In order to print checks in AgWare, you must first create a check format. The check format can contain both the voucher and check information depending on your business checks. If you would like assistance with this process feel free to give us a call at 605-791-4872.
When you first open the Create Check Format section located in Transactions, you will see the criteria tab. There is no criteria for this section since AgWare provides dummy data for the check formats. Next is the data tab where you will see dummy data that AgWare has created so that you will see information on your check formats as you create/modify them. The last tab is report where the actual check formats are contained. AgWare recommends that you start with one of the system reports so that you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. You’ll want to choose the AgWare system format that matches your format (or the closest one). The “blank” formats are those that are printing all information including the MICR numbers, and the “preprinted” formats are those that already have the bank and MICR information printed on the checks. Once you select the desired format (1), you’ll click the design report toolbar button (2), and choose copy report (3). You’ll then name your check format (4), and click OK (5).
This will open your newly named check format into design mode so that you can adjust the format to your checks. You’ll see five main sections to the report designer (see image below) – the formatting toolbars (1) across the top, then moving left to right across the screen, you’ll see the object toolbar on the far left side (2), the report tree and object inspector pane (3) next to the object toolbar, then the report design workspace (4), and on the far right the dataset tree pane (5). The report tree and object inspector pane as well as the dataset tree pane are collapsible and resizable (purple rectangles in image below).
You’ll notice that there are three bands (unless you chose the check-check-check format) in the designer. These represent each section of the printed check. In the example above, you’ll see the first banded section is the actual check, then the middle band is the first copy of the voucher, and the last band is the second copy of the voucher. Even though the two vouchers will be the same, any changes you make to the first voucher band will have to be made to the second voucher band, and vice versa. To move a data field on your format, click on the field and drag it to the desired location. You can also adjust the placement of the data field by selecting the desired field, and adjusting the left and top numbers in the object inspector. You can delete a data field by right clicking on it, and choosing delete from the menu. If you can’t see the whole data field name directly in the designer, it is displayed at the very bottom of the screen when the field is selected (see image below). You can also double click on the data field to open the memo field editor.
If you need to add an additional data field to your check format or check voucher, simply drag the field from the dataset tree pane (on the far right) to the desired position of the check or format. You can preview your check format at any time by clicking on the preview toolbar button. This will show a print preview of the check format using the dummy data provided by AgWare. Once you have completed your check format, click on the save and close toolbar button; this will close the report designer and take you back to the main report tab of the create check format section. Any check formats that you create or modify in this section will be available in the Print Checks section of Transactions.