Not too many years ago the idea of printing your own checks was absurd and unheard of. However, today it is quite commonplace and with it come a whole host of questions regarding at home or in office check printing and the MICR toner used. Before people begin buying check paper and special toner they mistakenly assume they can use traditional ink to print their checks. And, while this is possible it really is not a good idea. The HP MICR ink is special in that it allows the banks machines to read the documents quickly and process the easily. Many people ask if they really must use this type of ink when printing checks and the answer is that is really makes good sense. The reason why is that the ink is magnetic, which allows the banks to read it. Regular ink must be processed by hand and when this occurs it is not uncommon for the bank to charge a per check fee, up to $3, for using the wrong ink. So, that is something you will definitely want to keep in mind.
Another common question is whether or not MICR toner exists for inkjet printers. The answer is no because inkjet printers use ink not toner. However, there is MICR ink that works well in inkjet printers so that is an option for you if you have an inkjet printer.
The most popular question is perhaps what MICR really stands for. The answer is magnetic ink character recognition. MICR also refers to the way a check’s numbers are printed, the ink used to print the, and even the machines that read the specially printed checks. Another funny question that people seem to ask quite regularly is how MICR is pronounced. The answer is M, I, C, R because it is an acronym and not a word. Acronyms should be spelled out, like YMCA, rather than spoken as a word. Some people have heard the MICR acronym spoken as “micker” or “my-ker” but neither of these is correct. Although, the “my-ker” would be preferred by industry leaders should it be pronounced? The easiest thing to do is just spell it out!
Those are some of the most popular questions behind MICR toner however people do have many others. If this sounds like you then do not hesitate jumping on the web and seeing what you can find. Most likely you will realize there are actually a lot of answers out there that will help educate you on MICR.