From: mandrews@portal.hq.videocart.com (Mike Andrews)
Subject: Re: Computer Printed Checks
Organization: VideOcart Inc.
Date: Fri, 8 Jan 1993 22:08:35 GMT

In article <1993Jan08.150247.28847@i88.isc.com> jeq@i88.isc.com (Jonathan E. Quist) writes:
>In article <C0HnsJ.EHs@ddsw1.mcs.com> arf@ddsw1.mcs.com (Jack Schmidling) writes:
>>In article <93006.204211U48073@uicvm.uic.edu> Cole Kendall <U48073@uicvm.uic.edu> writes:
>>>Does anyone use computer printed checks?  A friend has just bought
>>>Managing Your Money and wants to know if there are any cheaper sources
>>>of checks than those available from MECA.
>>>

Jack, the original poster is asking for where to get pre-printed checks, not how to make
them himself.  Your bank's check printer will have software-compatible checks in
thier check catalog. I ordered some laser checks for Quicken from Deluxe Check 
printers through my bank.  They were slightly cheaper than what Quicken sells.
Other commercial check printers, including the mail-order ones, have check styles
that are compatible with popular PC programs.

>>I don't use them but I just received one from a customer.  Fortunately, he
>>is on the network and I asked him what it was as it looked like he ran it off
>>on a Mac.  I was joking but he came back and said it was.
>>
>>From the receiver's point of view, at least until tthey become more common,
>>the generate a great deal of suspicion.  Although their is a bank code on
>>the bottom, there is no reason to believe that could not also be created in
>>the computer.  I think you can bet that anyone getting one will sit on it
>>till cleared by the bank and cause you a lot of grief.
>
>
>If the check includes the magnetic code on the bottom, they have to be
>accepted for deposit.  Technically, you can write a bank draft on
>anything, but for practical reasons, non-MICR-coded drafts incur an
>additional handling charge (something like $12 or $20) because they cannot
>be read automatically.  This information from a former roommate who has
>been in the banking industry for the past 10 years.
>

There was recently an article I read someplace where somebody asked where to buy
magnetic ink toner cartridges for laser printers. The answer was they are available
but expensive and unnecessary.  One fellow scanned in a check and made more 
without magnetic ink and they were processed without problem.  I'd bet that the
"magnetic" part of MICR readers went away with punched cards and now they can
read optically.

>One of the custom checkprinters has a design that looks like it was
>drawn up with crayons.  Cute, but we did wonder what reactions we'd
>get from it...
>

I have some Bugs Bunny checks from Deluxe that are great.  Includes the Road
Runner and Daffy, Elmer, and Bugs.  I get delighted reactions with them from sales
clerks, although I'm not sure if I'd use them on a business account.


>Regardless of whether they're negotiable or not, consider whether
>they project the image you want to project.  I ran a small business
>in college, and drew very definite conclusions about customers (some
>correct, others not) based on the checks they wrote.  Once conscious of
>this, I changed banks when my bank changed checkprinters to one with
>substandard quality drafts.
>-- 
>Jonathan E. Quist                              Lachman Technology, Incorporated
>jeq@i88.isc.com  '71 CL450-K4 "Gleep", DoD #094        Naperville, IL
> __       There's nothing quite like the pitter-patter of little feet,
> \/                   followed by the words "Daddy!  Yay!"


-- 
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Mike Andrews                                             VideOcart, Inc.
mandrews@hq.videocart.com                                300 South Wacker Drive
Network Administrator                                    Chicago, IL 60606 USA
Newsgroups: chi.misc,chi.general