# Office Machines > Office Machines means common devices used for administrative tasks including, but not limited to, printers, copiers, faxes, typewriters, and calculating **Term:** Office Machines **Last updated:** 2026-07-29 ## Definition ## What Office Machines Means in a Contract Office Machines is a defined term used to capture the general category of administrative equipment found in a typical workplace. Rather than listing every conceivable device, contracts often use this umbrella phrase to cover printers, copiers, fax machines, typewriters, and calculating machines, while leaving room for similar equipment that serves the same administrative purpose. The term is deliberately broad so that parties do not have to renegotiate every time a new piece of routine office equipment is introduced. In practice, the phrase is a shorthand that allows drafters to avoid an exhaustive, ever-changing inventory. When a contract states that Office Machines are included, maintained, insured, or excluded, it is referring to this general class of devices rather than any single named item. This makes the term useful in agreements where the exact make and model of equipment is less important than the function it performs. ## How Office Machines Is Defined or Measured Because Office Machines is a functional category rather than a technical specification, its scope is usually defined by example rather than by strict criteria. Most clauses list representative items, such as printers, copiers, faxes, typewriters, and calculating machines, and then add language like "including, but not limited to" to signal that the list is illustrative, not exhaustive. Some agreements attempt to measure or bound the term further by reference to value, location, or use. For instance, a lease might limit Office Machines to equipment physically situated within the leased premises, while an asset purchase agreement might cap coverage at a certain depreciated value. Where precision matters, such as for insurance or tax purposes, parties may attach a schedule itemizing specific machines by serial number or asset tag, converting a general category into a fixed list. - Representative examples: printers, copiers, fax machines, typewriters, calculating machines - Illustrative rather than exhaustive drafting language - Optional schedules or asset registers for precise identification ## Where Office Machines Appears in Agreements The term commonly appears in equipment leases, office sharing agreements, facilities management contracts, business sale agreements, and insurance policies. In an [office sharing agreement](https://www.genieai.co/blog/drafting-an-office-sharing-agreement), for example, the parties often need to clarify which Office Machines are shared communal resources and which belong exclusively to one occupant. It also surfaces in service contracts where a vendor agrees to maintain, repair, or replace Office Machines on a set schedule, and in asset transfer agreements where a business sells its physical operations, including its administrative equipment, to a buyer. Industries with heavy administrative operations, such as those in [legal services](https://www.genieai.co/industry/legal-services) or [public administration](https://www.genieai.co/industry/public-administration), frequently rely on this term when cataloguing office infrastructure for procurement or handover purposes. Insurance policies covering business contents also use Office Machines as a defined category, often subject to sub-limits distinct from other equipment like manufacturing tools or specialized technology hardware. ## Why the Exact Wording Matters The precise wording surrounding Office Machines determines whether newer technology, such as multifunction devices or networked scanners, falls within the definition. A narrow, closed list risks excluding equipment that performs an equivalent function but was not named at the time of drafting, while an overly broad definition may inadvertently sweep in expensive technology equipment that should be governed by separate terms. Ambiguity here can create disputes over responsibility for repair costs, insurance claims, or the return of equipment at the end of a lease or service term. If a contract fails to clarify whether items like personal computers or specialized copiers with network capabilities count as Office Machines, parties may disagree about who bears the cost of replacement or maintenance, particularly when the equipment has significant value. ## Drafting Considerations Drafters should decide early whether Office Machines is meant to be a narrow, closed category or a flexible, open one, and should choose language accordingly. Using "including, but not limited to" preserves flexibility, while a closed list with defined exclusions offers more certainty for insurance or liability purposes. It is also wise to distinguish Office Machines from other equipment categories, such as specialized technology hardware or manufacturing machinery, so that overlapping definitions do not create conflicting obligations. Where the term affects cost allocation, maintenance duties, or insurance coverage, attaching a schedule of specific items, updated periodically, can reduce future disputes. Finally, parties should consider how the definition interacts with other clauses, such as those governing maintenance, indemnity, or return of property, ensuring that Office Machines is consistently referenced throughout the agreement rather than defined once and forgotten under the law governing the contract. ## Context ### Relevant circumstances - Purchasing equipment for setting up a new office - Upgrading existing office equipment - Leasing office machines for temporary use ### Relevant sectors - Legal Services - Public Administration ## Relevant contract types - [Purchase Agreement](https://www.genieai.co/en-us/template-type/purchase-agreement) - [Equipment Lease Agreement](https://www.genieai.co/en-us/template-type/equipment-lease-agreement) - [Supply of services agreement](https://www.genieai.co/en-us/template-type/supply-of-services-agreement) --- This is the Markdown representation of [https://www.genieai.co/en-us/define/office-machines](https://www.genieai.co/en-us/define/office-machines), provided for AI agents and crawlers. 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