Cheque printing...

[cdd]

I've been trying to sort out a cheque printing system for work (currently they're written out by hand by yours fucking truly, which is giving me the pip). The first place I looked was companies that supplied custom-made cheques, but there isn't the volume for that to be worthwhile (they understandably want you to order quite a lot of them, and we're only talking about 20 cheques a month). Therefore I've decided that printing directly onto cheques out of a chequebook is the best approach.

I then looked at cheque-printing software, but all of it is universally poxy and I thought I could do a better job anyway with Excel and Word/mail merge, and by and large the software side of it works. Cheques torn out of the chequebook go into the manual feed of the laser printer and the OK button on the printer is hit to advance.

The PROBLEM is that (amazingly) the laser printer wipes the account numbers, branch name and the other 'shiny' text that is overlaid onto cheques to personalise them to your account clean off the cheque!! Quite astouding really, and one would imagine a fraudster's dream.

Not mine though, so my question is really what other small-biz organisations do to automate cheque printing? I feel I have the whole thing sorted apart from the rubbing off text problem although if I'm going about the whole process in an arcane way feel free to tell me. Otherwise tips on how to print without rubbing off MICR would be much appreciated! I'm hoping for a solution that doesn't involve acquiring an inkjet printer, which I have thought of, on the grounds that 1) I think inkjet printers look unprofessional, and 2) the printer would get no use except for printing about 50 words a month and the ink cartridge would expire before it ran out of ink.

[all new Phil]

Is it the same thing written on them every time? Seeing as you're already being mega old-fashioned by using cheques, could you not get some sort of stamp instead of printing?

[cdd]

Alas, no... I know cheques are old fashioned, but they're one off payments to an electic mix of organisations and public bodies and all need an (automatically generated) covering letter - it's not easy to know how to pay organisations you've never dealt with before except by cheque (or postal order).

(I was listening to an interview on the radio about the phasing out of cheques in 2018, and the official promised that they would be replaced with a paper alternative. "Like a cheque, then..." said the interviewer, causing considerable squirming!)

[woah]

Perhaps a good old dot matrix cheque printer like the one below - not the cheapest solution I know, but..

http://www.retailepossystems.co.uk/one- ... -232-black

[Nick Harvey]

Or any other non-laser printer? I'll bet you've got an old inkjet or similar sitting around in a storeroom or loft somewhere that you could bring back into service just for the cheque printing job.

[Gavin Scott]

..it's not easy to know how to pay organisations you've never dealt with before except by cheque (or postal order).

Its easier than you imagine, we've found. Over the last while, by and large, all our ad hoccy payments (and there are many) have been done by bank transfer. There's less time and motion involved ringing to get their bank details - even if you have to google for a number and ask for "accounts" - its still less faff than printing cheques and cover letters.

It also makes your bank statements clearer in terms of payee information.

I think you've reached an impasse with your printer problem if you want a laser quality finish. Bubble, dot-matrix and daisy wheel is about the best you will get to print on pesky cheque paper.

Probably not what you had in mind.

[WillPS]

The shiny text you refer to is in fact magnetic ink - which is impossible to print without access to a printing press so not much good for fraudsters; the bank would accept the cheque (as it looks real) but would raise concern when their machinery couldn't read it.

[bilky asko]

The shiny text you refer to is in fact magnetic ink - which is impossible to print without access to a printing press so not much good for fraudsters; the bank would accept the cheque (as it looks real) but would raise concern when their machinery couldn't read it.

I thought it was possible to print your own cheques, as magnetic ink is readily available, if a little expensive?

[cwathen]

Most chain stores and supermarkets had cheque printing built into their EPOS systems during the 90's and early 00's. Usually this was accomplished by using a dot matrix receipt printer which also had a manual feed so that it doubled as a cheque printer.

You can probably pick up such a device second hand for peanuts now if you look on ebay.

[Pete]

Most chain stores and supermarkets had cheque printing built into their EPOS systems during the 90's and early 00's. Usually this was accomplished by using a dot matrix receipt printer which also had a manual feed so that it doubled as a cheque printer.

You can probably pick up such a device second hand for peanuts now if you look on ebay.

FACT ATTACK: When we got the new EPOS system at WHSmith it came with a standard thermal receipt printer / dot matrix cheque printer combo thingy.

The guy who taught us to use them said there was no need to show us how to replace the ribbon as it'll never run out given the number of cheques printed these days.

[DVB Cornwall]

Have you thought of ordering bespoke detachable cheques on a A4 proforma, which can be treated as paper in an inkjet device? It all depends on what sort of budget you can go to.