Check Layout Builder

Use the Check Layout Builder to change the layout and appearance of printed checks and check stubs.

1. From the Home screen, do one of the following:
    

   • Click Configure on the navigation panel.

   • Click Areas > Configure on the menubar.

   • Click the down arrow next to Home on the options bar and select Configure.

From any other area of the program, do one of the following:

2. • Click the down arrow to the right of the Home options bar button and select Configure.

   • Click Home > Configure on the menubar. The Configure screen displays.

2. Click Accounting on the navigation panel or Areas > Accounting on the menubar.

3. Click Check Layout on the navigation panel.

4. Click on the check layout you would like to edit.

5. Do one of the following:
    

   • Click Actions > Edit Check Layout on the options bar.

   • Click Actions > Edit Check Layout on the menubar.

   • Right click the layout and select Edit Check Layout.

6. The Check Layout window displays. Use the menubar and toolbar to assist with formatting:
    

   • Menubar
     • File
     • • Save
       • Exit
     • Edit
     • • Undo
       • Redo
       • Cut
       • Copy
       • Paste
       • Delete
       • Select All
     • View
     • • Toolbars: Show or hide different portions of the Format Toolbar.
       • • Align Toolbar
         • Center in Form Toolbar
         • Horizontal Spacing Toolbar
         • Language Toolbar
         • Make Same Size Toolbar
         •  Vertical Spacing Toolbar
       • Draw Grid: Add or remove grid lines.
       • Fields Combo Box: Show or hide the Fields dropdown menu in the Properties area.
       • Rulers: Show or hide rulers.
       • Preview Layout: See what your checks will look like.
     • Format
     • • Align: Click and drag over the items you want to align, or click each item while pressing [Shift].
       • • Lefts
         • Centers
         • Rights
         • Tops
         • Middles
         • Bottoms
         • To Grid
       • Make Same Size: Click and drag over the items you want to make the same size, or click each item while pressing [Shift].
       • • Width
         • Size to Grid
         • Height
         • Both
       • Horizontal Spacing: Click and drag over the items you want to space, or click each item while pressing [Shift].
       • • Make Equal
         • Increase
         • Decrease
         • Remove
       • Vertical Spacing: Click and drag over the items you want to space, or click each item while pressing [Shift].
       • • Make Equal
         • Increase
         • Decrease
         • Remove
       • Center in Form: Click and drag over the items you want to center, or click each item while pressing [Shift].
       • • Horizontally
         • Vertically
       • Add Detail Region: Double click to open the Formula Editor.
   • Toolbar

     Click and drag over the items you want to align, or click each item while pressing [Shift].

     • Align to Grid
     • Align Lefts
     • Align Centers
     • Align Rights
     • Align Tops
     • Align Middles
     • Align Bottoms
     • Make Same Height
     • Make Same Size
     • Size to Grid
     • Make Horizontal Spacing Equal
     • Make Vertical Spacing Equal
     • Increase Vertical Spacing
     • Decrease Vertical Spacing
     • Remove Vertical Spacing
     • Center Horizontally
     • Center Vertically
     • Increase Horizontal Spacing
     • Decrease Horizontal Spacing
     • Remove Horizontal Spacing
     • Make Same Width

Parts of the Screen

The Output Builder screen is comprised of the following areas:

• Tabs

• • Data Columns: You can drag criteria on this tab to the Major Sorts and Minor Sorts boxes and to the canvas.

    Double click a folder to open it. When you have navigated to the desired criterion, drag that item to the Major Sorts box, the Minor Sorts box, or the desired location on the canvas.

    

    Another way to move the selected item to the canvas is to click on the criterion in the list and then click on the desired location on the canvas. Subsequently clicking on another part of the canvas places the next criterion on the canvas.

  • Insert: You can drag non-data items from this tab to the canvas.

  • Criteria: This tab lists criteria for the selected check layout. You can drag items from this tab to the canvas.

  • Language: Use this tab to specify the language(s) your check layout will support. 

  • • Use the Add and Delete buttons to add or remove languages from the layout. When you click Add, you are prompted to select an existing language from which to copy the layout. Deleting an existing language also removes all text and settings specific to the layout for that language.

    • Select a language in the list and click the Edit button to specify which language is active for editing. The active language displays in the Language dropdown menu on the Format Toolbar.

Note: Every check layout must have one default language. The default language cannot be deleted.

• Canvas: This is the main area of the screen. It is where information is moved, added to the check, etc.

• Properties: Properties of the selected field display. Use this area to specify font, font size, font color, format, highlight color, alignment, location, and field size. Items on the Insert tab have additional properties.
  
  Note: If you are editing a check layout for a language other than the default, some properties are disabled and cannot be edited. Those properties are not language-specific and can be changed only on the default layout. Any changes you make to them on the default layout will be applied to all other languages for that layout as well.

Options

• Add a Company Logo, a Scanned Signature, or Another Image

  1. If you are adding the image to the check header, click the Insert tab.
  2. Drag Picture Box to the desired area on the canvas.
  3. In the Properties area, click in the Image field to activate the ellipsis (...) button.

  

  4. Click the ellipsis button.
  5. Browse for the desired image and click Open.
  6. Resize the picture box manually using the handles around the image, or enter the Size in the Properties area.

• Add a Label to an Item

  Labels are most often added next to Total fields so the person who prints the check knows what is being added, averaged, or counted.

  1. Click the Insert tab.
  2. Drag Label to the desired area on the canvas.
  3. Double click in the Text field in the Properties area.

  

  4. Enter the new text.

• Add a Line to the Layout

  1. Click the Insert tab.
  2. Drag Line to the desired area on the canvas.
  3. Click in the square on the canvas and drag to expand the line.
  4. Click and drag the squares to make the line the desired size and angle.
  5. To change the color of the line, click in the Color field and click the dropdown button. Click on the desired color on the Custom, Web, or System tab.

• Add a Watermark Image

  1. Click on any area on the canvas and press the [Esc] key. Page properties display in the Properties area.
  2. Click in the Watermark field of the Properties area and then click the ellipsis (...) button.

  

  3. Browse to the image that you want to use as a watermark and click Open.
  4. Click in the WatermarkPrintOptions field, click the down arrow, and make a selection.
  5. Click in the WatermarkSizeMode field, click the down arrow, and make a selection.

• Add an Address to a Layout

  Use this feature to add client addresses to the check.

  1. Click the Insert tab.
  2. Drag Address to the desired area on the canvas.
  3. Change the data fields if necessary.
     1. In the Properties area, click in the Address field you would like to change and then click the ellipsis (...) button.
     2. The Data Field Editor window displays. Double click folders as necessary to open them, navigate to the correct item, and click OK.

• Add Data to the Layout

  Double click on an item on the Data Columns tab to move it to the canvas, and then drag the edges of the box to size it. You can also click once on the item, click the area on the canvas where you want to place it, and drag its edges to resize it.

  Double click a folder to open it. When you have navigated to the desired criterion, drag that item to the desired location on the canvas.

  

  Another way to move the selected item to the canvas is to click on the criterion in the list and then click on the desired location on the canvas. Subsequently clicking on another part of the canvas after that places the next criterion on the canvas.

  To remove an item from the layout, click on the item and press [Delete].

• Add Leading Zeroes to a Check Number

  Use the following steps to add a check number that will include leading zeroes so that the field prints the appropriate number of characters.

  1. Click the Insert tab.
  2. Click and drag a Formula to the area where you would like the check number to print.
     1. With the formula selected, click the Script property (under Data) and click the ellipsis (...) button.
  3. Type the following into the Formula Builder area, substituting the appropriate number of zeroes: CONCATENATE( 0000000000 , {CheckLayout.CheckNumber} )
  4. Click Finish.

• Add the Current Date Each Time a Check is Generated

  1. Click the Insert tab.
  2. Drag Date to the desired area on the canvas.

• Add Page Numbers

  1. Click the Insert tab.
  2. Drag PageNumber to the Page Footer area on the canvas.

• Change the Font Alignment in a Field on the Canvas

  1. Click on the item on the canvas.
  2. Click in the HorizontalAlignment field of the Properties area and click the Down arrow button.

  

  3. Select the desired alignment:
     • Left
     • Center
     • Right

• Change the Font of an Item on the Canvas

  1. Click on the item on the canvas.
  2. Click in the Font field of the Properties area and click the ellipsis (...) button.

  

  3. Choose the Font, Font Style, and Size.
  4. Select the Strikeout and/or Underline checkbox(es) if applicable.
  5. Click OK.
  6. To change the color of the selected item's font, click in the FontColor field and click the dropdown button. Click on the desired color on the Custom, Web, or System tab.

• Change the Name of an Item

  1. Click on the item.
  2. Double click in the Text field in the Properties area.

  

  3. Enter the new text.

• Change the Paper Size

  1. Click on any area on the canvas and press the [Esc] key. Page properties display in the Properties area.
  2. Click in the PaperOrientation field of the Properties area, click the down arrow button, and make a selection.

  

• Edit Watermark Text

  The WatermarkText property defines the text that will display across the PDF copy of the check that is saved as an attachment during the Print Checks or Reprint Checks process. The attachment is associated to both the account for which the check was issued and the Print Checks/Reprint Checks activity (if an activity is generated).

  1. Click any blank area of the canvas that does not contain data elements.
  2. Under Data, modify the WatermarkText field as desired. The default value for this field is Copy - Non-Negotiable.
  3. To ensure that the watermark is visible across the entire check, select each data element and ensure that the Highlight property, under Appearance, is set to Transparent (this is the default setting).

• Get a Count, Average, or Sum for a Specific Criterion

  1. Click the Insert tab.
  2. Drag Total to the desired area on the canvas.

  Note: Total produces different results, depending on where you place it on the layout. If you place the Total in a major sort, it calculates the total for only that section. If you place it in the footer, it returns a grand total for the entire check.

  3. In the Properties area, click in the TotalType field to activate the dropdown menu, and then make a selection:
     • Count
     • Average
     • Sum

  

  4. Next, specify the criterion for which you would like the count, average, or sum calculated. To specify the criterion, click DataField in the properties area and then click the ellipsis (...) button.

  

  5. The Data Field Editor window displays. Double click folders as necessary to open them, navigate to the correct item, and click OK.

• Highlight Text on the Check

  1. Click on the item you would like to highlight on the canvas.
  2. Click in the Highlight field of the Properties area and click the dropdown button.

  

  3. Click on the desired highlight color on the Custom, Web, or System tab.

• Place an Item on the Canvas

  You can place an item in one of two ways:

  • Drag the desired item to the correct location on the canvas.
  • Set the X and Y coordinates of the item.

    Note: X and Y coordinates are specified for the upper left corner of the selected item.

    1. Click the plus sign next to Location in the Properties area.
    2. Double click in the X field and enter the desired location.
    3. Double click in the Height field and enter the desired location.

• Preview the Layout

  1. Click View > Preview Layout on the menubar.
  2. The Print Preview screen displays.

     Click Page Setup to specify the print parameters or to change the printer to which the document should be sent. Fill this window in as you would for any other document.
     
     Change the Zoom percentage to change the size of the document on the screen for easier viewing.
     
     Click the Single Page View , Double Page View , and Multiple Page View buttons to specify the number of pages that should display on the screen.
     
     Use the First Page, Previous Page, Next Page, and Last Page buttons to scroll through the pages on the screen, or enter the desired page number in the field provided and press [Enter].
     
     Click the Print button to print the document. The Print window displays. Print this as you would any other document.
     
     Click Close to exit the screen without printing the document.

• Print Overflow Pages

  Use this option to specify whether overflow pages should print when the check stub detail exceeds a single page. The overflow pages print with the same layout as the check stub, but you can opt to send the overflow pages to a different printer tray (see Print Destination), so you can print the overflow pages on a different type of paper if desired.

  1. On the canvas, click the Stub detail section to select it.

     

  2. Under Behavior, click Truncate to enable the field.

     

  3. Select True if you do not want overflow pages to print. If you select this option, the check stub detail that prints is limited to one page. If the content exceeds a single page, the message <<Additional Details Truncated>> prints at the bottom of the check stub.
     
     Select False to print overflow pages when the layout is used.

• Remove an Item from the Canvas

  1. Click on the item you want to remove.
  2. Press [Delete] on your keyboard.

• Resize an Item

  1. Click on the item you would like to resize on the canvas.
  2. You can resize the item in one of two ways:
     • Resize the object manually.

       The selected item is surrounded by small squares. Click on a square and drag it to change the highlighted object's size.

     • Specify the height and width in inches.
       1. Click the plus sign next to Size in the Properties area.
       2. Double click in the Width field and enter the desired width in inches.
       3. Double click in the Height field and enter the desired height in inches.

• Set the Page Properties

  Click on any area on the canvas and press the [Esc] key. Page properties display in the Properties area.

  

  Edit the page orientation, page size, and watermarking options as necessary.

• Show/Hide Grid Lines

  1. Click on any area on the canvas and press the [Esc] key. Page properties display in the Properties area.
  2. Click in the DrawGrid field of the Properties area.
  3. Click the down arrow button. Select False to hide the grid or true to show it.

• Show/Hide Rulers

  1. Click on any area on the canvas and press the [Esc] key. Page properties display in the Properties area.
  2. Click in the ShowRulers field of the Properties area.
  3. Click the down arrow button. Select False to hide the rulers or true to show them.

• Snap to Grid

  This function automatically align items to the grid on the canvas.

  1. Click on any area on the canvas and press the [Esc] key. Page properties display in the Properties area.
  2. Click in the SnapToGrid field of the Properties area.
  3. Click the down arrow button. Select False to refrain from snapping items to the grid or true to snap items to the grid.

• Stretch Textbox to Fit Contents

  1. Select a textbox field on the canvas.
  2. Under Appearance, click the StretchToFit property to enable the field.

     

  3. Select True if you would like this textbox to expand to accommodate its contents, or False if you would like its size to remain the same regardless of its contents.

• Trim Leading Spaces

  1. Select a textbox field on the canvas.
  2. Under Appearance, click the TrimLeadingSpaces property to enable the field.

     

  3. Select True to eliminate any blank space preceding the data in this field, or False to retain the blank space.

To complete the layout, click Finish.

To close the Output Builder without saving your changes, click Cancel.