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Is there a way to print the complete check from Quicken?

Andrew Angell

The check paper that I have is completely blank. The software I use (VersaCheck) prints the bank account routing and account number on the check, along with everything else.

In Quicken it seems the only way to print checks is with partially pre-printed checks. Is that true, or is there a way I can use my blank checks to print out of Quicken?

Any information on this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

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Accepted answers

UKR

Is your VersaCheck software compatible with your current version of Quicken?
If yes, then you should be able to use your blanks and, in Quicken, select VersaCheck as your printer driver for printing checks.

If no, ...

Are your blank check forms compatible with the formatting required by Quicken for Wallet checks (Check 21 compatible), Standard or Voucher checks?
If yes, use VersaCheck to preprint your name, address, bank information and MICR code line on all your blank forms ... everything but Payee Name, amount, date, etc. Let Quicken do that later, when you have to print a check from Quicken.

Quicken US version only: For a review of Quicken - compatible check styles and perhaps to order new supplies, please see https://intuitmarket.intuit.com/checks (the website talks about checks for use with QuickBooks but the same style checks also work with Quicken)

All comments

GeoffG

Quicken will only work with pre-printed checks in Quicken format. It's always been this way and would bet it always will be. This is an additional revenue stream.

UKR

If no, ...

volvogirl

Will this help? I looked it up

How do I integrate the VersaCheck program with QuickBooks, Quicken or Money.

http://www.versacheck.com/web/support/article.aspx?id=112

NotACPA

BUT NOTE, the MICR line (i.e., the bottom line on your check) MUST be printed using MAGNETIC INK.

MICR stands for "Magnetic Ink Character Recognition" and the high-speed reader/sorters used by the bank can read regular black ink. They rely on the magnetic property to read the characters.

And, magnetic ink is (or, at least used to be) pretty expensive. More expensive that what you're saving by printing your own checks.

Andrew Angell

> @volvogirl said:
> Will this help? I looked it upHow do I integrate the VersaCheck program with QuickBooks, Quicken or Money.
>
> http://www.versacheck.com/web/support/article.aspx?id=112

Thanks. That's interesting, but my goal is actually to eliminate VersaCheck altogether. I really would just rather use Quicken alone, but I still have all of these blank checks I don't want to waste.

Andrew Angell

> @NotACPA said:
> BUT NOTE, the MICR line (i.e., the bottom line on your check) MUST be printed using MAGNETIC INK.
> MICR stands for "Magnetic Ink Character Recognition" and the high-speed reader/sorters used by the bank can read regular black ink. They rely on the magnetic property to read the characters.And, magnetic ink is (or, at least used to be) pretty expensive. More expensive that what you're saving by printing your own checks.

I've been printing these checks out of my HP InkJet printer for years and have never had any problems with them.

NotACPA

Your bank is being generous. When I was a bank check processing manager, we closed several accounts because of this.

It costs the bank quite a bit of money to process these checks manually.

Andrew Angell

> @NotACPA said:
> Your bank is being generous. When I was a bank check processing manager, we closed several accounts because of this.It costs the bank quite a bit of money to process these checks manually.

Hmmm...weird. I mean, it's just an account number, routing number, and an amount. It's about the most insecure form of payment we've ever had, which has always sort of made me laugh.

It's not just my bank, right? I mean, I've passed these checks out to people banking with sorts of different banks. Never had a single issue with any of them saying the check wasn't printed with proper ink.

What does the ink on the paper have to do with processing the piece of paper itself?

Andrew Angell

@UKR, I replied to your message, but it had a link in it so it got snagged for approval and isn't showing up yet.

I'm going to look into your suggestion about printing all the checks with VersaCheck to give me what I need for Quicken. That might work out perfectly, thanks.

NotACPA

Because when the document is going thru the Reader/Sorters, the 1st thing that happens is that the MICR line gets a "jolt" of electricity to make it more readable.

The bank that I worked for processed 13-15 million documents a day (back in the 90's), so max automation was necessary to simply get thru that volume.

My team and I once played a joke. We encoded blue punch cards with magnetic ink and red punch cards with plain black ink. The encoding was otherwise identical. Then, during a tour of the sorter room, we showed this deck to the new manager and ran it thru the sorter. ALL of the red punch cards rejected (pocket 0) and all of the blue punch cards went to pocket 1.

We then tried to convince the manager that the sorter could tell colors.

Andrew Angell

@NotACPA Interesting. I guess that's just not something they really pay attention to anymore. I've passed out hundreds of these checks and have never had a single person come back and say they had a problem.

Thanks for the heads up, but so far it seems to be fine so I'll keep doing what I'm doing for now.

Andrew Angell

Eh, I can't get VersaCheck to let me print checks without the name/date/etc.

Also, I have quite a few accounts I print checks out of (much to my chagrin) so that's why it's nice to be able to just print the entire thing whenever you need one instead of ordering a whole bunch for multiple accounts, and then going through them so slowly.

Maybe I'll throw this into the feature request bucket, but I won't count on it happening. I guess there isn't much demand for this because most people just buy the pre-printed checks.

Andrew Angell

@NotACPA Are you talking about just the actual text that gets printed on the check, or are you referring to the background of the check?

These checks that I have are "blank" in that they do not have routing/account number etc. printed on them. However, they are actual check paper, where it has like a blue, secure type of background and has "security features" in the paper.

Then I just print the general bank info and payment on top of that.

Andrew Angell

Ah, I used the 'ol Google and did find a "print blank check" feature in VersaCheck.

So it seems this will likely work, but it still doesn't really get me exactly where I wanted to be, which is to eliminate VersaCheck but still not have to order specific checks for my different banks.

Small problems in today's world. I'll figure it out. Hope everybody is staying safe!

NotACPA

The paper matters to some degree (sufficient size and paper weight), but not as much as the MICR ink.

And, have you tried going to electronic bill pay? I write fewer than a dozen checks a year (and yes, there's some irony in my previously being a check systems manager).

Andrew Angell

@NotACPA Yes, believe me, I use checks as little as possible. In MO our payroll and unemployment taxes still have to be paid by check, and I also write quite a few checks as prize money for our table tennis club.

NotACPA

Look into the IRS's EZPAY system. It's electronic bill pay to the IRS.

Andrew Angell

@NotACPA Yes, we do that for Federal, but I'm talking about MO state.

Andrew Angell

> @UKR said:
> Is your VersaCheck software compatible with your current version of Quicken?
> If yes, then you should be able to use your blanks and, in Quicken, select VersaCheck as your printer driver for printing checks.
> If no, ...
> Are your blank check forms compatible with the formatting required by Quicken for Wallet checks (Check 21 compatible), Standard or Voucher checks?
> If yes, use VersaCheck to preprint your name, address, bank information and MICR code line on all your blank forms ... everything but Payee Name, amount, date, etc. Let Quicken do that later, when you have to print a check from Quicken.Quicken US version
> only: For a review of Quicken - compatible check styles and perhaps to order
> new supplies, please see https://intuitmarket.intuit.com/checks (the website talks about checks for use with
> QuickBooks but the same style checks also work with Quicken)

I don't see a VersaCheck printer driver installed on my machine. I never even realized that was supposed to be a feature of it. I actually have a pretty old version of VersaCheck, and my goal was to eliminate it entirely. I still have a whole bunch of these blank checks, though.

I'll see if I can do your second suggestion there, of using VersaCheck to print everything except for what Quicken would print for me later. It seems like VersaCheck requires some of those fields in order to print, but maybe I can tinker around in there and find some settings that will allow this.

I think that would work because my checks do follow this exact format: https://intuitmarket.intuit.com/checks/voucher-checks

Thanks for the suggestion!

NotACPA

What part of MO? I grew up in Kirkwood and went to John Burroughs

Andrew Angell

@NotACPA Opposite side, in the KC suburbs.

NotACPA

The JBS football team had, for several years, a Home & Away series (alternating sites each year) with Pembroke Country Day.

And when I worked for IBM, Sprint PCS, in Overland Park, was a client for a year or 2.

SO, I've spent some time on your side of the world.