| Business checks are written everyday at almost | | | | correct amount. All checks received in the office at |
| every place of business. At age 18, anyone with the | | | | the end of the day are totaled together and |
| adequate amount of money can open a checking | | | | deposited into the bank account. |
| account of his or her own. | | | | When the person responsible goes to the bank and |
| One aspect of checking account functions that many | | | | makes the deposit for the business, he or she hands |
| account owners are not familiar with the processing | | | | a large number of checks to the bank teller. The |
| of their checks after they have been written. When | | | | teller will then verify the amount of the deposit to |
| shopping, the customer many times thinks to his or | | | | the total amount of the checks. |
| herself whether he or she should pay cash, charge it, | | | | After the deposit has been verified and all numbers |
| or pay for the purchase with a check. He or she may | | | | are correct, the teller will then run the checks |
| ponder this question in their mind all the way to the | | | | through the proof machine to be verified again. The |
| check out counter. | | | | proof machine also encodes the amount on the |
| When the customer makes the decision to pay for | | | | bottom right hand corner of the check. When all of |
| the merchandise with a check, a long process is | | | | the work has been ran through the proof machine it |
| started. This process begins when the check is | | | | is then sorted by an automatic sorter that sorts the |
| handed over to the cashier. Once all information has | | | | checks by their routing numbers. |
| been properly placed on the check the cashier then | | | | After the checks have been sorted they are sent to |
| will normally ask for two things, a home phone | | | | the bank that they have been drawn on. Once the |
| number and a driver's license number. | | | | checks arrive at the banks they are drawn on, they |
| Once all of the necessary information has been | | | | are then sorted by their account numbers. As these |
| placed on the check by both the cashier and the | | | | checks are being sorted they are posted to the |
| customer the check is scanned in the automatic | | | | account automatically. The checks then, in account |
| check reader. This check reader recognizes the | | | | number order are placed in a safe filing area so they |
| customers account number, A.B.A. number (or routing | | | | will not be lost until the bank statements are sent to |
| number), as well as the check number. | | | | the account owners. |
| The computer system can then recognize the | | | | The check or a copy of the check is then sent to |
| specific account and check to make sure that there | | | | the account owner in the mail with his or her |
| are no returned checks on that account. Once the | | | | statement. In the case that a copy of the check is |
| check is approved, it is then printed or endorsed on | | | | sent to the owner the check is kept in a safe place |
| the back with all proper information for deposits, | | | | until it can be properly destroyed. |
| including the amount of the purchase, cash back | | | | This is only one example of the way a check is |
| received (if applicable), store location number, date, | | | | cleared through a certain business. Although, the basic |
| time, cashier number, and the customer's account | | | | concept of check clearing is the same, each individual |
| number. | | | | company may go through its own processing |
| The cashier then stores the check in a locked box | | | | procedure before depositing the check to the bank. |
| until it is time for them to go home. All checks are | | | | Most banks handle their business checks in |
| then added together to make sure none are missing | | | | approximately the same manner. |
| and to make sure the cashier put all checks in for the | | | | |