In most countries issued banknotes must be fit for a semi-automated or fully automated cash cycle. This means that, during their lifetime, the banknotes are in frequent contact with various input and output machines which are equipped with different inspection sensors.  The first contact with an inspection machine is usually before the banknotes even leave the printworks when, after the various and diverse printing and sheet cutting processes, the final single notes are inspected by Single Note Inspection (SNI) machines. Thereafter the notes are likely to be in regular contact with banknote processing machines which will all use some form of inspection to validate the notes.

A banknote designer has to consider this critical aspect when they create a design for a new banknote or new banknote series; they must be suitable for an increasingly automated cash cycle, which means efficient, secure machine readability.