A surrogate document image (125, 400) encoded on a storage medium as part of a database or repository of images includes a surrogate document image indicator (406).

Surrogate document indicator and methods of using same.

There is already a substitute Sunday paper waiting in the wings.

Copy of applicant’s passport or substitute document for a passport

When images are retrieved by an application from an archive or a check image management system, each one is programmatically examined to detect the presence of the surrogate document image indicator.