Being an assistant requires a basic understanding of office machinery. The company that you work for determines the machinery that you will use. Each organisation has different needs and purchases equipment accordingly. However, some devices are more common than others. Common office machinery includes faxes, scanners, copiers, printers, postage machines, shredders, and telephones. It is not enough to simply know how to use a piece of equipment; you should familiarise yourself with ways to troubleshoot problems. If you do not have the manuals for a faulty machine, you can always look up the item online.