Printing Payroll Checks

Overview

After entering and verifying payroll, you can print paychecks for employees. ProPay provides options for printing all employee checks or selected checks, and automatically handles tax deposit checks and garnishment checks.

Before Printing

Always review and verify payroll totals with the client before printing checks:

1. Display payroll totals on your screen
2. Compare totals with the client's source documents:
• Total hours for hourly employees
• Total gross pay for salaried employees
• Totals for tips, meals, advances, and other payments
1. If totals don't match, investigate and correct errors before proceeding

See "Display Payroll Totals" for detailed verification steps.

Printing Paychecks

Step 1: Access print paychecks

From the Payroll Main Menu, click Paychecks, then select Print Payroll Checks.



Step 2: Verify payroll date

The current payroll date is displayed automatically.

Verify this is the correct date for the checks you're printing. This date will appear on all printed paychecks.

Step 3: Enter check number

The next sequential check number is displayed automatically.

In most cases, accept the default check number. The system tracks previously issued check numbers and automatically displays the next number in sequence.

Safety feature: The system only saves the last check number printed if it is higher than the previous number. This protects against running duplicate check numbers when re-printing checks or if a check number is accidentally changed.

When to change the check number:

• You're using a different checkbook than usual
• Check stock was damaged and you need to skip numbers
• You're switching check printers and need to align with different stock

Step 4: Select employees

Option 1: All employees (default)

To print checks for all employees:

1. Leave All Employees selected (this is the default)
2. Click Continue

Note: When printing all employee checks, ProPay automatically prints:

• All employee paychecks for the selected payroll date
• Any tax deposit checks that are due
• Any garnishment checks that are due

Option 2: Selected employees

To print checks for specific employees only:

1. Select Selected Employees
2. Double-click each employee whose paycheck you want to print
3. Click Continue

To print only tax or garnishment checks:

1. Select Selected Employees
2. Do NOT select any employees
3. Click Continue
4. Answer Yes when prompted about printing tax deposit checks

Step 5: Choose signature printing method

Select the signature printing method appropriate for your operating system:

Use Older Signature Printing Method

• Recommended for Windows 7 (32-bit) or older Windows versions
• Affects the size and printing of signatures on paychecks

Use Newer Signature Printing Method

• Recommended for Windows 7 (64-bit) or newer Windows versions
• Produces better signature quality on modern systems

Note: The signature printing method is stored locally on each PC. If ProPay files are stored on a shared file server, each workstation must select its own signature printing method.

Step 6: Print the checks

Click Continue to send the checks to the printer.

Ensure your check printer is:

• Loaded with blank check stock
• Using MICR toner (required for bank processing)
• Properly aligned for check printing

Printing Tax Deposit Checks

When you select Selected Employees for printing, you'll be prompted:

"Do you want to print payroll tax deposit checks?"

• Answer Yes if you want to print tax deposit checks (if any are due) and garnishment checks
• Answer No to print only the selected employee paychecks

Tax deposit checks will print if:

• Taxes are due based on your employer's tax deposit schedule
• There is a balance in the Tax Liability Screen
• The deposit due date has been reached

Re-printing Checks

Re-printing employee paychecks

To re-print an employee paycheck (for example, if the check was damaged or lost):

1. From the Payroll Main Menu, click Paychecks, then select Print Payroll Checks
2. Select Selected Employees
3. Double-click the employee whose check needs to be re-printed
4. Enter the check number to use (this may be the original number if the check wasn't negotiated)
5. Click Continue

Important: The system's check number safety feature prevents accidentally printing duplicate check numbers. If you're re-printing with the same check number, you may need to manually enter it.

Re-printing tax or garnishment checks

To re-print a tax deposit check or garnishment check:

1. From the Payroll Main Menu, click Paychecks, then select Delete Payroll Checks
2. Delete the previously issued tax or garnishment check
3. Return to the Payroll Main Menu, click Paychecks, then select Print Payroll Checks
4. Select Selected Employees
5. Do NOT select any employees
6. Click Continue
7. Answer Yes when prompted about printing tax deposit checks
8. The system will re-generate and print the check

Note: Previously issued tax checks or garnishment checks must be deleted before they can be re-printed.

Check Stock and Supplies

Blank check stock

ProPay uses blank check stock to print payroll checks for all clients, eliminating the need for separate pre-printed checks for each client.

Where to purchase: Blank check stock is available through the Paysoft online store at https://www.paysoft.com/shop/supplies

MICR toner

MICR (Magnetic Ink Character Recognition) toner is required for printing checks that can be processed by bank high-speed scanners.

Important: Standard laser printer toner will not work for check printing. You must use MICR toner.

Where to purchase: MICR toner is available at https://www.paysoft.com/shop/supplies

Other supplies

Also available through the Paysoft store:

• Check envelopes
• Report envelopes
• Perforated W-2 sheets

Troubleshooting

Check alignment issues

Issue: Checks print in the wrong position on the check stock.

Solution:

1. Review your printer setup in System Setup > Printers
2. Run a test alignment from Printer Setup
3. Adjust printer margins if necessary
4. Ensure check stock is loaded correctly (check orientation)

Signature not printing correctly

Issue: Signature appears too large, too small, or doesn't print at all.

Solution:

1. Verify you've selected the correct signature printing method for your Windows version
2. Ensure a signature file has been created in Employer Setup
3. Try switching between older and newer signature printing methods
4. Re-scan the signature image if problems persist

Duplicate check numbers

Issue: System won't accept the check number you want to use.

Solution:

This is usually the safety feature working correctly. The system prevents printing lower check numbers to avoid duplicates.

To override (use with caution):

1. Verify the check number you want hasn't been issued previously
2. Manually enter the desired check number
3. Click Continue

Tax or garnishment checks not printing

Issue: Expected tax or garnishment checks didn't print.

Solution:

1. Verify there is a balance due in the Tax Liability Screen
2. Check that the deposit due date has been reached
3. Ensure you answered Yes to the tax deposit check prompt
4. For garnishment checks, verify garnishment setup in employee records

Printer not responding

Issue: Print job doesn't start or printer errors occur.

Solution:

1. Verify the correct printer is selected in System Setup > Printers
2. Check that the printer is online and has paper/check stock loaded
3. Ensure printer drivers are up to date
4. Restart the printer and try again
5. Check for printer errors or paper jams

Related Topics

• Display Payroll Totals
• Printer Setup
• Check Stock and Supplies
• MICR Printing
• Delete Payroll Checks
• Standard Reports
• Adding Company Logos to Checks
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