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Source Technologies, LLC ST9650 Secure MICR Printer User’s Guide
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3. MICR Check Design
General Features of Check Design
To be a legal and negotiable document, the necessary data elements required on a
check are the date, amount, payee name, payer’s bank name, and payer’s signature.
Other elements included in a good check design are: the amount in words, account title,
check serial number, fractional routing number and MICR line.
A good check design contains security features and is formatted to be easily read by
both machines and the human eye. If the format is complicated, the depositor, bank
employee or reader/sorter machine may make an error in reading the data.
Position and Dimension Gauge
A MICR position and dimension gauge, like the one available from Source Technologies
(part number 205-1000MGE or 220-M1027-34, is an important tool for use in designing
checks. During check design, check your output against this gauge to determine if the
data elements (date, amount, payee name, payer’s bank name, and payer’s signature)
are correctly positioned on your document.
Design Elements in Detail
Paper
The ideal paper for check production is 24 to 28 lb. laser bond. Source
Technologies’ MICR lab has tested paper stock from most major manufacturers
and has compiled a list of products that produce superior results. Contact your
sales representative for this information. For a fee, Source Technologies will test
your paper for proper MICR adherence and check reader/sorter performance.
There are also many security features available to aid in the overall security of
your MICR documents. Please refer to Chapter 5, Security Issues, for more
information on check stock specifications and security features.
Size
The size of check documents must be:
6.00 inches to 8.75 inches in length
2.75 inches to 3.66 inches in height
We recommend standard 8.5" X 11" letter size stock or 8.5" X 14" legal size
stock for proper feeding through your ST Secure MICR Printer. The number of
checks per page is determined by your application. Custom size stock other than
letter or legal can be done with proper planning and application programming
within the paper size specifications for the base printer.
MICR Clear Band
The MICR clear band is an area at the bottom of the check where the MICR line
prints. No other magnetic printing should appear in this area on both the front
and back of the document. The clear band is an area 0.625 (5/8) inches high
from the bottom of the check running the entire length of the check. Exact MICR
line placement in this area is very important. Please refer to Figure 3.1 for more
information on MICR line placement.
MICR Check Design | 3