Modernizing Public Sector Printing With Secure Business Checks and Carbonless Forms

If you're an administrator or purchaser for a government agency, you know the public sector faces challenges with maintaining secure and efficient financial operations. Every year, millions of dollars are lost to fraudulent or incorrect payments due to outdated systems and processes. Increased efforts to modernize and enhance fraud prevention helped the U.S. Department of the Treasury recover or avoid the loss of $4 billion in improper payments or fraud in 2024. This was a massive increase from $652 million in 2023.

While modern fraud prevention has many components, secure business checks and carbonless forms can help government agencies modernize their financial processes while maintaining high security standards. Switching to these products is one of the easiest changes to make since they easily integrate with common printing processes. Learn more about how to improve security in government financial processes with modern checks and carbonless laser paper in this guide.

The Need for Modernization in Government Financial Processes

Many government financial protocols follow outdated processes or use older systems that are more susceptible to fraud and security breaches. Manual procedures hinder productivity and increase the risk of errors. These processes and procedures are inefficient and insecure and may not comply with current laws and regulations.

Modernizing government financial operations can remedy these flaws and provide several benefits. Modern solutions, including secure business checks and carbonless forms, can improve efficiency, security and compliance. Government agencies can streamline payment processes, reduce the risk of fraud, and ensure compliance and accountability. These improvements ultimately mean cost savings for a more secure and effective use of taxpayer funds, fostering public trust and confidence in government institutions.

Thankfully, it's easy to integrate modern printing solutions into existing systems. Government agencies can include additional layers of fraud protection without sourcing new printers, copiers or software. Instead, advanced security features are embedded in the paper itself.

Secure Business Checks

A key component of modern financial processes is secure business checks. While checks have long been a staple in business accounting, modern checks have advanced security features to deter fraud and make employee payroll, paying invoices and sending refunds safe and simple.

Modern business checks can include many different security features. Some are visible to deter fraud, while others only become apparent if someone tries to copy or alter the check. Government agencies should look for checks with some or most of these security features:

Anti-splice backer
Coin-reactive mark
Copy-void endorsement or pantograph
Endorsement warning or warning band
Enhanced toner adhesion
Fourdrinier true watermark or simulated watermark
Gradient two-color background
Image-friendly amount box
Microprinting
"Non-negotiable" stub backer
Padlock security icon
Security blackouts
Solvent-reactive color spotting
Thermochromatic heat-reactive ink
UV security ink or fibers
Voidless postal window

Checks must meet check-processing standards from the Accredited Standards Committee X9, which is accredited by the American National Standards Institute to maintain financial services standards.

Benefits of using secure business checks

Some benefits of using secure business checks in the public sector include:

Reduced risk of check fraud: Visible security features deter criminals, and many different options are available. Each additional feature makes your checks more secure.
Improved security and accountability: Unlike digital payments, checks provide a physical record of every transaction, so it's easier to prevent and detect fraud.
Streamlined payment process: Checks that comply with the Check Clearing for the 21st Century Act (Check 21) improve payment efficiency between banks.
Secure mailing: Modern checks make it easier for postal systems to scan mailing addresses while blocking confidential information from being visible through the envelope.

RELYCO offers several lines of high-security business checks. Each series has multiple security characteristics, and we can also customize checks with specific colors, security features, perforations and nonstandard sheet sizes.

Carbonless Forms

Carbonless laser paper or no carbon required (NCR) paper allows you to print forms as you need them with a standard laser printer. While traditional carbonless paper coatings were solvent-based and could damage printer components, modern carbonless laser paper is solvent-free, so it works with standard laser printers and digital copiers.

Carbonless paper is coated on one or both sides — coated front (CF) or coated back (CB) — with chemicals that interact when pressure is applied, such as with a pen. This chemical interaction creates an image on the CF side of the page. Carbonless laser paper is an environmentally friendly, cost-effective solution for streamlining processes and reducing errors. This modern paper allows government agencies to print multi-part forms quickly and update them as needed.

You can easily convert any multi-part document to carbonless laser paper instead of preprinted forms or handwritten duplicates. Government uses for carbonless forms include permit applications, incident reports, purchase orders and invoices.

Switching to carbonless forms comes with several benefits, including:

Reduced errors: Carbonless paper eliminates manual copying or transcription, improving accuracy and preventing undetected alterations.
Enhanced efficiency: Because you can create multi-part forms on demand, you'll never have to wait for a shipment of preprinted forms.
Improved recordkeeping: Carbonless laser paper provides a clear, sharp image that won't smear or rub off. You can also color-code copies to enhance organization and recordkeeping.
Improved security: Compared to old-fashioned carbon paper, carbonless paper is much more secure. Carbon interleaved forms left an impression on the carbon paper, so any information written or printed using it would be visible after it was removed and discarded. Carbonless paper has no intermediate page since it relies on chemicals rather than physical carbon, which reduces the risk of sensitive information being leaked.
Increased cost-effectiveness: Many preprinted carbonless forms are thrown away each year due to a change in the process or the form itself. With carbonless laser paper, you can print forms as needed, reducing waste and avoiding spending money on reprints.

RELYCO offers several varieties of NCR paper. REIMAGE carbonless laser paper is available in uncollated single pages in four colors and pre-collated forms with two to five parts. Test your printers to see if you need straight or reverse collated pages. This test is simple and quick, taking less than five minutes with our step-by-step guide.

Purchase Secure Government Checks and Forms

If you're ready to modernize printing processes at your government agency, partner with RELYCO. Our secure business checks and carbonless forms offer enhanced security features and improved compliance, helping you reduce fraud, streamline processes and save taxpayer dollars.

These modern solutions are easy to integrate into your existing systems for immediate benefits. RELYCO is a trusted partner that provides government agencies with secure and efficient printing solutions. Purchase high-security checks, carbonless laser paper or other specialized printer paper online today, or contact our team to help you find the right product to meet your needs.