Check register
A check register is the running list of every check you write: number, date, payee, amount and the balance left in the account. Download a free printable register, or let CheckWriter.app Pro log every check automatically.
Free printable check register — letter size PDF, 25 lines per page, with columns for number, date, payee, memo, payment, deposit and balance.
How to keep a check register
- Write the opening balance on the first line.
- For each check, record the number, date, payee and amount, and subtract it from the balance.
- Record deposits, card payments and bank fees too, so the balance matches reality.
- Mark voided checks with VOID instead of skipping the number. Missing numbers raise questions at reconciliation.
- Each month, tick off the checks that cleared on your bank statement and compare the balances.
Automatic check register
With Pro, every check you print is numbered and logged. You can search by payee or memo, void a check with a reason, reprint it, and export the register to CSV for your bookkeeper or for your bank's positive pay upload.
| No. | Date | Payee | Amount | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1042 | 10/31/2026 | Riverside Supply Co. | $1,250.00 | Printed |
| 1041 | 10/28/2026 | Ana Ruiz | $860.00 | Printed |
| 1040 | 10/27/2026 | Franklin County Water | $142.37 | Void: printing error |
Questions
Do businesses still need a check register?
If you write checks, yes. Checks can take days or weeks to clear, so the bank balance alone doesn't show what you have already promised to pay.
What is positive pay?
A bank service where you upload the list of checks you issued, usually check number and amount. The bank compares each presented check with the list and flags mismatches for you to approve or reject. A register export is the starting point for that list.