How to Print Vendor Checks

To print vendor checks, keep a clean vendor list, match each check to an approved invoice, put the invoice numbers and amounts on the check stub so the vendor knows what you paid, print the checks in one batch after a test print, and record each check number against the invoices it settled. The goal of a vendor check is not just to move money. It is to settle specific bills in a way both sides can trace.

What makes a vendor check different from any other check?

A vendor check is a payment against one or more invoices, usually mailed to a company that handles hundreds of payments. If it arrives with no explanation, someone has to guess which bill it pays. That causes late-fee notices, duplicate payment requests and phone calls you would rather not have.

That is why vendor checks lean on remittance detail: invoice numbers, invoice dates and amounts, usually printed on the stub or on a separate remittance slip. Your check also needs a payee name that matches what the vendor expects, since their bank will deposit it into the account under that name.

How do you set up your vendor list?

A vendor list is the foundation of accounts payable. Spend an hour on it once and every future check is faster and more accurate.

• Use the payee name the vendor asks for. This is often on their invoice or remittance instructions, and it may differ from their trade name.
• Store the mailing address for remittances. It is frequently a different address from the vendor's office or storefront.
• Note the vendor's payment terms (for example, due in 30 days) so you know when to pay.
• Keep your account number with them. Many vendors ask for it on the check or stub to apply the payment.
• For vendors who are individuals rather than companies, collect a W-9 before you pay. See how to print contractor checks for that case.

Saving each vendor once means you pick them from a list instead of retyping, and the spelling is identical on every check. The way to address checks to companies is covered in how to write a check to a business.

How do you put invoice numbers on the check stub?

The stub is the part of the sheet that stays attached to the check or is torn off and sent with it. On 3-to-a-page stock, an 8.5 x 11 sheet holds one check and two stub sections, so you have room for several lines of detail. Many businesses keep one stub for their records and send the other with the vendor's check. If you want the background on how voucher-style paper works, see what are voucher checks.

For each invoice you are paying, list:

If you keep your invoice list in a spreadsheet, you can usually copy the rows and paste them into the stub area instead of typing them. How to print checks from Excel goes through the spreadsheet side.

How do you print vendor checks step by step?

1. Pull the invoices due in this payment cycle and compare each one with the order or delivery record. Pay only what you have received and agreed to.
2. Group invoices by vendor. One vendor with three open invoices should usually get one check, not three, which saves paper and postage.
3. Get approval. Initial each invoice or mark an approval list. If the amount is large, get a second approval.
4. Choose the bank account that will pay these bills.
5. Enter each check: pick the vendor from your list, enter the total, set the date, and add the invoice lines to the stub.
6. Put a short memo on the check, such as an invoice number or account number, if the vendor asked for one.
7. Check the numbers. The check amount must equal the sum of the invoice lines less any credits.
8. Print a test page on plain paper and compare it to your stock against a window or lamp.
9. Print on your check stock at 100 percent (Actual size), sign, and separate along the perforations.
10. Stuff each envelope with its own check and stub. Check that the vendor's mailing address shows properly in the envelope window, if you use window envelopes. Check stock compatible envelopes explains what to look for.
11. Record each check number against the invoices it paid, and mark the invoices paid.

How should you handle a large batch of vendor checks?

If you pay twice a month, you may have 10 to 40 vendor checks in one sitting. Batching saves a great deal of time, but you need a method. Enter all of the checks first, then review the whole list for totals and duplicates, then print. Counting the sheets you need before you load the tray prevents running out in the middle of a run. If a jam or smudge ruins a sheet, reprint that one check rather than starting over. The batch workflow is laid out in how to print multiple checks at once.

A good habit is to print the batch in vendor order or by due date and then keep the checks in that same order for signing and mailing. It makes spot checks quick.

How do you avoid paying a vendor twice?

Duplicate payments happen when an invoice is paid and then paid again after a reminder, or when a vendor resends a copy. Prevent them in three ways. First, mark the invoice paid with the check number the moment you print. Second, search your register by vendor and invoice number before you pay a reminder. Third, use a consistent invoice number in the memo or stub so searches find it. If a vendor says they have not received payment, check the register before cutting a new check. If the original is lost, void it and issue a replacement under a new number so the old one cannot be cashed.

What should you keep for each vendor check?

• The register entry: check number, date, payee, amount, memo.
• The invoices paid, marked with the check number and date.
• A copy of the check stub, kept with your payables file.
• Any supporting document, such as a purchase order or approval note, attached to the invoice.
• The bank statement showing the cleared check, matched to the register.

Some tools let you attach one supporting document to a check so the approval and the payment live together. How long to keep records depends on your accountant's guidance and local rules, so ask them.

In Check Writer 123 you can save vendors, paste invoice lines from Excel or Google Sheets into the check stub, and attach one supporting PDF, PNG or JPG (up to 1 MB) that can print after the check. Checks are numbered automatically and every printed check lands in a searchable register. It does not integrate with accounting software, so mark invoices paid in your own books.

Putting it together

A reliable vendor payment run has five parts: a clean vendor list, approved invoices, a stub that explains the payment, one batch print, and a register entry for every check. Do those the same way each cycle and vendors will stop calling to ask what a payment was for. Your own records will answer the question for you.