A combined sheet inverting and buffering system and method including a sheet drive for transporting sheets into a sheet collecting area. The sheet drive is selectively operable to transport the sheets in a first and second direction along a processing path. A holding device can hold a plurality of sheets. The sheet drive and holding device cooperate to compile the plurality of sheets into a stack wherein the sheets overlie each other in a shingled manner. A take away drive is in operative communication with the sheets for individually unloading the sheets from the sheet collecting area.