Postage Statement Wizard Mail.dat Web Services Presented by: (insert name here) The 1, 2, 3 of Electronic Postage Documentation

2 Content Introduction Getting Access Methods of Electronic Submission Postage Statement Wizard Mail.dat Web Services Customer Support

3 Introduction The United States Postal Service ® is using the newest technology to modernize and improve its overall efficiency in mail processing and delivery. The PostalOne! system that manages business mailing transactions is designed to use the Internet to streamline the mail acceptance process by facilitating the electronic exchange of mailing information between you and the Postal Service. This presentation is designed to inform you how the PostalOne! system enables you to electronically submit postage statements and supporting documentation to your Acceptance Unit. It will provide you with an understanding of the various methods of electronic information exchange available. These electronic services will benefit you by expediting the acceptance of your mail and providing online visibility into the mailing process.

4 Introduction Audience: This presentation is for those using Bulk Business Mail or providing mailing services to people performing business mailings to reach their customers. Prerequisite: Hold a business mailing account at an Acceptance Unit And/Or prepare and present business mailings to an Acceptance Unit And/Or provide bulk business mailing services to their own customers. Assumptions: Computer with Internet connection.

5 Old Process Manual Completion and Hard Copy Submission of Mailing Information Most mailers provide paper postage statements and supporting documentation to the Postal Service. Mailers who use software to prepare mail typically generate postage statements and documentation right from the software. Some mailers handwrite postage statements and provide typed or handwritten supporting documents with their mailings. The Postage Statement & documentation is ready to go to the BMEU. The Postage Statement & documentation is ready to go to the BMEU.

6 Manual Completion and Hard Copy Submission of Mailing Information When you present your mailing and documents to mail acceptance personnel, they manually key your postage statement information into the PostalOne! system and provide you with a hard copy receipt. This process of using hard copy and manual entry of information is costly (in both time and supplies) and prone to errors. We are introducing a new way of working with the Postal Service – electronic submission of postage statements and supporting documentation. Old Process

7 New Process Electronic Submission of Mailing Information Using the PostalOne! system over the Internet eliminates the need to print and provide hard copy documentation with your mailing. You simply send your mailing information electronically to the Acceptance Unit where it is available when you bring in your mailing. Once you arrive, acceptance personnel verify and accept your mail and you’re done. You can view your mailing transaction online at any time. Having online access to your mailing account also enables you to check your available funds to ensure you have enough for your mailing. You can also view past transactions to track your mailing and cost trends.

8 New Process What You Get With Online Access As a Mail Owner, you will be able to view: Balances & fees for permits

9 New Process As a Mail Owner, you will be able to view: Postage transactions, pending submitted postage statements, and reports like eMIR providing mailing quality status What You Get With Online Access

10 New Process As a Mail Owner, you will be able to view: Recent transactions and views of the processed postage statement What You Get With Online Access

11 New Process As a Mail Owner, you will be able to view: Pending Postage Statement Wizard statements What You Get With Online Access

12 New Process As a Service Provider, you will be able to view: All client mailing information for the mailings you are preparing - postage statement information (including status), supporting documentation, and reports from your dashboard. What You Get With Online Access

13 Getting Access to PostalOne! In order to submit your mailing information electronically you must first obtain a PostalOne! account. To apply for a PostalOne! account call PostalOne! Customer Support at or follow the application instructions below: Access Select All Products & Services Select PostalOne! Select New Customer Select Apply Online Once you complete and submit the application, the Customer Support Center will send you a welcome kit which that instructions you on completing and returning the required documentation. Upon receipt of the required documentation, you will be provided a login ID & password.

14 Methods of Electronic Submission There are three methods allowing you to submit postage statements electronically: Postage Statement Wizard Mail.dat ® Web Services The following slides provide a description of each method and identifies criteria for selecting a particular method. You will also understand what postage documents can be submitted using each method.

15 Postage Statement Wizard The Postage Statement Wizard (PSW) is a tool that provides you a secure way to submit a Postage Statement online, through your PostalOne! account. The Postage Statement Wizard verifies information as you complete an online postage statement. The Wizard automatically populates your Permit Account information based on the account number you provide. It guides you through the items you need to complete based on information you provide along the way. When you enter mailing information through PSW, it automatically calculates the postage amounts and validates the mailing information you enter. Once you complete the postage statement online, you can submit these electronic statements directly to your acceptance unit from your computer.

16 Postage Statement Wizard Process Select a Form Select a Form Enter Permit User Information Mailing Characteristics Go to the Appropriate Section Submit Online Submit Online Complete Sections & Review Complete Sections & Review Note: You can save your work at any stage along the way. Note: You can save your work at any stage along the way. Present Mail to USPS Present Mail to USPS USPS Accesses Information USPS Accesses Information USPS Accepts and Verifies USPS Accepts and Verifies USPS Deducts Postage USPS Deducts Postage Log on to PostalOne! Log on to PostalOne!

17 Postage Statement Wizard User Profile The typical user of the Postage Statement Wizard falls into one or more of the following categories: Mailer who typically writes or types postage statements Mailer who does not use software to generate mailing information Mailer who typically mails less than 2000 mailpieces a month

18 Postage Statement Wizard All domestic postage statements can be typed in to the PSW tool and electronically submitted. First-Class Mail & Priority Mail – PS Form 3600 Periodicals - PS Form 3541 Standard Mail - PS Form 3602 Package Services - PS Form 3605 No supporting documentation can be typed in to the PSW. You will still need to provide hard copy supporting documentation when you present your mailing.

19 Postage Statement Wizard Benefits Eliminates hard copy postage statements Saves preparation time Rate calculations done by PSW Online verification of information reduces errors Reduces wait times at acceptance units since Postal Service employees do not have to manually type in postage statements. 24/7 online access to financial information & reports View & print statements as well as receipts

20 Mail.dat Mail.dat ® is a tool that allows you a secure way to electronically submit files that contain your mailing information straight from your computer to the PostalOne! system. Unlike the Postage Statement Wizard, you do not have to perform data entry of postage statements through your PostalOne! account. Your computer generates Mail.dat ® files from your mailing software. These files are transmitted to the PostalOne! system. You may send these files from a desk top browser or have a computer system batch processing them to us. The P ostalOne! System receives the file and generates the necessary postage statements and supporting documentation. Data exchange testing with the PostalOne! Help Desk is necessary prior to activation.

21 Mail.dat - Process Mailer presents mail to USPS Mailer presents mail to USPS USPS performs MERLIN or manual verification USPS performs MERLIN or manual verification USPS validates deducts postage (form 3602 & 3541) USPS validates deducts postage (form 3602 & 3541) USPS accesses information on PostalOne! USPS accesses information on PostalOne! Data returned to mailer for online viewing Data returned to mailer for online viewing PostalOne ! ® Customer Send original Mail.dat ™ file Send update Mail.dat ™ file

22 Mail.dat - Profile Typical user of Mail.dat falls into one or more of the following categories: Use software programs to prepare and produce mailings Performs transportation planning & drop-shipping Mails large volumes and complex presorts Anyone that has presort software that produces mail.dat and has paid the IDEAlliance user license fee can use this method.

23 Mail.dat Postage statements that can be submitted using Mail.dat: First-Class & Priority Mail - PS Form 3600 (Dec. 2006) Periodicals - PS Form 3541 Standard Mail - PS Form 3602 Package Services - PS Form 3605 (Dec. 2006) Supporting Documentation that will be generated: Qualification Report (Available) Customer Mail Report (Dec. 2006) Summary ZIP Destination Report (Dec. 2006)

24 Mail.dat - Benefits Streamlines every aspect of high volume mail preparation Eliminates hard copy postage statements and supporting documents Reduces administrative costs for printing & storage Provides dashboard access to all mailing activity for multiple accounts. Electronically inspects mail files for formatting and field requirements

25 Web Services Web Services provides you another secure way to electronically transmit postage statements and supporting documentation. This option enables you or your software vendor to convert mailing information into an XML¹ format that can be transmitted directly to the PostalOne! system. Similar to Mail.dat ®, the Web Services files are generated from your computer. Data exchange testing with the Customer Care Center is necessary prior to activation. ¹ - eXtensible Markup Language (XML) – language

26 Web Services - Process USPS accesses Information on PostalOne! USPS accesses Information on PostalOne! PostalOne! ® Customer Send PS Forms & Qualification Report Mailer presents mail to USPS Mailer presents mail to USPS USPS performs MERLIN or manual verification USPS performs MERLIN or manual verification USPS validates & deducts postage (all domestic statements) USPS validates & deducts postage (all domestic statements) Message sent to Mailer that data is available for online viewing Message sent to Mailer that data is available for online viewing

27 Web Services - Profile Typical mailer: Use presort software programs Mails all volumes Mails frequently (daily/weekly) However, you must have presort software that has PostalOne! Web Service capabilities or have technology to produce XML outputs. To obtain more information about Web Services you should speak to your mailing software vendor or may contact PostalOne! Customer Support at to obtain information on how you develop your own Web Services capabilities.

28 Web Services Postage statements that can be submitted using Web Services: First-Class Mail & Priority Mail - PS Form 3600 Periodicals - PS Form 3541 Standard Mail - PS Form 3602 Package Services - PS Form 3605 Supporting Documentation that will be generated: Qualification Report

29 Web Services - Benefits Eliminates hard copy postage statements and supporting documents Reduces administrative costs for printing & storage Online access to financial information & reports Platform independent - enables mailer to develop own browser “look & feel” Enables S/W Vendors to provide additional value-added customer software offerings Enables dynamic messaging to facilitate automating processes Postal Service controlled specification that requires no fee for use Dynamic transportation planning.

30 If you have questions or need additional assistance you may our PostalOne! Customer Support at PostalOne! Customer Support

31 PostalOne! ® Welcomes You To The World Of Electronic Submission PostalOne! ®

32 Questions & Answers Thank You!