Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!microsoft!clayj
From: clayj@microsoft.UUCP (Clay Jackson)
Newsgroups: comp.misc
Subject: Re: Computer Checque Coding Fonts (MICR?)
Keywords: cheques fonts micr printers
Message-ID: <6155@microsoft.UUCP>
Date: 23 Jun 89 15:20:38 GMT
References: <624@sce.carleton.ca>
Reply-To: clayj@microsoft.UUCP (Clay Jackson)
Organization: Microsoft Corp., Redmond WA
Lines: 36

Having just been through this with my bank, here are some things too keep
in mind.  Of course, the Canadian rules may be a bit different, so "your 
mileage may vary".

First, MICR stands for Magnetic Ink Character Recognition.  In addition to
being in a somewhat strange font, the ink used to print the coding along 
the bottom of the check is magnetic.  The older proof machines (machines 
used to read the checks and allow a human to encode the amount) were
STRICTLY magnetic sensors.  It's only been the latest generation of machines
(last 3 years or so) that read both the optical characters AND the magnetic,
and, even on those, if they don't agree, the check gets spit out for manual
re-work.

In the case of my bank (SeaFirst), they process over 1M pieces of paper
per night.  I can understand why they take a dim view of things that
"gum up" the works.

There are two potential problems with checks generated by home computers.
1)  The SIZE of the check may be different.  The sizes are pretty well
standardized, but some fly-by-night print houses get things off a bit.
Also, some computer users don't always pull all the pin feed strips.
2)  On laser printed checks, according to some folks in our bank's 
operations center, the heat from the printer can sometimes louse up
the MICR (magenetic) encoding, particularly with cheaper checks.

With the advent of stricter (Federal) rules about how long banks have
to clear checks, they (the banks) are getting much tighter about what
constitutes an "acceptable" check. (As I understand the rules, they
MUST accept ANY piece of ANYTHING, as long as it has a valid account,
amount and signature; BUT, they can take as long as they like to clear
it if it doesn't conform to "standards" AND they can CHARGE you for it.

My solution was to make sure that the printer I was using (NEBS) was
on my bank's "approved" list.  No problem.

Clay Jackson, Microsoft