How do I print checks from Banktivity?

Banktivity offers completely customizable check printing so that you can print checks on any of the most common varieties of check paper. Check printing in Banktivity is done with user-configurable templates. Before you can print checks from an account, you must first configure a template to tell Banktivity how you want the checks to look. Each account stores its own template settings so that you can use a different kind of check with each bank account.

Enter routing information

First, double-click the account you want to print checks from to open the account inspector. Enter the Account Number and ABA Routing Number in the appropriate fields, then click "Save." Without this information, Banktivity will not be able to configure check printing for the account.

Choose a template

With the account selected in the sidebar, choose Account > Configure Check Printing to view the check printing setup sheet:

Click the "Style" button at the top left corner and select a template with the style that matches your check paper:

• Standard: Use this template to print three full-size checks to a page.
• Wallet: Use one of these templates to print checks with detachable wallet tabs to the left. Choose a template with the appropriate number of checks (three or four).
• Voucher: Use one of these templates to print one full-size check per page along with a receipt. Choose a template with the appropriate check position (top, middle, or bottom) and number of receipts (one or two).

Choosing a template will load the default settings for that template. If your current template has any customizations, those changes will be lost when you choose a new template.

Set check size and spacing

Next, you may need to adjust the size and position of the checks to match your check paper. At the top of the check printing setup sheet, click the arrow buttons to adjust the top margin (extra space from the top of the page where printing begins) and check size (width and height). Note that check width can only be adjusted if you chose one of the wallet templates.

Adjust field placement and formatting

Once the check size and spacing are correct, you can adjust the placement and formatting of individual fields. Simply click and drag any field on the template to reposition it. If you are using a template with multiple checks, make your changes on the top check and the others will update automatically.

To resize a field (to allow more room for longer text), click once to select it, then click and drag the circular handle on any side of the box to expand or contract that side. You can also use the "Position" controls at the bottom left corner of the window to adjust (by pixels) the width (W), height (H), distance from the left edge (X), and distance from the top edge (Y).

Be careful not to overlap fields, or your checks may not be readable when you print them.

To change a field's font and text size, select it and click the "Font" button at the bottom of the window to open a standard font panel.

Hide and show fields

To hide a field from the template (for example, the MICR numbers printed at the bottom of the check), select the field and uncheck the "Visible" checkbox. To add a field to the template, click the popup menu button next to the checkbox, choose the field you want to add, and check "Visible." The following fields are available for use on check templates:

• Payee Name: The name of the person receiving the payment, taken from the "Payee" field of the transaction selected for printing.
• Amount: The amount of the payment, written in numerals and taken from the "Withdrawal" field of the transaction selected for printing.
• Amount as Text: The amount of the payment, written in words and taken from the "Withdrawal" field of the transaction selected for printing.
• Memo: A description of the payment, taken from the "Note" field of the transaction selected for printing.
• Date: The date the check was printed, taken from the "Date" field of the transaction selected for printing.
• MICR Line: The magnetic ink character recognition code, including the "Account Number" and "Routing Number" from the account inspector and the check number from the "#" field of the transaction selected for printing.
• Payer Address: The name and address of the person writing the check, taken from the contact card marked as "My Card" in the Apple Contacts app. To use a different name and address, click "Edit Payer" and type in the information you prefer.
• Payee Address: The name and address of the person receiving the payment, taken from the contact card corresponding to the payee's name in the Apple Contacts app.
• Bank Name and Address: The name and address of the bank sending the payment, taken from the "Bank" field in the account inspector and the contact card corresponding to the bank name in the Apple Contacts app.
• Check Number: The number to be printed on the check, taken from the "#" field of the transaction selected for printing.

Addresses are retrieved from the Apple Contacts app. In order to allow Banktivity access to your contacts, open System Preferences and click "Security & Privacy," "Privacy," then "Contacts." Check the box next to Banktivity to allow access.

Print sample checks

To ensure the template is configured correctly, click "Print Sample," adjust your printer settings, and click "Print." It is recommended to use plain paper for this, and hold it up to a light source with the check paper behind it. This will allow you to check the alignment of the various fields without wasting check paper. When you are finished configuring the template, click "OK" to save your changes.

Reset a template to default settings

If you made a mistake with your template configuration and want to start over, simply click the "Reset" button at the top of the check printing setup sheet. The default settings for your selected template will be restored. Choosing another template style will also reset the configuration.

Print checks from an account register

Once you have finished configuring the check template and closed the check printing setup sheet, you are ready to print checks. In the account register, select one or more transactions (Command-click to select multiple) for which you want to print checks, then choose File > Print Check for Selection.

Adjust the printer settings as needed, then click "Print." Each transaction will be printed to a separate check. Standard and wallet checks typically print three to a page, but if you only select one or two checks for printing, only those checks will print on the page.

If you already used part of your check paper and need to print a partial page, only select and print the number of checks remaining on the paper. If you have additional checks to print, select and print them as a separate batch. Note that some printers are unable to feed paper the size of a single check.