Source Technologies 1352 MICR 40 Micr Overview, Check Processing System, Micr Printing Today

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Section 2: MICR Overview

2 MICR Overview

MICR stands for Magnetic Ink Character Recognition. All MICR documents have a MICR line with numbers and symbols printed in a MICR font with magnetically chargeable toner. Each character of the MICR font has a unique waveform when sensed magnetically.

Financial institutions and the Federal Reserve use the MICR line to identify and sort checks. The high-speed automated processing of checks and other financial documents depends on the accuracy and the integrity of the data printed in the MICR line. Your new Source Technologies’ Secure MICR Printer is specifically designed to produce high quality MICR documents.

The Check Processing System

As a MICR document travels through the check clearing system it is processed an average of about seven times by high speed reader/sorter machines. Some checks are read up to 30 times or more by these machines. Reader/sorter machines charge the toner in the MICR line and then read the line with a magnetically sensitive reader.

The MICR line contains numbers and symbols to indicate the check serial number, the routing number of the drawee institution and the makers’ account number. The institution of first deposit encodes the check amount in the MICR line to be read by the reader/sorter equipment. Checks travel through reader/sorters at up to 20 miles-per-hour (2,400 documents per minute) with each MICR line read in three hundredths of a second.

MICR Printing Today

Congress established the Federal Reserve System (FRS) in 1913. Today most commercial banks in the United States belong to the FRS. Many other depository institutions provide banking and checking account services to the public. These other institutions, such as some credit unions, savings and loan associations and nonmember banks, are not formally part of the FRS. However, they have access to the payment services it provides and are subject to many of the FRS regulations.

In 1958, because of the explosive growth of check usage, the American Bankers Association selected the E-13B MICR font and the MICR system as the technology for high-speed check processing. Today, check standards are determined by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Accredited Standards Committee (ASC) X9B of which Source Technologies is a voting member. The latest versions of the standards and technical guidelines are available from Global Engineering Documents.

Hardcopy Standards

Softcopy Standards

Global Engineering Documents

X9 Electronic Bookstore

Phone 800-854-7179 or 303-397-7956

www.x9.org - click ESS

Fax 303-397-2740

www.ansi.org - click ESS

global@ihs.com

or

http://global.ihs.com

http://webstore.ansi.org

Secure MICR Printer User’s Guide July 2003

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© Source Technologies

All rights reserved

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Contents IBM Infoprint 1352 Micr Secure Micr Printer User’s Guide Page Table of Contents Error Messages Audit Trail ReportPrinter Installation Micr Overview Check Processing SystemMicr Printing Today Micr Overview Micr Check Design General Features of Check DesignPosition and Dimension Gauge Design Elements in Detail PaperData Elements Date DuplexingMicr Clear Band Amount Convenience AmountPayee Area Amount In WordsDollars Signature AreaAuxiliary On-Us Field Positions 65 to Account Title Memo LineCheck Serial Number Fractional Routing Number Micr Line External Processing Code EPC Field PositionRouting Field Positions 43 to On-Us Field Positions 32 toSample Check Quality Issues Quality WeightMicr Check Stock LayoutMoisture Security Issues Check Stock Security FeaturesSecurity Note Security Issues Micr Fonts Micr FeaturesMicr Mode Secure FontsBi-Directional Feedback @PJL Ustatus DeviceResource Storage Micr Menu Entering Micr Mode STF CommandSTH Command Set New Password Command &%STExxxxxxxx$ PasswordMicr Definition Command SMCPxxxx$ optional SmcpSMD STSPrint Micr E-13B Font SMDddd...ddd$ Print Micr CMC7 Font SM7ddd...ddd$Print MicroPrint Line SMMxxxxxxxxx!$ Print Secure Numeric Font SMFddd..ddd~Print ICR Secure Numeric Font &%SMIxxxxxx~ Load Flash Resource STLxxxxxyyyyyyzdd....ddTray Unlock Command STTU#$ Secure Flash Resource Unlock Command STPxxxxx$Tray Lock Command STTL#$ Tray Swapping CommandsDES and AES Decryption STDON$ Customer Character Conversation Command Special Alert and Custom Beep Command Turning Hex Transfer On IBM Host Programming Features and ExamplesHex Transfer Turning Hex Transfer OffHex Transfer Examples Micr Mode Command Example NON-NEGOTIABLE Commands in .1 in order of appearance STFPASSWORD$STY4000$ Escape Character TranslationSTY4040$ Example &%STY2300$Audit Trail Reports Print Audit Report Audit Report Field One SQ1d..d$ Audit Trail Report Command SetEnd Audit Record Audit Report Field Two-MICR Line SMDd..d$ or &%SM7d..d$Audit Report Field Six SQ6d..d$ Audit Report Field Four SQ4d..d~Audit Report Field Five SQ5d..d$ Audit Report Field Seven SQ7d..d$Print Audit Report SPRINTxx$ Print and Purge Audit Report &%SPURGExx$Spurge SprintSQ5 Start Audit Feedback CommandSQ4 SQ6Audit Trail Commands Example Void SQ1200$200 Command terminatorSAR$ SQ6October 5, 2005$SMD...$ SQ7103345 AM$Msmith Error Messages See list of Micr Error Messages on followingError Message On Display Printed Message Description Action Command&%SMDddd..ddd$ Appendix a E13B Micr Font MappingCommand SM7ddd..ddd$ Appendix B CMC7 Micr Font MappingCommand SMFddd...dd~ Appendix C Secure Numeric Font MappingExample &%SMF$1,123.00~ Will print Command SMIxxxxxx~ Appendix D ICR Secure Numeric Font MappingAppendix E Micr Mode Command Summary Description CommandAppendix F Audit Report Command Summary Description Command Structure FunctionPJL Unlock Sequence Appendix G PJL Based Micr CommandsFonts and Secured Resources PJL Re-Lock SequencePJL Re-Lock Sequence With a New Password Value PCL Font Call CommandsPJL Info Micr Command Cartridge Status = Unknown PCL Initial Set-Up PCL Macro CallPCL Font Calls, Positioning Commands and Variable Print Data Sample Accounts Payable Check PJL and PCL commands used to print the sample check @PJL Enter Language = PCL
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