Check Reader - picking up check number

[CranfordUMC]

I am presently using PC 11.1 and have been using the check reader to enter contributions for over a year now. The check reader is great and saves me a lot of time in typing and looking up envelope numbers. I have just noticed that it is not picking up the entire check number all the time. If the check number is 4 digits it seems to work fine however if it is longer it "sometimes" only picks up the first 4 digits. I noticed it when I looked at my own PC statement and my check numbers are only the first 4 digits. I changed banks this year and my check numbers are greater then 4 digits. I have a feeling it is because of the way the code is printer on the bottom of the check however it could also be an issue with the reader or the PC software, I have no way of knowing or finding out. I may have to start entering check numbers manually for those over 4 digits. Has anyone else notice this occuring?

[NeilZ]

This may be something that the Powerchurch folks need to look at. If the reader was reading fine until now, it may be an issue with the way the transaction is being parsed by PCPlus.

[Zorak]

Open up Notepad or Word or some other text editing program and slide a check through the reader.

Do you get more than four digits?

This will tell us if the problem is with the hardware or not by completely removing PowerChurch Plus from the mix.

[CranfordUMC]

Fascinating! Had no idea how the check read worked, that it sends the information to an open text editing program. But I digress somewhat. I ran one of my checks thru the check reader with Word opened and the bottom numbers on the check showed up in the word document. It appears to only be picking up the first 4 numbers (7153) of the check number (715319). It is therefore not a PowerChurch issue. Thanks for your assistance, I am now aware of this and will watch closer to ensure the check number is recorded correctly.

As a followup, my new checks are from CapitalOne 360. The check number at the end of the line has a space between the special character indicating the end of the account number and the check number. I tried a JP Morgan Chase check. This check does not have a space between the account number and the check number. The number was 00212, the reader picked it up as 0212. Have reviewed multiple checks from Sunday's collection and there was one with a 7 digit check number that was picked up correctly. The number was at the beginning of the check line. It is looking more like the problem is with my Capital One checks. I will try to find a contact for MagTek and see if they are aware of this issue. May also contact Capital One. My local SunTrust bank uses these readers, I wonder how it works for them?

It is no big issue, but like Columbo, little things like this bug me.
Thanks again for you help and quick response.

[CranfordUMC]

Just a quick follow up to close my check reading issue. I contacted MAGTEK support and talked to them on the phone. It appears that my Capital One 360 checks do not appear to conform to their logarithm so the check number is not being picked up completely. Power Church Plus is processing the data it receives from the check reader correctly.