How to order business checks: a step by step walkthrough

What do you need before you order business checks?

Ten minutes of preparation prevents almost every reprint. Gather these items before you open any order page, and keep them in one place for the next reorder.

• A recent bank statement or your bank's online account details page
• The business name exactly as it appears on the account title
• The address and phone number you want printed
• The last check number you used, if you have written checks on this account before
• Your accounting software name and version, if you print checks from a computer
• A logo file, if you want one on the check

If you are new to the subject, the check printing guide explains the formats, the MICR line and the security features in more depth. This walkthrough stays on the order itself.

Step 1: Which check format should you choose?

Pick the format that matches how you already pay bills. Changing your workflow to suit a check design is the most common first order regret.

If you print from software, check which layouts it supports first. QuickBooks Online, for example, prints two check types: standard, with three checks per page, and voucher, with one check per page plus stubs. You can open all four check formats on one page to compare options and starting prices.

Step 2: How do you confirm the account details?

Copy the routing and account numbers from a bank source, never from a web search or an old invoice. The routing number is nine digits; the account number length varies by bank. If you are ordering from a printer other than your bank, ask the bank for its MICR specification sheet, a document Banner Bank and many others provide so outside printers place the numbers correctly.

Match the name line to the account title. An LLC should print its legal name, and a DBA line only if the account is titled that way. Our guide to the information needed to order checks lists every required and optional field.

Step 3: How do you choose a design, logo and security features?

Choose a design that keeps the date, payee, amount and signature areas light enough to read and write on. Busy dark backgrounds make handwriting hard to read and can interfere with bank imaging.

A logo belongs in the top left beside your company block, never in the bottom 5/8 inch where the magnetic line sits. Read the guide to business checks with a logo before you upload artwork. For security, look for microprinting, a warning band that lists the features and paper that reacts to chemical erasers. FinCEN reported more than 680,000 check fraud reports from financial institutions in 2022, so these features are worth having.

Step 4: How many checks, copies and what starting number?

Estimate a year of use. Count the checks you wrote in the last three months and multiply by four. A business that writes 20 checks a month needs about 240 a year, so a box of 250 is a sensible choice.

Decide between single and duplicate copies. Duplicates leave a carbonless copy of every check, which helps if you do not keep a separate register. Then set the starting number: continue from your last check plus one on an existing account. Banks often default first orders to low numbers, and Regions, for instance, defaults first time personal orders to 101 but lets you change the field. Read how to pick a starting check number before you decide.

Step 5: Why do bank numbers go through an encrypted form?

Your routing and account numbers are the keys to your account. Anyone holding them together with your name can attempt counterfeit checks, which is why they should never travel by email, chat or cart notes.

On Voqado, you enter routing and account numbers in a protected form before the check item is added to the cart. The numbers are encrypted separately from the cart, and the cart holds only a secure receipt. If anyone asks you to email bank numbers or a voided check, treat it as a red flag.

Step 6: What should you review before you pay?

Review the item summary as if you were the bank. Confirm the format, design, quantity, copy style and starting number. Then confirm shipping and total. Standard shipping starts at $5.99 depending on the product and is free on orders of $60 or more.

Three errors cause most reprints: a name that does not match the account title, a transposed digit in the account number, and a starting number that repeats an earlier box. Each takes seconds to spot on the summary and days to fix after printing. Keep the business check order checklist open during this step so nothing is skipped.

Step 7: What should you check on the proof?

The proof is your last chance to catch an error before hundreds of checks print. Voqado reviews the order and prepares a production proof, and if verification is needed, it sends a private follow up link instead of asking for documents by email.

Read the proof slowly, out loud if it helps. Compare each digit of the routing and account numbers with your bank source, check the name and address spelling, and confirm the starting check number and the number of signature lines. If something looks wrong, say so before approving, and if you need to email support at print@voqado.co, include only your order reference, never bank numbers.

What happens after you approve the proof?

Standard orders take 2 to 4 business days of handling plus 5 to 8 business days in transit. When the box arrives, open it and check the first and last check numbers against your order.

Before you mail the first check, write a small one, such as a supplier payment, and watch it clear on your statement. If you are unsure about a new design, start with the wallet trial pack of 25 checks and reorder the full run once it clears.