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MICR Check Printers

  • 1.  MICR Check Printers

    Posted 09-12-2024 16:34

    I have a customer that wants to start using MICR check printing.  What is a good medium to high duty printer that is good for MICR check printing.  I usually recommend HP.  There are hundred s of HP printers and I want to be sure the printer I recommend has readily available MICR toner cartridges.



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    Doug Higgs
    Midwest Commerce Solutions, Inc
    (312) 315-0960
    Chauffeur, Chef, and Personal Assistant to Sprinkles
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  • 2.  RE: MICR Check Printers

    Posted 09-12-2024 17:04

    I have a couple of customers printing their own MICR and they are NOT using MICR toner.  I don't think all banks require that anymore.



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    Beth Bowers
    (269) 358-0989
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  • 3.  RE: MICR Check Printers

    Posted 09-12-2024 17:17

    Interesting.  It never occurred to me that magnetic ink may not be needed.  It makes sense though.  You can take a picture of the check to deposit it in the bank.  I will check with their bank.



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    Doug Higgs
    Midwest Commerce Solutions, Inc
    (312) 315-0960
    Chauffeur, Chef, and Personal Assistant to Sprinkles
    ------------------------------



  • 4.  RE: MICR Check Printers

    Posted 09-12-2024 21:19

    The only issues I usually have with MICR check printing is the fonts (they'll be available so long as you have Aatrix installed) which have to be installed to each workstation that will print checks. This isn't so bad on the initial setup but is easy to forget when setting up new workstations as additional people join the company.



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    Wayne Schulz
    wayne@s-consult.com
    Schulz Consulting
    (860) 516-8990
    Moodus, CT
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  • 5.  RE: MICR Check Printers

    Posted 09-13-2024 08:25

    Fortunately this customer is on the Sage Partner Cloud so the fonts only need to be installed once.  Also, most of my customers have one or two employees that are authorized to print checks, so, if needed, the fonts don't have to be installed and tested on every  computer.



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    Doug Higgs
    Midwest Commerce Solutions, Inc
    (312) 315-0960
    Chauffeur, Chef, and Personal Assistant to Sprinkles
    ------------------------------



  • 6.  RE: MICR Check Printers

    Posted 09-13-2024 10:06
      |   view attached

    I have been printing MICR checks with plain toner for 15 years, Early on, I had issues with two clients in that their banks were not reading the plain toner MICR check at an acceptable rate.  I switched one to MICR toner which improved the situation.  The other client purchased preprinted checks.  Both clients transacted with rural banks whose equipment (IMHO) was the problem.  Nowadays, everything is digital (think having a check scanner to process/upload cash receipts to the bank.  I assume they will use blank check stock with Sage printing the entire image.  It is critically important to position the MICR code correctly.  I purchased a plastic template back in the day to position the codes correctly.  The check stock I recommend to clients has a faint alignment positioning square.  Very helpful!

    You can suggest they take this a step further by printing the authorized signature.  Insert a signature PDF to do the trick.  You can suppress the signature if over a certain amount, print verbiage (two signatures over 10K) or even limit who can print signatures based on the Sage user login in.

    If they are asking about MICR, you should press them with ACH payments.  There are a lot more $$$ savings with this, but then it is probably a matter of crawl, walk run.

    Attached are the MICR fonts that @Jim Woodhead (I believe) distributed at MOTM II circa 2013.  



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    Jeff Schwenk
    Owner
    Bottomline Software, Inc.
    Waynesboro VA
    (540) 221-4444
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    Attachment(s)



  • 7.  RE: MICR Check Printers

    Posted 09-13-2024 15:58

    We have used the signature as an image as well but I don't like including it as an image on the Crystal Report. Instead, I use a UDF which points to the path of the file which happens to be a USB drive which has encryption and passcode on it. You can also use a mapped drive that only the authorized user has access to. The default image is void so users without the drive/image gets void printed out on it.



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    Todd Martin
    MBA Business Software
    https://www.mbabsi.com
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  • 8.  RE: MICR Check Printers

    Posted 09-13-2024 16:01

    Oh yeah and here is that MICR template gauge that was referenced. We use it too and it is really handy to have. Helps to make sure the scanners will read the MICR right.

    https://shop.troygroup.com/products/troy-micr-document-template



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    Todd Martin
    MBA Business Software
    https://www.mbabsi.com
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  • 9.  RE: MICR Check Printers

    Posted 09-13-2024 15:53

    While a lot of banks allow images of checks and users can use check scanners with image capture, not everyone does and it is required to meet the banking standards and could be rejected depending on the bank. Below is a link to Troy Printers who specialize in MICR printing. Although with the changes to .net with Crystal, these don't work like they used to. Not sure if anyone else has used them. But they answer your question. As to a printer that can be used. I usually look for a resource to buy MICR toner and see which toner they have for the printers I like. 

    Do I Need a MICR Printer? Yes! MICR is Still Required!

    Troygroup remove preview
    Do I Need a MICR Printer? Yes! MICR is Still Required!
    MICR is required for bank readability & processing, according to the Federal Reserve. These 6 reasons outline why your organization needs a MICR Printer.
    View this on Troygroup >



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    Todd Martin
    MBA Business Software
    https://www.mbabsi.com
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  • 10.  RE: MICR Check Printers

    Posted 09-13-2024 16:41

    Thanks @Todd Martin ! Really great information.  I ordered the template and I am recommending one of the Troy printers. 



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    Doug Higgs
    Midwest Commerce Solutions, Inc
    (312) 315-0960
    Chauffeur, Chef, and Personal Assistant to Sprinkles
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  • 11.  RE: MICR Check Printers

    Posted 09-13-2024 16:47

    The Troy printers are normal printers like HP but with their added value to them for locking out or key entry for printing. The .net with true type fonts and crystal run time is a little bit of an issue that depending on what features you want to use as it may not be available due to the issue or you may have to do some work arounds. Just an FYI.



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    Todd Martin
    MBA Business Software
    https://www.mbabsi.com
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  • 12.  RE: MICR Check Printers

    Posted 09-13-2024 17:01

    What do you mean by "crystal run time is a little bit of an issue "?  They will be using the printer only for Sage 100 check printing and they are on Sage Partner Cloud.  Any issues with this?



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    Doug Higgs
    Midwest Commerce Solutions, Inc
    (312) 315-0960
    Chauffeur, Chef, and Personal Assistant to Sprinkles
    ------------------------------



  • 13.  RE: MICR Check Printers

    Posted 09-13-2024 17:18

    Early versions had fonts that were not truetype. When crystal reports updated with the newer .net it meant that any fonts you use must be Truetype. So to get around that we would use a TrueType and substitute with theirs when printing. They now have TrueType but the last install I did with it a few years ago it still had some issues and it wouldn't switch out the font like it was supposed to. So with their fonts when you print from an unauthorized user it changes the fonts to a different look. That didn't work we had to use another font that always printed. These are for things like the dollar amount, MICR, etc that was part of their secured solution. You can still use the printer like any other printer that works with MICR Toner. You get the added Key lock and keypad but when you enter the passcode on the keypad it may not switch out the fonts like it should. They may have resolved that by now as it was a few years ago.



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    Todd Martin
    MBA Business Software
    https://www.mbabsi.com
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