A collation is the collection and ordering of materials, usually paper. It can be tedious and repetitive work, so most people are more than happy to let a copy machine do the job for them.
Collation actually has two separate and very different meanings. After you finish the collation of all those document pages, you might grab a quick collation. (That is, you deserve a light snack after all that organizing.) That's right, a collation is also a light meal, usually cold, and often set out for people to take at their leisure. It sometimes refers to a small meal eaten on fasting days.