The other day, while filling out a deposit slip, another fellow remarked, “Oh, so that’s what you put there.” He was referring to the bank routing number, something like 3-180 that’s in the upper right hand corner of checks, which is the number I had been told years ago (in jr. high) to put on a deposit ticket to the left of the item amount. Another guy said he’d always put the check number (sequential) in that spot, and a third guy said he left the spot blank. So…what’s the correct way to fill out these slips? :dubious:
The bank routing number is a 9 digit number that uiquely identifies the bank. The number you’re referring to is, IIRC, the deposit slip number (or transaction number). That number uniquely identifies the deposit transaction, which may include a number of checks, cash deposits, and cash withdrawals.
What’s the correct way for the deposit slip/transaction number? If it’s not pre-printed, then it’s no doubt the same procedure as for the check memo line: either you use it or you don’t. It’s completely up to you.
No, I understand this perfectly. You ARE right. There are different and same little numbers(I seem to remember 11-86) up in the top right corner of checks. I was also taught at an early age to use those numbers on deposit slips. Only when I had a deposit from the store would I not break those down. I still do it out of habit with small check deposits now. I wonder if it’s still necessary, or means anything.
I understand you to be correct. I’d like to know what they’re for.
UNCLEAR, unclear!
Oh, but Monty is right that the routing number is the nine digit code on the bottom left. The numbers you refer to are not, IMO, routing numbers. I think (WAG) that the small numbers we’re talking about identify the bank/branch that the check writer uses.
Which the routing number also does…
The routing number identities the bank, not the branch of the bank. I think I have found a definitive answer, though.
Let’s look at this picture. There are the following numbers on the check:
[list=a][li]Check Number[/li][li]FED Number[/li][li]Routing/Transit Number[/li][li]Account Number[/list][/li]You will notice that Item A appears in two places: in the upper right of the check and following the account number.
Here are the definitions for those items:
[list=a][li]Self-explanatory[/li][li]Appears to identify the branch, but I’m still digging for a definition.[/li][li]Scroll down to Routing Number[/li][*]Self-explanatory[/list]
p.s. The digging I’ve done has also informed me that another term for FED Number is Fractional Number.
IIRC, the reason you put the FED Number on the deposit check was to differentiate checks of like amounts, and so these checks could be tracked through the system. Seems out-dated now, but back in the day it was a necessary accounting tool.
Well, I just took a look at one of my own checks and discovered that the FED # and routing # seem to be connected. My fed # is (I actually changed the specific numbers, of course) is formatted as: 46-5275/0348. My routing # is 034852752. It looks like the FED number is a 2 digit # followed by two four digit numbers taken from the routing number but inverted. And with another single digit at the end. Could just be a coincidence, too, I suppose. Wait…
OK, I went and got my other checkbook (my business uses a different bank than I do personally). Again, there is a connection between the FED # and routing #. Plus, this FED # is 46-204/392 and the routing number is 839282048. Both FED #s start with the same 2 digit #, so that must connote the city or banking district or something? Then the rest of the FED # is series of numbers from the routing number, but inverted and with extra numbers added. Wait again…
I just got my daughter’s checkbook, from still another bank. Her FED number is 46-9/398 and her routing number is 83988895 – again, the routing numbers are the same as the FED, but out of order and with extra digits thrown in.
Kind of interesting. Anyway, messing with this has enabled me to avoid the laundry for 15 minutes…
BTW – I’ve always put the check numbers on the deposit slip, not the FED number.
I remember having to put the FED number on the deposit slips in high-school accounting (although I’m pretty sure it was called something different in the late-80s. I’ve never actually done it on a real deposit slip though.
On my personal deposits, I just write in the amounts and leave that part blank.
At the first business I worked for, I was instructed to put the name or an abbreviation of the name of the customer on the slip so we had a record on the carbon copy of the payments in case they hadn’t been entered into the primitive computer accounting system we used.
At the businesses I own, I just write in the check numbers and if I need to find where a check was credited, I just match up the check number to a transaction in Quickbooks.
I also used to work nights at a bowling alley and we’d just run a tape on the calculator for the checks and that was included with the deposit slip with the total written in.
The banks don’t seem to care if anything or what is written there. At least I’ve never been told by the bank that the deposit slip wasn’t filled out properly.
When I was growing up, my mother told me to use the FED number (although I never knew that was what it was called until now).
After I was an Adult, someone told me that you just needed to put in something that would identify individual checks if you were depositing more than one, to help the teller identify and confirm the deposit values. Now I typically use the check numbers (which are much shorter). If I want my copy of the deposit slip to be more meaningful, though, I write down the name of the person or company that issued the check instead. No teller has ever complained or questioned me on either method.
I’m like Kiminy in that as a youth my mother told me to use the FED number. In truth, I write identifying info there i.e. “grandma’s check”, “tax refund”, etc.
The bank couldn’t care less.
e3
Since you seem to be interested in this, the fractional routing number is just an old form of displaying the routing number, and was much easier when hand sorting.
The first two digits of the FED denote either city or state. If the number is below 50, it’s one of the big cities that get their own number. If it’s greater than or equal to 50, it denotes the state. After that, you are correct that it’s the routing number (minus the last digit of the routing number, which is a mod-10 check digit, just like credit cards use) with positions swapped, and leading zeroes eliminated.
Thanks, DMC – I was interested and curious once I started looking. It’s silly, I guess, but I just like to know stuff!
DMC,
I greatly appreciate that info, what with my having searched too many hours last night looking for an online source. You wouldn’t happen to have one or could you point us to a publication that has it?
Whenever I see a great answer on this board, I like t o bookmark the source. In the meantime, I’m going to bookmark your posting. You are now “an authority!”
I can’t find anything with a quick search that shows the definition of the first two digits of the fractional number (the city or state number), but I’ll keep looking.
As for the rest of the routing number, it is laid out in section IV of this guide (warning: PDF).
Finally, I’m not an authority. 
I’m just a software developer who has done some work for banks in the past. Since I’m a consultant, I switch companies much more frequently than your average person, so I get to learns the ins and outs of a lot of different businesses.
I tried a different tactic (I googled routing number and included a couple of number/place name combos that I remembered) and did find a list (warning: DOC file) of the cities and states.
Maybe yes, maybe no.
About six years ago, when I was working in a smallish bank’s operations department, we’d write the FED number on any deposit tickets that we generated in-house. It did come in handy once in a while if a check came back.
The deposit slip is entirely for your information and ease of calcuclation.
My deposits had so many checks that I started attaching a separate sheet to list them, and the clerk advised me that they threw that away. They have no use for any of the numbers you supply except the ones for cash, coins, and toal.
So now that’s all I put on any of my deposit slips.
Some banks charge if the math on your deposit tickets is wrong; i.e., if your check total isn’t correct. Including that sheet may be a good idea, even if your bank throws it away.
I’m not so sure that’s the case. Trying to get an answer to the OP, I also ran across the expression “BOFD.” (No, not that expression!) It means “Bank of First Deposit” and apparently the banking system has a need to know which bank it is that the check is first presented to for negotiation.