Ask Addy: Printing checks FAQs

Printing is the fastest way to give Addy an Addy-tude. If it’s not the arm and a leg I’m spending on printer cartridges (it’d be cheaper to buy a new printer!), it’s the paper jams or the blinking light that’s obviously something important but dang if I know what it means. At least when it comes to printing checks in QuickBooks, I’ve got the answers.

We’ve been seeing a lot of questions about printing checks lately. So here’s a compilation of the questions and my answers.

• My company name is already pre-printed on the check, but QuickBooks is printing it on top of where it’s printed on the check. How do I tell QuickBooks not to print my company name? On the Print window, select Format at the bottom of the window. Be sure the checkbox for “Print company name and address” is NOT selected.
• I just upgraded to QuickBooks 2011, and I’m seeing a grid patterned box on top of the numerical dollar amount on my checks. What gives? Ah! That’s the alignment grid that helps you get your check info printing just right. To keep it from printing (or to turn it on if you need it), on the Print window, choose Alignment at the bottom of the windows. Then uncheck the Alignment checkbox (or check it if you need the alignment grid).
• If I print two or more pages of checks, my checks are posted to the numbers backward. I can shuffle the check in reverse order, but that’s a pain. Help? I hear you. Who wants to shuffle paper? Luckily, you still use all the Mac OS printing features when you print from QuickBooks, including this handy reverse order option.

• The font on my checks is huge! How do I make it smaller? On the Print window, look for the Scale setting. Chances are good you have it set to something more than 100%. You can also change the font by going to the Format pane on the Print window and choosing Show Fonts.
• How do I get rid of the “pay as:” name when printing a check? I type a name on the payee line and a different name for the name and address where the check is to be sent and that name appears as “print as” above the name I have typed in as payee. QuickBooks is printing the information you have in the “Print on check as” option in the Vendor Center. Go to the Vendor Center and open a vendor’s name. This option is on the lower right corner of the Address Info pane.
• I’m printing my checks, but it just prints the information I fill in on the paper. My bank information isn’t printing. QuickBooks only prints the information that you would fill in yourself if you were writing the check manually. To print checks, you need checks to print on. You can order these checks from any number of places including (drumroll, please) here at Intuit.Find out about ordering checks.
• Can I change the check number on a check? Yep! When you write a check, the check number is editable. So all you have to do is click on it to edit the check number.

That’s it for now. If you have questions you’d like to ask, send it to QBMacLittleSquare@intuit.com.