MICR Basics Handbook NOTE: For best results, view this document using Adobe Acrobat 5.0 or higher. Document #50-70300-001 Rev.
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Table of Contents Section 1 – Understanding MICR Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 1-1 Reference Documents .................................................................................................................... 1-1 Year 2000 Compliance .................................................................................................................. 1-1 What is MICR Printing? ...
Table of Contents Burst Strength ................................................................................................................................ 4-3 Perforations.................................................................................................................................... 4-3 Packaging....................................................................................................................................... 4-3 Preprinted Stock................................
Section 1 Understanding MICR Introduction Welcome to the world of MICR (Magnetic Ink Character Recognition) printing! Your TROY MICR Printer is the best choice for MICR printing because, while others manufacture MICR printers as a sideline, TROY specializes in the design and manufacturing of high-quality MICR products. In this, ending its fourth decade manufacturing MICR products, TROY continues to be the premier choice for MICR encoding and financial document printing.
Section 1 Understanding MICR Specially designed E-13B or CMC-7 fonts are used for magnetically reading financial documents.
Section 1 Understanding MICR Check Size ANSI specifies that check width must be at least 6.00" and not more than 8.75". Check height must be at least 2.75" and not more than 3.66" (see Figure 1-2 below). Figure 1-2: Minimum and Maximum Check Size The MICR Line The E-13B MICR characters (Figure 1-3) consist of ten specially designed numbers (0 through 9) and four special symbols (Transit, Amount, On-Us, and Dash).
Section 1 Understanding MICR Amount Field The amount field occupies positions 1-12 on the MICR line. The amount field is not normally printed by the check supplier. This field is used for processing the check and is coded after the check is drawn in the post-encoding process at the bank of first deposit. From right to left, position 1 is the Amount symbol, positions 2 and 3 are cents, positions 4-11 are dollars (leading zeros filled from the left) and position 12 is the amount symbol.
Section 1 Understanding MICR MICR Line Placement - The Clear Band MICR line placement is critical. The line must be printed in an area at the bottom of the document called the clear band (Figure 1-5). Figure 1-5: The Clear Band ANSI specifications state that the clear band must be a minimum of 5/8" (0.625") high (measured from the bottom of the check). Within the clear band, the bottom of the MICR line should be 3/16" (0.187") up from the bottom of the check.
Section 1 Understanding MICR Item Description 1 - Check Number This is the customers sequential check number. 2 - Fractional Routing Area The fractional routing numbers numerator is a bank identification code and its denominator is the Federal Reserve district transit symbol. 3 – Payee The payee is the person or organization to whom the check is made payable. 4 – Date The date is usually the date approved for payment.
Section 2 Creating MICR Documents MICR Formatting Standards This section provides additional layout and guidelines to assist you in creating financial documents using TROY MICR Printing solutions. Use the information throughout this MICR User’s Guide as a guideline for creating documents.
Section 2 Creating MICR Documents Check Layout Checks may be printed one check per page, or several checks per page. Figure 2-1 displays several multiup layouts. Figure 2-1: Additional Check Layouts MICR Basics Handbook -- Document #50-70300-001 Rev.
Section 2 Creating MICR Documents Digitized Image Placement It is mandatory that no other printing besides the MICR line appear in the clear band area. It is important, when designing checks that digitized images do not intrude into the clear band area. This will cause the check to be rejected by the clearing houses and bank institutions (refer to Figure 2-2 below).
Section 3 MICR Quality Control Using the TROY MICR Document Template This section explains how to check the print quality and positioning of your E-13B MICR printing, based on the ANSI X9/TG-2 document. For information on international MICR specifications and guidelines, refer to the ISO-1004 standards document. The quality of the magnetic printing and the print position on checks is critical. Use the TROY MICR Document Template (Figure 2-1) to check the MICR positioning on your printed checks.
Section 3 MICR Quality Control Check Quality Requirements Refer to ANSI Specification X9.27 - Print Specifications for Magnetic Ink Character Recognition for more details on check quality requirements. Dimension The width of horizontal and vertical bars is to be 0.013" using average edges. The nominal edge dimension tolerance is +/-0.0015" using average edges. Minimum width of horizontal bars is to be 0.011" using average edges. Irregular Edge Edge irregularities may extend +/-0.
Section 3 MICR Quality Control Document Testing Services The MICR Technology Center provides complete facilities for the testing of your MICR Documents: TROY Group, Inc.
Section 4 Selecting Check Paper and MICR Toner Selecting Check Paper During a typical processing cycle, a check may pass through high-speed readers/sorters as many as 30 times. If the proper check paper is not used, the check could easily become damaged. If damage occurs at the beginning of the processing cycle, the check may not feed into subsequent machines. Damaged documents must be repaired before being re-entered into subsequent reader/sorter machines.
Section 4 Selecting Check Paper and MICR Toner Basis Weight ANSI Standard X9.18 specifies that the minimum weight paper is to be 20-pound long grain. However, due to the rigors of the check clearing process, TROY strongly recommends 24-pound paper minimum. Stiffness Taber stiffness must be M.D. 2.5 and C.D. 1.1 minimum. Gurley stiffness must be M.D. 200.0 and 88.0. Grain Direction Figure 4-1 illustrates grain short or grain long as it applies to checks.
Section 4 Selecting Check Paper and MICR Toner Moisture This is the ratio of moisture to the dry mass of the paper. Paper moisture content should be between 4.7% and 5.5%. Porosity Paper Porosity is defined as the resistance of paper to the passage of air under a specified pressure through the paper. This is measured as the average time (in seconds) required to displace 100 ml of air through a one-square-inch area of paper under a pressure of 4.88" (12.4 cm) of water.
Section 4 Selecting Check Paper and MICR Toner Paper Storage Paper rapidly and sometimes permanently becomes affected by variations in temperature and humidity during storage or use. Variation in the humidity is the more serious, since changes will affect size and strength characteristics. Paper should be stored and used at 40% to 60% relative humidity and 16 to 24 degrees C (60 to 75 degrees F).
Section 4 Selecting Check Paper and MICR Toner Toner Storage Ferromagnetic toners used in the TROY MICR Printer are sensitive to heat and moisture. After your toner cartridge arrives, it could become damaged if it is not stored in the proper environment. If the temperature and moisture ranges in your transportation and/or storage area are not within the ranges listed below, please arrange new transportation or storage locations.
