Print Checks

Print Checks or Export Check Information

FIMS allows you to configure your checks and print them directly from the FIMS Viewer. If you are processing ACH payments, then you can skip printing the check and just proceed to exporting out the check data to then upload to your bank.

FIMS on-premises can also email directly from the pre-print report. 

1. Run Print Checks Process. In the Accounts Payable module, click the Open Items super tab, and then click the Processes tab. Select Print Checks and then click the Run Process button. The Print Checks window opens. 

Print Checks Window

3. Enter the Next Check Number that you want to use for this check run or click the arrow to select the next available number. If you are processing ACH payments, see the following:

What check number do I use for an ACH or EFT payment?

4. Enter the Check Date to print on the checks. This date also becomes the G/L Apply Date for the payment.

5. Select Sort By Method. Click the arrow in the Sort Checks By field and select the method you want to use to sort your checks: Fund Alpha Sort, Fund ID, Invoice Number, Payee Alpha Sort, Payee ID Code, Payee Name, Fundid/Voucher, or Voucher Number.

Note: If you sort your checks by Fund Alpha Sort, Fund ID, or Fundid/Voucher, the Profile ID Codes and Payee Alpha Sort fields will be augmented by Fund-related fields.

Note: The actual name that will be printed on the check is stored in the AppayHeader.name column and should be used whenever the actual name on the check is important (reporting, selecting, sorting, etc.)  This is very significant during export to the bank, especially when automated matching of names between the bank’s records and FIMS export takes place.  Using other field may result in rejection of payment for payees with long names.

6. Select Check Form: Click the arrow in the Check Form drop-down box and select the type of check form you want to use for this check run.

7. Select Individual Checks Setting. Select one of the following Individual Checks settings:

• Use Setting from Grantee Record: Uses the default Individual Checks setting from the Grantee/Vendor record.
• Print All Items as Individual Checks: Prints an individual check for each Open Item, regardless of the settings on the Grantee/Vendor record.
• Combine Items for the Same Payee/Vendor: Prints one check for all payments to a particular Payee or Vendor, regardless of the settings on the Grantee/Vendor record.

Selection Criteria

8. Select Pay Through Date. Select the Pay Through Date that you want to use for this check run. Only Open Items with due dates on or before this date will be selected for payment (if they are not on hold). The default value is the current date.

9. (Optional) Enter the Discount Date you want to use for this check run. This date selects Open Items that should be paid based on the Discount Date on the Voucher. Any discount will automatically be applied to the amount due, so the check will reflect the discount. This field is blank by default.

10. (Optional) Specific Payees. If you only want to print checks for a specific payee (or group of payees), do one of the following:

• Enter their Profile ID code(s) in the ID Codes From / Through fields.
• Enter their Alpha sort name(s) in the Payee Alpha Sort From / Through fields.

11. (Optional) Fund selections. If you are sorting your checks based on Fund ID, First Fund ID, or First Fund Alpha Sort, enter the appropriate Fund ID, Division, Class, Type, and Sub Type codes in the From / Through fields.

12. Select Voucher Type. Click the arrow in the Voucher Types drop-down and select the type(s) of Open Items that you want to print checks for: All, Admin, Grants, Scholarship Grants, or Non-Scholarship Grants.

Note: FIMS allows you to print Grant and Administrative checks at the same time if you use the same checking account for both. However, many organizations prefer to do separate check runs for Grants and Administrative payments either for procedural reasons, or because a separate checking account is used for each type of payment.

13. Select ACH Payments Option. Click the arrow in the ACH Payments drop-down and select the types of payments that you want to print checks for: All Payments, ACH Payments, or Non-ACH Payments.

TIP: If you make some payments using Automated Clearing House (ACH) transfer, you should run ACH payments, then non-ACH payments in a separate process. If you don't use ACH transfers, just select All Payments.

14. (Optional) Enter either the Natural Account Key or the Full G/L Account Key for the account you want to use for this check run. This is useful if, for example, you have multiple checking accounts to select from for a check run.

15. (Optional) Select item number. If you want to print checks for specific Open Items, enter the item numbers in the Open Items From / Through fields.

16. (Optional) Select Batch. If you want to print checks for a specific batch or range of batches, enter the appropriate batch codes in the Batch From / Through fields.

Note: These fields are only available if you have activated the Batch fields in Accounts Payable.

17. Click OK. The Check Pre-Print Report opens in the FIMS Viewer. 

18. Preview checks, Print Checks, Export Check Data (If using ACH), Send an Email Message (optional) and Post:

Example: Check Pre-Print Report

If you are physically printing checks:

a. Checks: Select this option to open a submenu with three additional options:

• Preview: This feature allows you to preview the checks before you print them. They will appear in the preview exactly the way they will look when you print them. You may print your checks from this preview window.

Note: This option is only available if you activate it via System Options. In the Section pane, select AP, and in the Option pane, select Check_Form. In the Value pane, click the Lookup button to select the check style that you use.

• Print: If you do not have the Preview option enabled, this feature will show you your checks in a FIMS Viewer window so you may look at them before printing. You may print your checks from this Viewer. If you do have the Preview option enabled but did not print your checks from the Preview window, this option will allow you to print your checks to a printer.
• Reprint: Use this option if, for example, you experience a paper jam while printing your checks. It will ask you for the first bad check number and the next good check number. You can also automatically void the bad checks. Refer to Reprinting Checks for more information.

If you are processing ACH payments:

b. Export Check Info: Provides two options for exporting the payment information to a data file:

• Export: Creates an ASCII data file of the Voucher, check, and account information. You should always choose this option and save the data file. This is the only data file that contains the name and address of the Payee.
• RBC-ACH: Creates a data file that can be transferred to your bank for automated payments.

IMPORTANT: It is your organization's responsibility to work with your bank to agree to a format for the exported data file. You may need to open the exported data file in Excel, for example, and reformat or reorder the data to match your bank's data import.

IMPORTANT: Also be aware that the file contains data about the vendor or grantee, their bank account, and other sensitive information. This export file should be kept as secure as possible.

IMPORTANT: The actual name that will be printed on the check is stored in the AppayHeader.name column and should be used whenever the actual name on the check is important (reporting, selecting, sorting, etc.)  This is very significant during export to the bank, especially when automated matching of names between the bank’s records and FIMS export takes place.  Using other field may result in rejection of payment for payees with long names.

All check types, ACH and non-ACH:

c. Post to History and G/L

This is the final step. Do not post until you have verified that you have printed all checks and\or exported out all check data and everything is correct.

Posts the payment to A/P History and creates G/L journal entries – after which a Check Posting report opens. From the Check Posting report, you may click on Edit and Post GL to post the General Ledger Journal.

Note: If you close the Check Pre-Print report after printing checks, but without posting, you will receive a warning message to inform you that if you do not post, the checks you printed will remain in Open Items.

Tip: Recommendation: Always review the printed checks before posting. If the checks did not print correctly, you can start the check run over again and then post once they print correctly.

For ACH payments:

For ACH since you are not printing checks, you will see this message after clicking Post to History and G/L which is expected. Click Yes to continue.

This message will occur also if you for example you voided a payment and are repaying without printing and are proceeding to post it.

d. Send Message: Sends an email message to the check recipient.

Note: This function only works for on-premises customers.

When you click send message, an Outlook window will appear where you can enter in the email addresses and message and then send. Outlook must be installed on the computer where FIMS is running, and a system option needs to be enabled:

Send Message button is missing from the PrePrint report in FIMS - when printing checks from Accounts Payable