Make Better Use of Custom Check Elements

by Dawn

All checks contain check elements, which are the fields that hold the specific pieces of important payment information, including payee name, payment amount, date, check number, signature, and memo. Checkeeper offers users the additional option of adding custom check elements to their checks to give them a more unique design and to aid the bookkeeping and recording process. Inside their check layouts, users can move elements around, resize them, rename them, or add to them with a unique element, such as invoice or customer ID. If you’ve never used custom check elements before, consider some benefits and some easy ways to get started:

Getting started:

  1. Log in to your Checkeeper account.
  2. Go into the Settings tab (located along the left-side navigation bar).
  3. Click ‘Custom Fields’ along the top.
  4. Add the name for a new field, and click ‘Add Field.’

After adding a custom field to your account, you then will select the check layout in which the new field should appear. The new field is available to be added to any of your saved check layouts. To add the new field to a specific check layout:

  1. Go into the Layouts tab (located along the left-side navigation bar).
  2. Click on the layout of choice, and hit ‘Edit Layout.’
  3. Within the elements tab, a menu of custom fields will appear on the right side of the check design. Drag and drop your new field onto the check in the desired location.

Customization options:

Moving an element

Checkeeper offers the option to move a check element on the check itself so that everything lines up properly for printing. Inside your selected check layout, move a specific element by hovering over it with the mouse and then dragging the outside red line to move the box into its new position.

Adding a new element

Checks printed from the Checkeeper template will automatically contain all the elements necessary for printing, issuing, and cashing a viable check. Users who opt to add custom check elements to their check layouts in order to aid processing and improve bookkeeping can follow the steps above to find custom field options within the Settings tab. Each new check element added will appear in the menu of element choices inside a chosen check layout, and it can then be dragged directly onto the check layout into the preferred position. Further adjustments can be made by highlighting the element’s surrounding box and enlarging or shrinking the space as needed to fit on the designated line.

Editing an element

Edit your elements to create a desired check layout and appearance. Choose from several font sizes and types, as well as alignment options. Use the drop-down menu located above the check to see what editing options are available.

Deleting an element

When you no longer need an element or want to replace it with something else, simply hover over the element in question and click the delete ‘x’ in the corner. Custom check elements that you added yourself will still be available as search terms for later expense tracking.

Benefits of adding a custom check element:

More accurate expense tracking

Custom check fields give users another search term when they need to track down a payment. Custom fields you add to your checks will also appear in the reports spreadsheet generated.

More efficient check processing

Custom check fields give you another line item to match to bookkeeping records and/or search for when you need a report. Custom check fields, such as customer ID or invoice number, can be specific to internal bookkeeping records for quicker cross-reference.

More expedient bank reconciliation

Custom check elements make reconciliation with bank statements, check registries, and other financial documentation simpler and more accurate by providing a separate field to cross-check between records.

Greater customization options

Custom check fields help make checks unique, and they streamline the record-keeping by providing another term to search for and match to internal records. Any custom field Checkeepers add can always be deactivated when it no longer fulfills a need.