CHECKER Main Help Menu

QUICK HELP INDEX  FIRST, YOU NEED TO ORDER CHECKS

The CHECKER Main Menu consists of a nearly blank white screen.  After you read and become familiar with EVERY Help screen (all of them are accessible from links on this screen and from the Quick Index at the bottom of this screen), perform the steps in Getting Started (VERRRY IMPORTANT!!!), you will most often click on Browse at the top of this screen.

Besides the CHECKER Main Menu, there are 3 screens in CHECKER that you will use often:

1) Browse Checks - where you make a choice to Insert (add), Change (correct), or Delete checks and where you select checks for printing - to get to this screen, click on Browse at the top of the main menu then click on Browse Checks

2) Update a Check - where you enter the data for new checks and corrections or changes to old ones and where you can print a single check - to get to this screen, click on Insert (add) or Change at the bottom of the Browse Checks screen.  Become familiar with this screen and you will know what data you need to ask for when accepting a check by phone.

3) Print Checks - where you print the checks selected on the Browse Checks screen or the single check showing on the Update a Check screen or all checks received on selected dates - to get to this screen, click on Print Checks at the bottom of the Browse Checks screen or at the bottom of the Update a Check screen

Other than the frequently used screens (above) there are 2 other screens in CHECKER that you will use on a less infrequent basis. These are used to tell CHECKER exactly where each item prints on the blank check stock paper and once you have them set up the way you want them, you should never have to touch them again:

1) Browse Formats - where you make a choice to Insert (add), Change (correct), or Delete check printing format definitions - or where you Select a format for the check you are currently entering on the Update a Check screen. You will use this screen frequently while entering check data on the Update a Check screen - simply enter an incorrect format name or no format name at all on the Update a Check screen, and the Browse Formats screen will appear automatically to allow you to select a formats.  You will use this screen less frequently...

(a) when you 1st set up CHECKER right after you have installed it

(b) when you open a new checking account

(c) when you take on a new client if you are accepting checks by phone or fax for clients. To get to this screen, click on Browse at the top of the main menu then click on Browse Formats

2) Update a Format - where you enter the data for new formats and corrections or changes to old ones - to get to this screen, click on Insert (add) or Change at the bottom of the Browse Formats screen

There is 1 additional screen which you will never use once you have CHECKER up and running:  About CHECKER - which contains my copyright notice - to get to this screen, click on Help from the main menu then click on About CHECKER

TO USE CHECKER you need:

1) a laser printer with 300dpi resolution or higher.  You may get by with an inkjet or dot matrix printer, but banks will have more trouble with checks from those printers.

2) blank check stock paper, see  How to Order Blank Check Stock Paper

3) to know how to use this computer program.

CHECKER has 2 purposes:

1) to enable you to print blank checks for any checking account so that you never have to purchase expensive checks again. (see How to Order Checks).

2) to enable you to accept checks by phone or fax from anyone, anywhere so that you or your business can receive payment immediately, even from those without a credit card. The main data entry screen (the Update a Check screen reached by clicking Insert or Change on the bottom of the Browse Checks screen) shows you all of the data you need to collect when accepting a check by phone.

Some people think you need a special magnetic ink toner cartridge (costing about $200).  That just isn't so.  Many banks use OCR equipment now and even those who don't will probably be able to read your checks since all laser toner is magnetic anyway.

Some people think you need a business checking account to deposit checks received by phone or fax.  If the check is made out to you, that also isn't true.  These checks are legal as long as you keep the fax or record the phone conversation - and even that shouldn't be necessary if your dealings are honest and you have little reason to expect anyone to dishonor the check they faxed or phoned to you. Simply deposit them as you would any other check.  If you are nervous about doing this, as I was when I first started depositing these checks in a personal checking account, you may want to start out as I did using the night depository so the teller will not get a chance to ask questions.  Some tellers simply have not seen this type of check before, but that is getting more and more uncommon.

Enough talk. You will enjoy the benefits of using this program, so let's get started!  You should have already read the help screens and performed the Getting Started steps - now get to work.

Quick Help Index:

CHECKER Main Help Menu

How to Order Blank Checks

Getting Started

Browse Checks (select checks for printing, modifying, or deleting or add new checks)

Update a Check (enter or modify checks before printing)

Print Checks (print a single check, selected checks, or checks by check date)

Browse Formats (select, modify, add, or delete print format definitions)

Update a Format (modify a format definition or enter a new one)

The Purposes of CHECKER

What You Need to Run CHECKER


Getting Started

QUICK HELP INDEX  FIRST, YOU NEED TO ORDER CHECKS

These steps are very important.  Follow them exactly before you do anything else.  There are 30 steps, but some of you will accomplish all of them in about 5 to 15 minutes.

As you do these steps, you will accomplish 3 things:

a) CHECKER will be customized and set up just the way you need it;

b) You will have used most of CHECKER'S features and screens and will have completed a sort of tutorial.; and

c) You will have your first blank personal checks that you can start using now.

Before you go on, you must install the font (advmicr.ttf) which now resides in your CHECKER directory which is used to print the magnetic numbers at the bottom of your checks. Go the Main Group of Program Manager and click on Control Panel then click on FONTS then click on Add. Click on drives and directories as needed until you are positioned in your CHECKER directory.  Click on Select All then click on OK. When the font is installed, return to CHECKER and perform the steps below.

Print the sample checks to align your printer

1) Go to the CHECKER Main Menu and click on Browse then click on Browse Checks

2) Click on Print selected checks

3) A new window will appear and you should Click on Print

4) A new window will appear and you should Click on OK - this will print the 2 sample checks on plain white paper.  "BOB STRATTON" should be very close to 7/10ths of an inch from the left edge of the paper and the top of the letters should be 6/10ths of an inch from the top of the paper.  "CUSTOMER NAME" should be 7/10ths of an inch from the left efge of the paper and the top of the letters should be 3 1/2 inches from the top of the letters in "BOB STRATTON".  If everything is ok skip to step 13 below.

Printer is not yet aligned

 5) Go to the CHECKER Main Menu and click on Browse then click on Browse Formats

6) Highlight the Fax format and click on Change

7) Add or subtract enough thousandths of an inch to base x to move "CUSTOMER NAME" to 7/10ths of an inch from the left edge of the paper

8) Add or subtract enough thousandths of an inch to base y to move "CUSTOMER NAME" to 6/10ths of an inch from the top edge of the paper

9) Add or subtract enough thousandths of an inch to check height to move the top of the letters in "CUSTOMER NAME" to 3 1/2 inches below the top of the letters in "BOB STRATTON" and click on OK to save the format

10) Highlight the Standard format, click on Change

11) Enter the same values for base x , base y and check height as in steps 7, 8 and 9 above then click on OK to save the format

12) Go to the Browse checks screen and right click on each check to select it for printing then repeat steps 2 through 4 above to check your work.

Customize the Fax format

13) Repeat steps 5 and 6 above to get ready to customize the Fax format for your own use.  The Standard format should not need customizing. If you need more than one payee, amount, signature, or memo you can create other Fax formats later and call them PRODUCT1 or AL-JONES or whatever you wish.

14) Enter your own name or any name you wish in place of mine as the payee.

15) Enter zero or whatever amount you commonly receive by fax as the amount.  If you seldom receive the same amount twice, you would enter zero here.  If you have a few amounts that you receive frequently you may want to set up a separate Fax format for each of them.

16) Customize the memo field to your liking.  You can see that it is presently customized for me and my sales of CHECKER software. I strongly recommend you leave the first line as is and replace or erase the second line.  The eight asterisks will be automatically replaced at data entry time by the current system date.

17) You may customize the 2 signature lines if you wish.  They work just fine for me the way they are. Click OK to save the format.

Customize checks for your personal checking account

18) Go to the CHECKER Main Menu and click on Browse then click on Browse Checks

19) You may delete the "CUSTOMER NAME" check as you will not need it again.  Highlight the check then Click on Delete; then click on OK.

20) Highlight the "BOB STRATTON" (that's me) check and click on Change.

21) Enter your name, address, driver's license, phone number, etc. exactly as you want it to appear on your own personal checks. You may enter up to 5 lines of up to 40 characters each. If you have more than one account, you can add them later. The Standard format will probably do for all of your accounts.

22) Enter the name, address, phone number, etc. of the branch of your bank where your account is located. You may enter up to 5 lines of up to 40 characters each.  The first line is the only one required.

23) Enter your bank's branch number.  It is usually 1 to 4 digits and will print on your checks as bb-5678/1234 where bb is the number you enter here and 5678 are digits 5 through 8 of your bank's transit number with leading zeros stripped off and 1234 are digits 1 through 4 of the transit number also with leading zeros stripped.

24) Enter a starting check number to print on the first check printed.

25) Enter the number of checks to print.  It should be a multiple of 3 so you don't waste any checks

26) DO NOT ENTER a date, payee, amount, or memo

27) Enter your bank's 9 digit transit number.  It is usually the leftmost 9 digits printed magnetically at the bottom of your checks.  If your account number is also 9 digits long, you may not be sure which is which.  GUESS.  There is only a chance in ten that CHECKER will accept your account number as a valid bank transit number because the 9th digit of every bank transit number is a check digit and CHECKER will not accept transit numbers which do not pass the check digit test.  If your account number and transit number both pass the test, just look at the branch number printed on one of your personal checks and match up digits 1 through 8 as explained in step 23 above.

28) Enter your checking account number.  It is usually just to the right of the bank transit number at the bottom of your checks and usually includes all other numbers on the bottom of the check except the check number.  Hyphens and spaces are ok but never required.

29) Place some blank check stock paper in your printer; then click on Print Checks; then click on Print; then click on OK

30) Click on OK to save the check.  Notice that the starting check number has been changed and is ready for the next time you print personal checks.


Browse Formats

QUICK HELP INDEX  FIRST, YOU NEED TO ORDER CHECKS

The only purpose of this screen is to add a new format or select a format to change.  You can delete formats, but you must use extreme caution.  The Standard and Fax formats should never be deleted.  Highlight a Standard or a Fax format and click on Insert to add a new format of the highlighted type.  It is important that the correct type is highlighted before you click Insert.  All of the fields except the Format Name field will be filled in from the highlighted format.  Simply highlight the desired format and click on Change or Delete to change or delete the format.  You must click on OK to complete the deletion, so accidentally hitting the delete button will not be a problem.

The format file tells CHECKER exactly where each item should be printed and for many items, exactly how wide the item should be in inches.

A Standard format is used for printing blank checks to replace the expensive checks you use with your personal and business checking accounts.

A Fax format is used for printing completed checks ready to be endorsed and deposited.

When you first run CHECKER you must customize the formats for your own use.  See Getting Started.


Update a Format

QUICK HELP INDEX  FIRST, YOU NEED TO ORDER CHECKS

This screen is used to add a new format or change an existing one. You get here only from the Browse Formats screen

Note that when adding a new format the only field you have to enter is the format name field.  All other fields are filled in with data from the format that was highlighted when you selected Insert to get to this update screen from the Browse Formats screen.  If you are not sure you had the correct type of format highlighted, click on cancel now and try again.  Most new formats will be of the Fax type.  Few if any will be of the Standard type unless you open a new checking account or wish to print blank checks for someone else.  There are no other types.

A Standard type format is used for printing blank checks to be made out and signed later to replace the expensive checks you use with your personal and business checking accounts.

A Fax type format is used for printing completed checks ready to be endorsed and deposited.

Most new formats will be of the Fax type because you can use the standard format with any  number of  personal or business checking accounts.  When adding a new Fax format you will usually leave all fields as they are except for the payee, amount , and memo fields.  I can think of no reason to change the base x and y coordinates or the the length and coordinates of any field once you have completed the Getting Started steps.

Format name - you can name your formats anything you wish - up to 12 characters. What you enter here will be used during check data entry when you select a print format for the check.

Payee - you will enter this field if you are receiving a lot of checks by phone or fax made out the same payee. What you enter here will be automatically inserted into the check payee field and may be modified during data entry before checks are printed.

Amount - you will enter this field if you are receiving a lot of checks by phone or fax made out for the same amount. What you enter here will be automatically inserted into the check amount field and may be modified during data entry before checks are printed.

Memo - you will enter this field if you are receiving a lot of checks by phone or fax for which you want the same memo.  What you enter here will be automatically inserted into the check memo field and may be modified during data entry before checks are printed.  Eight asterisks anywhere in this field will be automatically replaced at data entry time by the current system date in mm/dd/yy format.

Comment - just a reminder to you of what this format definition is used for and what blank check stock is used.  If you press the help key (F1) while the cursor is on the comment field, you will be taken to the help screen that shows you how to order CHECKER software and Blank Checks.

Base x , Base y and Check height - you may have to change these fields during Getting Started setup to position the checks properly for your printer and blank checks. Base x and Base y are added to every x and y coordinate respectively so that changing one or both of these values has the effect of moving the whole check horizontally (base x) or vertically (base y) on the page.  When CHECKER is installed, it is important that the top left edge of the account holder's name on the first check is 7/10ths of an inch from the left edge of the page and 6/10ths of an inch form the top of the check. The top left edge of the account holder's name on the second check should also 7/10ths of an inch from the left edge of the page and 4 1/10th of an inch form the top of the check (6/10ths plus 3.5000 inches).

All X and Y coordinates are stated in inches down to the thousandths of an inch (the 4th decimal position is ignored).  X coordinates are relative to the left edge of the page and y coordinates are relative to the top of a check which is the same as the top of the page for the first check on the page only. The X coordinates specify where the left edge of the 1st letter or number of a field will print relative to the left edge of the page - 1.250 would print 1 1/4 inches from the left edge.  The Y coordinates specify where the top edge of a capitol letter will print relative to the top of each check.

Line coordinates and widths (or lengths) specify where and what length an underline will print for the payee, amount, long hand amount, and signature fields. The widths (or lengths) are also used to limit the size of the data that is underlined for each of those fields.

All lengths and widths are also stated in inches down to the thousandths of an inch (the 4th decimal position is ignored).  If your data will not fit in the allocated width, it will be truncated and part of it will not be printed, so be careful how you manipulate these values.


Browse Checks

QUICK HELP INDEX  FIRST, YOU NEED TO ORDER CHECKS

The Browse Checks screen has 4 purposes:

1) Click on Insert to add a new check - this is used every time you receive a check by phone or fax

2) Click on Change to change the highlighted check - this is seldom used except to correct mistakes made when a new check was added

3) Click on Delete to delete the highlighted check then click on OK - it is never necessary to delete checks, but you may just want to get rid of some of them

4) Point at any check and click the right mouse button to select that check for printing (a Y will appear in the S column); click again to unselect the check - you will use this feature often, but It is not necessary that any checks be selected for printing because checks may be printed by date

5) Print checks - click on the Print Checks button at the bottom left of the screen and another screen will appear asking you how you want to select the checks for printing

Highlight a check by pointing at it and clicking with the left mouse button.  Find the check you want by clicking on the appropriate tab at the top of the screen to sort the checks in the sequence you want then type a letter to position near the desired check then scroll to find the exact check you want. For example - click on the Sort by Name of Account Holder tab then type a J to position near the Joneses then scroll the the exact Jones check you want.

With this in mind, you may find it desirable to enter account holder names last name first followed by a comma and the first name.


Update a Check

QUICK HELP INDEX  FIRST, YOU NEED TO ORDER CHECKS

This is the main screen where you enter new checks received by phone or fax or change (correct errors) on old ones.  You also enter and change your own personal check so you can print blank checks to use as you would use the expensive checks you are now (no longer) buying.

For your own personal checks, you have probably already done everything you need to do during Getting Started.  You may never have to enter another check of that type.  If you do, here is how:

Enter your own and your bank's name, address, phone, driver's license, etc. just as you want it to appear on your printed checks - up to 5 lines each of 40 characters per line.

Enter your bank's branch number.  It is usually 1 to 4 digits and will print on your checks as bb-5678/1234 where bb is the number you enter here and 5678 are digits 5 through 8 of your bank's transit number with leading zeros stripped off and 1234 are digits 1 through 4 of the transit number also with leading zeros stripped.

Enter your starting check number and the number of checks you wish to print each time you print checks.  To avoid wasting checks, this should be divisible by 3.

DO NOT ENTER a date, payee, amount, or memo

Enter your bank's 9 digit transit number.  It is usually the leftmost 9 digits printed magnetically at the bottom of your checks.  If your account number is also 9 digits long, you may not be sure which is which.  GUESS.  There is only a chance in ten that CHECKER will accept your account number as a valid bank transit number because the 9th digit of every bank transit number is a check digit and CHECKER will not accept transit numbers which do not pass the check digit test.  If your account number and transit number both pass the test, just look at the branch number printed on one of your personal checks and match up digits 1 through 8 as explained in step 23 above.

Enter your checking account number.  It is usually just to the right of the bank transit number at the bottom of your checks and usually includes all other numbers on the bottom of the check except the check number.  Hyphens and spaces are ok but never required. If you want to print this check now, click on Print the Check.  Be sure to click OK to save the check when you are done.

For checks received by phone or fax:

Enter the format name. The name you enter must be present in the format file, or you will be taken automatically to the browse formats screen to select a format or enter a new one.  To select a format, just highlight the one you want and click the select button.

Enter the name, address, phone, driver's license, etc. just as it appears on the faxed check.

Enter the bank's name (address, phone, etc. is optional).

Enter the check number and date from the faxed check.

Enter the amount from the faxed check (unless it has already been entered automatically from the format file and you do not wish to change it).

Enter the bank's branch number.  It is usually 1 to 4 digits and will print on your checks as bb-5678/1234 where bb is the number you enter here and 5678 are digits 5 through 8 of your bank's transit number with leading zeros stripped off and 1234 are digits 1 through 4 of the transit number also with leading zeros stripped.  This number is optional.  If you can not read it on the faxed check, do not worry about it.

The memo and signature fields are entered automatically from the selected format (see format name above).  Amount may also be entered automatically. You can change them here if you wish.  Note that if the memo field in the format file contained 8 asterisks, they are replaced here by today's date in mm/dd/yy format.

Enter the bank's 9 digit transit number.  It is usually the leftmost 9 digits printed magnetically at the bottom of  checks.  If the account number is also 9 digits long, you may not be sure which is which.  GUESS.  There is only a chance in ten that CHECKER will accept the account number as a valid bank transit number because the 9th digit of every bank transit number is a check digit and CHECKER will not accept transit numbers which do not pass the check digit test.  If the account number and transit number both pass the test, just look at the branch number (usually printed near the upper right hand corner of checks and match up digits 1 through 8 as explained above.

Enter the checking account number.  It is usually just to the right of the bank transit number at the bottom of checks and usually includes all other numbers on the bottom of the check except the check number.  Hyphens and spaces are ok but are never required.  CHECKS WILL BOUNCE IF YOU DO NOT GET THE TRANSIT AND ACCOUNT NUMBERS RIGHT. Faxed checks are not always readable. That is why I ask for name and phone number to be written on the sheet the check is taped to before faxing.

If you want to print this check now, click on Print the Check.  Be sure to click OK to save the check when you are done.


Print Checks

QUICK HELP INDEX  FIRST, YOU NEED TO ORDER CHECKS

Place blank check paper in your printer

If you are printing a check from the Update a check screen you need only tell CHECKER whether you are starting printing on the Top, Middle, or Bottom check and then click on Print.

If you are printing checks from the Browse Checks screen you must tell CHECKER if you want to:

1) print selected checks or all checks between two dates (which you will enter on this screen), and if using dates

2) whether you want to print all checks with check dates between those two dates or unprinted checks only (checks which have not previously been printed).

Enter the dates if needed then tell CHECKER where to begin printing (the Top, Middle, or Bottom check on the first sheet).  You will begin on the middle or bottom check only if the first sheet has already been printed on and has been inserted back into the printer.

When everything is OK, click on Print.

A Windows print manager screen will appear.  Look it over, and if all is OK, click on OK.


How to Order Blank Checks

QUICK HELP INDEX  FIRST, YOU NEED TO ORDER CHECKS (See Below)

NOTICE: If you have paid for Checker, you may sell it to anyone for  exactly $14.95 and keep the money for your efforts. Please do not give the software away free. That will make those who paid for it feel cheated. Distributing software is work and those who do it should be paid. If you received this software after March 1, 1997 and you paid more or less than $14.95, please tell me who you got it from when you place your first check order. Collect your money then give out my Web page URL so your customer can

download the CHECKER software:  http://www.aa.net/~tpn

I make my money from repeat blank check orders and I want as many copies of checker distributed as possible. If you like the software, you should feel obligated to make at least one check purchase from me so I will be paid at least a little for my efforts and so that you will be sure you are buying the right checks. At any rate, my prices may be the best you will find.

Your first check order also serves to register you as a CHECKER user so that you will be notified of upgrades and improvements to CHECKER (by email only - so be sure to include your email address).

CHECKER Blank checks (3 to a sheet) may be ordered from:

Make all checks payable to:

Bob Stratton

Phone: 206-546-9196

Fax: 206-546-4826

Email: tpn@aa.net

PO Box 218, Edmonds, WA 98020

If you have not paid for CHECKER, please add $14.95 to your check order. Thank you.

Prices are subject to change without notice. If you are ordering at an old price I may choose to fill your order at the old price, or contact you for authorization to increase the amount of your check.

Prices as of July 1, 1997 - SHIPPING IS INCLUDED:

100  sheets or 300 checks  $17 or 17 cents a sheet or 5 2/3 cents a check

250 sheets or 750 checks  $37.50 or 15 cents a sheet or 5 cents a check

MICR toner for your specific printer - call Advantage Laser Products in Atlanta, GA at 800-722-2804 for availability and prices.  Tell them you are buying it for Checker Software. You should buy MICR toner if you are having difficulty with your bank or if you are doing a large volume of checks.  It will give the banks less trouble handling your checks.

To order, just fax a check for the correct amount. Please tape your check to a sheet with your name and phone number written large and legible in case I can't read your check. Be sure to include your email address with every order, especially if it has changed since your last order, so I can notify you of upgrades and enhancements. If your order is urgent, you should call for additional shipping charges and shipping schedule. I will do my best to serve you, but I do leave town from time to time. To be safe, you should never let your order become urgent.

Checks are handled an average of 30 or more times from the time you print them until they are returned with your customer's bank statement.  Laser toner tends to wear off requiring the banks to handle the checks manually.  They do not like this.  I suggest lightly spraying the bottom of  your checks with hair spray before you deposit them.  This will prevent the MICR code from wearing off.