Printing Checks

Rentec Direct has made it easy to print checks directly from the software and is compatible with the most popular check types available (see below).

Configure Settings

It is recommended before printing checks to verify the settings match your check printing requirements. 

In your Rentec Direct account:

1. Click Settings 
2. Click on Accounting Defaults
3. Choose your check style from the drop-down menu. 
   
   Note: We support the most popular types of checks including 3-per-page and 1-per-page with one or two vouchers. To see examples of a check type, click the blue question mark on this page in the software or review the information at the bottom of this article. 
4. On this same page, if you want to print the address of the recipient on the face of the checks, toggle the selection to YES. If you do not want the address of the payee on the printed check, choose NO. 
5. Click the Save Changes button.

If you have not already setup a bank account to write checks from or vendors to write checks to, these are important steps to accomplish. 

Setting up a Bank Account with Check Printing Options

The software requires that you have at least one bank account set up from which to write checks.

Instructions for setting up bank accounts in the software can be found here: Add Banking Ledgers

When following those instructions note:

• the checkbox for Blank Stock can be checked if you have unprinted blank stock you are printing on, otherwise, leave the checkbox un-checked.
• if you want to print Void After X Days on your checks, enter the value for X or leave blank for none.
• if you are using blank check stock, you are able to add contact information to your printed check. The most common information entered here is a company name, address, and phone number. The information you enter in this field will print in the upper-left corner of your check. The system allows up to 4 lines. 

Setting up Vendors and Owners

Setting up vendors (and owners if you are using Rentec PM) will save you time when entering expenses. Once you setup a vendor it will be an automatic suggestion when posting expenses. If you are printing addresses on checks, that information will also automatically carry over. 

Instructions for setting up vendors and payees can be found here: Add Vendors and Payees

Instructions for setting up owners can be found here: Add Owners

Creating a Check to Print

Creating a check is a function of posting an expense or payment in the software. 

Detailed instructions for creating a check to print is below. General instructions on posting a transaction in the software can be found here: Posting an Income or Expense Transaction

In your Rentec Direct account: 

1. Click Properties 
2. Right-click on a Property and choose Post Expense from the drop-down menu 
3. In Transaction Details, under the Expense Type use the drop-down menu to choose Print Check
4. Fill in the details of the check to be printed:
   1. enter the Amount of the payment
   2. choose the Bank from which this check will be drawn
   3. enter a Memo which will show on the check memo line if you wish. 
5. In the Payee field, start typing the first few letters of your payee. If they are in your vendor and owner table, they will show within the suggestion window. 
   
   Information on adding vendors and payees can be found here: Add Vendors and Payees
6. Select the one you want to use, or finish typing to add a custom payee. If an address is configured for the payee, it will automatically populate. If you are not printing checks with addresses, the address box is of no consequence; however, if you are printing checks with addresses, be sure the address information is complete.
7. Click on Post Expense to save.

Printing a Check

After you've posted an expense with the Print Check option, you can then physically print the check from the software.

In your Rentec Direct account:

1. Click Banking 
2. Notice that next to the account you chose it will show a check Icon. If you hover over it you'll see something similar to [1 check pending]. Click this Icon to enter the check printing window. 
   
   

   

3. Select the checks you wish to print (or check the box in the upper left to select all). 
4. Enter your next check number, and if you are using 3-per-page checks, specify how many checks are available on your first available page of checks. 
   
5. Click Preview Checks
6. If the check doesn't appear correct, click the Red "Not Perfect, Go back a step" button. Otherwise, choose the Green "The printed checks look great! Close this window" button to complete the transaction.
   
   

   

Additional considerations and recommendations:

• Each printer acts differently and may be set to collate pages; whereas some are not. After clicking the printer icon below and before clicking OK to send to the printer, you may need to choose the 'Reverse Pages' option if available to have the checks print in the correct order. 
• Please create some sample checks and print on blank paper or disposable checks for practice before printing on actual checks.
• In order to ensure the text prints on the checks where it is supposed to, your checks are created in PDF (Portable Document Format). The PDF will show in the page as in the screenshot below with a preview of what the printer will print. Note: if nothing shows, you may need to install Adobe Reader, or if you are using Google's Chrome browser, read the special Chrome notice at the bottom of the page).  
• When the check is sent to your printer, your computer will open a print dialog window, at that point select Actual Size. This will ensure accurate placement of the values on your checks.

Automatic Recurring Check Printing

When posting an expense (see above) you have the option at that time to create it as a recurring property expense. That recurring expense can be set for the  Print Check option, and as the recurring event renews it will automatically create a new check to print within the system. This is quite useful for vendors who have a fixed payment due each month (landscaping, utilities, etc).

Supported Check Types 

The software supports these three common Quicken and QuickBooks compatible checks: 

• 3 checks to a page
• 1 check with 1 voucher
• 1 check with 2 vouchers