While many people in the US live digitally and choose to be paid through direct deposit, some employees prefer printed checks. Which is still okay.
Gone are the days when people's only option was to order printed checks from commercial institutions and third-party vendors. The major downside of pre-printed checks is that they are expensive, inconvenient, and sometimes not secure.
In this article, you'll see the type of employees that would prefer printed checks and what you need to print your own checks. Read on and learn more.
What Type of Employees Would Prefer Printed Checks?
There are a lot of reasons that would make an employee choose physical paychecks over a direct deposit. They include:
- Uncomfortable with digital banking
- Don't have a bank account
- Business uses checks and a dated accounting package geared to print checks.
Whatever the reason that makes an employee want a paper paycheck, you'll need some unique supplies to print your payroll checks.
Here's what you need before printing your own checks:
Software for Printing Checks
To print your own paychecks, you'll need to have an accounting software like Quickbooks. Remember, you need to find checks compatible with your accounting software. The check printing software will help you in formatting your checks the right way. It is relatively cheap, especially when producing high volumes of checks.
Most payroll and bookkeeping programs can connect directly to your printer and can help you through the printing process, so you'll not need to look for an outside stub template.
If you're doing payroll manually, you can take advantage of the many templates available online. Note: when developing your own model, you'll require MICR – a unique font that makes it possible for banks' automatic scanners to read account details easily.
Check Stock Paper
Check stock paper is a unique paper that helps prevent people from altering your checks or producing fake checks using your business details. The best thing is that they are compatible with most check printing software and printers.
It comes with additional security features such as security warnings, micro printing, and watermarks. Some check stocks are pre-perforated to ease the cutting process.
You can order check stock paper from online retailers or office supply stores. Of course, they come at a higher price than regular paper due to improved security features. But the cost is justified considering the peace of mind that comes with it.
Magnetic Ink
Magnetic ink allows a computer to read the MICR even when other markings partially obscure it. But, you'll not need this ink for mobile check deposits, where users snap a check's picture to make a deposit.
If you print checks with normal ink, the bank will have to process the check manually. In this case, the bank will require you or the employee to pay the processing fee.
MICR
You'll type your account number and routing number in MICR font at the bottom of your check. The MICR code is vital to the character-reading technology used by computers that process checks.
Printer
You don't necessarily need to go for expensive printers when printing paychecks. Many check printers offer unique features that improve the security of your checks, such as thermochromatic ink or watermarks. You can also use an office printer too. Just make sure that the printer is compatible with the magnetic ink.
You can also opt to hire a printing company to print your paychecks. You'll then drop your pre-printed checks into your printer so you can add your employee number, date, amount, and any other details. Through this option, you don't need the MICR font or the special ink.
Envelope
A standard #9 double-window envelope will help you mail the check quickly and conveniently. They display the names of your employees, their address as well as your address.
While choosing the right envelope may seem simple, the selection should be made carefully. For instance, choosing the right envelope will allow the name of the payee and their address appear in the envelope window. It will make your paychecks more legitimate, making your employees more confident in your company.
If not done well, it can be difficult for banks to cash your paychecks. Thus, it is vital to ensure that checks are printed in the right way.
Printing Paychecks with Payroll Software
A lot of payroll providers allow employers to print paychecks directly from payroll software using a template. Typically, you have the option of printing your paychecks on blank check stock or pre-personalized check stock.
