of staff should have a notepads. Whether you use it for jotting down phone messages, important product information, or just as a “cheat sheet” for when on the phone to clients, or for taking notes in meetings, you’ll be lost without a notepad of some sort.

5. Paper is still just as important as ever in the modern office. You’ll need to make sure that you have copier paper, laser and inkjet printer paper, photograph paper, as well a paper for internal or external documents. You’ll want to make sure that you’ve always got plenty of paper, so that you don’t run out. You don’t want to have to delay sending out a proposal, or an invoice, because you’ve run out of paper.

6. Like paper, envelopes are still important, and will be essential for sending out documents to clients and potential clients. You might need window envelopes for invoices, or padded envelopes for sending items to customers. You might want to make sure that you have plenty of larger envelopes for when you need to send documents that you don’t want to fold.

7. Pens are always going to be essential, and you’ll want to make sure that you’ve got a wide selection of pens and pencils for your staff. You probably wouldn’t want to use a fountain pen for scribbling phone messages, but you definitely wouldn’t want to sign an important contract with a biro. Why not make sure that you have a nice pen for each of your sales staff, so that they can look the part, when they close deals with new clients?

8. Although electronic diaries and calendars are increasingly popular, thanks to computers and mobile phones, paper versions are still essential for many people. Perhaps you want to have a large calendar on the wall so that everybody’s meetings can be seen, or want to make sure that you have a paper record of every important date and event you need to be aware of. Perhaps you like writing notes in your diary rather than on your computer or phone.

9. Don’t forget that you’ll need the right sort of office furniture for your company. Have you got the right desks and chairs, and reception and canteen furniture? The layout and style of your office will make a difference to productivity, and you’ll want to make sure that you give the right impression to your clients and other visitors too.

10. Computers and other technology are essential, and making staff more productive and saving money in the modern office. Are you making the most of laptops, mobile phones, video conferencing, networking and document and information sharing in your office?

Now you know more about what’s required in the modern workplace, have you got all the office supplies and paper products you and your staff need?