Check Imaging Quality – Check Processing, Check Verification and Check Conversion

Poor image quality has long been an operations manager’s nightmare. But in today’s electronic check imaging world, the costs and consequences of poor-quality imaging, unusable check imaging is rising exponentially. Skewed check imaging that necessitate additional keying is one thing. But unusable check imaging sent to a check image exchange partner for verification is quite another. Throw in the complications poor check processing cause to check fraud detection, exceptions resolution, adjustments and check imaging research, and the importance of assuring image quality multiplies. It’s easy to see how a bank’s reputation, customer base and bottom line can be imperiled by the imaging quality of the check verification, check processing, check conversion and check images it handles.

Check Verification is a process that screens checks. Verification is done at the point of sale when the customer presents a check as payment. This service is performed using a point of sale terminal to access a large negative database and compare the new electronic data transaction against the list. If the customer has a history of bad checks, the transaction will be declined. If they are not in the database, they are approved. Verification transactions usually cost around $0.25/per item. There may be a Monthly Minimum and Statement Fee for verification, but not all imaging processors charge these. A point of sale terminal is required, but a check imaging reader is optional.

Read more Check Conversion, Check Imaging, Check Processing and Check Verification in Today Magazine

Today Magazine - Image Quality Tough to Define, January-February 2006

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