Mail Prep - PostalOne!® Mail.dat® and Intelligent Mail® Is My Life About To Change? What Do I need To Do? Presented by: Angelo Anagnostopoulos, GrayHair Software

2 So What’s New?

3 Intelligent Mail™ What is the Postal Service saying about Intelligent Mail? “The Postal Service has proposed that beginning in May 2009, mailers will be required to use Intelligent Mail® or POSTNET barcodes to access Basic automation prices for letters and flats and preferential pricing will be given for Full Service Intelligent Mail. As of May 2010, only Intelligent Mail barcodes will be eligible for letters and flats mailed at automation prices”

4 What About It?  Federal Register Proposal Published  Additional Federal Register is due soon  You have until May 2009 to start using Intelligent Mail Barcodes (IMB’s) if you want to receive partial or full automation discounts  Options include  Full Service  Basic  POSTNET  POSTNET only good until May 2010  None  There will be incentives (positive or negative) to do business electronically with the Postal Service

5 Intelligent Mail Discount Options  You can choose not use Intelligent Mail  POSTNET (only good until May 2010)  Basic  Intelligent Mail Barcode on Mailpieces (does not have to be unique)  Full Service  Unique Intelligent Mail Barcode on Mailpieces, Trays, Sacks and Containers (unique how?)  Electronic Mailing Documentation (eDoc)  Schedule Appointments for all mail (including Origin)  Free services included with Full Service  Address Correction Information  Start-the-Clock

6 IM Options – How Much and How Hard? Full Service & IMB Postnet or Basic & IMB No Barcodes Harder Easier Best Discounts Worst Discounts

7 I Think Some People Are Living In Denial  A survey of nearly 300 executives and IT managers in the mailing industry was conducted jointly by Pitney Bowes Group 1 Software and Mailing Systems Technology  42 percent are awaiting future announcements regarding USPS postal discounts before deciding on an Intelligent Mail Barcode (IMB) option (basic vs. full service)  9 percent plan to continue using the POSTNET barcode until it is officially phased out in 2010  39 percent will begin Intelligent Mail Barcode implementation over the next 12 months  6 percent do not have plans to implement Intelligent Mail  Results show that companies are already thinking about migrating to the new IMB, but require more information and discount incentives to help guide the investments in the technology that will enable them to meet the new postal mandate in 2009 Source: PB Group 1 Software, Inc. 3/31/2008 Press Release

8 Intelligent Mail Challenges  A mailing can be either Basic or Full Service but not both  Issue in Co-Mail, Commingle and Co-Palletization environments  Generating good and complete electronic data  Cast of Characters and security  Mailpiece redesign  IMB Service Codes  What if I print the piece and want to change Mail Class?  IMB OEL information  45 day uniqueness rule  Logical vs. physical trays, sacks and pallets  Origin Appointments  First Class Palletization

9 The Future of Postage Payment Note: Required for Full Service

10 Options For Postage Payment Mail.dat Batch or Web Services and TM Mail.dat Manual Wizard Web Services Paper Easy Hard Most Expensive Least Expensive

11 Paper  Can be created manually or by software  Reports like the Qual Report are bulky and costly to produce and store for one year  There will be incentives to stop producing paper  Not available for Full Service

12 Postage Statement Wizard  Easier than paper  Made for small businesses  Specialty use situations  Labor intensive for large mailers  Can use for Full Service if volume is < 10,000

13 What is Mail.dat?  Developed by IDEAlliance  Industry standard. Nearly everyone can create it  Safe from Privacy Issues. Only stores mailing information not names and addresses  An excellent alternative to manual paper reports and round- stamped postage statements

14 Mail.dat File Set

15 Web Services  The USPS Wizard Web Service API consists of five major areas of functionality, each with its own Web Service Definition Language (WSDL) file that defines the objects and methods available  Password Management  Mailing Groups  Postage Statements  Qualification Reports  Plant-Verified Drop Shipment  Transaction Messaging (TM)  Developed by IDEAlliance  Provides Additional Functionality  Used for making FAST Appointments  PDR XML

16 XML – What Does It Look Like? Thank goodness computers and geeks can read this stuff!

17 The Process - Today

18 The Process - Improved

19 PostalOne! Challenges  Postage Statements without USPS “Round Stamp”  Courtesy Pallets (software)  MLOCR, Commingle and Co-Palletization  Manifest mailings  Spoilage  Application process (getting better but wait)  File upload times

20 5-Digit ZIP Code

21 ZIP+4 Code

22 Delivery Point Barcode

23 Current Envelope 6060 PRIMACY PKWY STE 201 MEMPHIS TN **************************** 5-Digit IRENE PAYNE 6449 AMBERVIEW CV MEMPHIS TN ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED Presorted First-Class Mail U.S. POSTAGE PAID Washington, DC Permit No. 1 #BWNGKVN # POSTNET Code for Sortation PLANET Code for Confirm Service Participant Code Keyline for Address Change Service

24 Mailpiece With IMB 6060 PRIMACY PKWY STE 201 MEMPHIS TN ************************ 5-Digit IRENE PAYNE 6449 AMBERVIEW CV MEMPHIS TN Presorted First-Class Mail U.S. POSTAGE PAID Washington, DC Permit No. 1

25 IMB Milestones  Initial launch of the Intelligent Mail barcode on September 1, 2006  Letter mail  OneCode Confirm™  OneCode ACS™  May 1, 2007  First-Class Mail, Periodicals, Standard Mail®, and Bound Printed Matter for Automation Discounts  First-Class Mail, Periodicals, Standard Mail, and Bound Printed Matter flats with Intelligent Mail barcodes to participate in OneCode Confirm  First-Class Mail and Periodical letters and flats with Intelligent Mail barcodes to participate in OneCode ACS  Balance Fall 2007  May 2009  Required for Full Service and Basic Service discounts  May 2010  Goodbye POSTNET

26 Serial Number Delivery Point ZIP Service Type Mailer ID Barcode ID POSTNET™ barcodeIntelligent Mail ® Barcode Optional Endorsement Line: “50” Mixed ADC “700” First-Class Mail “702” Standard “704” Periodicals “706” Bound Printer Matter USPS Assigned “ ” Mailer Assigned “000235” Jane Doe 6449 Amberview Ct Memphis, TN Intelligent Mail Barcode Components

27 IMB Specifications  Same as POSTNET, except:  – inches in length (3 bars longer)  – inch in height (vs – 0.135)  vertical barcode clearance (vs ) Clearance between barcode and text lines same as clearance between text lines!

28 IMB Specifications (cont.) Same as POSTNET, except that instead of baseline, you need to look for the centerline! Barcode Skew Bar Rotation

29 IMB Specifications (cont.) Maximum dot matrix spacing increased from to inch. Increase in the allowed space between dots (voids). Is this enough for Flats mailers?

30 Get Authorized To Print The IMB  Apply for a Mailer ID  Contact your local Mailpiece Design Analyst (MDA):  Online tool at  Click “Mailpiece Design”  Click “Lookup Tool” under heading “Mailpiece Design Analyst”  Complete the survey and a 6 or 9-digit MID will be assigned based on mail volume  Certify your IMB with the MDA  If using for Confirm, certify with Confirm  If using OneCode ACS™, certify with ACS

31 How Do I Tell The Difference Between a 6-Digit and 9-Digit MID?  By the 1 st digit of course  0 = Converted Confirm Subscriber ID  1-8 = 6-digit MID  9 = 9-digit MID

32 Gathering The Parts Of The IMB  Barcode ID defines the presort makeup in conjunction with an Optional Endorsement Line (OEL). This is required  Service Type ID defines the mail class and any services requested (e.g., OneCode Confirm™, OneCode ACS™)  Do not use “000”  Mailer ID is a 6-digit or 9-digit number that uniquely identifies the mail owner or mailing agent. Not required on Reply Envelopes  Serial Number uniquely identifies the mailpiece or mailing  Routing Code is used to encode the destination ZIP Code of the mailpiece  Never pad ZIP Code with zeroes, spaces or any other digits that are not part of the ZIP Code; same as POSTNET  IMB does not require a CHECK DIGIT

33 How to produce the IMB

34 Destination Confirm Example Data FieldNumber of DigitsDefinition Barcode ID2Fill with OEL and Presort data Service Type ID3040 – Destination First Class 042 – Destination Standard Mail 044 – Destination Periodicals Subscriber ID -> MID6Add a leading zero to the existing Subscriber ID Serial Number9Uniquely identify each mailpiece for full service or you can use a static code for basic service (not recommended) Routing Zip0, 5, 9 or 11Delivery Point Zip Code information

35 Nesting Requirements 6060 PRIMACY PKWY STE 201 MEMPHIS TN Address Change Service John Doe 6449 AMBERVIEW CV MEMPHIS TN Unique Mailpiece Barcode Unique Container Barcode Unique Tray Barcode

36 Full Service Requirement for Trays and Sacks Apply a Unique Intelligent Mail Tray barcode on Tray and Sack labels

37 The Tray Label Is Changing Mailer ID Serial Number Content Identifier Number (CIN) Label Source ZIP Code Label Type Current 10 digit Label New 10/24-digit Label “22043” “245” First-Class Mail Letter AADC Barcode “1” Automated, Barcoded, Machinable USPS Assigned: “ ” “00001” “8”

38 Full Service Requirement For Pallets Apply a Unique Intelligent Mail Container barcode on labels affixed to containers such as Pallets, Gaylords and Rolling Stock

39 The Pallet Placard Is Changing Mailer ID Serial Number M Current LabelNew Container Label 99

40 What Can I Do To Get More Involved?

41 How To Get Involved  Join the IDEAlliance Mail.dat Workgroup if you want to help define the future of the Mail.dat Specification  Join the Transaction Messaging Business Group  Join an MTAC Workgroup  Join the PostalOne Users Group  Get involved with your local PCC

42 Current MTAC Workgroups ISSUETITLE 106Improve and integrate data sources that facilitate optimal mail preparation and induction 115Requirements for Prep & Entry of Flat Mail in FSS Environment 116Great Addressing to Increase the Value of Mail 117 Seamless Acceptance, Performance Based Verification, Implementation Benefits Obstacles and Feedback 118Software Certification for PostalOne! 119FSS Implementation Communication 120Communicating Entry Req. IHD Solutions Seasonality Impact

43 Acronyms And Industry Terms  ACS – Address Change Service  APPS – Automated Package Processing System  END – Evolutionary Network Design  FAST – Facility Access Shipment and Tracking  FSS – Flats Sequencing Sorter  ICB – Intelligent Container Barcode  IMB – Intelligent Mail Barcode  ITB – Intelligent Tray Barcode  MTE – Mail Transport Equipment  PARS – Postal Automation Redirection System  PostalOne! – The Customer Gateway  Transportation Management  Confirm  Postage Payment  eDoc  FAST  Seamless Acceptance – Automates Mail Induction  Surface Visibility – Electronic capture of Mail movements via container scans

44 Resources  Information on MTAC  Chris Lien -  John Stark -  Mail.dat   PostalOne!   USPS RIBBS Reference Site   FAST   Wizard Web Services   Mail Tracking and Reporting   Intelligent Mail Barcode 