Three ring binders are an awesome way to store and display information in a way that is readily accessible. In fact, they are ideal for binding training manuals, product information and large reports. Many companies choose presentation binders for this type of application. Also known as clear view or clear overlay binders, each binder has a clear vinyl overlay on the front, back and spine. These clear vinyl overlays allow you to insert a title page, your company information and the title of your report or document. This allows you to customize your binder for your report and for your needs.

As simple as this sounds, there are actually a number of different things to consider when you are looking for a three ring presentation binder. Here are five things …

1. Color: Clear overlay binders are most commonly available in white. However, if you look hard you will probably be able to find almost all of the different binders in black as well. A limited number of clear overlay binders are available in navy blue. Other colors would have to be custom produced and would potentially be very expensive.

2. Ring Style: Clear view 3-ring binders are available in three standard ring configurations. The two most common ring styles are round ring and D-ring. However, binders can also be purchased with ez-load d-rings. D-ring binders and ez-load binders tend to be a better fit for large documents while round ring binders are most commonly used for smaller presentations. Generally, round ring binders have the rings attached to the spine of the binder while d-ring binders and ezload binders have the rings attached to the back cover of the binder.

3. Thickness: Presentation binders are available with rings as small as 1/2" in diameter or as large as 4" in diameter. Generally, binders are available in half inch increments. It is important to note that binders over 3" are not available with round rings and that the size of the binder rings does not reflect that actual size of the binder on the shelf.

4. Size: Most clearview binders are designed for 8.5" x 11" letter size documents. However, if you are looking for binders that will accomodate your half letter sized documents, legal documents or 11" x 17" presentations there are some options available. These options are much more difficult to find and often the options available in these sizes is considerably limited vs. regular letter sized binders.

5. Quality: There are a number of factors to look for when considering the quality of a clear view presentation binder. Clear view binders are available with different grades of clear vinyl on the front, back and spine. Higher quality binders will use vinyl that will not transfer toner from your documents allowing you to reuse the binders. Higher quality binders will also use heavier chipboard, have deeper pockets on the inside and will often include sheet lifters. If you plan on reusing your presentation binders for multiple reports or presentations, these are all things that you should look for.

Using these five features you should be able to better choose the best clear view presentation binder for your organization. While you make your choice, keep in mind that many of the clear view presentation binders available on the market are designed for one time use and are not constructed with high quality materials. If you plan on reusing your binders and don’t want them to fall apart in the hands of your clients you might want to consider purchasing higher quality binders.