what is micr data on a check 
the string of characters at the bottom left of a check identifies the bank branch that it is issued from the account number of the payer and the number of the account holder s check in a consecutive series from left the line displays the following information it looks like this 000000000 000000000000 0000the bottom linemagnetic ink character recognition is still around some 70 years after it was developed because it solved two big problems faced by banks the processing of checks had to be mechanized and fraud had to be made more difficult its three components including a routing number an account number and a check number together are a unique identifier of a check and the person who signed it just as importantly it is printed using a special ink and custom fonts that make fakes difficult if not impossible to create 