Need to change check print alignment for Memo

genemike1

I’m a long time user of Quicken for Mac (since 2007) and just upgraded to the current subscription version for Mac. I printed my first check and found the Memo a little low.

Going to the Quicken Help from the Menu bar, I found extensive instructions on Adjust Alignment, starting with:
1. In Quicken, choose File > Print Checks.
2. Select the Adjust Alignment checkbox.

That’s as far as I got because, on the Print Checks page, there was no “Adjust Alignment checkbox.” I hate it when the Help gets it wrong.

Anyone know how to adjust the alignment of check printing in the current version?

P.S. I searched on the subject and ran into two problems:
1. There were many topics on the subject but I can't figure how to open the truncated answers??
2. Although there have been many recommendations to provide this capability, I can't determine where it all stands at the moment??

jacobs

Nothing has changed. You have to find the closest alignment that works for your checks, but there is no way to individually move the memo line. The developers would have to rewrite the code for check printing to allow users to independently move different elements, and then haven't yet done so. The check printing code carried over from the original 2010 era Quicken Essentials, so it would apparently require an extensive re-write to modify it. Since the developers have to pick and choose from among more than 500 feature requests users have submitted, and adding/enhancing many features is a time-consuming process, they try to pick the issues they think would have the greatest impact or would help the greatest number of users. It seems they haven't considered this to be a high priority, at least so far. 

By the way, when you search on this site, you just click on the subject line of each search result to open the thread. (Command-Click will open the thread in a new tab, so you can Command-click on several search results and open each in a separate tab.)

genemike1

Thanks, as always! The developers, if they choose to fix this feature, could find the code in Quicken 2007 where individual alignment is available. It would of course, not be a simple cut and paste (!) but it would be a start.

genemike1

I failed to mention that I am surprised at the low priority of this feature. There are some payees who require certain info in the Memo, such as account number or, in the case of IRS and State, SSN#. All my other information is perfectly aligned but the memo is in the lower border art of the check. Besides, there seems to be no way to change any alignment.

jacobs

genemike1 said:

Thanks, as always! The developers, if they choose to fix this feature, could find the code in Quicken 2007 where individual alignment is available. It would of course, not be a simple cut and paste (!) but it would be a start.

Nice suggestion… but unfortunately not correct. The program coding languages, frameworks, tools and database structure are completely different between Quicken 2007 and current Quicken Mac. The code in Quicken 2007 is unfortunately worthless to them. 

I have no insight into why the developers haven't dealt with this yet. My guess is that they analytics to show them relatively few Quicken Mac users use Quicken for printing checks. Or… they make that assumption.  Originally, I don't think they understood it was an issue. Then, somewhere along the way, they tried to fix it by moving the memo up one line. But then some users complained that the memo line was visible in window envelopes under the address, so they moved the memo line back down. In the way the printing code for checks is currently built, all that prints is a single block of text, so there's no way to re-position an individual line half a line higher or lower. They'd need to re-write the printing code for check printing and create the user interface to allow elements on the check to be independently positioned. 

There is an existing Idea thread for this to be changed, and you should add your vote if you haven't already. This thread has only attracted 28 votes over the past two years, so it's not a bright flashing light in the face of the developers. More votes can help push a topic in front of the developers.

UKR

AFAIK, the low positioning of the Memo line is a compromise between

• complaints the Memo line prints too low
  and
• complaints that the Memo line is visible when you insert the check into a windowed envelope where the check has some wiggle room to move about.

It was deemed more important to keep the Memo line below the envelope window. You will probably never get anyone to change it.

As long as the printed check's Memo line does not print within the area of the MICR code line at the bottom of the check, you're OK.
About all you can do right now is to adjust the entire check image to print 1/10" or so higher than your current setting. And ensure that your printer properties do not try to enlarge the printed text above 100%

For my occasional check printing needs I have always used Voucher checks (1 business size check and 2 stubs on a letter size sheet). They're easier to load into my printer and there's no fiddling with the tiny personal 3-to-a-sheet checks and partial pages. And there's plenty of space for the Memo line, even if it prints low.

UKR

You said "the memo is in the lower border art of the check."

As seen in this example taken from https://intuitmarket.intuit.com/checks/wallet-checks, Wallet Checks should print approximately as shown, with the Memo line above the MICR code line

Can you show me an example of your checks, on your check forms, as they come out of the printer? Black out any personal information. I'm interested in the exact positioning of all fields within the check form.
BTW, are your check forms "Quickbooks and Quicken-compatible"?

jacobs

@UKR Dozens of people have complained about the position of the memo field over the years. As you and I both noted, the developers tried moving it up a line, but then people complained it was visible in some window envelopes, so they moved it back down.

The check-printing code is currently implemented, the entire printing area is a fixed text block, so they can't implement half-line or fractional adjustments. There is no reason this can't be fixed, but it requires re-writing the code for printing checks and creating a UI screen where users could adjust the position of fields -- or at least the memo field -- independently. I see no reason that this will never get fixed, but as I wrote above, I understand why this hasn't been at the top of the priority list. Check printing is slowly disappearing, but checks will be with us enough longer that I believe it should be and will be fixed at some point. (I'm just not holding my breath. )

jacobs

In the many threads on this topic, several people have posted pictures of where the memo line prints on their supposedly-Quicken-compatible checks. Here's one:


The real issue is that moving the memo line one line higher should not pose a problem. But many window checks have a too-large window area — so they are compatible with virtually any type of check in the market — which makes positioning a memo line outside the window and above the MICR line trickier than it should be.

I think a possibly viable solution for the Quicken developers is to offer a radio button choice of printing the memo line in its current low position or one line higher. This wouldn't create the ideal solution allowing fine tuning the location of the memo line independently from the other data — but it would solve the problem for some users and wouldn't require re-writing the code for printing checks. (The button would just toggle between the text block with or without the extra blank line of space.) Users could then choose whichever they feel is the lesser evil: printing the memo line into the check border, not using some window envelopes, not recording sensitive data on the memo line, or hand-writing the memo info on the check after printing it.

That's a solution I think they could implement in a day and, while not perfect, would help many user who print checks. But I don't think this issue is on their radar.