Check Numbers

Special Check Printing Conditions

This section covers some special situations you may run into when printing checks with the MacNail accounting software.

NOTE-- Our newer Goldenseal construction accounting software automatically manages check numbers, with multiple checkbooks to account for different check number series.

Managing check numbers

The MacNail accounting software will print the check number from the Ledger onto each check, whether or not it matches the check number on the pre-printed form. If you want them to match, be sure that the first check you are printing has the correct number!

If you prefer, you can also use the check number that MacNail prints as a reference number, and simply ignore the pre-printed check number.

NOTE: A MacNail Checkbook Ledger is designed to carry a single series of check numbers, to make it easier for you to identify the destination of every single check. Whenever you add new rows to the Ledger, the check number series will be continued.

If you accidentally misprint a check and do plan to match the ledger check numbers with the pre-printed numbers, leave the payout amount for that item at zero dollars in the Ledger, and write "void" in the payee, category or comment column.

Managing check numbers will be simplest if you have a separate account that only uses computer printable checks-- since you can make sure that the printed check numbers match the check numbers in the Ledger. This is actually true even if you don't use check printing.

If you do have both printed and field checks drawing on the same account, you'll have to "leapfrog" your check numbers. You can do this by adding enough rows at a time so you can cover both check number series, even though there may be a large number of empty rows between them. As an alternative, you can re-enter one series of check numbers in the check number column (use Series from the Data menu to enter them all at once).

Using more than one printer

If you use more than one printer, make sure that you use the Chooser desk accessory to choose the correct printer before you start printing checks. The MacNail check printer will automatically set up the checks to print on whatever printer is selected when the command is run. If you change printers after running the Make a Check File command but before printing, some page setup items may not be set correctly.