Customer questions and recommendations
11 min
Below are implementation considerations that your Account Services Specialist will guide you through when discussing check processing & printing.
1) Governance and roles (custodian of record)
Questions
- Who is the custodian of record for check issuance (treasury, AP, or another group), and who is the authorized approver for exceptions (voids, reprints, stop/reissue)?
- Who owns the bank relationship and Positive Pay enrollment (including contacts for file format, transmission method, and exception handling)?
- Are there written policies we must follow (check issuance policy, signer policy, fraud controls, retention policy)?
Recommendations
- Confirm a single “check issuance owner” and a named backup approver to avoid delays during exceptions.
- Document the end-to-end issuance workflow (data file creation, approvals, production, Positive Pay transmission, bank exception review).
2) Bank requirements and Positive Pay configuration
Questions
- Is Positive Pay required today, and is it check-only or payee-name Positive Pay?
- What file format does the bank require (CSV, fixed-width, BAI2 add-on, bank-specific template)?
- What is the required cutover timing (when must the issued-check file be at the bank for same-day coverage)?
- How are exceptions handled at the bank (customer portal review, daily exception window, delegated approvers)?
Recommendations
- Use Payee Positive Pay when the bank supports it (it materially reduces alteration risk).
- Establish a consistent daily transmission schedule tied to production completion (so checks are never “live” without Positive Pay coverage).
- Define an exception SLA (who reviews bank exceptions, how quickly, and what happens after cutoff).
3) Check stock (blank stock control and ownership)
Questions
- Will the customer provide check stock, or should DFS source and manage it under the customer’s specifications?
- Are there stock constraints (brand, paper weight, watermark, toner-lock, preprinted security background, color requirements)?
- Should stock be dedicated per account/program (separate inventories for different bank accounts or payment types)?
Recommendations
- Treat blank stock as controlled inventory with lot tracking and reconciliation to printed output.
- Keep stock dedicated by customer and, if needed, by account/program to reduce cross-use risk and simplify audits.
- Define destruction procedures for obsolete stock and spoilage (including documentation requirements).
4) Check layout, security features, and bank acceptance
Questions
- Does the customer already have a bank-approved check template, including MICR placement and line formatting?
- Which security features are required vs preferred (microprint, pantograph, warning band, toner adhesion, UV features, etc.)?
- Are there branding or messaging requirements on the check (remittance messaging, payee instructions, customer service lines)?
Recommendations
- Use a bank-approved template and treat layout changes as controlled changes (with customer approval before production).
- Align security features to practical fraud deterrence and bank acceptance (avoid features that create scanning/read issues).
- Maintain a controlled version history for check templates and MICR formatting.
5) MICR line content and sequence rules
Questions
- Confirm routing and account numbers, check number length, and any special MICR formatting requirements.
- What are the required sequence rules (start/end ranges, gap handling, void numbering, reprint numbering)?
- Are there multiple bank accounts/programs that require separate sequences?
Recommendations
- Define a single source of truth for check number assignment (customer system or DFS workflow) and lock it down.
- Produce a post-run reconciliation report (expected vs printed, voids, reprints, spoilage) to support audit and Positive Pay.
- Separate sequences by account/program and prevent overlap by design.
6) Data file content, approvals, and release to print
Questions
- What is the input file format and required fields (payee name, address, amount, invoice/remittance detail, check number if preassigned)?
- What approvals are required before printing (treasury release, AP approval, dollar-threshold review)?
- Are there controls for high-dollar payments (additional approval, dual-control release, separate run)?
Recommendations
- Implement a “release to print” step owned by the customer (primary and backup approver).
- Add validation rules before production (required fields present, amount format, duplicate detection, threshold handling).
- For high-dollar checks, consider an additional approval gate and/or separate controlled production batch.
7) Signature handling (policy, assets, and thresholds)
Questions
- What signature method is required (wet signature, digitized signature image, signature block without image, or authorized signer text)?
- What are the signer threshold rules (for example: signer A under $X, dual signatures above $X)?
- Who is authorized to approve signature asset changes (new signer, signature replacement, emergency revocation)?
Recommendations
- Treat signature assets as restricted data with least-privilege access and audit logging.
- Use threshold-based rules when required and confirm how “dual signature” is represented operationally.
- Establish a formal change process for signature updates (approval, effective date/time, audit record).
8) Exception handling (voids, reprints, stops, and returns)
Questions
- What constitutes an approved reprint (lost mail, damage, customer request) and who authorizes it?
- Should reprints reuse the original check number or issue a new check number (and how is the original voided)?
- How do you want stop payments and reissues handled operationally and in reporting?
Recommendations
- Define a standard policy for reprints vs stop/reissue (and align it with bank Positive Pay controls).
- Ensure every exception results in updated reporting back to the customer for Positive Pay (voids and reissues included).
- Maintain an exception log that ties directly to reconciliation reporting.
9) Mailing controls (because checks are negotiable instruments)
Questions
- What mailing class and service levels are required (First-Class, Certified, signature required, tracking requirements)?
- Are there address hygiene requirements (NCOA, CASS, return processing rules)?
- Should checks be inserted with remittance detail, stubs, or additional enclosures (and do any of those change by payee type)?
Recommendations
- Use mail tracking where appropriate for high-value payments and define escalation paths for “not delivered” scenarios.
- Align address hygiene and return mail processing with the customer’s reissue/stop policy.
- Keep insert logic deterministic and auditable (especially if different inserts go to different payee categories).
10) Reporting, audit artifacts, and retention
Questions
- What reports are required after each run (issued-check register, void/reprint report, sequence reconciliation, postage/mailing manifest)?
- How long must production artifacts be retained (files, reconciliation reports, job tickets, camera footage where applicable)?
- Are there customer audit requirements (internal audit, external audit, SOC mapping, on-site audits)?
Recommendations
- Provide standard run packages: issued-check register, Positive Pay file confirmation, and sequence reconciliation with exceptions.
- Align retention to the customer’s compliance needs and bank dispute windows.
- Map controls to the customer’s audit framework (and share evidence artifacts in a controlled manner).
11) Implementation and testing (before going live)
Questions
- Do you have a bank test plan for Positive Pay (test file submission, exception simulation, timing validation)?
- What is the cutover plan (first live run date, parallel run needs, rollback plan)?
- Who signs off on the final proof (layout, MICR, security features, file validation)?
Recommendations
- Run a formal end-to-end pilot: print proof, MICR verification, Positive Pay test submission, and exception simulation.
- Confirm operational SLAs (file delivery deadlines, print completion windows, Positive Pay transmission timing).
- Establish a controlled change process post-go-live (template changes, bank changes, signer changes, account changes).