Today many businesses owners need go no further than a scanner on their desks, which can now transmit images of checks straight to their bank to be deposited almost instantaneously.

The product, called remote deposit or remote capture, is available at most larger banks and is becoming increasingly available to business customers.

Bank of America has offered remote deposit for about three years, according to George Smith, BofA's Nevada chief executive.

"For corporate types of clients it can really help them use technology to make their lives easier," Smith said.

Rather than collecting checks on a daily basis and sending an employee to the bank to deposit them, businesses can now scan their checks and send them to the bank.

"You can send them though this machine and it takes all the information off that check and transfers it electronically. You don't have to go to the branch," Smith said, adding that the product can be especially helpful to business customers with locations in several cities or states.

Like BofA's home banking Web site, all of the electronic data is secure.

Although there are no restrictions on what kind of businesses can take advantage of the product, Smith said the scanner equipment is cost-prohibitive for some smaller businesses. BofA also charges a fee for the service.

"You just have to have enough checks to justify it," he said.

First National Bank of Nevada also offers image deposit, but the scanners are owned by the bank and rented to customers. The scanners would cost customers about $1,500 to purchase.

Bill Oakley, First National regional president, said the bank has about 100 clients in Nevada taking advantage of the service, for which the bank also charges a service fee.

For customers with larger accounts with First National, the banks waives the fee.

Image deposit, which costs $39 a month, is software-based for First National. Customers must install software on their computer to use the service.

But this spring First National will switch to a Web-based platform that will allow customers to log onto the system from any computer as long as they have the scanner equipment available.

Oakley said the service more than pays for itself in time saved for customers who receive lots of checks.

"They don't have to send someone to the bank. They can use the machine on weekends, in the evenings, at night," he said. "It's really quite a genius invention."

At First National, customers even have until 8 p.m. to scan their checks, whereas they would have until only 4 p.m. to make it to a branch location in order for a check to post that day.

Businesses must keep the paper checks on file for a set hold period, then are instructed to shred.

Oakley said business from construction companies to property managers to doctors have the service. It can be especially helpful to non-profits.

"For the most part people are sending them checks," he said. "And a lot of times these organizations are fairly thinly employed. They've got everybody doing a lot of jobs and for someone to be out of the office at the bank for however long a bank run takes, they don't have that time."

He said the bank is actively promoting its image capture product.

Not all local banks are currently offering similar products, although Business Bank of Nevada's Paul Stowell said it's increasingly in demand.

Stowell, public and shareholder relations and senior vice president with Business Bank, said his company has been struggling to roll out a version of remote deposit for the last year with little technological success. But when Business Bank's purchase by Beverley Hills-based City National Bank is complete later this spring, Business Bank customers will have access to that product and many more available from the larger City National.

"We're very excited about it," Stowell said. "Our customers have been asking for this product."