If you’re trying to avoid check fraud, check printing software can be your best bet. When you use blank checks instead of pre-printed checks, you cut down on manual errors and standardize your check writing process, so you never have to worry about security issues.
This article discusses the many benefits of check writing services and the relatively few cons to these services. Continue reading to learn more about the pros and cons of check printing software.
When Should Businesses Print Their Own Checks
Check printing software isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. If you’re happy with your current method for checks, you might not need to make the switchover. You might be better off with a bookkeeper or payroll service, and it might not make sense to print your checks.
When deciding whether printing your checks is the best option for your business, consider the following questions.
- How many people in your organization will be printing checks for your accounts?
- How often do your checking accounts switch?
- How many checks do you write per week?
- How many checking accounts do you have?
Whether printing your checks makes sense will depend mainly on how you answer these questions.
What Does a Company Need To Print Its Own Checks?
The equipment your company requires depends on your check output volume. If you don’t have a high volume, you may only require some decent check printing software and a standard printer. Reputable printers can print 500 checks in ten minutes.
Some machines also fold, insert, and seal envelopes, so they automate pretty much the entire process for you. Whether you use devices such as this depends on your check demands.
Pros of Check Printing Software
Check printing software gives businesses an in-house solution to their check fraud protective needs. Printing these checks prevents manual errors, increases security, and records check data automatically.
Security
Blank checks are simply safer than pre-printed checks. Check printing software is specifically designed to promote a secure check transaction. Once you integrate these solutions with your financial institution, you can monitor the slips, invoices, bills, and checks processed in your account.
This software instantly notifies you of any unauthorized checks hitting your bank while maintaining computerized records of uncleared user checks.
Ultimate Solution For Unnecessary Manual Errors
Manual check writing is tedious. It also leads to manual errors. When you automate this process, you eliminate the chance for these types of mistakes.
Reduced Processing Time Printing Official Checks
Check issuing from financial institutions is tedious and time-consuming for both employees and customers. You don’t have to worry about tedious manual processes or dot-matrix printers and typewriter malfunctions with check printing software. Secure, online check printing software can complete the job in 1-2 minutes.
Record Check Data Automatically
No longer will you have to enter all your information manually. Check printing software prints all of your information in one swoop. The data also simultaneously records the data electronically.
Unlike pre-printed checks, check printing software allows you to design your check according to demand. You don’t have to worry about bank information or routing numbers, meaning customers can issue checks to multiple banks without using different printers.
Cons of Check Printing Software
There are a few potential drawbacks to using check printing software. Most of these have to deal with using services that you’ve never worked with before.
You Haven’t Worked With Them Before
Customer service matters when it comes to checking printing software services, as it does with any other industry. Check payments are critical to any business, so knowing that you can rely on the software you use is critical.
Find a business that understands your time’s value, and that has enough knowledge to answer all your questions regarding their process.
The Process Can Be Confusing
Even though the process itself is simple, check writing software can seem daunting at first. As with any other change, making the switch to printing your checks online can take some time.
Some Other Weapons Against Check Fraud
There are a couple of other weapons you can use to combat check fraud. Positive pay and reverse positive pay represent ways to mitigate check fraud risk.
Positive Pay
Positive pay is one of the most effective ways to combat check fraud. In this process, companies issue checks and transmit the file electronically to the bank with a current record of all issued checks. The bank only pays the checks included in the file that matches all of the issue criteria.
Banks also send an exception list to the customer containing checks that info were not in the positive pay file. Positive pay protects from altered checks, checks that have been printed elsewhere, checks from stolen check stock, and even lost or stolen valid issued checks.
Reverse Positive Pay
Reverse positive pay uses the same processes- only the company has to approve the checks instead of the financial institution. The bank gives a file to their customers that contains the checks that are ready for payment. Then the customer vets those checks and returns them to the bank for processing.
Conclusion- The Pros and Cons of Check Printing Software
The biggest drawback to check printing software is making the switch from older methods. For most businesses, the advantages of using check printing software far outweigh the disadvantages.
Check printing software improves your ability to catch fraud while cutting down on lost time and operational expenses. When you stop printing checks manually and use an online check writer, you cut down on manual errors, and you have an automatic fail-safe process for your checks.
