Acceptance and Induction:The Mailing Industry’s Digital Revolution

IDEAlliance Print DistributionApril 22, 2007Debbie Cooper

Streamlined Mailing

Integration: USPS & Mailers

Focus is on

•Paperwork Reduction•Interactive Mailing•Visibility

Agenda

Streamlined Mailing – An Easier and More Cost Effective Way to

Conduct Business with the USPS

PostalOne! - A Database of Mailing Information Surface Visibility – Scanning and Reporting of

Pallets FAST - Appointing System for USPS

Dropshipments E Drop Ship – Electronic Induction of Mail

Electronic Mailing Information

Processing Scans Bundle/Pieces

Tray/Sack Scans

Mailer Enters Mail

USPS Scans Shipment

Scanning

Pallet Assign

Build

Container Close Container Stage

Break

Placard Assign

110PM112VSFP120PM123334

112F343A34

Container

Handling Unit

Handling Units Scanned : 3

ZIP Code Range Not Valid

Handling Unit destination does not match the Container destination.

OK

View

ScansMain Menu

Platform Other

Customer/USPS Electronic Access

Verification and PaymentPrepare, Print & Package Mail

Proactive Intelligence

Surface Visibility Tracks Shipment

Make Appointment

Reduce Paperwork

Tomorrow’s Process

Interactive Mailing

Visibility

Streamlined Acceptance: The Basics

Advantages: Data updates through out the Supply Chain Electronic updates available immediately to all Common database Automated postage payment

– Mail Acceptance Dates– Acceptance and Verification Status– Shipment Verification Status

Use electronic data to facilitate the verification, acceptance, postage payment, and induction of business mail.

Electronic collaboration with all customersMailing plan & payment data based on the plan

Unique Identity of Containers & PiecesAbility to identify components in processing cycle

Barcodes & In-Process Quality AssuranceComponents tracking throughout processing cycle

Infrastructure to transmit & receive data throughout mailing lifecycle:

From customer to acceptance & paymentTo induction & processingBack to acceptance / verificationUltimately back to the customer – QA

Streamlined Acceptance:The Basics

Improve Service with Automated Processes

Eliminate Hardcopy Paperwork

Integrate Business Functions

Offer Centralized Payment Options

Provide Online Account Process Management– Postage accounting system for bulk business mail – Transmit electronic mailing information– View financial activity – Hardcopy check & centralized electronic payments– Plan & schedule mail induction– View mailing activity– Provide & receive mailing quality feedback

Provide Online Account Process Management– Postage accounting system for bulk business mail – Transmit electronic mailing information– View financial activity – Hardcopy check & centralized electronic payments– Plan & schedule mail induction– View mailing activity– Provide & receive mailing quality feedback

PostalOne!®PostalOne!®

Mailing Information

Customers Printers

Benefits

Streamlined AcceptancePostalOne! Electronic Collaboration

Mail.dat File-based electronic exchangeSophisticated mailing schemasTransportation planningDrives automated plants

Web ServicesForm-based electronic exchangePlatform independenceEnables own corporate views

Web Wizard Postage Submit Postage statements onlineManual data entry & send to BMEU

• Mail.dat• Web Services• Web Wizard

Streamlined AcceptancePostalOne! Electronic Mailing Information

PostalOne!®PostalOne!®

CustomerCustomer1. Mailer sends electronic

information

1. Mailer sends electronic

information

2. Mailer presents mail

to USPS

2. Mailer presents mail

to USPS

3. USPS accepts, verifies & deducts postage

3. USPS accepts, verifies & deducts postage

4. Data returned to mailer for

online viewing

4. Data returned to mailer for

online viewing

Streamlined AcceptanceMail.dat / Web Services

PostalOne!® – Acceptance and Verification

Advantages:

E-certification: Eliminates printing & E-certification: Eliminates printing & shipping of USPS qualification reportsshipping of USPS qualification reports (up to 2,000 pages per mailing)(up to 2,000 pages per mailing)

Electronic documentation: Streamlined, Electronic documentation: Streamlined, more efficient mail verification by DMU more efficient mail verification by DMU clerksclerks

E-postage: Eliminates DMU keying of E-postage: Eliminates DMU keying of postagepostage

Savings: Time, Money, Work Hours & Savings: Time, Money, Work Hours & SpaceSpace

Mail.Dat transmitted to USPS Mail Acceptance Units

Postage Payment

Book Weight Capture Process Electronic entry for DMU replaces PS Form 3629 Book Weight Reporting and Tolerance messages

Advertising Percentage CapturePayment ProcessMail.dat usage

Easier Postal Documentation PreparationImproved reporting to customersImproved data access for internal purposes & billingSimpler audits

Faster Mail Acceptance, Verification & InductionFaster delivery times for customersEasier dropshipping proceduresGreater postal discounts to share with customers

Increased Control & Job FlexibilityDuration of JobsMerging of Jobs

Greater Quality Control

Streamlined Acceptance Benefits

PVDS 8125 at DMU

Drop Shipment at Entry Point

Tracking & Process Improvement

Wash D C 200

FLTS lllIIIIllllIIII

ABC Mailer

Wash D C 200

FLTS lllIIIIllllIIII

ABC Mailer

NOT !

8125s

PS Form8125

PS Form8125

• Some mailer capability

• USPS capability – internal

• Lack timely actionable information

Appointment Scheduling

Induction Today: Drop Shipment Mail Process

• Paper driven

• Non-actionable data

• Difficult to manage

PS Form8125

PS Form8125

PS Form8125

PS Form8125

• Paper driven

• Difficult to validate

• Expensive to resolve

• Predominantly manual data entry

• Lacks detail information

• Low use automated processes

FAST (Facility Access and Shipment Tracking) – The Basics

Advantages: Allows USPS to schedule resources Common schedule available Electronic updating Common baseline for performance measurement

Electronically notify the USPS the where, when and what of shipments.

Slot capacity

Piece processing level capacity

FAST AppointmentCapacity Limitations

FASTContent Entry Screen

Separate Contents Based On:• Class• Newspaper / Perishable• Shape

Available Access Based OnInformation Quality and FacilityCapacity

FAST – Automating the Process

Advantages:

System to system management of data Free up personnel used to schedule manual web appointments Electronic updates Automated cancellations and reschedules More accurate appointments – better rating Receipt of close out data via XML – easier reporting

FAST – Web Service FAST Messaging via XML

Surface Visibility: The Basics

Advantages:

Database of mail profile: Induction to delivery Window into USPS processing & delivery: Create

timeline information that tracks mail– Shipment Arrival date– Unload/Induction date– Processing date– Mail Visibility data

USPS scans all pallets (MTEL barcode), containers (24 Dgt EDL), and individual piece (4 State CB)

eDropShip

Advantages:

Establishes data exchange (Mailers, Suppliers and USPS)

Automated induction scheduling and drop ship entry process Validates entry point discounts against Postage Statements: payment

validation, appointment validation Container based entry point clearance document e8125 - eliminates current

hardcopy 8125 Reporting of Container Detail Induction events: scans, receipts and conflicts -

Automate pallet conflict/resolution processes

Provides eDropShip status information via web services

End to end vision on pallet level from scheduling through induction

Mail.dat in PostalOne!, Web Services FAST Appointing & Unique Barcode on Pallets

Mailer A

Mailer BMailer B

Shipping Summary

Report

Shipping Summary Report Search

Shipment Information at Job

Level

Presort documentation and Postage Statements

Access to Information – Processes Linked

Appointment level report

Job and Content related information –

conflict warnings, load content,

induction status

Appointment specific information

– scheduling and results

Access to Information –Notification and Status

Surface Visibility Scan Device

Containers Received at Entry Point and Container Related

Issues

Access to Information – Detailed Visibility

Increase mailer flexibility & accuracy of documentation

Decrease cycle time & reduce mail supply chain costs

Provide near real-time visibility for both customers & mailers

Provide alternate, convenient, integrated electronic payment options

Introduce accountability for all participants across the mail supply chain

Promote mail quality & efficiencies in mailing operations

Streamlined Mailing Benefits

Faster, better communication with financial teams

Support for postal audits

Quick snapshot analysis of impact of manufacturing methods on postal sortation (i.e., by mail segment)

Sharing of information via Web across teams (e.g., production team, finance team, fulfillment team, consumer marketing, etc)

All leading towards real time decision making, or, just-in-time choices for production & manufacturing decisions

Streamlined Mailing Benefits

Information on PostalOne!®: www.usps.com/postalone/howto.htm

Information on transferring files: www.usps.com/postalone/guides.htm

Information on Web Services: https://cat.uspspostalone.com/WizardXML/

Information on Postage Statement Wizard: www.usps.com/forms/postagewizard.htm

Information on Mail.dat™: www.usps.com/postalone/guides.htm

Information on IDEAlliance: www.idealliance.org

Additional Resources

A Brave New World Of Mailing

Electronic MailingInformation

StreamlinedAcceptance

FAST

SurfaceVisibility

No more paperwork

Integrated Mailing

Visibility

Questions ?