According to the new standards for Imageable MICR-Encoded Cheques, the Date Field must be located towards the upper right end of the cheque.  There are very specific guidelines to space allowance, placement and format

Any newly purchased cheques should already indicate the date placement. However, you may need to alter your ‘Customized Cheque Print Positions’ to make sure that the date is printing in the correct place.  To do this, please see the following instructions for cheques in both the Accounts Payable and Payroll modules.

Accounts Payable Cheques:

1. Select your Accounts Payable Menu.
2. Select “8 – Go to the accounts payable utilities menu”.
3. Select “4 – Set up cheque form print positions”.
4. Select “3 – Customize cheque form print positions”.
5. On the first page, titled “Vendor Cheque Information”, use <arrow-down> key or <enter> to move down to the third last line, the field name “Cheque Date”.  At the bottom of the screen you will see the following message:  “Nothing can be printed right below the Date Field.”  This means that you must leave a blank line right below this field (i.e. if your date field is on line 4, then no other fields should print on line 5). This is to allow for the date format indicator. Enter the appropriate Line # and Column # that corresponds to where the date should be printed on your cheque.
6. Once you have changed the line and column positions for the date field, you can press the <Page Down> key to move to the end of the screen. You will be asked “Are the above correct (Y/N)?” enter Y for yes.
7. On the next page, titled “Detail Stub Information”, you will need to enter through all the fields until you reach “Print date format indicator below the date?” If you answer Y, the corresponding format will be printed under each number of the date. Example, if the date format indicator is on, and the date format is DMY, underneath the cheque date 06032007 the letters DDMMYYY will be printed. If the indicator is preprinted on your cheques, answer N to this question.
8. The next question asks what date format you wish to use. You may either choose DMY or MDY. These are the only two date formats the CPA has allowed, but they will also allow the date to be presented without spaces (DDMMYYYY) or with spaces (D D M M Y Y Y Y). If you have chosen to print the date format indicator in step 7 you will only have the option to print without spaces. If you are not printing the date format indicator you will have the option to print the date with spaces.
9. Once you have made your selections, press <enter>.  You will be asked; “Are the above correct (Y/N)?” answer ‘Y’ for yes.
10. You will be then taken to the “Summary Stub information”. There should be no changes needed on this screen so press <Page Down> and answer Y the entries are correct to save your changes.  Vigilant will bring you back to Accounts Payable Cheque Form Print Position Menu, where you will be able to return back to your main menu.

Payroll Cheques: (If you do not use payroll you do not need to do these steps.)

1. Select your Payroll Menu.
2. Select “6 – Go to the payroll utilities menu”.
3. Select “7 – Set up payroll form print positions”.
4. Select “3 – Personalize payroll cheques”.
5. On the first page, titled “Employee Cheque Information”, use the <arrow down> key or press <enter> to move your cursor to the field named “Cheque Date”. At the bottom of the screen you will see the following message:  “Nothing can be printed right below the Date Field.”  This means that you must leave a blank line right below this field (i.e. if your date field is on line 4, then no other fields should print on line 5). This is to allow for the date format indicator. Enter the appropriate Line # and Column # that corresponds to where the date should be printed on your cheque.
6. Once you have entered the line and column for cheque date, you can press the <Page Down> key to go to the next page. Proceed to page 9 by pressing <Page Down> additional times. Once on page 9 of the employee cheque information, press <Enter> until the question “Print date format indicator below the Date” appears. 
7. If your new cheques come with the Date Format Indicator already pre-printed then you can answer N to this question.  However, if it is not pre-printed on your cheques then you will need to answer Y
8. The next question asks what date format you wish to use. You may either choose DMY or MDY. These are the only two date formats the CPA has allowed, but they will also allow the date to be presented without spaces (DDMMYYYY) or with spaces (D D M M Y Y Y Y). If you have chosen to print the date format indicator in step 7 you will only have the option to print without spaces. If you are not printing the date format indicator you will have the option to print the date with spaces.
9. Once you have made your changes, you can press, “enter”, one last time.  You will be asked; “Are the above correct (Y/N)?”  Select Y for yes.  Vigilant will bring you back to Payroll Forms Set Up Menu, where you will be able to return back to your main menu.