Postage Statement Wizard Mail.dat Web Services The of Electronic Postage Documentation

2 Table of Contents Introduction Chapter 1. Getting Access Chapter 2. Customer Support Chapter 3. Methods of Electronic Submission a. Postage Statement Wizard ® b. Web Services c. Mail.dat ® Chapter 4. Electronic Submission Process a. Postage Statement Wizard ® b. Web Services c. Mail.dat®

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™.

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 BMEU Clerk Mail Preparer

5 Introduction Manual Completion and Hard Copy Submission of Mailing Information. Cartoon

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. Introduction

7 Electronic Submission of Mailing Information Using the PostalOne! system over the Internet eliminates the need to print and provide a hard copy postage statement 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 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. Avoid lines Electronically submit

8 Chapter 1 – Getting Access In order to submit your mailing information electronically you must first obtain a PostalOne! account. To apply for a PostalOne! Account, contact your local Business Mail Entry (BME) office and make an appointment to preview Postage Statement Wizard. At the BME, you can complete and submit the application. Upon receipt of the required documents, the Postage Statement Wizard Application Coordinator for your District will send you an message that will include your user ID and password. You’re ready to log into PostalOne! –

9 Chapter 1 – Getting Access Contact your local Business Mail Entry Unit or post office They will provide you with the forms that constitute the PostalOne! application: a. Data Exchange Agreement b. Site Administrator Designation Form c. PS Form 1357-C – Customer Request for Computer Access d. PostalOne! Online Access Application On PS Form 1357-C, Section B, Line 2 – enter the following information: a. PostalOne! as the “Application” b. enter MAIL OWNER or MAIL PREPARER c. enter your permit number and permit type d. enter the finance number of the BMEU or post office to which you will be electronically submitting postage statements

10 Chapter 1 – Getting Access BMEU or post office personnel will mail the completed application to the district Postage Statement Wizard Application coordinator Applicant will receive PostalOne! log on user ID and password via

11 PostalOne! Online Access Application

12 Chapter 2 – Customer Support Contact your local Business Mail Entry Office or contact the PostalOne! Help Desk at Reference Documents can be obtained at the following sites: Additional information on Mail.dat is available at: Additional information on Web Services is available at: Additional information on the Postage Statement Wizard is be available at: Additional information on IDEAlliance is available at:

13 Chapter 3 -- Methods of Electronic Submission There are three methods that allow you to submit postage statements electronically: Postage Statement Wizard ® Web Services Mail.dat ® Desktop PC

14 Chapter 3 – Methods of Electronic Submission What You Get With Online Access As a Mail Owner (permit holder), you will be able to view: Balances and Fees for permits PostalOne! Business Customer Gateway HOME pageBusiness Customer Gateway Balance & Fees page

15 Chapter 3 – Methods of Electronic Submission As a Mail Owner (permit holder), you will be able to view: Postage transactions Electronic statements submitted online, that have not been processed Mail quality reports What You Get With Online Access Business Customer Gateway Reports page

16 Chapter 3 – Methods of Electronic Submission As a Mail Owner (permit holder), you will be able to view: Postage transactions and detailed postage statements Download finalized postage statements Print your own postage statements & receipts What You Get With Online Access Business Customer Gateway Transactions pageView when user clicks DOWNLOAD

17 Chapter 3 – Methods of Electronic Submission As a Mail Owner (permit holder), you will be able to view a listing of: Pending Postage Statement Wizard ® statements The pending transactions are not available to view What You Get With Online Access Pending Postage Statements Report view

18 Chapter 3 – Methods of Electronic Submission As a Mail Service Provider (agent/preparer), you will be able to view: Mailing information for the customer mailings you are preparing, including postage statements, supporting documentation, and other mail status reports What You Get With Online Access PostalOne! Dashboard

19 Chapter 3a -- 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. Submit from your computer at work or home

20 Chapter 3a -- 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 $7000 annually Submit from your computer at work or home

21 Chapter 3a -- Postage Statement Wizard ® All domestic postage statements can be typed into 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 PS Form 3700 Part A – First-Class Mail International No supporting documentation can be typed into PSW. You still need to provide hardcopy supporting documentation when presenting your mail. PSW Submit a Form page

22 Chapter 3a -- 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 Submit from your computer at work or home

23 Chapter 3b -- Web Services Web Services provides you another secure way to electronically transmit postage statements and supporting documentation. Computer to Computer file transfer

24 Chapter 3b -- Web Services – User Profile Typical mailer: Uses presort software programs Mails medium to large volumes Mails frequently (daily/weekly) However, you must have presort software that has PostalOne! Web Services capabilities or has technology to produce XML outputs. Submit from your computer

25 Chapter 3b -- 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 Postage Statements

26 Chapter 3b -- Web Services - Benefits Eliminates hard copy postage statements and supporting documents Saves preparation time 24/7 online access to financial information & reports Reduces wait times at acceptance units since Postal Service employees do not have to manually type in postage statements Enables mailer to develop own browser “look & feel” Enables software vendors to provide additional value-added customer software offerings Postal Service controlled specification that requires no fee for use

27 Chapter 3c -- Mail.dat ® Mail.dat ® is a tool that allows you 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.

28 Chapter 3c -- Mail.dat ® – User 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 Computer to Computer file transfer

29 Chapter 3c -- Mail.dat ® Postage statements that can be submitted using Mail.dat ® : First-Class & 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 Version Summary Report Customer Mail Report * Summary ZIP Destination Report* Postage Summary Report* Data Entry Clerk

30 Chapter 3c -- 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 Mail.dat Home page

31 Chapter 4 – Electronic Submission Process Postage Statement Wizard ® Web Services Mail.dat ®

32 Chapter 4a -- 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 Mailer Presents Mail to USPS USPS Accesses Information in PostalOne! USPS Accesses Information in PostalOne! USPS Accepts and Verifies USPS Accepts and Verifies USPS Deducts Postage USPS Deducts Postage Log on to PostalOne! Log on to PostalOne! Submit from your computer Step-by-Step Electronic Submission Process

33 Chapter 4a – Postage Statement Wizard Process Logon to PostalOne! Click Submit a Form Select Form you wish to complete Enter permit number & type Enter piece weight, number of pieces, total weight of mailing PostalOne! guides you to appropriate sections to complete

34 Chapter 4a – Postage Statement Wizard Process Review data entered Read “warning messages” if any appear on Review page Click Submit Make note of confirmation number (also called Mailing Group ID) PSW Confirmation Page

35 Chapter 4b -- Web Services - Process USPS Accesses Information in PostalOne! USPS Accesses Information in PostalOne! PostalOne! ® Customer Send Web Services File Mailer Presents Mail to USPS Mailer Presents Mail to USPS USPS Accepts and Verifies USPS Deducts Postage Data Available to Mailer for Online Viewing Step-by-Step Electronic Submission Process

36 Chapter 4b – Web Services Process Mail owners or mail preparers who wish to submit postage statement data via Web Services should review the technical specs located at: Testing with the PostalOne! Help Desk will be necessary prior to being able to submit ‘live’ files.

37 Chapter 4c -- Mail.dat ® - Process Mailer Presents Mail to USPS Mailer Presents Mail to USPS Data Available to Mailer for Online Viewing Data Available to Mailer for Online Viewing PostalOne ! ® Customer Send Mail.dat ® file USPS Accepts and Verifies USPS Accepts and Verifies USPS Accesses Information in PostalOne! USPS Accesses Information in PostalOne! USPS Deducts Postage Step-by-Step Electronic Submission Process

38 About File Transfer The File Transfer tool lets mail preparers quickly transmit Mail.dat files to the PostalOne! system for later verification by the Postal Service. This reduces, and ultimately eliminates, paper documentation that is required by the Postal Service, which results in savings for both the Postal Service and its customers. Chapter 4c -- Mail.dat ® - File Transfer

39 Before Transferring Files… Before transferring your jobs to the PostalOne! system, it is recommended that you first validate your files. This increases the likelihood that your jobs will transfer successfully. VERY IMPORTANT : Ensure that your computer has sufficient memory, according to the chart below. Net Size of Mail.Dat Job (MB)Recommended Physical RAM MB MB MB Chapter 4c -- Mail.dat ® - File Transfer Job Megabytes vs. Computer Memory

40 Before Transferring Files… Make sure that your computer has the proper Java software (known as the JVM). NOTE : Some of the latest versions of Microsoft Windows® (such as XP) do not support the needed Java software that the File Validator uses. This is evident if you do not see the “All folders” and “File Contents of” panes on the File Validator page. For more information, see the section on technical/operational prerequisites specifically for software in the Mail.dat Technical Guide available on the PostalOne! website. Because newer Microsoft operating systems (such as Windows® XP) no longer support some Java software, users with new installations of Microsoft operating systems must now install Sun Microsystems Java Virtual Machine or greater on their browsers. If you do not do this, the PostalOne! functions for file validation and manual file transfer will not work. The Batch Processor has a different requirement. Chapter 4c -- Mail.dat ® - File Transfer

41 To Transfer Mail.dat Job Files 1. On the left menu bar, click File Transfer. You may see a File Transfer Disclaimer stating that the information you are about to submit is true and can be monitored. To proceed, click I Accept. The File Transfer page displays the "All Folders" and "File Contents of" panes. (If you click I Do Not Accept, you cannot transfer files to the PostalOne! system.) File Transfer Certification Chapter 4c -- Mail.dat ® - File Transfer

42 To Transfer Mail.dat Job Files (cont.) 2. The "All Folders" pane displays your computer's local hard drives (usually A, C, and D). Click the plus sign (+) next to the drive on which your jobs are saved. 3. In the "All Folders" pane, scroll up or down to locate the folder in which your job is saved. File Transfer Chapter 4c -- Mail.dat ® - File Transfer

43 To Transfer Mail.dat Job Files (cont.) 4. Select the proper folder by clicking the folder name. The "File Contents of" pane displays the job header files. NOTE : If the folder containing your job is in a subfolder, click the plus sign (+) next to the main folder to display the subfolders. From the subfolders, locate and select the appropriate folder. 5. In the “File Contents of” pane, select the header file of the job you want to transfer. NOTE : All files associated with a mailing job are transferred as a result of selecting the header file. To transfer multiple jobs simultaneously, hold down the CTRL key and click the header files of the jobs one at a time to select them. 6. Once you have selected the job header file(s), you can determine the location and name of the log file, just as you did when using the File Validator. To do this, click Validation Log File. By default, the File Validator writes the results to C:\VALIDATION.log. Chapter 4c -- Mail.dat ® - File Transfer

44 To Transfer Mail.dat Job Files (cont.) 7. Click Transfer file(s) to begin the transfer. A File Transfer Certification page opens. 8. To proceed, click I Accept. While the file is transferring, you see a blue status bar beneath the “File Contents of” pane indicating transfer progress. 9. After your job has transferred, a message indicating the transfer status appears. Click OK to close the message and continue working. If you are transferring multiple jobs, the transfer message appears after each job is transferred. NOTE : If you do not click OK to close the message, the remaining jobs will continue to transfer in the background. 10. To check the status of your transferred jobs, click Transfer Summary. Chapter 4c -- Mail.dat ® - File Transfer

45 Checking Job and File Upload Status After you have transferred your Mail.dat jobs, use the Transfer Summary tool to track the status of the mailings. It lists information about the status of all jobs and files you have transferred, including when they were transferred. It also lists detailed error messages for files that failed to transfer. Using this tool gives you detailed insight into the status of your mailings, enabling you as a preparer to more effectively communicate job status with your customers. To check job and file upload status: On the File Transfer page, click Transfer Summary. The Job Status page opens. Initially, recently transferred jobs may not appear. To update the Jobs column, click Refresh. In the Job Status column, jobs will either be reported as “successful,” “In progress,” or “failed.” If your job is reported as “failed,” see the Mail.dat Technical Guide Chapter 4c -- Mail.dat ® - File Transfer

46 Checking Job and File Upload Status (cont.) 2. By default, the Job Status page displays the first eight jobs. To view the next eight jobs, click Next 8 at the bottom of the page. NOTE : To change the number of jobs displayed per page, select a number from the Show records list. 3. To check file upload status, click a Job ID in the Jobs column or enter a Job ID in the Search Job ID box, then click Search. (The Job Detail page displays all files associated with the selected job, file upload date and time, and upload status appears. The Completed Job column will either list the date and time at which a file was successfully uploaded, or report the file upload as “Failed” or “In progress.”) Chapter 4c -- Mail.dat ® - File Transfer

47 Checking Job and File Upload Status (cont.) 4. To view the status of a file's progress, click the file name in the File (Click for Errors) column. A message box displays error details. For an explanation of error messages, check the Mail.dat Technical Guide. 5. To continue working, click Close. Chapter 4c -- Mail.dat ® - File Transfer

48 Alternate Access to File Transfer Application If you are unable to access the File Validator or Transfer tools, a Mail.dat job or a manifest file as a compressed WinZip file to: The subject field of the should include either “validation” or “insertion” to indicate whether the files should be validated or inserted in the PostalOne! The PostalOne! Help Desk makes every effort to process files within 48 hours of receipt. A confirmation will be sent once the files have been processed and will include the result. For submissions that contain validation errors, the validation log will be included as an attachment to the confirmation . Chapter 4c -- Mail.dat ® - File Transfer

49 About File Validator The File Validator checks your Mail.dat® files to ensure that all required fields are populated and contain the correct character format. It also checks optional fields for correct character formatting. Now you will learn how to use the File Validator feature, which improves the likelihood that your Mail.dat jobs are successful. Chapter 4c -- Mail.dat ® - File Validator

50 Before Validating Files… You may wish to change the validation.log file location and file name by clicking Validation Log File. The default name and location are C:\VALIDATION.log. VERY IMPORTANT : Ensure that your computer has enough memory for the size of the file you are validating according to the chart below. Net Size of Mail.Dat Job (MB)Recommended Physical RAM MB MB MB Chapter 4c -- Mail.dat ® - File Validator Job Megabytes vs Computer Memory

51 Before Validating Files…(cont.) Make sure that your computer has the proper Java software (known as the JVM). NOTE : Some of the latest versions of Microsoft Windows® (such as XP) do not support the needed Java software that the File Validator uses. This is evident if you do not see the “All folders” and “File Contents of” panes on the File Validator page. For more information, see the section on technical/operational prerequisites specifically for software in the Mail.dat Technical Guide available on the PostalOne! website. Because newer Microsoft operating systems (such as Windows® XP) no longer support some Java software, users with new installations of Microsoft operating systems must now install Sun Microsystems Java Virtual Machine or greater on their browsers. If you do not do this, the PostalOne! functions for file validation and manual file transfer will not work. The Batch Processor has a different requirement. Chapter 4c -- Mail.dat ® - File Validator

52 To Validate Mail.dat Files 1. On the left menu bar, click File Validator. If you see a Security Warning pop-up box, click Yes to load the File Validator on your system as a temporary file. (If you click No, you will not load it or be able to use the File Validator). The File Validator page opens. It contains the “All Folders” and “File Contents of” panes. NOTE : You can also access the File Validator from the PostalOne! home page ( by clicking Guides & Tools, then clicking Learn More under the PostalOne! File Validator section. Chapter 4c -- Mail.dat ® - File Validator

53 To Validate Mail.dat Files (cont.) 2. The “All Folders” pane displays your computer’s local drives (usually A, C, and D). From the list, click the plus sign (+) next to the drive on which your job is saved. 3. Scroll up or down to locate the folder in which your job is saved. File Validator Chapter 4c -- Mail.dat ® - File Validator

54 To Validate Mail.dat Files (cont.) 4. Select the proper folder by clicking the folder name. The “File Contents of” pane displays the job header files. NOTE : If the folder containing your job is in a subfolder, click the plus sign (+) next to the main folder to display the subfolders. From the subfolders, locate and select the appropriate folder. 5. In the “File Contents of” pane, select the job header file you want to validate. NOTE : To validate multiple job header files simultaneously, hold down the CTRL key while you select the job files. 6. To begin the validation, click Validate File(s). Chapter 4c -- Mail.dat ® - File Validator

55 To Validate Mail.dat Files (cont.) 7. If your job passes the file validation process, a message indicating that the validation was successful appears. If your job fails the validation process, an error message appears. To determine why the validation failed, write down the message, then see the C:\Validation.log file (or the file name and location to which you may have changed it). For details about examining the validation log file, see Opening the Validation Log.Opening the Validation Log 8. Click OK to close the message. If you are validating multiple files, the message appears after each is done. To perform other functions, click the appropriate link on the left menu bar. NOTE : If you are validating files from the PostalOne! home page, close the File Validator window to return to the home page. Chapter 4c -- Mail.dat ® - File Validator

56 Saving Validation Results The File Validator creates a log file by default as C:\VALIDATION.log each time you perform a file validation. You can customize the log file's name and location, thus creating a type of audit trail of all Mail.dat jobs and providing a quick reference to errors you have encountered in the past. Over time, you can identify and correct potential errors before you begin the validation and transfer process. For example, you can incorporate the Job ID and date in the file name—calling it Val1_14Mar07.log to indicate that it was the first Validation attempt for March 14, If you leave the validation log file as the default, the log information for the current validation is appended to the end of the file each time. Chapter 4c -- Mail.dat ® - File Validator

57 Saving Validation Results (cont.) 1. To customize the name and location of the log file when you run the File Validator: While on the File Validator page (for details, see Validating Files), click Validation Log File. The Save Validation Log File as dialog box opens.Validating Files 2. From the Save in list, select the drive to which you will save the file. Then locate and select the folder in which you will save it. 3. Enter the name of the file in the File name box. Chapter 4c -- Mail.dat ® - File Validator

58 Saving Validation Results (cont.) 4. Click Save. If a file of the same name exists in that folder, you see a prompt asking whether you want to replace the file. If you do not see this prompt, proceed to the next step. NOTE : The File Validator does not actually replace the file. Click Yes to append validation information to the end of the existing file. A File Transfer dialog box displays a message confirming the name and location of the validation file that will be saved. (To customize the file name or location, click No.) 5. Click OK. The file is not actually saved yet. It is saved the next time you perform the file validation (click Validate files on the File Validator page). Chapter 4c -- Mail.dat ® - File Validator

59 Opening the Validation Log 1. From the Windows Start button, select Run. The Run dialog box opens. 2. Open the WordPad window (in the Open box, type WordPad and click OK ). 3. From the File menu, select Open. The Open dialog box appears. 4. From the Look in box select the drive (such as “C:”) on which the log file was saved. 5. In the File name box, type validation.log, (or the file name to which you may have changed it when performing the validation). Chapter 4c -- Mail.dat ® - File Validator

60 Opening the Validation Log (cont.) 6. Click Open. WordPad displays the validation log file. The newest error messages display at the bottom of the file. NOTE: A detailed list of errors associated with the job you have validated are stored in the validation.log file. You may open this file at any time to review the error messages and troubleshoot commonly occurring problems. After opening the validation.log file, print it or write down the specific message you are interested in, then consult File Validator User Manual: Troubleshooting Validation Log Errors ( htm) for possible solutions. Chapter 4c -- Mail.dat ® - File Validator

61 Alternate Access to File Validator If you are unable to access the File Validator or Transfer tools, a Mail.dat job or a manifest file as a compressed WinZip file to: The subject field of the should include either “validation” or “insertion” to indicate whether the files should be validated or inserted in the PostalOne! The PostalOne! Help Desk makes every effort to process all files within 48 hours of receipt. A confirmation will be sent once the files have been processed and will include the result. For submissions that contain validation errors, the validation log will be included as an attachment to the confirmation . Chapter 4c -- Mail.dat ® - File Validator

62 About Metrics Search The Metrics Search provides access to metrics that help you identify important mailing trends. You can use this information to identify ways in which you can improve your experience using the PostalOne! system. Chapter 4c -- Mail.dat ® - Metrics Search

63 More About Metrics Search For all jobs associated with a specific Job ID, Mailing Facility, Status type, or Transmission Date, the metrics search lists Transmission Dates, Transmission Times, Mailing Facilities, Types, File Names, Job IDs, Number of Files, Time to Load, File Size, Results, and Mail.dat File Versions. For example, you can use it to identify the optimal file size and transmission time for submitting your jobs. In addition, you can access detailed error descriptions, which will help you identify common problems and avoid them in future file transmissions. Chapter 4c -- Mail.dat ® - Metrics Search

64 To Search for File Transfer Metrics 1. On the left menu bar, click Metrics Search. The Metrics Search page opens. 2. Enter the transfer metrics search criteria: Job ID Mailing Facility Status Transmission Date 3. Click Search. The page displays Transmission Dates, Transmission Times, Mailing Facilities, Types, File Names, Job IDs, Number of Files, Time to Load, File Size, Results, and File Versions. 4. To open the Metrics Error Report and read error descriptions, click the result code in the Result column. Chapter 4c -- Mail.dat ® - Metrics Search

65 About File Transfer Metrics The File Transfer Metrics displays transfer information to help you identify important trends. You can use this information to identify ways to improve your experience using the PostalOne! system. For example, it can help you identify and later avoid commonly occurring file transfer problems, which will help increase your file transfer success rate. Chapter 4c -- Mail.dat ® - Metrics Search

66 To View File Transfer Metrics 1. On the left menu bar, click Metrics - File Transfer. The Metrics - File Transfer page opens. 2. Enter a starting and ending date for the metrics, then select a Report Type: Original Jobs Summary Report Original Jobs Summary System Success Rate Report File Transfer Totals Report Average File Size Report Average Load Time Report Postage Statement Revenue Report 3. Click search. The metrics report displays. 4. To quickly locate a specific item, use the browser's Find feature (press CTRL+F and in the Find What box, enter the term, then click Find Next ). Chapter 4c -- Mail.dat ® - Metrics Search

67 If you have questions or need additional assistance you may contact your local post office or Business Mail Entry Unit. PostalOne! ® Customer Support