Patent ID: 7660771

Claim:
A method for processing checks, the method comprising: scanning a check drawn against an account associated with a consumer to capture information needed to create an ACH debit; automatically determining, at a computing apparatus, based at least in part on the captured information, whether the check is eligible to be converted into an ACH debit by: determining whether the check is a consumer check; determining whether the consumer has been notified that the check will be converted into an ACH debit; determining whether the check is associated with a financial institution that does not accept ACH transactions; determining whether the consumer has refused to allow conversion of the check into an ACH debit; and evaluating a length and a position of a Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR) line of the check to determine whether the check can be converted into an ACH debit; depositing the check at a financial institution when a determination is made that the check is not a consumer check; depositing the check at the financial institution when a determination is made that the consumer has not been notified; depositing the check at the financial institution when a determination is made that the financial institution does not accept ACH transactions; depositing the check at the financial institution when a determination is made that the consumer does not allow conversion of the check into an ACH debit; depositing the check at the financial institution when a determination is made that the evaluation of the MICR line indicates that the check cannot be converted into an ACH debit; and automatically creating, at the computing apparatus, an electronic file that contains the information needed to create an ACH debit when a determination is made that the check is eligible to be converted into an ACH debit because the check is a consumer check, the consumer has been notified, the financial institution accepts ACH transactions, the consumer allows conversion of the check into an ACH debit, and evaluation of the MICR line indicates that the check can be converted into an ACH debit.