Business Cheques?

TomShopper wrote: ↑ Hi,

Sorry, I'm a newbie.
Can you print laser check with a MS Word template or you have to use Sage or Quickbook program?

Thanks

Tom

I have seen Youtube videos of people using a Excel template to print. But I am not sure how you set it up.

However the main point of using computer cheques is to use with your accounting software so the transaction is entered into your accounting software at the same time to save bookkeeping costs.

For one of my home based business, my business cheque has only the business name but does not have any address on it since I do not wish to print my home address on it just in case I move to another house.

Are there any advantage in adding my home address to my home based business cheque? or should I just add an email address to the business cheque?

Thank you for any advice in advance.

acerview1001 wrote: ↑ For one of my home based business, my business cheque has only the business name but does not have any address on it since I do not wish to print my home address on it just in case I move to another house.

Are there any advantage in adding my home address to my home based business cheque? or should I just add an email address to the business cheque?

Thank you for any advice in advance.

You should probably use the official address of your business if you print any address on your cheque. FWIW, our business moved and we were still able to continue using our cheques until our supply ran out. It's not ideal but I was happy to use them instead of wasting them by throwing them away.

Complete n00b to the Canadian/North American banking system here, can someone explain to me how the hell this works?

In the UK, if I need some cheques then I order them directly from the bank. There is very little, if any, customisation that I can make, but they are free. We'll leave aside the fact that people very rarely use cheques anymore, cos it's the 21st century... but we also don't have these wild banking charges attached to transactions either.

So in Canada you can either choose to use the supplier the bank uses for your cheques and pay their rates, or pick any one of numerous other suppliers, even fully customise the cheques with your own logos etc? Is there a list of approved cheque suppliers for each bank?

How is this system not rife with fraud? Who is to stop someone from making "fake" cheques for another persons account? How does the bank even know what a legit cheque looks like or how many cheques have been "issued" if you can just make however many you like from a 3rd party supplier?

This whole concept is extremely mind blowing to me (the whole Canadian banking system compared to the UK seems extremely antiquated and a big scam where they just rip you off with charges anyway).

thanks

jammykam wrote: ↑ Complete n00b to the Canadian/North American banking system here, can someone explain to me how the hell this works?

In the UK, if I need some cheques then I order them directly from the bank. There is very little, if any, customisation that I can make, but they are free. We'll leave aside the fact that people very rarely use cheques anymore, cos it's the 21st century... but we also don't have these wild banking charges attached to transactions either.

So in Canada you can either choose to use the supplier the bank uses for your cheques and pay their rates, or pick any one of numerous other suppliers, even fully customise the cheques with your own logos etc? Is there a list of approved cheque suppliers for each bank?

How is this system not rife with fraud? Who is to stop someone from making "fake" cheques for another persons account? How does the bank even know what a legit cheque looks like or how many cheques have been "issued" if you can just make however many you like from a 3rd party supplier?

This whole concept is extremely mind blowing to me (the whole Canadian banking system compared to the UK seems extremely antiquated and a big scam where they just rip you off with charges anyway).

thanks

I am not an expert but wouldn't it be the signature step of the process that commits the perpetrator to intentional fraud? In Canada, my understanding is that it is the bank's responsibility to ensure that the signature on the client's cheque matches the signature on the signature card for the same bank account. If a fraudster were to use a fake cheque, they would have to forge a signature and pass it through the banking system. This would mean that the bank would be on the hook for funds released from the client's account IF the signature were bogus. The bank would probably also be able to trace where the funds went and make themselves whole if the mess was caught in time as many banks have hold periods of 5 to 10 days after you deposit the cheque where you can't pull the funds out. I agree that the system is vulnerable to weakness but the client should be confident that it is the BANK's responsibility to ensure that the funds given out of the client's account are legitimately authorized. Anything else would be the bank's liability.

Also, on the fraudster's side, they would need to deposit the cheque somewhere with accompanying id. This would make it harder for them to not get caught. Banks do not typically give funds out upon presentation of a cheque. but require the cheque to be deposited and then a withdrawal made for any funds desired. If the hold blocks off some of the funds, then one can only withdraw an amount equal or less than the amount of funds already in the account which have already cleared the hold period.

Thanks @choclover. I get the whole fraud thing and the prospect of jail time, but didn't think it would just stop at that... we all seen Catch Me If You Can, right? There's a whole reliance on the person who's bank account it is to keep a diligent eye on their statements, and I presume before the days of internet banking this would usually be once a month.

Banks also do not check the signature on cheques unless it is queried. I once left my cheque book at a friends house, we both banked at the same institution, and he without realising started cutting cheques for things but signing his own name. They only checked when I queried it and they pulled up the scans (this was maybe 20 years ago in the UK). This one was easy to resolve (my friend gave my cheque book back and gave me the money he had spent).

Anyway, wow. I'm still just amazed that this is a thing in the 21st century, lol. Thanks for the insights though.

jammykam wrote: ↑ Thanks @choclover. I get the whole fraud thing and the prospect of jail time, but didn't think it would just stop at that... we all seen Catch Me If You Can, right? There's a whole reliance on the person who's bank account it is to keep a diligent eye on their statements, and I presume before the days of internet banking this would usually be once a month.

Banks also do not check the signature on cheques unless it is queried. I once left my cheque book at a friends house, we both banked at the same institution, and he without realising started cutting cheques for things but signing his own name. They only checked when I queried it and they pulled up the scans (this was maybe 20 years ago in the UK). This one was easy to resolve (my friend gave my cheque book back and gave me the money he had spent).

Anyway, wow. I'm still just amazed that this is a thing in the 21st century, lol. Thanks for the insights though.

I agree with you that banks rarely check signatures and things can get missed when they don't BUT if something slips through because of a forged signature, this is the BANK's responsibility. If the forged signature matches yours exactly, forgery may be something that requires more effort to prove but under the circumstances you described above, I think it might be difficult for the fraudster to know what the client's signature looks like without having access to a client-signed cheque from a different source. I also agree that things can always be improved to reduce fraud and that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure even if it is the bank's responsibility because who needs the hassle.

spacedogg wrote: ↑ Resurrecting thread again. This time (September 2019) doing comparison of laser/computer cheques--one per page with voucher and no duplicates.


Safeguard - Costco Business Membership
https://www.safeguardcanada-costcocheques.ca
250 = $102.59
500 = $128.28
1000 = $175.43
2000 = $291.28

-No discounts for any order more than 1000?
-Price per cheque @ 500 = $0.25656 ($0.28852 with $15.98 shipping)
-Shipping $15.98 to BC
-Hologram Gold Foil

Safeguard has changed to Deluxe. The same company CIBC links to. But wow, what a price difference for cheques between the two. Images are for single computer laser cheques.

Costco Deluxe link: https://cost-en.deluxe.ca/Store#Categor ... %20Cheques


CIBC Deluxe link: https://www.deluxe.ca/canEcat/products/ ... ?pc=SS9085


Can I buy cheques through the Costco link with just a regular member card?

Son of a Gun, turns out that NEBS is now Deluxe.
https://www.deluxe.ca/about/

There is another solution here, you could purchase EZ or printboss, then purchase blank cheque paper at lower cost.
Pro:
1. If you have multi companies, you do not need purchase cheque for each company.
2. Later if you change your company name or company business account, you do need to purchase new one.

Cron:
1. One time investment at begining.
2. If you change your accounting system, you might need upgarde your cheque printing software.

ROYinTO wrote: ↑
Can I buy cheques through the Costco link with just a regular member card?

Answering my own question. I just tried to place an order and they want either a Costco Business or Executive Membership.

On edit: just noticed the basic business membership is the same price as the Gold Star membership. Will they let you change?

FWIW, I most recently purchased my business cheques through the Costco Safeguard option and was very pleased with the whole process including price and quality. I purchased most likely a lifetime supply but I think it was still totally worth it as I can use cheques whenever I need to without feeling like I need to conserve.

We offer comparable quality at lower rates, free shipping in Ontario & Quebec https://www.chequesplus.com/business-ch ... ues-on-top

ChequesPlus wrote: ↑ We offer comparable quality at lower rates, free shipping in Ontario & Quebec https://www.chequesplus.com/business-ch ... ues-on-top

I placed an order today.
Filling out the online forms was a bit of a challenge with minor differences in billing / shipping addresses. I will post back as the order proceeds.

Ordered business cheques for wife's business (Family & Real estate lawyer) through Costco, and the process was pretty simple & straightforward.

She uses a lot of cheques for her real estate practice, and the quality is obviously the same as what she would get directly through RBC's vendor, but at fraction of the cost.

ChequesPlus wrote: ↑ We offer comparable quality at lower rates, free shipping in Ontario & Quebec https://www.chequesplus.com/business-ch ... ues-on-top

Following up on the results of my order.

I ordered online on Sunday, before 9:30 AM Monday, I had received an email with a PDF proof or image of my cheque. I could not get the proof to print to full size to test since the printer software or Adobe wanted to give it margins. The details looked good, so I took a chance and approved the order shortly after 12:00 noon. I chose economy shipping which by all accords indicated they would ship via Canada Post. 2.5 hrs later, I had received an email saying the order was complete and shipped via FedEx with a tracking number and delivery on Tuesday.

For me, FedEx was their downfall. On short notice, I had to reschedule my day to be here for the driver. FedEx apparently came and said the office was closed because the door was locked. They didn't ring the doorbell or knock. FedEx email notification said the delivery was delayed, online tracking said no one was here. Baloney.

Today FedEx came, left the package in the mailbox and left. No doorbell, no knock, nothing. They did send a delivery completed email. Enough about FedEx, now onto the cheques.

The paper feels a little heavier than the NEBS I had been using. The security features are easily seen (I don't have a black light to check for the invisible fibers). The visible fibers are a nice touch. The thermochromic shield is rather cool, it fades when warmed.

I didn't test printing yet, I have a few NEBS cheques left to finish off first. If I hold the two up to a light everything lines up, so I don't foresee any problems working with my accounting software. I'll report back when I do get to print some off and they have had time to go through the banking system.

Ordering was simple, communication was good, they were quick and the product looks good. I would order from them again. Especially if they keep the price difference.
It would be nice if they provided a printer friendly invoice/receipt.

ChequesPlus wrote: ↑ We offer comparable quality at lower rates, free shipping in Ontario & Quebec https://www.chequesplus.com/business-ch ... ues-on-top

Can you print cheques for American banks? As in for an account that is from a US bank and not a US$ account at a Canadian bank. This is for BMO Harris account.

denbo30 wrote: ↑ Can you print cheques for American banks? As in for an account that is from a US bank and not a US$ account at a Canadian bank. This is for BMO Harris account.

Bumping as I am curious about this as well.

denbo30 wrote: ↑ Can you print cheques for American banks? As in for an account that is from a US bank and not a US$ account at a Canadian bank. This is for BMO Harris account.

For comparison, Walmart.com will print 300 business cheques for US$25 (+ shipping). https://www.walmart.com/cp/check-printing/1229853