Disbursements (including Checks) are available in all BCSS editions.

Things to Know about Checks

• BCSS auto-prepares Check Disbursements if the Payment Method for Settlement is 'Check'.
• Attempting to print a check for a cash disbursement or for a disbursement marked as Not Approved will generate an error message.
• If a check is created but won't be printed, change the check's status to Not Approved so it cannot be printed and will not affect reports. (Select the check in the Disbursements Work Area and click 'Approved/Canceled'.)
• For some printers, it may be a bit difficult to determine the correct row spacing settings to print 3 checks per page. A work-around is to turn off '3 Checks Per Page' in Program Setup and print 1 check (the first print position) at a time, printing one check, tearing it off and refeeding the remainder of the sheet of checks.
• All checks prepared for settlement will print at one time IF Print Preview is turned off in Program Setup (General tab).

Check Setup

Go to File, Program Setup, General Tab and select either one check per page or three.

Print a check on a blank sheet of paper and hold it up to the light with a check behind to make sure the print lines up with the check's fields.

The Top and Left Margins and Row Space may need to be changed (on the New-Disbursement Screen) to print correctly. The default settings of (Left) 350, (Top) 850, and (Row) 13 are correct for most laser-style printers.

Prepare a New Check for Printing

1. Select New Disbursement from the Disbursements Work-Area Menu.
2. Complete the fields on the New-Disbursement Window:

   

   The next available check number and current date are auto-entered and may be changed. The starting check # is 1000.

3. Enter the payee's name and the amount of the payment. Other information is optional.
4. Select Bill, Cash Disbursement or 'Other' for the type of payment. ('Other' includes settlements and commission payments.)
5. When entries are complete, press OK.

   The new check will now be listed in the Disbursements Work Area.

6. Select the check.
7. Select the print position for the check (Top, Middle or Bottom).

Adjust Print Position on Checks

It may be necessary to adjust top and left margins and row spacing to place print on checks in the proper positions. Align print for the first check. Alignment for checks 2 and 3 (on 3-check-per-page) should be ok.

The settings for margins and row spacing are located on the Edit-Disbursement and New-Disbursement screens.

Follow these procedures for determining correct Print-Position Settings:

1. If there are no checks to print, use New Disbursement in the Disbursements Menu to create 3 fictitious checks. (They can be marked as 'Not Approved' later or BCSS may be reinstalled later to erase test data.)
2. Choose the checks in the Disbursements Work Area. (Check the status of the check at the bottom of the screen. Status must be 'Approved'. If the check is shown as 'Canceled', it will not print. Either choose an Approved Check or click the Approved/Canceled option in the Disbursements Menu to change the status to Approved.)
3. Select 'Print Check' from the Disbursements Menu.
4. On the Check Position Screen, 'Top' should be selected by default. Select 'Top' if it is not selected.
5. Click on the 'Close-Window X' in the upper right corner of the Check Position Screen.
6. View the check on the Print-Preview Screen. If it appears to be correct, place one blank sheet of paper in the printer. (Feed one sheet at a time to avoid misfeeds.)
7. Click the print button.

   

8. Place the printed sheet over a check and square the 2 sheets.
9. Hold them up to the light and observe where print would have been placed on the sheet of checks.
10. To adjust print position, double click on the check record to open its Edit Screen. Settings for Margin and Row Space appear on the right:

    

    Large changes in the values for top and left margin are necessary to see significant changes in print position.

    It may be necessary to use negative values to achieve correct position. Top or Left Values could be from -500 to 2500. Row space could be from 5 to 20.

    • If the print position is too high, increase the Top-Margin Setting, or vice versa.
    • If the print position is too far to the right, increase the Left-Margin Setting, or vice versa.
    • Use the Row-Space Setting to increase or decrease the distance between lines.

When the correct settings have been determined, record the settings (off of the computer) for future reference.

Print the Check

1. Select a check from the List in the Disbursements Work Area.
2. Select Print Checks in the Disbursements Work Area Menu (lower left).
3. A Check Layout window will appear. Select which check position to print, Top, Middle or Bottom.
4. View the check on the Print-Preview Screen. If it appears to be correct, click the print button.

   

Cancel a Check

1. Select the check from the List in the Disbursements Work Area.
2. Select Edit Disbursement and select Not Approved, then OK.
3. Canceled checks do consume a check number but do not affect store income.

Checks and Accounting

A cash disbursement is processed the same as a check but no check number is used and no check is printed.

Cash and check both decrease store income.

Buying Checks

Three checks per page is the most common choice because there's less paper waste. Have them prepared by your bank to include special security measures against fraud. We recommend BusinessChecks.org.

If not already done, go to File, Program Setup, General and select either one check per page or three.

Settlement Checks

Adjust Print Position on Checks before attempting to print checks.

Pay One Consignor by Check (See Pay Multiple Consignors below.)

When 'Check' is the payment method selected for a settlement, BCSS prepares a check for printing and lists it in the Disbursement Work Area.

To pay a consignor by check, after the settlement has been processed -

1. Go to the Disbursement Work Area.
2. Select the check to be printed from the table by clicking on it.
3. Select Print Check from the Disbursements Work Area Menu (lower left).

   

4. On the next screen (not shown), select a print position for the check (top, middle or bottom).
5. Click the X in the upper-right corner of Check-Position Window to close the window.
6. The print that will appear on the check is presented in a Print-Preview Window.
7. If the information is correct, click the Printer Icon on the top menu:

   

8. The next screen to appear is the Windows Print Setup screen.

   

   The settings should be:

   • Name: The correct printer name should appear here.
   • Size: Letter
   • Page range: Current page
   • Orientation: Portrait (Never 'As Preview')
   • Number of copies: 1
9. When settings are correct, load a blank sheet of paper in the printer and press OK to start printing.
10. Place the printed page over a check page, square them and hold them up to the light to verify that the print will appear in the correct positions on the check.
11. If the print position is incorrect, follow the procedures for Adjusting Print Position on Checks.
12. If the print positions are correct repeat the printing of the check but load the check into the printer.

Pay Multiple Consignors by Check

NOTE: To print multiple checks at the same time, first go to File, Program Setup, General tab and turn Print Preview off.

When 'Check' is the payment method selected for settlements, BCSS prepares a check for each settlement for printing and lists the checks in the Disbursement Work Area.

How to Print Several Checks at Once

1. Select Batch Settle from the Settlements Work-Area Menu:

   

   Sales eligible for settlement will be listed. Uncheck those that are not to be processed and make sure 'Check' is the Payment Method selected.

   (Please remember that settlements for less than the amount stipulated in Program Setup will not appear in the list.)

2. Place enough checks in the printer's tray.
3. Click on Print Checks:

   

   Checks should start to print. All checks marked for printing will be printed so make sure there are enough checks in the printer tray.