How To Print Checks From Home - What You'll Need

If you're a small business owner or even an accounting professional, you may have been tasked to work in a place other than your office building within the last few years. In fact, as of 2023, 12.7% of full-time employees work from home, while 28.2% work a hybrid model.

Because of the rising popularity of remote work and work-from-home roles, accounts payable processes that require paying vendors or printing checks can be extremely difficult if you're working from a home office that doesn't have all the needed equipment. So how do you print checks from home? Can you print checks from home?

Not to panic, there are several options and products your business can consider when switching to a hybrid or a fully remote working landscape that can make check printing from home easy and convenient. Whether you're running a small business, managing your personal finances, or simply need to pay bills, having the ability to print secure checks from home can save you time and hassle. In this blog post, we'll explore what you need to print checks from your home office, and how TROY has everything you need to be successful.  

Securely Print Checks From Home: What You'll Need

The foundation of your home check printing setup is the right software. There are various software options available that are specifically designed for check printing. One of the most popular accounting software packages for small businesses is QuickBooks, but alone, it doesn’t allow multiple payment options or the ability to print on blank check stock, which is much more secure than preprinted check stock.

It can be easily integrated with TROY FlexPay for a seamless and digital approach to account management and bill paying. TROY FlexPay is a revolutionary accounting software that allows you to pay vendors in the way you, and they prefer -- whether by ACH, digital check, paper check, or through our check fulfillment service. For medium to large-sized businesses, TROY's solution is AssurePay Check, a cloud-based check printing software that lets users print checks from a multitude of devices while scaling up check printing production and reducing chain of custody protocols and fraud risks. 

Blank Check Stock:

You can't print checks without the right paper. Check stock is a specialized paper designed for printing checks. The best and most secure type of check stock for businesses of all sizes to use is blank check stock, which comes just how it sounds -- completely blank with no pre-printed accounting or routing numbers information printed on it. Blank check stock is a more dynamic, cost-effective, and fraud-resistant solution to pre-printed stock, and you can read more about in our "Know The Difference" blog posts here.   

MICR Toner Secure:

If you're an accounting or banking professional, MICR is probably something you're very familiar with. But for everyone who is just starting a business or a career in accounting, let's quickly recap what it is. MICR is possibly the most important part of the check printing process. MICR, or Magnetic Ink Character Recognition, is a type of magnetic toner that allows for machine-reading and processing of checks rather than manually.

Because of the importance to process checks automatically and as quickly as possible, MICR is a requirement by the American Banking Association and has been for quite some time. While world has changed and most companies have fully remote options, you might be wondering "Is MICR still a requirement in 2023? The answer is yes, MICR is still a requirement, so implementing MICR into your at-home check printing suite is essential. 
 

However, security is also essential to check printing, and MICR ink is not resistant to common fraud attacks like check washing -- a problem that is only rising. Check washing is a process in which criminals wash information including amount, payee name, bank and routing numbers, etc. That's why it's important to print with MICR Toner Secure, TROY's patented MICR ink that releases a red dye whenever any type of check-washing is attempted; ruining the check and alerting the banks of fraud.  If a check is not printed with TROY's MICR Toner Secure, it doesn't have the protection needed to prevent check washing. 

Desktop MICR Printer:

Obviously, you're going to need a printer -- but not just any printer. To print to blank stock with MICR, you'll need a specialized printer designed specifically for check printing, and an enhanced TROY HP MICR printer is the perfect option. TROY takes a standard HP printer and enhances it with security features specifically designed for check printing. TROY MICR printers can print MICR lines (accounting and routing numbers) and fonts in their exact positioning and also feature toner-sensing technology, and tray locks for boosted security.  
 
 

• Digital Signatures and Logos:

Customizing your checks can add a personal or professional touch. Most check printing software allows you to design your check layout, including adding your business logo, address, and other details. Ensure that your check design complies with your bank's requirements to prevent any issues during processing. With state-of-the-art TROY digital imaging kits, you can implement a cost-effective, convenient, and high-quality method for incorporating signatures, logos, forms, and company graphics onto checks, letterheads, or any other printed documents produced using a TROY HP MICR printer

. 

Start Printing Checks From Your Home Office with TROY

Setting up check printing in your home office can feel daunting, but it really only requires a few essential components: check printing software, check stock, a MICR printer, and a well-designed digital imaging system. Of course, these products will have to come with upkeep to printer firmware and compliance with banking regulations, but to get started, the suite of solutions is within grasp with TROY. With the right tools and precautions, you can efficiently manage your finances and conduct business transactions with printed checks right from the comfort of your home office. 

For more information on how TROY's solutions can help you streamline your at-home check printing process, visit our website.