Add More Bank Accounts
Depending on the version of MultiCHAX that you purchased, you may have a limit to the number of bank accounts you can add to MultiCHAX. The minimum amount is 5 bank accounts.
To add bank accounts:
- Launch MultiCHAX.exe
- Click on SETUP from the main menu
- Double click on your default control
- Click on Select a Bank
- Click Add Bank
- Enter a unique 3 digit number when prompted for “Enter Bank Number to Add” (default is 001). If you receive a warning about the bank number being less than 100, it is safe to ignore for most situations. Read more about it in “Method of Bank/Check Selection”
7. Enter your bank name and address, account name and address information
8. Enter your transit number (optional) which look like 123-45/6789
9. Toggle between 6 or 8 check number digits to be printed
10. Enter your MICR line
- Use & (shift+7) to create the routing symbol
- Use / to create the on-us symbol
- Use - to create the dash symbol
11. Complete the MICR Line in this format (replace with your actual routing and account numbers)
12. Browse for a logo file (optional) - max print size limit is 1” x 1“
13. Browse for a signature file (optional) - max print size limit is 3.5” x 0.75“
14. Browse for an overlay file (optional) - 8.5” x 11“ letter size image, can be used for multiple signature images or logos, graphics and more
15. Change the number of signature lines from 1 or 2 (optional)
16. Trigger a second signature line for a certain dollar amount (optional)
17. Enter your deposit ticket MICR line (optional)
18. Enter the number of extra copies (optional) to be printed to plain paper
19. Enter your bank quick pick name (use a descriptive name for manual bank selection)
20. Click “OK” to save the bank account
Note: When entering the MICR line numbers, enter only the transit and account numbers. Do not enter the check number. Your MICR line should be entered like so:
&028000121& 999-123456/
Method of Bank/Check Selection
MultiCHAX offers three different Methods of Bank Account Selection:
- Manual
- Semi-Auto
- Automatic
Manual Mode
The default selection is Manual mode, in which the user is asked to manually select a bank account for each check run and will also be asked to confirm or change the starting check number.
Semi-Auto Mode
For QuickBooks, Quicken, QuickBooks Online users, MultiCHAX can automatically select the bank account for you, but you will need to confirm the starting check number for each printed batch of checks. This feature is available by toggling the “Semi-Auto” method of check selection.
To use this feature, you must add your unique 3 digit bank code (used when you added your bank account in MultiCHAX) somewhere in QuickBooks/Quicken. For most users, you can add this in the chart of accounts header name.
Steps to enable Semi-Auto mode in QuickBooks/Quicken:
- Log into QuickBooks / Quicken
- Open the Chart of Accounts
- Choose the checking account that you use to print checks from, right click and select EDIT ACCOUNT
- Add the 3 digit code to the front of the bank account name
- Create a grid
- Your grid should look like the following image. This will enable you to determine the row and column that QuickBooks/Quicken is printing this code number:
- Launch MultiCHAX.exe and enter the correct row and column of the unique 3 digit bank code printed on your grid
Automatic Mode
If your accounting program can print a check number on the output check (does not apply to QuickBooks or QuickBooks Online) then MultiCHAX can automatically select the bank account. This feature is available by toggling the “Automatic” method of check selection.
How Does Automatic Bank Selection Work?
The automatic bank selection method works by reading the check number of your printed check, and MultiCHAX will then select the bank account which matches that check number.
This method works best when your check number is 8 or more characters in length. This will let you use the first (left most) 3 digits to designate a bank number, while still leaving at least 5 digits for the check sequential number, and thus you can issue 99,999 checks on a single bank account before you need be concerned about the incrementing of the check number affecting the bank number assigned to the first digits.
Example:
If your unique 3 digit bank code in the MultiCHAX list of bank accounts is 345, we can then assign all your checks printing from that bank account will start with check number 345xxxxxx, where xxxxxx is your current check number.
If your accounting program does not allow eight digits, you will have to compromise the number of digits you use for the bank account or the number of digits remaining for sequential check numbers. A single digit will allow for 9 bank accounts. Two digits will allow for 99 bank accounts. Three will allow for you to assign up to 999 bank accounts to a single control file.
Remember, your accounting program will be unaware of this use of the check number, so you must monitor the use of sequential numbers to prevent corrupting the leading significant digits. For example, if you only have a seven digit check number and use the 3 leading positions as account numbers, this will leave only four digits for sequential numbers, and so you must manually reset the starting check number to 1 before you reach 9,999 checks.