Account Number on Check

QuickBooks doesn't print the routing/account or the check numbers, but there are other programs out there that should allow you to print up your own check stock. Just keep in mind that you'll need a special MICR ink for the check printing. I'm sure whatever programs you look into will talk about this.

Anon

How would they sell preprinted checks if they let you do it within the program?

I use Versa Check. There are some import/export capabilities but the easiest way for me is to just run the checks through the printer twice, first in Versa Check to create the pre-printed check, then through QB. Its a lot cheaper to buy 5000 blank check stock from Office Depot/Max than to order checks from QB or anyone else. And, you do not need MICR ink which is more expensive than regular ink and a nuisance to remember to put the right cartridge in the printer when printing checks and when not printing checks.

I have been writing checks on 30 different banks for over a year and none of them have complained. Some do have a higher rate of manually entered check strips attached to the bottom of the cleared check than others. Some have none. I guess some OCR scanning equipment is better than others. But most of the checks which clear the banks with the high rate of attached strips are unaltered which means they are all using OCR scanning equipment and not the old magnetic reading method.

Really not required today. Several of my clients print their own checks today and it has been years since MICR ink was needed. The optical readers used by the banking industry today can read normal laser printouts

The banking industry has come a long way baby!

I agree with you that MICR ink is no longer a requirement. However if it were, then with the unbelievable reduction in the costs of laser printers, having a second printer dedicated for check printing is viable for most users.

What checks? Last statement had more than 60% of the checks as "images" Check

21, it is the future.

Agreed, it is the furture. What is somtimes missing is the technology to capture an image that is legible on the statement.

It depends upon your bank.

The biggest problem isn't with the BANKING industry

It is the RETAIL industry.

Many stores use actual MICR readers from places like MagTek.

A notable place that uses MICR is WalMart & Sams. They read your check and compare it to their deadbeat database.

They also have a non-publicly disclosed policy of NOT accepting checks that they can't read in their MICR readers.

When I had my first non-MICR check reject at Sam's their first question was "Did you print this check yourself". Apparently Sams PREFERS to use MICR as a way to screen out fraud from people printing checks out on non-existent accounts.

I can assume that they have been burned on more than one self printed non-MICR check. It would also be a safe assumption that many criminals don't bother to buy the MICR toner.

WalMart also presents some checks not as paper, but as ACH debits to your bank. Again, they require a MICR reader, and the ones they employ are usually based on MagTek, not OCR.

WalMart/Sam's ultimate plan is to digitize your check entirely. Some of their stores will read the MICR line, plus scan/image your check. They then transmit this 'truncated' check electronically to their bank for processing. Your check may be clearing your own bank by the time you get to the parking lot.

Back to the banks - NOT ALL USE OCR YET.

Many actually charge extra if you don't use MICR.

Canadian banks often charge a $4-$5 CDN per check fee for non-MICR encoded checks, at least as of last year. Perhaps one of our Canadian neighbors can tell us if this is still common practice.

The bottom line is:

1) If you want to forego buying a MICR cartridge for your printer, check with your bank to be sure they won't charge you a fee.

2) Plan on not going to Sams or WalMart or any other retailer (Penneys,

7/11, etc) who requires MICR ink/toner.

3) It really isn't too hard to actually user MICR toner. My HP6P, HP4 and HP1320 all have cartridges for MICR available. They are slightly more expensive, but I only use them for checks and each one has lasted several years.

You don't need a second printer like Allan suggests, simply a second toner cartridge on the shelf. When you need to print a batch of checks up, pop in the toner, and remove it when done printing checks.

It takes LESS time than waiting for QB 2006 to boot and load the data file.

Hey, come to think of it, that may be why QB loads so slow....They are giving us time to load the MICR toner! Forget the coffee Allen! They built in that slow loading to allow us to use MICR toner.

*Watt

I have a MagTek MICR reader in my store for processing checks. You're correct, it is not an optical reader. It does more than comparing to a database of deadbeats. It tells me if the person has sufficient funds and if so, those funds are then reserved for this sale amount. It also compares the customer's driver's license number against the name on the check. After approval, the customer signs the electronic withdrawal agreement and I give them back their check. There are many reasons a check won't be approved. Some banks compare spending habits by a complex formula. The code on the reader lets me know why the check wasn't approved. I can then either force the approval at my own risk or refuse the sale. Obviously, if the code says the checks are stolen, I'll refuse the sale and then notify authorities. On the other hand, if it indicates sufficient funds but "over today's spending limit" and I know the customer, I may accept the check at my risk.

Bob

Steve,

IMHO, losing more real estate on my desk is a bigger problem than the purchase price of a printer.

My point was that no special printer is typically needed. You can even get inkjet MICR ink now from Versacheck.

*Watt

Robert,

Thanks for the info from the front lines.

What would you do if I showed up in your establishment with a check printed with non-MICR toner?

Would you accept it?

Let's say we have never met before, and I want to buy $300 of material from you. I have a valid driver's license on me.

My experience at Sams is that they WILL NOT take a check like that.

Thanks,

*Watt

You may be right. The clients I write checks for use a checkbook for those kinds of purchases. I carry a small checkbook myself for the rare occasion when a credit card won't do. The computer checks I write are to pay bills in large batches twice a month. No vendor has ever refused payment and no bank has ever refused to honor a check written using Versa Check and QuickBooks without MICR ink. The volume is over 20,000 checks annually.

I might also mention that some business are willing to pay extra to get their origin checks returned to them in a monthly statement rather than only receiving the micro facsimile of those documents.

People have stated here that they've used laser printers. Will ink jet work? Also, I've looked into different check writing apps like Versa Check but nothing is available for OS X except for a 2001 edition of Versa Check. Is there anything newer out there available?

-Marc

Under the circumstances you present to me, I'd tell you I could take MasterCard, Visa or Discover but not your check.

Bob

*Watt wrote:

Allan,

Shooting 0 for 2 this week, Allan. By now you have read the posts that contradict this.

Maybe you should take a break until you can get your facts right.

*Watt

As a follow-up I rarely do anything with checks except pay a few bills I can't pay via credit/debit card and to pay the occasional freelancer. I never use checks to purchase goods.

-Marc

That is exactly what I was saying. I lost count on the number of times I have seen one user place check stock in a printer only to have another user send a report to the printer and ruin the stock.

Then you are saying my clients need MICR ink? If I tell them that MICR is required how do I respond to them when they ask why none of their checks have ever been rejected?

Have checks changed much since 2001 where you live?