One of the biggest advantages to technological advancement in today’s world is the elimination of bulky checkbooks from a business owner’s arsenal. Once upon a time, huge leather or plastic checkbooks for each account were a crucial component of every business. Check maintenance was challenging, and if you lost a necessary document, you were out of luck.
Today, check writing software makes this side of business incredibly simple and stress-free. Any business owner who has not yet invested in business check writing software is missing a golden opportunity to bypass one of the most tedious and frustrating aspects of business ownership. However, it goes without saying that this software is still relatively new. If you are not sure where to start, you’re not alone.
A simple Google search turns up dozens of results promising they provide the most extensive and efficient check writing services. If you are not a number-cruncher by nature and dread the idea of balancing checkbooks, you are probably wondering which type of software is truly the best.
Three factors should be taken into consideration when searching for your ideal business check writing software. We have compiled them in order to make your search easier.
High-Security Standards
Professionalism and risk assessment are both equally important when running a business. You want your checks to convey a sense of dignity while also avoiding the potential for illegitimacy. The ideal check writing software should be done on SafeChecks check stock, known for its high security and currently holding the gold standard position in the industry.
Business checks, ideally, should be printed with magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) ink to bypass security risks with banks. You should set your standard higher, though, and look for software that has a variety of other security measures set in place, such as explicit warning bands, visible fibers, payee area protection, and chemical sensitivity.
Direct Deposit Automation
One of the biggest hassles for business owners today is electronic payments that don’t go through thanks to technical difficulties. They are still a great way to cut back on unnecessary costs and maintain a “greener” office with less paper output. You should always strive to find software with ACH and direct deposit automation via a simple, hassle-free pathway. Bank account integration is done via the ACH network and allows for seamless transmission of funds to payees.
The ACH network is important because it connects virtually all major U.S.-based financial institutions, and check writing software uses one simple route to directly deposit payments and checks to all your payees safely and securely. Depending on your bank, you can set up either NACHA file generation or NACHA file automation from a third party. Reliability and safety are very important for any business owner making many different payments, but not every bank allows for file automation.
Outsourcing Tax Forms
Tax time is every business owner’s least favorite time of year, but thankfully, check writing software is enabled to manage back-office duties such as document and statement printing, warehousing, address cleansing, and even outsourcing 1099s and W-2s each time tax season rolls around.
This is one of the biggest draws to switching from analog to digital check writing software. After all, who doesn’t like the idea of outsourcing all the boring details of outsourcing tax documents? In order to start the process, only a few forms need to be uploaded to the system: your file of payers, recipients, and form information. Once that has been done, the software will electronically file copies of 1099s and W-2s to the government, as well as send hard copies to your recipients in the mail.
