Organizer

Organizer Formats

Basically, Organizers come in five to six sizes. In addition to the paper size, the punch or ring spacing has to be taken into account.

Most organizers up to A5 size use two groups of three rings with ³/₄" (~19mm) distance within the group. Depending on the paper height, the distance between the two groups is 2³/₄" (~70mm), 2" (~51mm), 1¹/₂" (~38mm) or ³/₄" (~19mm). For smaller formats, five rings with a spacing of ³/₄" (~19mm) are used - or in theory, two groups at zero distance. A very special case is the already discontinued Filofax M2 or Mulberry Mini format in Landscape orientation, where only three rings are left. Two of these sheets can be filed in a 6-ring format of 38mm or more center spacing, as long as the ring size is less than the punch size.
The larger - and as well discontinued - Deskfax format has three of those groups of rings, with 2" (~51mm) distance between the groups. That gives a total span of 8¹/₂", matching the span of the US 3-ring "Letter" format. The Deskfax sheets can be filed in such binders.

See:  Ring Spacings for Imperial Organizer Formats .

For the organizer formats "Letter" (8.5"×11", 216x280) and "Invoice" (5.5"×8.5", 140x216), there is also a 7-ring system: Two groups of three rings with a spacing of 1" (~25mm) within the group, and one ring in the middle.
For the large format, the distance to the middle ring is 2¹/₄" (~57mm). That gives a total span equal to the US 3-ring format "Letter", and the sheets can also be filed in regular binders.
For the smaller format, the groups have a distance of ³/₄" (~19mm) to the middle ring. That makes a total span of 5¹/₂", equal to the span of the US 3-ring Format "Invoice".
The smallest center-ring based format uses five rings. There are ³/₄" between the outer rings, and 1" from the middle ring to the outer ring pairs.

See:  Ring Spacings for Imperial Formats .

Starting with the paper size, the size of the ring binder also depends on the ring size, and additional space for registers and pen loops. That leads to the situation that, for example Filofax, uses three different names for the binders with same paper size, because the name is derived from the size of the binder.

Depending on the mechanics and the size of the ring elements, the size of the punched holes varies. Especially the very small binders use smaller holes. The punches of the standard organizer punches have 5.5mm diameter, sometimes less, rarely more. The inserts for the Filofax M2 with rings of about 2.3x1.4mm have the smallest punch size of 3mm diameter, next are the inserts for the Mulberry Mini with rings of about 2.2x1.5mm and a punch size of a little less than 3.2mm - probably ¹/₈", i.e. 3.175mm. Matching punch sizes can only be made by using paper drills. For suggested values, see section  Punch Diameter .

Formats by Company/Brand

The following table shows the formats of the repsective companies or brands. Some manufacturers have very creative namings, most likely to confuse the customers, and to make them buy the matching accessories.

» Filofax						» Succes						» Quo Vadis						» Bind						» Chronoplan						» BSB-Obpacher						» Herlitz						Rido Idé						» Org-Verlag						» Time/system						» Mulberry						» Tempus						» Day-Timer						» FranklinCovey
Format	Paper			Punch		Format	Paper			Punch		Format	Paper			Punch		Format	Paper			Punch		Format	Paper			Punch		Format	Paper			Punch		Format	Paper			Punch		Format	Paper			Punch		Format	Paper			Punch		Format	Paper			Punch		Format	Paper			Punch		Format	Paper			Punch		Format	Paper			Punch		Format	Paper			Punch
A4	210	×	297	888		Business	210	×	297	888?		Timer 29	210	×	297	888		A4	200	×	298	888		A4	210	×	297	888																				A4	210	×	297	7:40																				Folio	216	×	280	7:25/57		Monarch	216	×	280	7:25/57
Deskfax	176	×	250	3×3
A5	148	×	210	6:19/70		Executive	148	×	210	6:19/70		Timer 21	142	×	210	6:19/51		A5	148	×	210	6:19/70		A5	147	×	210	6:20/80		Manager	145	×	209	6:19/70		A5	148	×	210	6:19/70		Timing 1	148	×	210	6:19/70		A5	148	×	210	9:20,4:40/80		A5	148	×	210	6:19/70		Planner	145	×	210	6:19/51		A5	148	×	210	6:19/51		Desk	140	×	216	7:25/19		Classic	140	×	216	7:25/19
						Office	130	×	210	6:19/70
												Timer 17	105	×	172	6:19/51																																																														Compact	108	×	171	6:19/51
Personal	95	×	171	6:19/51		Standard	95	×	171	6:19/51		17 Slim	98	×	170	6:19/51		A6	95	×	172	6:19/51		Midi	96	×	172	6:19/51		Kompakt	95	×	167	6:19/51		A6	93	×	171	6:19/51		Timing 2	95	×	170	6:19/51																										Portable	95	×	172	6:19/51
Compact	95	×	171	6:19/51								17 Pocket	92	×	170	6:19/51
Slimline	95	×	171	6:19/51																																																		Compact	85	×	169	6:19/51
						Senior	95	×	150	6:19/38																																						Junior	95	×	148	6:20								Agenda	105	×	150	6:19/38														Pocket	89	×	152	6:19/38
						Compact	80	×	150	6:19/38																																Spezial	87	×	153	6:19/51																				WT	86	×	145	6(4):20
Pocket	81	×	120	6:19		Junior	80	×	125	6:19		Timer 14	81	×	126	6:19		A7	80	×	125	6:19		Mini	79	×	125	6:19		Pocket	80	×	128	6:19		A7	80	×	126	6:19		Timing 3	80	×	125	6:19								Partner	75	×	130	6:19		Pocket	75	×	120	6:19								Jotter	70	×	127	6:19
Mini	67	×	105	5:19		Mini	67	×	104	5:19/25		Timer 11	67	×	111	5:19														Mini	66	×	106	5:19		A8	65	×	105	5:19								Piccolo	80	×	113	5:20
M2	105	×	64	3:19																																																								Mini	105	×	64	3:19

Punch patterns:  7:a/b = a-a-b-b-a-a  ·  6:a/b = a-a-b-a-a  ·  5:a/b = a-b-b-a  ·  4:a/b = a-b-a  ·  3x3 = 19-19-51-19-19-51-19-19  ·  888 = 80-80-80

Formts by Punch Pattern

An overview of the different punch patterns can be found here:  Hole Punch Spacings 

Formats by Paper Size

~ A4 / Letter Make Format Paper Punch Chronoplan A4 210 × 297 888 Filofax A4 210 × 297 888 Quo Vadis 29 210 × 297 888 Succes Business 210 × 297 888 Bind A4 200 × 298 888 Make Format Paper Punch Org-Verlag A4 210 × 297 7:40 Make Format Paper Punch FranklinCovey Monarch 216 × 280 7:25/57 Day-Timer Folio 216 × 280 7:25/57 Make Format Paper Punch Filofax Deskfax 176 × 250 9:19/51

~ A5 / Invoice Make Format Paper Punch Day-Timer Desk 140 × 216 7:25/19 FranklinCovey Classic 140 × 216 7:25/19 Make Format Paper Punch Bind A5 148 × 210 6:19/70 Filofax A5 148 × 210 6:19/70 Herlitz A5 148 × 210 6:19/70 Idé Timing 1 148 × 210 6:19/70 Succes Executive 148 × 210 6:19/70 Time/system A5 148 × 210 6:19/70 BSB Obpacher Manager 145 × 209 6:19/70 Succes Office 130 × 210 6:19/70 Make Format Paper Punch Tempus A5 148 × 210 6:19/51 Mulberry Planner 145 × 210 6:19/51 Quo Vadis 21 142 × 210 6:19/51 Make Format Paper Punch Org-Verlag A5 (9 Ring) 148 × 210 9:20 Org-Verlag A5 (4 Ring) 148 × 210 4:40/80 Chronoplan A5 147 × 210 6:20/80

Standard Make Format Paper Punch FranklinCovey Compact 108 × 171 6:19/51 Quo Vadis 17 105 × 172 6:19/51 Quo Vadis 17 Slim 98 × 170 6:19/51 Chronoplan Midi 96 × 172 6:19/51 Bind A6 95 × 172 6:19/51 Day-Timer Portable 95 × 172 6:19/51 Filofax Compact 95 × 171 6:19/51 Filofax Personal 95 × 171 6:19/51 Filofax Slimline 95 × 171 6:19/51 Succes Standard 95 × 171 6:19/51 Idé Timing 2 95 × 170 6:19/51 BSB Obpacher Kompakt 95 × 167 6:19/51 Herlitz A6 93 × 171 6:19/51 Quo Vadis 17 Pocket 92 × 170 6:19/51 Time/system Compact 85 × 169 6:19/51

Medium Make Format Paper Punch Idé Spezial 87 × 153 6:19/51 Make Format Paper Punch Mulberry Agenda 105 × 150 6:19/38 Succes Senior 95 × 150 6:19/38 FranklinCovey Pocket 89 × 152 6:19/38 Succes Compact 80 × 150 6:19/38 Make Format Paper Punch Org-Verlag Junior 95 × 148 6:20 Tempus WT 86 × 145 6(4):20

Small Make Format Paper Punch Quo Vadis 14 81 × 126 6:19 Filofax Pocket 81 × 120 6:19 BSB Obpacher Pocket 80 × 128 6:19 Herlitz A7 80 × 126 6:19 Bind A7 80 × 125 6:19 Idé Timing 3 80 × 125 6:19 Succes Junior 80 × 125 6:19 Chronoplan Mini 79 × 125 6:19 Time/system Partner 75 × 130 6:19 Mulberry Pocket 75 × 120 6:19 Day-Timer Jotter 70 × 127 6:19

Smaller Make Format Paper Punch Filofax Mini 67 × 105 5:19 Quo Vadis 11 67 × 105 5:19 BSB Obpacher Mini 66 × 106 5:19 Herlitz A8 65 × 105 5:19 Make Format Paper Punch Succes Mini 67 × 104 5:19/25 Make Format Paper Punch Org-Verlag Piccolo 80 × 113 5:20

Landscape Make Format Paper Punch Filofax M2 105 × 64 3:19 Mulberry Mini 105 × 64 3:19

Punch patterns:  7:a/b = a-a-b-b-a-a  ·  6:a/b = a-a-b-a-a  ·  5:a/b = a-b-b-a  ·  4:a/b = a-b-a  ·  3x3 = 19-19-51-19-19-51-19-19  ·  888 = 80-80-80

See  Metric Standard Spacings ,  Imperial Organizer Spacings  and  Imperial Spacings .

If you are interested in other ring binder formats, see the  German version  of this page, sections  ring binders for collecting systems  with  summary , and sections  large formats , especially  PRAT  multi ring binders.

Punch Diameter

As mentioned before, a matching punch diameter depending on the format is recommended. There are no official values given, this is my personal suggestion.

Format	Span	Suggested Punch Diameter
Filofax M2, Mulberry Mini	38.1mm	1/8" - 9/64"	3.5mm
5-Ring 3/4"	76.2mm	5/32" - 11/64"	4.0mm - 4.5mm
5-Ring Succes	88.9mm	11/64"	4.5mm
6-Ring 3/4"	95.2mm	11/64" - 1/5"	4.5mm - 5.0mm
6-Ring 3/4" + 11/2"	114.3mm	3/16" - 7/32"	5.0mm - 5.5mm
6-Ring 3/4" + 2"	127.0mm	7/32"	5.5mm
6-Ring 3/4" + 23/4"	146.0mm	7/32" - 15/64"	5.5mm - 6.0mm
Deskfax / 7-Ring	215.9mm	1/4" - 5/16"	6.0mm - 8.0mm
A4 888	240.0mm	15/64" - 5/16"	6.0mm - 8.0mm