Available for Basic Payroll, Full Service Payroll
You can adjust the placement of items that print directly on your pre-printed check stock — such as the check date, dollar amount, and employee name — to make sure they align correctly when printed.
Before formatting items, make sure you've selected your check type. See Setting Up Printed Paychecks in Patriot Software. If you use completely blank check stock with MICR (Magnetic Ink Character Recognition) toner, see How to Print Paychecks
Video Walkthrough
The video walks through placement of printed items on checkstock and how to adjust each. The help article details each below.
How to Change the Display and Placement of Pre-Printed Check Items
Go to Settings > Payroll Settings > Paycheck Printing Options.
Select your printing method: Check on Top or Check on Bottom.
Click Layout Adjustments to expand the formatting options and view item positions.
Check Stub Formatting
The first fields in the Layout Adjustments section control the placement of the check stub. For details on those settings, see How Do I Format the Checkstub on my Paychecks?
How Paycheck Item Positioning Works
Each item on the paycheck is positioned using a column number and a row number. The default value for both is 0. Increasing or decreasing these numbers moves the item on the printed check.
Use the up and down arrows next to each field to adjust the values:
To move an item one gridline to the right, add 10 to the column number.
To move an item one gridline to the left, subtract 10 from the column number. Negative numbers are allowed.
To move an item one gridline up, add 10 to the row number.
To move an item one gridline down, subtract 10 from the row number. Negative numbers are allowed.
Choosing Which Items to Display
Some fields are optional and can be toggled on or off. The employee name, address lines, and check number are hidden by default. Check the box next to any item you want to show on the printed check.
Displaying the employee name and address is useful if you mail paychecks in double-window envelopes, since the name and address will show through the envelope window.
The image below shows an example of optional display items enabled: company name and address, paycheck number, employee name, employee address line 1, employee address line 2, and employee city, state, and ZIP.
When those fields are enabled, the printed paycheck will show both the company and employee mailing information, as shown here:
Printing a Sample Check
Click Print Sample to open a PDF showing a full paycheck page with a grid overlay. Use the grid to see where each item is currently positioned.
You can print as many sample checks as you need while adjusting the column and row numbers. You do not need to save the page before printing a sample.
Saving Your Check Layout
Once you're satisfied with how items are positioned, click Save. Patriot will use these layout settings whenever you process payroll going forward. You can return to this page and update the settings at any time.