TROY Group MICR Basics Handbook - Manual (Page 11)

Section 2 Creating MICR Documents
MICR Basics Handbook -- Document #50-70300-001 Rev. C
2-1
MICR Formatting Standards
This section provides additional layout and guidelines to assist you in creating financial documents using
TROY MICR Printing solutions. Use the information throughout this MICR User’s Guide as a guideline
for creating documents.
The proper format for a MICR-encoded document or IRD (Image Replacement Document) is determined
from the following sources respectively:
• The ANSI X9B MICR standards in the US (or the appropriate standards of other countries where
applicable).
• Specific requirements for overall check layout and certain optional fields in the MICR line
specified by your bank.
• Your organizational requirements for check design and accompanying forms (such as check stubs
or remittances).
• Information on formatting and printing of image replacement documents (IRDs) is described in
the American National Standard for Financial Services X9. 100-140-2004 Specification and is
available on the ANSI (American National Standards Institute) web site (
www.ansi.org ).
Using commercially available MICR printing software will greatly simplify the task of formatting your
MICR-encoded documents. With the proper MICR software, you may simply need to provide data such
as the account number, bank name, and bank address. The software will automatically place this
information into a check format. Follow the directions in the documentation provided with your MICR
software. TROY recommends that you obtain a copy of your bank’s specification sheet for the layout of
checks to be drawn on that bank.
If you are designing your own MICR-encoded documents, refer to ANSI X9B standards as well as your
bank’s specification sheet for check layout. TROY recommends that you follow these specifications
carefully to prevent reader/sorter machine rejects of checks.
You are responsible for ensuring that all MICR-encoded documents are formatted correctly and meet the
guidelines established by the ANSI X9B standards committee in the USA, the banking industry, and the
particular institutions with which you conduct business. TROY cannot be responsible for failure to meet
these guidelines.
CAUTION: It is strongly recommended that only TROY products
(MICR paper, MICR toner and MICR system hardware)
be used with your printer to prevent reader/sorter machine
rejects of your checks which may result in higher processing
costs for institutions that handle the documents you produce.