Print a single check or 2 checks on an HP Officejet Pro 8720

[HPKen]

I have shared the following review on Amazon.  Soon, I will post on other web sites.  Please let me encourage others to do the same.  I gave 2 stars to the HP OfficeJet 8710.

I have purchased HP printers for 15-20 years. I am surprisingly very unimpressed by the OfficeJet 8710 and learned of similar problems with the 8720 model. Overall, the unit works fine. It scans documents well just like previous generations. This unit is very large in comparison with previous generations of HP Photosmart models I have owned... not a show stopper... just replaced a more sleek looking model with bulky OfficeJet 8710. Next, the unit runs loud compared to previous generations. It's a bit annoying during a phone call.

However, if you utilize QuickBooks for a home business and want to print checks, please DO NOT purchase the OfficeJet 8710 or any HP models similar to this generation. As long as you always have a full 3 checks per page, printing works fine. But, that's not the real world. Sometimes, you have only 1 or 2 checks on page 1. The HP OfficeJet 8170 CANNOT handle this. The printer stops/jams with an error indicating there is a paper mismatch. It tells you to load different paper or adjust settings. You can even take out all other 8-1/2 x 11 pages from the feeder such that only the one page of paper containing 1 or 2 blank checks exists... but HP still fails.

The HP Service representative was totally dismissive of me and told me to call QuickBooks. Insisted the problem was in QuickBooks. I've used QuickBooks and various generations of HP printers for 15 years and never a problem. I have the same version of QuickBooks and suddenly QB is the source of the problem? What? It's one thing for HP to produce a printer with an internal problem.  But to have customer service not admit they *might* have an issue and to blow off long-time customers.  Absurd.

You can confirm this error if you research through other web sites and see that I am accurate. Steer clear of this generation of HP equipment. What other internal HP printer errors are hiding behind door #2? Moreover, HP customer service will (most likely) be uninterested in trying to help.

[REJWW]

I just bought an HP 8725 and ran into the same problem.  What a drag! HP should be ashamed of themselves.

Here's how I "fixed' the problem, without resorting to tape (my solution is still an ugly workaround that took 3 hours to figure out):

First of all, I have two instances of the printer installed, one is USB attached, the other is Network connected (they are both the same printer, but occur as two instances in the list of printers on Quicken).  This allows me to set Quicken up to handle two different paper settings on the printer.

To Print checks:

3-check page:

            on the printer itself, set paper size to 8.5x11

            in Quicken in the printer setup tab, set Quicken to USB Printer,  with Vertical alignment set to -15 (this positions the printing properly on the check)

            load check page(s) in the printer face down.

2-check page:

            on the printer itself, set paper size  to "custom"

            remove all the letter-sized paper and load the check page in the printer face down, portrait-style setting the tray adustment to conform to the actual check-page size.

           set Quicken printer setup for two checks to use USB Printer, with Vertical alignment set to -15

1 check page:

            on the printer itself, set paper size to #10 Envelope

            remove all the letter-size paper,

            set the tray to hold envelopes that are centered, with short-edge fed first;

            load single check (face-down,  right-hand short-edge first, with bottom edge strip still attached)

            Now set Quicken check-print setup to Network Printer,

               under the Printer Properties, the "layout" tab, select "advanced" , select the Paper/Output to Envelope #10.

               Vertical +15, Horizontal +15

               Then select Partial-page printing Centered, short-edge first.

               Then when printing the single check,  select "no tear off strip" (but actually, the tear-off strip is still on.  I had to do this because the Quicken software wouldn't allow me to fine tune the vertical adjustment to +40 or more, which it would have had to be to align the printing properly.)

Maybe in retrospect, tape would be easier.

[HPKen]

RejWW,

Very good summary.  I will make note of your solution on the 1-check per page.  Thank you!

[Nonni6]

Thanks so much for posting this.  I will try this out.  In the meantime, my single check that failed to print is lost in the printer. I pulled out both trays and explored what I could to find it.  Any suggestions?

[Nonni6]

Well, the check came out with the next print job.  It had no printing on it.

[JeniferC]

HP really needs to fix this!!! I called before we purchased new printer to find out what was compatible with QuickBooks and what was the most like the current printer that had just broken down.  We purchased a HP Officejet Pro 8730 on the advice of HP, now I can't print single checks.  I also spent hours on the phone with HP and QuickBooks trying to find a solution .  Has anyone figured this out yet!!!

[HPKen]

Hi Jenifer, Nothing has changed for me, although I can print 2 checks on a page.  But when there is one check, I have zero other choice than to manually write the check.  Sometimes, I purposely skip a check # when I am in hurry to print.

HP doesn't care.  (I'm sure they internally know they made a big mistake, but instead won't do the right thing for this 20+ year customer.)  You might as well "take your medicine" with this one and know that manual checks are in your future... or wasted money by skipping single checks.  Now that you know this, at least you don't have to waste future exercises/time hoping HP will help.

Take care,

HPKen

[JeniferC]

I so wish I would have read this post before purchasing an HP Officejet Pro8730, had the same issue with their customer service that it wasn't their problem.. Sad, I have purchased HP products for over 25 years at home and offices.  Will definitely be looking into other options

[DebraLF]

I wish I had seen this blog before I spent countless hours trying to figure out how to print a single check from Quickbooks.  My HP8700 series is new and I'm returning it tomorrow. May never buy another HP product.

[Noahoscar986]

Found a solution? Don't change Paper Types or Sizes at the printer, just check a tape I think it creates an issue