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Even though I'm nearly done with writing checks, I still receive one or two on a regular basis from rebates, payments, etc.
While I have to go to the ATM to cash the check, it's not the only way to make a deposit with a paper check.
The USAA Deposit@Home service allows you to scan in a check, upload to the Internet and deposit into your online account.
This is the scan and upload process:
Enter your deposit amount online.
Scan the front of the check, cropping for size and rotating appropriately.
Sign and scan the back of the check.
Void the check.
It appears that you can use any scanner, and the USAA's interface provide the necessary tools for upload.
To be eligible for the Deposit@Home service, you need to have an account with the USAA, which means you need to be (or related to) someone with military service (find out if you're eligible).
View a demo of scanning and uploading your check.
While this seems like it might be a convenient option for depositing, it's not nearly as easy as getting the funds sent online in the first place.
In a perfect world, we'd all make ACH payments or PayPal transfers to each other and keep sending money paperless.
I don't know if you've tried it yet, but it's not as easy as it sounds. I switch from Amsouth to USAA a few weeks ago, the deposit@Home being one of the main reasons. The first time I tried it, it took me about an hour, and yes I'm normally a big computer geek. You have to scan it in at 200dpi, and if your scanner will only do 300 like mine, you have to open an imaging program to resize it, it has to be black and white, and it HAS to be perfectly aligned. However once I figured it out, it really is a neat and convienant program. Just takes a bit to get all the settings right.
I haven't tried it yet Amber, but thanks for sharing your experiences.
I can imagine that it has to be submitted "just perfectly" for them to accept it.
How often do you use it to deposit a check?
Scan and Upload Your Checks: The Next Step in Online Banking? | Online Savings Blog…
The USAA Deposit@Home service allows you to scan in a check, upload to the Internet and deposit into your online account….
I actually deposit probably one or two checks a month this way and have had very little problems with it. I did not have to do any configuration to my scanner. It has made receiving checks so much easier. However, some checks that are too dark will have problems and not get accepted and I will end up mailing those in. Other than that I love the service. Great site…
[...] Scan and Upload Your Checks: The Next Step in Online Banking? I have been doing this since it was released a few months ago and I love it. The only downside I have had is some checks are two dark to scan and I still have to mail them in. Other than that it is revolutionary. Share and Enjoy: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages. [...]
I opened a checking account with USAA a couple of weeks ago and tried the Deposit@Home the second day I had the account. Like Amber I consider myself pretty tech savvy, but it took me trying to load the program multiple times and taking about 4-5 hours to get the program to work correctly. Once it was all set, it was a breeze to work. I'll only be using it occasionally, but it is very convenient.
I switched to USAA because of the deposit at home feature and have only had a few problems with the Java applette. I love it! The checks don't have to be perfectly aligned, but you do have to "select" the whole check image correctly.
[...] Online Savings Blog describes another unique USAA feature- scanning checks in for deposit instead of going to the bank or mailing them. I don't have a scanner, so I haven't been able to take advantage of this, but from the couple of comments, it sounds like it might not be ready for prime time. Share This [...]
I've been using this for a while now… have probably deposited about a dozen or so checks without too many problems.
Here's something that's key: you have to use Internet Explorer (if you're on a Windows machine). It definitely does not work with Firefox.
After seeing some reviews of deposit@home elsewhere, I wonder if the success has to do with the configuration and age of the scanner?
FWIW, we have a Canon Canoscan Lide 500F.
To add my two cents, I've never had any problems getting the orientation right, nor do I have to worry about the scanning resolution. The web interface controls the printer all on its own, so it's not like you scan the photo in some other program then input it.
A couple of times I've had to rescan it the check.
You can't use it with Firefox? That pretty much rules out any of the tech-geek population from using it.
@junger –
They acknowledge that it's a known bug with Firefox. Sounds like they may support it in the future.
I'm a Firefox devotee myself, but I'm also aware that Firefox only has about 10% of the U.S. Market.
I would have thought a "tech-geek" wouldn't have problems opening up another browser window to get something done… Or better yet, Firefox is open-source, so you could go fix the bug for us!
That is strange - I use Firefox all of the time when using the USAA scanning application!
it works fine with firefox. ensure you have the latest firefox and the latest java.
it also now works with a mac, although you have to scan both the front and back and then save both files first. with pc, you can directly scan into java.
i've been using deposit@home since january and all is well. it was nice that there is finally a mac support (although i was running xp through parallels on my mac to deposit without an issue). the only issue i had was with java, but those have been resolved.