MICR Check Printing Q&A
What is MICR?
MICR Characters are the unusual numbers and characters printed
on the bottom of all checks. They identify the bank, the bank
account number, and the check number. MICR stands for Magnetic
Ink Character Recognition. The MICR characters are printed with
ink that contains particles which can be magnetized. The bank
"reads" the information on the check by magnetizing
the MICR character line and then passing the check through a
high speed reader that translates the magnetic information into
characters.
What is MICR Check Printing?
That's when you print all the MICR information at the same time
you print the check detail (e.g., amount, payee).
What advantages are there in
printing MICR checks?
There are several advantages:
- You save the cost of pre-printing checks. If you issue many
checks, the savings can be quite significant.
- If you have multiple checking accounts, you don't have to
stock a separate check form for each account.
- You don't have to switch check forms in your printer when
switching between different checking accounts. Academy
Systems MICR Check Printing Software allows you to easily
select the account from which to issue a check.
- You don't have to worry about blank checks lying around
which may be inviting fraud.
Will my banks accept the MICR checks
that I print?
Yes. Checks printed using Academy Systems Software and supplies
meet all American Bankers Association (ABA) standards for MICR
check printing.
What equipment and supplies do I
need to print MICR checks?
All of the following supplies you need are available from
Academy and many dealers across the country:
- A laser printer that accepts MICR toner. This includes all
HP LaserJets; IBM Laser Printer series 40xx; Canon; Okidata
400/800; Ricoh 4080, 4081, 4150; QMS; Kyocera F-series;
Alps; Sharp 9500 series; and C.Itoh (TEC) printers.
- MICR toner for your laser printer.
- Blank, perforated, colored-background check forms.
Corporate Checking
CheckMaker
DraftMaker
BankTools
InstaCheck
MICR Check Scanner
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