The Office Procedures and Technology Chapter 11 Processing Mail Copyright 2003 by South-Western, a division of Thomson Learning

Sorting and Distributing Mail In small companies Sort mail at your workstation Hand deliver each stack to the appropriate person or department In large companies Opening packages and envelopes Safety precautions Sorting mail Distributing mail Topic 11-1 Incoming Mail Procedures Slide 2

Handling Incoming Mail Documenting receipt of mail Note receipt of mail received by special postal services or private mail services Note mail you expect to receive in a separate envelope or package The underlined words and annotations on this letter will make preparing a response easier Opening mail Do not open mail for others that is marked Confidential or Personal Check for enclosures Make sure the signature and address are on the letter before discarding the envelope This database is used to document the receipt of special mail Separating and annotating mail Place mail you will answer in one stack and mail to be handled by others in another stack Annotate correspondence to aid in creating a reply Annotate: write comments related to the content on a document Key Term Topic 11-1 Incoming Mail Procedures Slide 3

Handling Incoming Mail Referring or routing mail Prioritizing Mail Arrange mail items in order of importance A referral or routing slip is used to forward mail to others 1. Urgent messages 6. Orders 2. Personal and confidential letters 7. Bills and invoices 3. Business correspondence of special importance 8. Advertisements 4. Checks or money orders 9. Newspapers and magazines 5. Other business letters 10. Packages Topic 11-1 Incoming Mail Procedures Slide 4

Handling Incoming Mail Handling mail for coworkers who are away from the office Maintain a mail register Advise the traveler of important actions needed immediately Refer routine mail to others who can respond or answer yourself Send a synopsis of mail if the trip is to be long Prioritize and store mail in an appropriate place Topic 11-1 Incoming Mail Procedures Slide 5

Focus On … Protecting Confidential Information Confidential information is that which should be kept private or secret Examples Inside information about company plans Proprietary information about company products or processes Private information about clients or employees Follow guidelines to safeguard business information Know your supervisor’s preferences Follow correct mail procedures Secure your workstation Protect written documents Reduce electronic information loss Topic 11-1 Incoming Mail Procedures Slide 6

Processing Outgoing Mail Procedures vary from company to company Various services may be used United States Postal Service Private mail companies and courier services Folding and inserting mail Verify that items are complete and correct before mailing Copies have been made Letters are signed Enclosures are present Addresses on the letter and envelope match Addresses include a nine-digit ZIP code Follow these steps to fold an 8 1/2" by 11" sheet for a No. 10 envelope Fold correspondence appropriately for the envelope used The USPS provides many services useful to businesses Topic 11-2 Outgoing Mail Procedures Slide 7

Processing Outgoing Mail Sealing and weighing envelopes Envelopes must be sealed before mailing Envelopes must be weighed to determine the proper postage Stamping mail Postage must be applied to mail to be delivered by the USPS Stamps may be purchased in sheet, booklet, or rolled form Printing postage for mail Postage meter prints postage in the amount needed Purchase postage for the meter at a post office or online USPS stamps are available in various designs and postage amounts Topic 11-2 Outgoing Mail Procedures Slide 8

Handling Volume Mailings Involves sending the same item to many people at the same time Properly prepared volume mailings may qualify for reduced postage rates Computer-generated mailing lists are often used for volume mailings Specialized mailing equipment automates the process of preparing volume mailings Topic 11-2 Outgoing Mail Procedures Slide 9

Address Requirements The USPS uses optical character readers (OCRs) to process mail Addresses that cannot be read by OCR take longer to process Address format Block the left margin of the address Use all capitals and omit punctuation except in the ZIP code Use standard abbreviations Include the ZIP code in the address for domestic mail Include the foreign postal code for an international address Using a proper address format speeds the delivery of mail ZIP codes Use of a nine-digit ZIP code speeds delivery of a domestic mail item ZIP code directories are available in print and online Optical character reader: electronic equipment that scans the address on an item and prints a bar code Key Term Topic 11-2 Outgoing Mail Procedures Slide 10

Classes of Domestic Mail First class Priority mail Express mail Periodicals Standard mail Mixed classes Topic 11-2 Outgoing Mail Procedures Slide 11

Special Postal Services Registered or insured mail Proof of mailing or delivery COD mail This certified mail receipt indicates that the mail item was delivered Topic 11-2 Outgoing Mail Procedures Slide 12

Other Types of Mail International mail Service provided by the USPS and private companies Customs forms may be required Private courier/delivery service These services usually cannot deliver to a post office box Many delivery companies have a Web site that allows a package to be tracked from mailing through delivery Interoffice mail Delivered by mailroom workers in large companies Envelopes usually differ from those used for mail going outside the company Telegram A message delivered by Western Union Can be sent by calling Western Union or accessing the company’s Web site Customs: government taxes on imported items Key Term Topic 11-2 Outgoing Mail Procedures Slide 13