Single vs duplicate checks – which is better know the differences between both

Let's see what is the difference between single vs duplicate checks while making transactions. Below you can see what are single and duplicate checks in detail.

1. Single Vs Duplicate Checks – Which is
Better? Know the Differences Between Both
Youoftenhavetoremitmoneytodifferententities.Theseentitiescanbeyour
lovedones,peoplefromwhomyouhavepurchasedsomethingsayyourgrocery
shopowner,businessesyouhavetransactedwith,etc.So,howdoindividuals
andbusinessesensuresmoothmoneytransferstotheintendedparties?Itisvery
simple–byopeningacheckingaccount.But,checkingaccountsareoftwotypes
–singleandduplicate.Nowthemillion-dollarquestionconfrontingyoumightbe
how do you decide which is better between single vsduplicate checks?
Letusfindtheanswerforthesameandseewhowinsthebattlebetweensingle
checks vs duplicate checks.
Single Vs Duplicate Checks – Basics
Asinglecheckisatypeofcheckthatisissuedwithoutacarboncopyunderneath
it.Inotherwords,singlecheckshavenoduplicates.Asinglecheckbookis,
therefore,light-weightedasthecheckbooksizeisreducedtohalfsansduplicate
copies.
What Are Duplicate Checks?
Aduplicatecheckisatypeofchequethatisissuedwithacarboncopybelowthe
originalcheck.Thus,therearetwocopiesofeachissuedcheque.However,since
there is a duplicate copy beneath every check, a duplicatecheckbook is bulky.
SingleVsDuplicateChecks–TransactionSafetyand
Proof
Thetwothingsthatmayoftenbotheryouwhileexecutingfinancialtransactions
aretransactionsecurityandevidence.Whileasinglecheckwillmoreoftenthan
notsuccessfullytransfermoneytotheconcernedparties,whatwouldhappenif
thecheck,unfortunately,getslost,mutilated,orstolen?Apartfromtheriskof

2. losingyourmoney,younowruntheriskofthepayee/intendedrecipientfilinga
case of default against you.
Undersuchcircumstances,youneedstrongproofthatyouindeedissueda
checktotheconcernedpayeewithyoursignatureandadateonit.Withoutthe
same,youmaylosethecaseinthecourtoflawandbepenalizedfordefault.This
impliesthatyounowhavetopayahigheramounttothepayee–theoriginal
payableamountpluspenaltycharges.Moreover,ifthedefaultedamountwas
huge,youmayfaceharsherpunishment.Thus,betweenasinglecheckVs
duplicatecheck,aduplicatecheckissaferasyouhaveanadditionalcopyas
transaction proof in case of any dispute.
However,whetheryouloseasingleoraduplicatecheck,therisksofthembeing
misusedbymiscreantsareequalforboth.Hence,incaseoflossortheftofa
check,youmayimmediatelycontactyourbankandstopthepayment.Youmay
notworrymuchaboutthelossofaduplicatecopy,asmostofthetime,theydo
not contain sensitive information like a bank accountnumber or signature.
Single Vs Duplicate Checks – Record Keeping
Source: theydiffer.com

3. Astherearenoduplicatecopiesforsinglechecks,youhavetorecordvital
detailslikepayeename,checkissuedate,andcheckamountinthecheck
register.Theregistermaybeinpaperoronlineform.Youmayhavetosigninto
youraccounttoaccessyoure-registerforrecord-keeping.Conversely,every
duplicatecheckcomposedneednotberecordedintheregisterasyoualready
have a backup copy.
Thus,betweensinglecheckvsduplicatecheck,thelatteristime-savingasit
minimizestheneedtorecorddetailsofallchecksissued.Italsoreducesmanual
work.
Single Vs Duplicate Checks – Other Differences
●Costs:Usually,duplicatechecksarecostlierthansinglechecks,astheycontain
carboncopiesunderneatheachcheck.Moreover,checksareusuallysoldbythe
boxandthenumberofduplicatechecksperboxislowerthanthatofsingle
checksperbox.Hence,youmayexhaustyourduplicatechecksfaster.
Consequently,youmayprocureduplicatechecksmorefrequently,thereby
leading to a further rise in check purchase costs.
●Writingpressure:Youdonothavetoexertmuchpressurewhilewritingasingle
checkasthereisnocarboncopybeneathit.However,thesameisnotapplicable
forduplicatechecks,asyouhavetoexertreasonablyheavywritingpressureto
ensure that the backup copy is clear and unambiguous.
●Convenience:Assmallchecksarelighterthanduplicatechecks,theirmobility
andconveniencequotientishigher.Inotherwords,singlechecksaremost
suitableforfrequenttravelersorindividualsconstantlyonthemove.Theyare
alsomoresuitableforsmallbusinessesandretailerswithlowertransaction
volumes and less costly transactions.
●Riskofobsolescence:Technologyadvancementshaveledtothelarge-scale
adoptionofonlinepayments,paperlesstransactions,instantpayment
applications,andelectronicrecords.Asduplicatechecksarecostlierthansingle
checks,theresultantmoneywastageduetoobsolescenceofchecksishigherfor
duplicate checks.

4. Single Vs Duplicate Checks – Summary Table
Sr.
No.
Evaluation
Parameter
Single check Duplicate check
1DefinitionAcheckstylethat
comprisessinglepages
withoutcarboncopies
beneath original checks.
Acheckstylethatcomprises
carboncopiesunderneath
original checks.
2Check
duplication
No Yes.Everycheckyouwriteis
automatically duplicated.
3Checkbook
weight
Small and Light Large and Bulky
4SecurityAsnobackupcopiesof
issued checks are
present,youhaveno
transactionevidencein
caseofanydispute.
Lackofvalidproofmay
makeittougherforyou
toproveyourinnocence
in court.
ADuplicatecopyservesas
sufficientproofthatthetwo
partiesinvolvedhaveindeed
committedtoamonetary
transaction.Thecheckissue
dateandsignatureonthe
carbon copy provethe
credibilityandtrustworthiness
of the check issuer.
5Record-keep
ing
Require meticulous
maintenance of
transactionrecordsin
check registers.
Backupcopiesoforiginal
checksminimizetheneedfor
maintainingdetailedrecordsin
check registers.
6Price Relatively cheaper.Expensive.

5. 7Check
writing
Youdon’tneedtopress
hardagainstthepaperor
exerttoomuchwriting
pressure.
Youmayhavetopresshard
againstthepaperorexert
excesswritingpressureto
ensurethatthebackupcopyis
clear and transparent.
8Number of
checksper
box
More Less
9Convenienc
e or mobility
High Low
10Target
audience
Individuals,retailers,
micro and small
enterprises,allentities
engagedinsmall-value
transactions,frequent
travelers.
Entitieswithhightransaction
volumes or expensive
transactions, large
organizations.
11Carbon
paper
Singlechecksdon’t
involveduplicationand
hencethereisnoneed
for carbon paper.
Duplicatechecks require
carbonpapertocreatea
backupcopyastransaction
proof.
12Money
wastagedue
to
obsolescenc
e
Low High

6. Single Vs Duplicate Checks – Closing Words
Source: bankrate.com
Atfirstglance,thecomparisonbetweensinglecheckVsduplicatecheckmay
seemconfusing.However,adeeperstudyofwhatareduplicatechecksreveals
thataduplicatecheckisnothingbutavariantofasinglechecktosolvethe
problemoflackoftransactionevidenceincaseofadispute.Bothofthemhave
the same functional purpose of transferring moneyto the intended payee.
But,whenwedistinguishbetweensingleVsduplicatechecksbasedonvarious
evaluationcriteria,thelatterwinsthebattle.Whilesinglechecksarecheap,light,
andconvenient,duplicatechecksscorehigherpointsonimportantparameters
liketransactionsafety,evidence,andrecord-keeping.Duplicatecheckssafeguard
you against any kind of disputes arising due to loss,damage, or theft of checks.
Hence,irrespectiveofbothcheckingaccountsensuringsmoothmoneytransfers,
between single Vs duplicate checks, duplicate checksare better.

7. Key Takeaways
●Singlecheckscomeinsinglepageswithnoduplication.Ontheotherhand,
duplicate checks will always have an extra copy ofevery check issued.
●Single checkbooks are light while duplicate checkbooksare heavy.
●Aduplicatecheckismoresecurethanasinglecheck.Youpossessa
duplicatecopyoftheoriginalcheckastransactionevidenceincaseofany
dispute.
●Dependingonthebank/companyissuingtheduplicatecheck,duplicate
copieswillmostofthetimenotcontainsensitivedetailslikebankaccount
number,signature,etc.However,iftheydo,thenyoumaysafeguardyour
carbon copies too from loss or theft.
●Asduplicatechecksalreadyhaveabackupcopy,youneednotworryeven
if details of all checks composed, are not recordedin the check register.
●Singlechecksarecheaperandmoreinnumberinaboxthanduplicate
checks.
●Youhavetoexertmorewritingpressurewhilecomposingduplicatechecks
as opposed to single checks.
●Singlechecksareeasierandmoreconvenienttocarryascomparedto
duplicate checks.
●Duplicatechecksarebetterifyouengageinalargenumberofexpensive
transactions.
●Duplicatechecksareidealforlargeorganizationsorbusinesseswitha
record number of day-to-day remittances of high amounts.
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