Method of printing complete MICR checks on blank sheets from host program data using laser printers

A computer program product for use in conjunction with a computer system, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium and a computer program mechanism embedded therein, the computer program mechanism comprising:

• (a) a first set of instructions for receiving check-printing data produced by a host check-printing program, the check-printing data including a specified check number for a check to be printed, the specified check number having a check number prefix that is unique to a respective bank account, wherein the received check-printing data does not include a bank account number for the respective bank account;
• (b) a second set of instructions for extracting the check number prefix of the specified check number within the check-printing data;
• (c) a third set of instructions for accessing a control file, the control file having stored therein a plurality of bank account data sets, each bank account data set being associated with one of a plurality of unique check number prefixes, the third set of instructions including instructions for retrieving from the control file the bank account data set corresponding to the extracted check number prefix using the check number prefix as an index;
• and
• (d) a fourth set of instructions for formatting a check for printing on a substantially blank sheet of paper, the formatted check including the specified check number and the retrieved bank account data set.

A method of printing checks, comprising:

• (a) receiving check-printing data that includes a specified check number for a check to be printed, the specified check number having a check number prefix that is unique to a respective bank account, wherein the received check-printing data does not include a bank account number for the respective bank account;
• (b) extracting the check number prefix from the specified check number;
• (c) retrieving a bank account data set associated with the extracted check number prefix from a control file using the check number prefix as an index, the bank account data set including the respective bank account number;
• and
• (d) formatting a check for printing on a substantially blank sheet of paper, the formatted check including the specified check number and the retrieved bank account data set.

A method of printing checks, comprising:

• (a) receiving a plurality of bank account data sets each associated with a respective one of a plurality of bank accounts, each bank account data set including an associated bank account number;
• (b) associating each of a plurality of unique prefixes with a respective one of the bank accounts, wherein the unique prefixes are included in check numbers for checks to be printed and wherein the unique prefixes are unequal to the associated bank account numbers;
• (c) storing the plurality of bank account data sets in association with corresponding ones of the unique prefixes in a control file;
• (d) receiving data from a host check-printing program, the data formatted for printing a check on a pre-printed check form, the data having a check number containing a unique prefix, the data not including a bank account number associated with a check to be printed;
• (e) examining the data to determine the unique prefix;
• (f) retrieving one of the bank account data sets associated with the unique prefix from the control file;
• and
• (g) formatting a check for printing on a substantially blank sheet of paper, the formatted check including the check number and the retrieved bank account data set.

A computer program product for use in conjunction with a computer system, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium and a computer program mechanism embedded therein, the computer program mechanism comprising:

• (a) a first set of instructions for receiving check-printing data that includes a specified check number for a check to be printed, the specified check number having a check number prefix that is unique to a respective bank account, wherein the received check-printing data does not include a bank account number for the respective bank account, the first set of instructions including instructions for accessing a control file, the control file using the check number prefix as an index, the control file storing a plurality of bank account data sets, each bank account data set associated with a respective one of a plurality of bank accounts and a respective one of a plurality of unique check number prefixes;
• the first set of instructions including instructions for responding to the specified check number by determining which of the unique check number prefixes is included in the specified check number and for retrieving from the control file the bank account data set corresponding to the determined unique check number prefix, the retrieved bank account data set including the respective bank account number;
• and
• (b) a second set of instructions for formatting data to be used in a financial transaction, the formatted data including the specified check number and the bank account data set retrieved by the first set of instructions.

A method of formatting data for use in a financial transaction, comprising:

• (a) receiving data that includes a specified check number for a check to be printed but does not include not a bank account number associated with the check to be printed;
• (b) extracting a prefix from the specified check number;
• (c) retrieving a bank account data set associated with the extracted prefix from a control file using the prefix as an index, the bank account data set including the bank account number associated with the check to be printed;
• and
• (d) formatting data to be used in the financial transaction, the formatted data including the specified check number and the retrieved bank account data set.