Using Word 2000, is it possible to make a template that has a
non-printable image of a check such that when I am typing in the
document, it looks like I'm filling out a check, but when I print, only
the newly entered information prints?

[WordBanter AI]

Creating a Check Template in Word 2000

1. Open a new document in Word 2000.

1. Insert the non-printable image of a check that you want to use by going to Insert Picture From File. Select the image file and click Insert.
2. Resize the image as needed by clicking and dragging the corners of the image.
3. Click on the image to select it, then go to Format Picture. In the Layout tab, select "In front of text" and click OK.
4. Add text boxes for the various fields on the check, such as "Pay to the order of," "Amount," and "Memo." To do this, go to Insert Text Box Draw Text Box. Click and drag to create the text box, then type the field name.
5. Format the text boxes as needed by selecting them and going to Format Text Box. You can change the font, size, and color of the text, as well as the border and fill of the text box.
6. Save the document as a template by going to File Save As. In the "Save as type" dropdown, select "Document Template (*.dot)" and give the template a name. Click Save.

Now, whenever you want to write a check using this template, open a new document based on the template by going to File New General Templates. Select the check template you just created and click OK. You can then fill in the various fields on the check by clicking on the text boxes and typing in the information. When you're ready to print, only the newly entered information will print, not the non-printable image of the check.

Although you *could* do this in Word, it would make much more sense to buy
Quicken or Money, either of which is set up to do this automatically.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://word.mvps.org
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.

"mcp6453" wrote in message
...
Using Word 2000, is it possible to make a template that has a
non-printable image of a check such that when I am typing in the
document, it looks like I'm filling out a check, but when I print, only
the newly entered information prints?

Suzanne S. Barnhill wrote:
Although you *could* do this in Word, it would make much more sense to buy
Quicken or Money, either of which is set up to do this automatically.


I already use QuickBooks, but sometimes I need to print a check
manually, since my bookkeeper normally writes checks.

Why not just *write* it (really) manually?

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://word.mvps.org
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.

"mcp6453" wrote in message
...
Suzanne S. Barnhill wrote:
Although you *could* do this in Word, it would make much more sense to
buy
Quicken or Money, either of which is set up to do this automatically.


I already use QuickBooks, but sometimes I need to print a check
manually, since my bookkeeper normally writes checks.

What about setting up page size to suit the check (or cheque as we say here
in Australia!), scan it and insert it as a background image, then insert
your type-in-data-fields over that image in the correct positioning, then
remove the background (or hide it) just prior to printing?? But save it as
a locked template with image showing, and save each filled cheque as a
separate file for archive.

Ahem, is this too simple, or did I miss something here? I am not sure in
this newsgroup if/when to speak up with my simplistic ideas. Seeing
something that stumps "The Great Susanne. S. Barnhill" makes me wonder if it
is therefore not possible at all


"mcp6453" wrote in message
...
Using Word 2000, is it possible to make a template that has a
non-printable image of a check such that when I am typing in the document,
it looks like I'm filling out a check, but when I print, only the newly
entered information prints?

Hey, why use simple, easy, quick, manual methods when a computer, a
template, and a few hours work messing about will do!


"Suzanne S. Barnhill" wrote in message
...
Why not just *write* it (really) manually?

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://word.mvps.org
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup
so
all may benefit.

"mcp6453" wrote in message
...
Suzanne S. Barnhill wrote:
Although you *could* do this in Word, it would make much more sense to
buy
Quicken or Money, either of which is set up to do this automatically.


I already use QuickBooks, but sometimes I need to print a check
manually, since my bookkeeper normally writes checks.

Suzanne's point was not that it couldn't be done, but rather what was the
point. Computers are supposed to make your life easier not more complicated.
How much effort does it need to pick up the pen that will be used to sign
the cheque and add the payee's name and amount?


--

Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org


Swami wrote:
What about setting up page size to suit the check (or cheque as we
say here in Australia!), scan it and insert it as a background image,
then insert your type-in-data-fields over that image in the correct
positioning, then remove the background (or hide it) just prior to
printing?? But save it as a locked template with image showing, and
save each filled cheque as a separate file for archive.

Ahem, is this too simple, or did I miss something here? I am not sure
in this newsgroup if/when to speak up with my simplistic ideas. Seeing
something that stumps "The Great Susanne. S. Barnhill" makes me
wonder if it is therefore not possible at all


"mcp6453" wrote in message
...
Using Word 2000, is it possible to make a template that has a
non-printable image of a check such that when I am typing in the
document, it looks like I'm filling out a check, but when I print,
only the newly entered information prints?

Oh Jeezus Graham. It's true. You yanks really don't get irony or humour. I
WAS NOT ATTACKING SUZANNE for god's sake. I respect her knowledge too much
for that. (I got HER joke, BTW). I was offering mcp6453 a suggestion as to
how I might go about it myself and making a jocular point about time wasting
on a computer and how Suzanne rarely misses a great answer to solve a
problem if it can be done and .....oh forget it ..... An explanation would
obviously be wasted on you. You would imagine insult where none was
intended - so I'll just insult you directly.

How much effort does it need to pick up the pen that will be used to sign
the cheque and add the payee's name and amount?

Rather presumptuous of you. How do YOU know how many repetitive checks the
poor guy has to write. Maybe mcp6453 has good reason for wanting them laser
printed instead of ink written. Just address his issue, creatively, why
don't you, instead of thinking for him or putting down his idea. Let him
decide how he wants to use his life on the computer. There's a lot more anal
people on this NG than mcp6453. If you really want to defend commonsense,
why not just wait and let Jezabel have a go at him! ( Joke Graham.
Joke Jezabel, in case you're watching )


"Graham Mayor" wrote in message
...
Suzanne's point was not that it couldn't be done, but rather what was the
point. Computers are supposed to make your life easier not more
complicated. How much effort does it need to pick up the pen that will be
used to sign the cheque and add the payee's name and amount?


--

Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org


Swami wrote:
What about setting up page size to suit the check (or cheque as we
say here in Australia!), scan it and insert it as a background image,
then insert your type-in-data-fields over that image in the correct
positioning, then remove the background (or hide it) just prior to
printing?? But save it as a locked template with image showing, and
save each filled cheque as a separate file for archive.

Ahem, is this too simple, or did I miss something here? I am not sure
in this newsgroup if/when to speak up with my simplistic ideas. Seeing
something that stumps "The Great Susanne. S. Barnhill" makes me
wonder if it is therefore not possible at all


"mcp6453" wrote in message
...
Using Word 2000, is it possible to make a template that has a
non-printable image of a check such that when I am typing in the
document, it looks like I'm filling out a check, but when I print,
only the newly entered information prints?

Ooops, you're a pom. Well, then you should know better than to miss the
Aussie sense of humour!

"Graham Mayor" wrote in message
...
Suzanne's point was not that it couldn't be done, but rather what was the
point. Computers are supposed to make your life easier not more
complicated. How much effort does it need to pick up the pen that will be
used to sign the cheque and add the payee's name and amount?


--

Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org


Swami wrote:
What about setting up page size to suit the check (or cheque as we
say here in Australia!), scan it and insert it as a background image,
then insert your type-in-data-fields over that image in the correct
positioning, then remove the background (or hide it) just prior to
printing?? But save it as a locked template with image showing, and
save each filled cheque as a separate file for archive.

Ahem, is this too simple, or did I miss something here? I am not sure
in this newsgroup if/when to speak up with my simplistic ideas. Seeing
something that stumps "The Great Susanne. S. Barnhill" makes me
wonder if it is therefore not possible at all


"mcp6453" wrote in message
...
Using Word 2000, is it possible to make a template that has a
non-printable image of a check such that when I am typing in the
document, it looks like I'm filling out a check, but when I print,
only the newly entered information prints?

I am neither American nor Australian.

--

Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org


Swami wrote:
Ooops, you're a pom. Well, then you should know better than to miss
the Aussie sense of humour!

"Graham Mayor" wrote in message
...
Suzanne's point was not that it couldn't be done, but rather what
was the point. Computers are supposed to make your life easier not
more complicated. How much effort does it need to pick up the pen
that will be used to sign the cheque and add the payee's name and
amount? --

Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org


Swami wrote:
What about setting up page size to suit the check (or cheque as we
say here in Australia!), scan it and insert it as a background
image, then insert your type-in-data-fields over that image in the
correct positioning, then remove the background (or hide it) just
prior to printing?? But save it as a locked template with image
showing, and save each filled cheque as a separate file for archive.

Ahem, is this too simple, or did I miss something here? I am not
sure in this newsgroup if/when to speak up with my simplistic
ideas. Seeing something that stumps "The Great Susanne. S.
Barnhill" makes me wonder if it is therefore not possible at all


"mcp6453" wrote in message
...
Using Word 2000, is it possible to make a template that has a
non-printable image of a check such that when I am typing in the
document, it looks like I'm filling out a check, but when I print,
only the newly entered information prints?

Graham Mayor wrote:

Suzanne's point was not that it couldn't be done, but rather what was the
point. Computers are supposed to make your life easier not more complicated.
How much effort does it need to pick up the pen that will be used to sign
the cheque and add the payee's name and amount?



So it's clear that I'm not going to get any help on this matter here.
Rather than writing a discourse on why I want to do this, suffice it to
say that I have some other projects that, if I know a good way to
accomplish this task, I would then know how to accomplish those other
tasks. Yes, since I already have the pen in my hand, I could go ahead
and write the check. In fact, there is nothing that I write into my
computer that I cannot write with that same pen. (Actually, it would be
kind of hard to post to the newsgroup with a pen.)

Adobe Acrobat has functionality to facilitate this sort of task. I know
how to create the fill-in form, but I don't know how to hide the
background just before printing. So, I'm off to the Acrobat newsgroups.

Thanks anyway. This newsgroup sure has changed.

Lighten up. It's Saturday, the weather's crap and a bit of light hearted
banter never hurt anyone.

Your main problem will be with the paper handling of your printer. If you
want to print cheques that tear out of a cheque book, you are likely to find
that many printers will not handle the paper size. If your printer can
manage it then the method suggested by our Aussie friend a while back will
do the job.

If the printer cannot manage it then neither Word nor Acrobat will help you.

--

Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org



mcp6453 wrote:
Graham Mayor wrote:

Suzanne's point was not that it couldn't be done, but rather what
was the point. Computers are supposed to make your life easier not
more complicated. How much effort does it need to pick up the pen
that will be used to sign the cheque and add the payee's name and
amount?

So it's clear that I'm not going to get any help on this matter here.
Rather than writing a discourse on why I want to do this, suffice it
to say that I have some other projects that, if I know a good way to
accomplish this task, I would then know how to accomplish those other
tasks. Yes, since I already have the pen in my hand, I could go ahead
and write the check. In fact, there is nothing that I write into my
computer that I cannot write with that same pen. (Actually, it would
be kind of hard to post to the newsgroup with a pen.)

Adobe Acrobat has functionality to facilitate this sort of task. I
know how to create the fill-in form, but I don't know how to hide the
background just before printing. So, I'm off to the Acrobat
newsgroups.
Thanks anyway. This newsgroup sure has changed.

If you have a background image you can set the print option to not print
graphics (or drawings or whatever the option says). This will only work, of
course, if you have no other graphics in the document but that is probably
the case with your cheque.

The option is global so you would want some code in the template to switch
it before printing - and switch it back afterwards but it isn't hard.

SaveOption = Options.PrintDrawingObjects
Options.PrintDrawingObjects = False
ActiveDocument.Printout ' whatever print options you want
' Or you could use Dialogs(wdDialogFilePrint).Show
Options.PrintDrawingObjects = SaveOption

--
Enjoy,
Tony


"mcp6453" wrote in message
...
Graham Mayor wrote:

Suzanne's point was not that it couldn't be done, but rather what was
the
point. Computers are supposed to make your life easier not more
complicated.
How much effort does it need to pick up the pen that will be used to
sign
the cheque and add the payee's name and amount?



So it's clear that I'm not going to get any help on this matter here.
Rather than writing a discourse on why I want to do this, suffice it to
say that I have some other projects that, if I know a good way to
accomplish this task, I would then know how to accomplish those other
tasks. Yes, since I already have the pen in my hand, I could go ahead
and write the check. In fact, there is nothing that I write into my
computer that I cannot write with that same pen. (Actually, it would be
kind of hard to post to the newsgroup with a pen.)

Adobe Acrobat has functionality to facilitate this sort of task. I know
how to create the fill-in form, but I don't know how to hide the
background just before printing. So, I'm off to the Acrobat newsgroups.

Thanks anyway. This newsgroup sure has changed.

If this is set up as a form, you can also use the "Print data only for
forms" option.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://word.mvps.org
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.

"Tony Jollans" My Forename at My Surname dot com wrote in message
...
If you have a background image you can set the print option to not print
graphics (or drawings or whatever the option says). This will only work,
of
course, if you have no other graphics in the document but that is probably
the case with your cheque.

The option is global so you would want some code in the template to switch
it before printing - and switch it back afterwards but it isn't hard.

SaveOption = Options.PrintDrawingObjects
Options.PrintDrawingObjects = False
ActiveDocument.Printout ' whatever print options you want
' Or you could use Dialogs(wdDialogFilePrint).Show
Options.PrintDrawingObjects = SaveOption

--
Enjoy,
Tony


"mcp6453" wrote in message
...
Graham Mayor wrote:

Suzanne's point was not that it couldn't be done, but rather what was
the
point. Computers are supposed to make your life easier not more
complicated.
How much effort does it need to pick up the pen that will be used to
sign
the cheque and add the payee's name and amount?



So it's clear that I'm not going to get any help on this matter here.
Rather than writing a discourse on why I want to do this, suffice it to
say that I have some other projects that, if I know a good way to
accomplish this task, I would then know how to accomplish those other
tasks. Yes, since I already have the pen in my hand, I could go ahead
and write the check. In fact, there is nothing that I write into my
computer that I cannot write with that same pen. (Actually, it would be
kind of hard to post to the newsgroup with a pen.)

Adobe Acrobat has functionality to facilitate this sort of task. I know
how to create the fill-in form, but I don't know how to hide the
background just before printing. So, I'm off to the Acrobat newsgroups.

Thanks anyway. This newsgroup sure has changed.

Okay, whoa! Let's get back to reason and cordiality here. Thank you for all
the compliments (expressed and implied). I was not, as you put it,
"stumped," and the method you propose would be what I would have suggested
if I had thought it worth the time and effort to set up (not to mention my
time and effort to describe the process). I should have known that Mike
would not have asked for a way to do this if he had not considered it worth
his time and effort.

And although Mike says he has QuickBooks, it would appear that he doesn't
want to use it for this purpose, probably because the checks he's writing
are from an account not set up in QuickBooks. But in addition to the
inherent difficulty of setting up such a form, Graham's point about the
printer's paper-handling capabilities is another deterrent. If Mike doesn't
want to accept your perfectly good suggested method and would prefer to take
umbrage and write us all off, that's his prerogative.

One factor that I do wonder about is the type of check to be printed. As
Graham says, the ordinary wallet check may be too small to be printed
successfully. What I would also be interested to know is whether there is a
standard layout for such checks. Obviously, the checks that are used with
Quicken, Money, QuickBooks, and the like are laid out in a standard form,
but I believe it is necessary to buy checks created specifically for this
purpose. Although ordinary wallet checks are all laid out the same in
general, I do not know whether the measurements are standardized, that is,
whether you could set up a form field to print on the payee line that would
exactly hit that line on checks printed by different companies. All of my
checks seem pretty standard, but they're also all from the same source and
are the no-frills checks provided at no extra charge; fancier ones might be
different, for all I know.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://word.mvps.org
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.

"Swami" wrote in message
...
Oh Jeezus Graham. It's true. You yanks really don't get irony or humour. I
WAS NOT ATTACKING SUZANNE for god's sake. I respect her knowledge too much
for that. (I got HER joke, BTW). I was offering mcp6453 a suggestion as
to
how I might go about it myself and making a jocular point about time
wasting
on a computer and how Suzanne rarely misses a great answer to solve a
problem if it can be done and .....oh forget it ..... An explanation would
obviously be wasted on you. You would imagine insult where none was
intended - so I'll just insult you directly.

How much effort does it need to pick up the pen that will be used to
sign
the cheque and add the payee's name and amount?

Rather presumptuous of you. How do YOU know how many repetitive checks the
poor guy has to write. Maybe mcp6453 has good reason for wanting them
laser
printed instead of ink written. Just address his issue, creatively, why
don't you, instead of thinking for him or putting down his idea. Let him
decide how he wants to use his life on the computer. There's a lot more
anal
people on this NG than mcp6453. If you really want to defend commonsense,
why not just wait and let Jezabel have a go at him! ( Joke Graham.
Joke Jezabel, in case you're watching )


"Graham Mayor" wrote in message
...
Suzanne's point was not that it couldn't be done, but rather what was
the
point. Computers are supposed to make your life easier not more
complicated. How much effort does it need to pick up the pen that will
be
used to sign the cheque and add the payee's name and amount?


--

Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org


Swami wrote:
What about setting up page size to suit the check (or cheque as we
say here in Australia!), scan it and insert it as a background image,
then insert your type-in-data-fields over that image in the correct
positioning, then remove the background (or hide it) just prior to
printing?? But save it as a locked template with image showing, and
save each filled cheque as a separate file for archive.

Ahem, is this too simple, or did I miss something here? I am not sure
in this newsgroup if/when to speak up with my simplistic ideas. Seeing
something that stumps "The Great Susanne. S. Barnhill" makes me
wonder if it is therefore not possible at all


"mcp6453" wrote in message
...
Using Word 2000, is it possible to make a template that has a
non-printable image of a check such that when I am typing in the
document, it looks like I'm filling out a check, but when I print,
only the newly entered information prints?

Suzanne S. Barnhill wrote:
Although ordinary
wallet checks are all laid out the same in general, I do not know
whether the measurements are standardized, that is, whether you could
set up a form field to print on the payee line that would exactly hit
that line on checks printed by different companies. All of my checks
seem pretty standard, but they're also all from the same source and
are the no-frills checks provided at no extra charge; fancier ones
might be different, for all I know.

Cheques I have to hand from different banks suggest that while the
appearance is similar the text areas are not printed to standard format.
Were I to create a template for any of them (which my Epson printer would
not print anyway) it could not be used with the others.

--

Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org

Thanks for confirming my suspicions. Although of course this still doesn't
address Mike's original question if he's trying to come up with a template
to print on specific checks from a specific bank.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://word.mvps.org
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.

"Graham Mayor" wrote in message
...
Suzanne S. Barnhill wrote:
Although ordinary
wallet checks are all laid out the same in general, I do not know
whether the measurements are standardized, that is, whether you could
set up a form field to print on the payee line that would exactly hit
that line on checks printed by different companies. All of my checks
seem pretty standard, but they're also all from the same source and
are the no-frills checks provided at no extra charge; fancier ones
might be different, for all I know.

Cheques I have to hand from different banks suggest that while the
appearance is similar the text areas are not printed to standard format.
Were I to create a template for any of them (which my Epson printer would
not print anyway) it could not be used with the others.

--

Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org