PA and Secretary Community - Deskdemon.com

The standard colors are black or blue.  Which one of the two do you prefer or like an alternate color?

I love my purple pen, but only use it for notes and stuff for me.  If anyone besides me has to see the writing, I go for blue over black.

I prefer blue only because for signing documents, at least for an original, you can determine if it is an original or not.  My boss prefers medium point blue for those types of things.   I usually have both in our office but blue gets the most use.

Diamondlady
Peer Moderator

I vary. It's down to the actual pen and the way it writes. Sometimes if I'm taking notes, I'll write in red pen. If I'm correcting documents where the ink is printed black, I'll use a blue pen so you can see the notes more clearly.

Back to the point, I'd probably say blue over black.

I love my purple or green pens, but like the other user said, only for personal notes and such.  If it's for official work, or something others will see, then I use black.  That seems to be this government branch's standard, and is about all they supply.  (it also depends on whether it's a pen I leave on my desk or stashed away -- Blue or Black to leave out, and thus allow to walk away, Purple or Green if I have them protected.)

CountriGal
Peer Moderator

I have every color of the rainbow in standard pens, gel-ink pens and sharpies.  But I will only use an alternate colors for my own notes or if I write something for my boss that I want to stand out.  Purple is my favorite color.  For offical documents, I will only write with a black fine-point RSVP pen.

I prefer blue and hate the fact that all official type forms have to be completed in black.

Jackie, Peer Moderator
www.iqps.org

I prefer black over blue.

H.

Again, it depends what it's for, but generally I prefer blue over black.

caroleanne

i use black gel pens, mostly.  I do use blue pens sometimes and, very occasionally, red pens, to make things stand out (usually in a meeting when I am taking notes.

I use my own fountain pen for signing letters and documents at work, as well as for writing letters from home.

Raindance

I use blue for almost everything.  I like the fact that you can tell an original signature when it's in blue.  Ironically, my boss hates blue and always signs in black.  I can't convince him that it's easier to tell an original document when it's signed in blue.

I also use a fpurple or green pen when I'm proofreading or taking persona notes.

It's interesting to hear so many people stating their preference for signatures in blue.  I have a coworker who is absolutely adamant that the proper method is for signatures to be in black.  I've listened to her say it for so long, that I now find myself always signing in black.  

I keep all 3 colors (red, blue, and black) on my desk at all times during the day.  I use the black for signing, blue for my "to-do list", and red for various notes that I want to stand out.  

As a side note, I have had to literally slap my boss' hand when he reached for a red pen to sign his letters!!!

Red is def a no-no, but it varies where I work.  Mostly I would have used blue in the past but now it's black .

G

I use blue for signing letters and black on anything that needs to be faxed or scanned as I find blue does not fax or scan well.  If I'm checking / proof reading documents then I use a red pen.  For personal notes I have purple and green pens (which seem to be the unofficial colours for us DDers).

I do agree that blue is better for signatures. But it does seem to have become NOT a standard like it used to be.

I used to use blue exclusively - used to bug me to use a black pen - but now - I don't know when or why - black has become my standard. I am very picky about is what ink I'm using. It irks me to no end to use a pen that will smear or bleed if it gets wet or over the passage of time. So I have stuck to ball-point pens while everyone around me goes to roller balls and what not. Another bugaboo I have is point size - I can't stand writing with fine point. It seems to scratch the paper and it's like nails on a blackboard to me. For me writing needs to be smooth - especially since I press hard --- I'm the one who's paper curves and crinkles when turned over...

DonnaP99

I'm a notary public.  I always use black ink for my signings unless the lender specifically requests blue ink.

WhiteSatin