When you can't find your money ask the apprentice.

[jecasc]

I got a call today by a customer. She was a little upset because we had sent her a payment reminder. She told us she had sent us a cheque by mail six weeks ago.

I remembered receiving a cheque some time ago. I was a little surprised at that time because it was the first cheque I have received in years, nearly nobody uses cheques anymore here.

However I remembered signing it the day before going on week long vacation and telling someone in the office to take it to the bank. Then I had put it back in the mail-tray.

So today we searched and searched for the missing cheque, nobody knew where it had gone. The apprentice was at trade school, I couldn't ask her.

Suddenly an idea popped into my mind and I typed "cheque" into the searchbox of our digital document archive.

Lo and behold: There it was. Our apprentice had scanned the cheque, like all the other mail. After scanning she punched two holes in it - right trough the cheque number - and filed it away. Apparently she has never seen a cheque in her entire life and had no idea what it was.

So if you don't know where your money is - ask your apprentice. She might have just have filed it away.

[engine]

I feel somewhat sorry for the apprentice. When she returns, don't be too harsh, put it down to a shortfall in your company training. ;)

[wyweb]

You scan all your mail?

[le_gber]

paperless office to the extreme :)

[londrum]

you should pay her next months wages by check -- a scanned one. then she if she can cash it. if she can't pay her bills and loses her house and her husband leaves her then that'll teach her a harsh lesson that she won't forget.

[swa66]

Aside of US based companies paying us, I've _never_ been payed with a check. It's simply not done anymore out here.

Most businesses out here dealing with consumers simply won't accept checks for a decade or so now (ever since the guarantee of the bank evaporated on them). Getting a so called "bank check" - basically a more secure form of cash to pay large amounts in person is still possible, but few people ever used one, let alone know it exists as a possible form of payment. I've used it a few times, but it's a hassle I try to avoid if possible.

I can well understand somebody younger never having seen a check up close and personal or even being familiar with the concept itself.

[Green_Grass]

Wow.. Eye opener. We still can't survive without Cheques in India. Bankers Cheques are still the most secured way to get payment. Net transactions are catching up but still way too small a percentage.

[Essex_boy]

Many of the large chain stores in England no longer take cheques, the firm ive presently at wont take cash either. Which can lead to some very amusing situations.

[jsinger]

Where are you people, the moon?

In the U.S. checks are still commonly used in consumer and business transactions. I'll be paying my monthly personal bills in a few minutes -- electric, water, lawn cutting-- all by check. Yeah, many people use "direct deposit" but most still pay by check.

We pay all company invoices and payroll by check.

I just assumed the whole world did too! Very interesting to me.

[rj87uk]

I think ive been paid with one cheque & only ever wrote one cheque and that was to the tax man, now pretty much everything I do is on my online banking.