Check Printing Design Software User Guide
IDAutomation Check Printing and Design Software allows users to easily
design, create and print bank checks onto blank or pre-designed check stock.
This product is free to use with the purchase of the
MICR E-13B Font
Advantage Package.
User Guide Index
Check Printing Design Software Installation
This Bank Check Printing Design Software is compatible with Windows 2000 and
above, including 32 and 64-bit versions of XP, Vista and Windows 7.
-
Download
the Check Design Application and set up the program by double-clicking the
file named IDAutomation_MICR_Check_Design_Application.exe.
- Purchase and install the required
MICR E-13B Font Package or
download the MICR fonts
demo first for testing.
- If it is desired to have the software generate MICR without a font
installed, the
IDAutomation Label Software Pro version should be used. It can print
MICR from a component without requiring any fonts to be installed.
Bank Check Creation and Design
Referred to as "labels" in the software, bank checks can be created to include MICR
characters, text and graphics. Labels may also be saved, such as templates, and retrieved for later use. Sample
label files are provided in the software download and can be accessed from:
Start - Programs
- IDAutomation MICR Check Design Application - Check Examples.
- After the application is installed, open the software from
the appropriate program group or icon and select Create New Check.
-
 In the Label Options screen, choose the printer where the checks
will be printed, the check stock type and the preferred unit of measurement.
Two predefined check stock types are available: 3 per page business size, with
or without a .5" perforation at the bottom. If these predefined
labels are not compatible with the selected printer or if another type of check
stock is required, select the Define Custom Label Stock option and click
Next.
-
 The following screen allows for automatic
calculation of each labels size. Most check stock is 3 checks per page, which is
3 rows and 1 column. If there is a perforation on the bottom of the check stock,
enter a bottom margin of .5 inches. Select the number of rows and columns
of the label sheet and click OK.
- On the next screen, click the appropriate toolbar icon
to add text, MICR and graphic objects into the white design area. A gray border in the design area indicates
an area where the selected printer is not able to print.
- Any object property may be modified by right-clicking the object and
selecting properties.
- From the properties window of the MICR object, select the Value
tab. This determines the value-to-encode in the MICR line. The best
method of creating the MICR line is with a VB script formula. The formula
will need to assemble the MICR line according the associated characters:
For example, the following formula value creates a MICR line for a preprinted
business size bank check:
"C" & LabelField(SerialNumber) & "C A763591681A
0710527197C"
When the
serial number check field is set to 621001, the
following result is produced for check number one:
- Select Start - Programs - IDAutomation MICR Font Advantage - MICR
Setup - Calibration Tool. Print one page with the printer, toner and
check stock that will be used to print bank checks in order to verify proper MICR
calibration. If calibration is necessary, select the appropriately-sized font in the
MICR Properties tab. Alternatively, the point size of the font may also
be increased or decreased in lieu of calibration.
- In the bank check design process, it is highly recommended that the
security fonts be used for the amount field with a formula in a text
object. When these are used, it is no longer necessary to print the
written check amounts. For example, the formula "[" & Currency(Field(12),2)
& "_USD]" converts field 12 of a data source
to the format necessary for the security fonts.
- When the checks design is complete, select the Print or Print
Preview icon.
- Confirm the print range and select Print. Consider first
printing only a few checks to verify that the printer is correctly aligned.
If the checks do not print accurately, select File - Label Stock Properties
and confirm that all margins are set to 0. If there is a perforation
on the bottom of the check stock, enter a bottom margin, which is the
size of the perforation, usually .5 inches.
 Signature
images may be added to a check design by selecting the Add Image icon.
If there is no authorized signature image, one may be created by scanning the
signature on a document, or by taking a clear picture
of the image with a camera. After the image is saved to the computer, crop the signature portion out of the image and save it
as a separate
file. Windows 7 has a snipping tool that makes this process very simple. The signature image should have a completely white or transparent
background.
Available in 2010 or later versions, label fields may be
used to track check numbers or simplify updates when multiple objects on
a check use the same information. For example, a text object and a MICR
object may contain the same serial number field that keeps track of the
check number.
Label Fields may be constant values or incrementing
numbers, the latter of which keeps track of numbers that have
been printed in previous print jobs, so that each check is associated with a
unique number.
When the check is next opened for printing, the serial number fields
begin incrementing at the next unused number.
 For specific demonstration on how
this is accomplished, please view a video tutorial which explains
how to use the Serial Number and Constant Label Field. Or, use the following
steps to set up Label Fields:
- With the check label open, select Edit - Properties.
- Select the Label Fields tab.
-
 Select
Constant Value or Incrementing Number and enter any necessary
values or numbers. Choose the Rename Field option to create a friendly
name for the field.
- After the fields are created and applied, they may be used in the
Value tab with a VB Script formula.
- If resetting SerialNumber fields to a different value,
open the Label Fields tab and set the value.
Link to an External Data Source or Database
The Check Design Printing software can link to columns in Microsoft Access, Excel or a CSV
text file as a data source for a text or MICR object. This allows printing
of labels from data that exists in Excel and Access, or a file export from other
applications. Perform the following to link to an external data source:
-
 Select Tools - Data Sets - Link External Data.
- Choose the data type and then Search to find the file.
- After the source path is located, choose the appropriate table if
applicable.
- Select Link Data to see a snippet of the linked data.
- After the data is linked, select Close.
- To link an entire column of data to a MICR or
text object, click the down arrow next to Value Type and select External DataSource,
then click the source column to link the value. The example
window will display what is linked.
- Increment the Label Number in the design screen to verify the
data is linked.
- When printing, consider selecting all rows data source as the
option, but only after printing a single page to verify accurate alignment.
- When linking to CSV or text files, the format should be as follows:
"Column1","Column2","Column3"
IDAutomation Check Design and Printing Software allows a user to create a database, which
is embedded in the label data file itself. This allows data entry of several
different custom values to be created on labels.
- Select Tools - Data Sets - Create Embedded DataSet.
- By default, three columns are created. Use the buttons at the bottom
of the window to add, remove or export the data.
- Choose the OK button at the bottom of the window when finished.
- To link an object to the data entered, right click on the barcode,
select Properties, choose the Value tab and select External Data
Source as the value type.
Adjusting MICR or Text Object Properties
Properties of MICR or text objects may be adjusted by right-clicking on the object and
selecting Properties. Below is a list of
the properties and their functions in each tab.
NOTE: The
Barcode Label Pro version includes
additional VB script formulas in addition to barcode capability and
a MICR component that does not rely on the MICR font to be installed.
- Position allows the user to manually place the object in the
design area and change the orientation.
- Value is the data that is encoded in the object.
- When using the MICR object, be sure to format the data correctly.
For example, the following formula value creates a MICR line:
"C" & LabelField(SerialNumber) & "C A123456789A
0123456789C"
which produces the following result for label number 1:
- The global append values will append the prefix or suffix to
the value. For example, an incremented value of 101 and a prefix
of TX will create TX101 on label 1 and TX102 on label 2.
-
 The formula value creates the result from the Visual Basic syntax
formula entered. For example, the formula of
"C" & 100 + L# will create C101
on Check 1, C102 on Check 2, C103 on Check 3, where "C" is a reserved character
as designated:
- The following is a list of what is supported:
- Operators:
/ divide
* multiply
& concatenate words
- subtract
+ add
VBCRLF adds a new line
- Variables:
L# label number
T# total number of labels. Example:
"This is label " & L# & " of " & T#
produces This is label 2 of 5.
Date() returns the current date; for example 11/18/2010
LabelField(name) returns the value of the
Label Field variable. Example:
LabelField(ChkNum)
- Date Macros:
- Date() returns the current date, 11/18/2010
- Time() returns the current time, 2:16 PM
- Year() returns the current year, 2010
- Month() returns the current month, 11
- MonthName() returns the current month name,
November
- Day() returns the current day, 18
- DayName() returns the current day name, Thursday.
- External Data:
- Field(col) returns the value in the linked
data source for the column [col] of the current row.
Example: Field(1)
- FieldName(name) - returns the value in the
linked data source for the column according to the current
row.
- MICR Type allows selection of the MICR font and fine adjustment
of the point size.
IDAutomation provides a variety of methods for customers who need support for
the Bank Check Design and Printing Software:
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