Printing checks in-house and MICR toner go hand in hand. All MICR toner and MICR lines have standards that they must meet for the checks that are printed to ultimately clear their bank. This is important for those who use check printing software to print onto blank check stock.
What is MICR toner?
To understand what MICR toner is, one must first know what a MICR line is on a check. The MICR stands for Magnetic Ink Character Recognition, a specialized process to automatically enter data into a financial institution’s computers to easily transfer the money to the payee’s account using a check. MICR line is located at the bottom of a check, and each is written in the same type font. It includes sensitive information, such as the checking account number, bank routing number and more. It is in a specific type font so a MICR reader at a bank can read the information through a specialized process dealing with magnetic??????. MICR toner is what is used to print the checks, and consequently the MICR line. The line is magnetized, and then read much like a tape is read, and the data is inputted into the computer so the check can transfer the money to the payee’s account.
MICR toner qualifications
All MICR toner should be up to the American National Standards Institute’s (ANSI) printing requirements. ANSI has specified how the adhesion, magnification strength, and moisture content should be within a MICR toner cartridge. All MICR toner that is purchased and made should be up to these standards. They have also established specifics on what kind of paper should be used for proper MICR printing, as well as what specific type faces should be used for the MICR line. This makes it so the MICR reader in the bank can recognize the information in the MICR line, as it is programmed to read those type faces.
As for the MICR line, the computer in the financial institution that is reading the check, is looking for the bank account number, check routing number and more in order to find the appropriate account to transfer the money from the corresponding checking account. Since this process is automated, the numbers on the MICR line have specific qualifications that must be followed so the information is correct.
The first area in a MICR line is called the Transit Field. This first set of numbers identifies the bank’s routing number so the computer can identify the financial institution and find the correct account. Next is the On-Us field, which has the account number, where the money is coming from. If a check is longer than 6.5 inches, as specified by ANSI, then there can be other information included such as part of social security numbers for identification.
By printing your own checks using MICR toner, this information isn’t lying around in an unused pre-printed check book waiting to be taken and used for fraudulent checks. Printing your own checks can help with security, as long as you know the specific qualifications in doing so.
The best thing to do if you are interested in printing your own checks is to purchase check printing software. This software will give you the correct qualifications for your checks so you can save time and money.
Piracle, a check printing software company, has software, blank check stock and MICR toner for all of your check printing needs. For more information go to www.Piracle.com.