BOSTON – Economics will be the motivating force behind widespread adoption of technology making check imaging and truncation at ATMs a reality in the next several years, according to a new report from Celent Communications. The research and advisory firm predicts that between 2006 and 2008, early-mover financial institutions will "venture into check truncation in the back office and then push it out to the point of deposit . Annual cost savings generated by check truncation at the point of deposit will reach at least $1.2 billion." Passage of the Check Truncation Act, ATM and check-imaging advancements, and competition in the form of lower costs and growing outsourcing options are all going to have an effect, the report said. "The ATM has until recently been an overlooked factor in improving the check-deposit handling process," said Alenka Grelish, senior analyst at Celent. "A shift if check deposits from branch to ATM only scratches the surface of efficiency gains, however. "The real bang occurs when check truncation occurs at the ATM." The report – titled "The Check Stops Here: The Forces Moving Check Truncations to the ATM" – is based on experience and interviews with ATM deployers, EFT networks and check-imaging industry veterans, Celent said.