Using Check Scanner over Remote Desktop

[info@gracenorthatlanta.org]

We are looking to use the check scanner to input all tithe checks but wanted to make sure you can use it with Microsoft Remote Desktop. If so, are there special setups that we would need to do?

We have PowerChurch v11.1 installed on Windows 2008 Server 64bit. Will a scanner work with this version?

Also, can you only use the MagTek Mini MICR Check Reader or can you use any other scanner. I just saw a nice one that also takes a full scan of the check (MICRImage).

Thanks for the assistance!

Robert Singleton
Grace North Atlanta
Alpharetta, GA

[NeilZ]

We are looking to use the check scanner to input all tithe checks but wanted to make sure you can use it with Microsoft Remote Desktop. If so, are there special setups that we would need to do?

We have PowerChurch v11.1 installed on Windows 2008 Server 64bit. Will a scanner work with this version?

Also, can you only use the MagTek Mini MICR Check Reader or can you use any other scanner. I just saw a nice one that also takes a full scan of the check (MICRImage).

Thanks for the assistance!

Robert Singleton
Grace North Atlanta
Alpharetta, GA

Can't answer your question on Remote Desktop, however, here's what I suspect. If the Remote Desktop can sense an external USB accessory (memory stick, external hard drive, etc), then it should recognize the scanner. If you get a keyboard input scanner, I suspect that there would not be much of an issue either.

However, I also suspect the proper drivers must be installed for the Desktop to work.

As far as the scanner itself, the system only reads the magnetic account info at the bottom of the check, it cannot recognize any scanned image. The check reader reads the check's MICR account info as numeric characters and passes it to the system as text input, Powerchurch then uses that input to search the Contributions database for a corresponding account number, and then pulls up the proper envelope number.

The scanner also passes on the check number from the MICR line. Expect to take more time inputting contributions during the initial use of the reader as you will have to manually match the account number to the contributor. This is the initial 'learning' setup, after that you shouldn't have to do that unless a new contributor shows up.

However, at a previous location where I setup the check reader, we had a family that would not always write the contribution from the same checking account, it did cause some confusion as the system is only setup (at that time anyway, I'm not sure if its still acts the same) to recognize one account per envelope.

The other factor you have to realize is that many checks that come in as automatic contributions from online banking have the same account number. These checks we used to enter either using the manual entry function of the check reader module, or through the manual Contributions Entry module.

Hope this helps.