Bank deposits have benefited greatly from the integration of new technologies and mobile applications into the banking industry. It is now possible for customers to make a bank deposit with a minimal effort, though precautions are obviously necessary to prevent issues before the funds become available in an account. Bank deposits were long the most basic transactions, with patrons coming to the institution, standing in line and dropping off their cash or checks. The processes for a bank deposit now so differ from the past that they are hardly referred to with the same terminology. The most common type of bank deposit has become the direct deposit, where an employer or organization transfers funds to a bank without the intervention of the customer. There is absolutely no legwork, and money changes hands much quicker than with traditional means. Direct deposits became popular as electronic banking started to rival older methods. Electronic banking enabled consumers to take a step away from their old habits and streamline all of their financial handlings. ATMs were a big part of the advent of electronic banking, including the processes of deposit and withdrawal. For those who are unable to set up a direct deposit through their work, ATMs are a quick and easy way to handle everyday transactions without the time necessary for travel and waiting at the bank. Mobile applications designed for smart phones have taken bank deposits to a new level. Many institutions offer deposits for those with a camera on the phone wherein a picture is taken of a check. With a picture of the check stored and sent digitally, funds will become available once all information on the document has been verified. Taking a picture of a check and transmitting it wirelessly to the bank at which the funds will be held is a groundbreaking practice that saves more than time and labor. The energy and emissions generated from heating banking buildings and driving cars to a financial institution are greatly reduced when the human element is eliminated from bank deposits. Mobile applications are the greenest process attainable for handling deposits, taking the ease of a transaction past that inherent with automated tellers.