MTAC Workgroup 106 Improve, integrate, and optimize data sources… Brian Euclide, Perry Judd’s Inc. Bob Galaher, USPS Marketing Nov 02, 2006 Washington DC

2 MTAC Workgroup 106 – Agenda Business Needs Group Goals Objectives Current Problems Plan Status Proposed Solution

3 MTAC Workgroup 106 – Business Needs Mail industry needs a seamless mail preparation and drop ship business model that supports: –How to prepare all mail products – content of containerization, work-share discounts, destination of contents, and processing needs. –What mail products can claim entry point discounts (EPDs) –Alignment of mail preparation data with drop ship data to determine physical USPS facility drop-off locations for mail products claiming EPDs. –USPS Administrative policies, business rules, and functions to manage / maintain process and data sources to meet USPS / mail industry needs.

4 MTAC Workgroup 106 – Goals Optimize the integration of data sources impacting mail preparation, drop ship discounts, and delivery (i.e. Drop Ship products, Labeling Lists, and Facility Information). Identify a consolidated data set and determine communication methods to disseminate information in a timely manner. Provide recommendations for business rules and processes to update and coordinate changes to maintain accuracy, currency, and implementation.

5 MTAC Workgroup 106 – Objectives Define problem –Disconnects between preparation (i.e. containerizing, labeling) and entry (i.e. drop ship product) Determine needs –Comprehensive Data Source » Direct Data Solution – No Ambiguity » Maintainable Data Source » Responsive to Changes » Supports – Creation to Delivery Supply Chain Develop recommendations/solutions –Centralized Data Source » Identifies Container Contents » Defines Container Zip Code Groupings » Discount Options » Physical Entry Locations (based Processing Attributes)

6 MTAC Workgroup 106 – Current Problems Inconsistencies within data sources. Data sources lack synchronization –Changes made to Labeling List are not updated in Drop Ship Files. –Changes made to Drop Ship Files are not updated in Labeling List. Complex drop ship decoding logic used to determine a containers’ entry point location. –No business rules specifying how to use labeling list and drop ship files –Data sources terms are vague – causes confusion and inconsistencies among users. Data sources distributed in a manner that doesn’t meet business needs. Data sources lacking a clear structure.

7 MTAC Workgroup 106 – Plan Establish Common Language (glossary of terms) Define Solution Scope Define Work Tasks Use Top / Down – Business Driven Approach to: –Determine the activities, resources (actors, systems, etc.), rules, and information used in containerization of mail contents and drop ship processes –Determine the administrative functions, policies, and business rules to manage and maintain data sources. Establish work teams Establish Timelines

8 MTAC Workgroup 106 – Status Work Products Produced: –Created a USPS drop ship and label list data dictionary. –Defined current USPS labeling list and drop ship issues list. –Created a process flow of the current mail industry drop ship business process. –Created a current USPS labeling list and drop ship process and data workflow diagram. –Created a project plan to manage solution. –Created an initial conceptual solution.

9 MTAC Workgroup 106 – Proposed Solution Container Content IDs (CCIDs) data source provides mailers how to containerize mail, label container contents, and specifies container’s destination. Entry Point Discount (EPDs) data source provides mailers with EPDs applicable to a container’s destination ZIP. Data Relationship data source associates CCIDs to EPDs to determine a container’s USPS facility ID for processing. Mailers lookup USPS facility ID in USPS Facility data source to find a container’s physical USPS facility location. Container Content IDs Entry Point Discounts Data Relationship USPS Facilities Future?

10 MTAC Workgroup 106 – Next What’s Next? –Smaller sub group to finalize details of proposed plan –Define business rules for use of solution –Submit proposed solution to larger workgroup (Industry and USPS) –Submit solution to USPS leadership