It’s easy to lump together paper—specifically paper for your printers and copiers—into a generality embodied by the most commonly used type: The ubiquitous 8-1/2x11 sheet of copy paper. Paper is paper, right?

But for those charged with purchasing paper for their workplace, there are important distinctions to consider when ordering that can not only save you money, but also improve the quality of work you produce.

So, here’s a simple guide to differences between A2 and A8 paper, what to consider when choosing weight and brightness, and everything else you didn’t necessarily want to know about paper, but would benefit from understanding.

Download the Paper Buying Checklist.