Printing with Magnetic Ink

[WOUC]

I am trying to speed up the entry process and reduce errors at the same time. I already print our own Offering Envelopes in house and am thinking of using Magnetic Ink to print the strip on the back so the reader can be used for every envelope. QUESTION: Has anyone done this? What problems can you see me running into? I know I'll have to verify each envelope and make any changes as required, but what I am wondering about too, is cash only contributions. Is there any way I can encode, or process these without having to be constantly swapping back and forth between Cash and Cheques? Anyway, let me know your thoughts. Thanks, JIG

[NeilZ]

I am trying to speed up the entry process and reduce errors at the same time. I already print our own Offering Envelopes in house and am thinking of using Magnetic Ink to print the strip on the back so the reader can be used for every envelope. QUESTION: Has anyone done this? What problems can you see me running into? I know I'll have to verify each envelope and make any changes as required, but what I am wondering about too, is cash only contributions. Is there any way I can encode, or process these without having to be constantly swapping back and forth between Cash and Cheques? Anyway, let me know your thoughts. Thanks, JIG

As far as printing the data on the back of the envelopes. The system uses the CHECKING Account data from the check to match to a contributor. I can see that taking a lot of time gleaning that number from every contribution check. If you record the check number, the reader also reads that from the check, so now you'll have to manually enter that number.

Then you have the privacy concerns, if you print the account number on the check, you have to make sure that you shred the envelopes as many people will still write their names on the envelope so now you're matching an account number with a name.

Finally, the easiest way to keep from 'swapping' from check to cash when doing entry is to separate the cash contributions from the checks and enter them last. You don't have to go through the envelopes separately for this, you can just set them aside as you're doing entry.