It’s Time for Intelligent Mail®
All About the Barcodes
Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2008
1
Agenda
• Introduction to the 3 Barcodes
• Constructing the Barcodes
• Managing Your Mail
– Uniqueness
– Mailer IDs
• Technical Resources
2
Basic and Full-Service Options
• What is the Basic Option?
– Available today for letters, cards and flats
• What is the Full-Service Option?
– Gives mailers key insight into their mail
• Why should mailers opt for Full-Service Option?
– Can take advantage of added mailstream visibility
– Allows improved management of mailing costs and quality
• What is required for the Full-Service Option?
– Proper use of the Intelligent Mail® suite of barcodes
– Submission of electronic documentation
3
Suite of Intelligent Mail®
Barcodes
• Intelligent Mail® Barcode
• Intelligent Mail® Tray Barcode
• Intelligent Mail® Container Barcode
SCF SAN FRANCISCO CA
STD FLTS SCF BC/NBC
940
XYZ CORPORATION
INTERNATIONAL FALLS, MN
(Mailer Area)
Mail®
Intelligent
Barcode
Intelligent Mail®
Tray Barcode
Intelligent Mail®
Container Barcode
4
POSTNET™ – Overview
• Since the 80’s, mailers have applied the POSTNET
barcode to mailpieces
5-digit ZIP Code
Delivery Point
ZIP+4 Code
5
POSTNET™ – Overview
• By reading the POSTNET on mailpieces, processing
equipment is able to direct mail automatically through the
postal network to its destination
6
POSTNET™ – Overview
• The POSTNET is great. However, it only contains
information about the mailpiece’s final destination. No
other information about the mailpiece can be included.
7
Intelligent Mail® Barcode – Overview
• As the Postal Service introduced services such as
CONFIRM® for tracking and Address Change Service for
change of address notification, more information needed
to be printed on the mailpiece
Address Change
Participant Code
Keyline for Address
Change Service
#BWNGKVN
#9999 9920 0104 276
PLANET Code® for
CONFIRM® Service
POSTNET™ Code
for Sortation
8
Intelligent Mail® Barcode – Overview
• With all this extra information, the mailpiece was cluttered
and in need of a serious make over
Address Change
Participant Code
Keyline for Address
Change Service
#BWNGKVN
#9999 9920 0104 276
PLANET® Code for
CONFIRM® Service
POSTNET™ Code
for Sortation
9
Intelligent Mail® Barcode – Overview
So, the Postal Service undertook the task of
creating a new barcode…
A better barcode than the POSTNET™…
A barcode that could hold more
information…
Different information…
It would need to be smarter…
Intelligent…
10
Intelligent Mail® Barcode – Overview
• And so, in 2006, the Postal Service introduced
the Intelligent Mail® barcode to mailers
11
What’s in the Intelligent Mail®
Barcode?
• So, what information is contained in this
new barcode that makes it so smart?
Barcode ID
Service Type
Ex: “50” for Mixed Ex: “700” for First
AADC
Class Mail
Mailer ID
Serial Number
Ex: “123456”
Ex: “200800001”
USPS assigned Mailer assigned
Remember: The POSTNET contains
only Delivery Point information
Routing Code
Ex: 6449 Amberview
Ct., Memphis, TN
38141834649
12
Intelligent Mail® Barcode – Overview
• Because delivery point information and additional
information needed for CONFIRM® and Address Change
Service now fits neatly into a single barcode, the
mailpiece is once again free from clutter!
Address Change
Participant Code
Keyline for Address
Change Service
#BWNGKVN
#9999 9920 0104 276
PLANET Code® for
CONFIRM® Service
POSTNET™ Code
for Sortation
13
Intelligent Mail® Barcode –
Specifications
For Letters and Flats
F A T D
• Height-modulated barcode
• Full bar, Ascender, Tracker, and Descender
Key Barcode Tolerances
• Overall length between 2.667 and 3.225 inches
• Overall height between 0.125 and 0.165 inch
• Vertical clear zone at least 0.028 inch
Other physical characteristics are same as POSTNET
Attribute
Number of bars
Horizontal Pitch
11-digit POSTNET
13-digit PLANET
Intelligent Mail
Barcode
62
72
65
22 ± 2 bars per inch
22 ± 2 bars per inch
22 ± 2 bars per inch
14
Intelligent Mail® Tray and Container
Barcodes and Labels
• Use of the Intelligent Mail®
Tray and Container
barcodes and labels will
be required for the
Full-Service Option in
May 2009
• By using the Intelligent
Mail® Tray barcode and
Intelligent Mail® Container
barcode, the USPS can
maintain visibility of
mailpieces and mail
aggregates throughout the
network through nesting
relationships
15
How Nesting Works
Unique Container Barcode
Unique Mailpiece Barcode
Unique Tray Barcode
SCF SAN FRANCISCO CA
STD FLTS SCF BC/NBC
940
XYZ CORPORATION
INTERNATIONAL FALLS, MN
(Mailer Area)
16
Intelligent Mail® Tray Label –
Overview
• The Intelligent Mail® Tray label has been used internally
by USPS for years
• By attaching an Intelligent Mail® Tray barcode to each
tray, sack or tub in a mailing, mail can be automatically
directed through facilities by processing equipment
17
Tray Barcode - Overview
• What’s in the Intelligent Mail® Tray barcode that makes it
so smart?
ZIP Code
Content
Identification
Number (CIN)
Processing
Code
Ex: Memphis, TN
Ex: “1” for
“38141”
3-digits describing Automation
the tray
Compatible
Serial
Label Type
Number
Ex: “123456” Ex:“20080001”
Ex: “1” for
USPS
Mailer
6-digit MID
Assigned
Assigned
Mailer ID
The former tray barcode only contained delivery
point information
18
Intelligent Mail® Container
Label – Overview
• The Intelligent Mail Container barcode and label has
been tested over the past few years and is ready for
deployment
• By attaching the Container label to containers and pallets
that move mail, mail induction can be automated
19
Intelligent Mail® Container
barcode – Overview
• What’s in the Container barcode that makes it so smart?
Application
Identifier
Type
Indicator
“99”
“M”
Mailer ID
Serial Number
USPS Assigned, Ex: Mailer Assigned, Ex:
“123456”
“200800000001”
The former container label did not contain a barcode
20
Agenda
• Introduction to the 3 Barcodes
• Constructing the Barcodes
• Managing Your Mail
– Uniqueness
– Mailer IDs
• Technical Resources
21
What you need…
• It’s easy to generate the suite of Intelligent
Mail® barcodes. Here’s what you’ll need:
– USPS or vendor-developed Intelligent
Mail® barcode encoder
– USPS or vendor-developed font for the
Intelligent Mail® Barcode
– USPS assigned Mailer ID (MID)
– Content Identification Number (CIN) List
– Software to generate Code 128 subset C
for the Intelligent Mail® Tray barcode and
software GS1-128 for the Intelligent Mail®
Container barcode
22
Intelligent Mail® barcode
• There are three steps required to generate
the Intelligent Mail barcode on mailpieces:
1. Form the 31-digit payload
2. Encode the 31-digits
3. Print the barcode on mailpieces
23
1
Form the 31-digit Payload
• Data for the 31-digits in the barcode needs to be
gathered and assembled
• Ex: “5070012345620080000138141834649”
Barcode ID
“50” for Mixed
AADC
Service Type ID
“700” for First
Class Mail
Mailer ID
Serial Number
Mailer Assigned
USPS assigned
“123456”
Ex: “200800001”
Routing Code
6449 Amberview Ct
Memphis, TN
38141834649
24
2
Encode the Barcode
• Next, encoding software is used to transform the 31-digits
into the barcode payload
“5070012345620080000138141834649”
Apply Encoding
Algorithm
DADTATFFAFFTTTAFTAFDADFDDDDDTAFFDAAFFDAFDDFFTADFTFTTFDAAFTFTADTTT
To download encoders and user guides visit:
http://RIBBS.USPS.GOV/ONECODESOLUTION
25
3
PRINT
• Then, simply apply the Intelligent Mail® font to the
encoded string, and PRINT
DADTATFFAFFTTTAFTAFDADFDDDDDTAFFDAAFFDAFDDFFTADFTFTTFDAAFTFTADTTT
USPS or Vendor
Developed Font
Print Intelligent
Mail® barcode
26
Intelligent Mail® Tray Label
•
Currently, there are two options available for generating
Intelligent Mail® Tray Labels:
1. Generate the labels “in-house”
or
2. Submit online label orders to the Label Production
Center in Topeka, KS
Soon there will be third method of printing Tray labels via
Shipping Assistant!!!
27
Generating Intelligent Mail® Tray
Labels
•
Obtain and use the Intelligent
Mail Tray label specification
from http://ribbs.usps.gov
•
Remember to apply for your
Mailer ID (MID) and have the
Content Information Number
(CIN) List available before
you begin!
http://ribbs.usps.gov
28
Ordering Intelligent Mail® Tray
Labels
•
Ordering labels from the
Label Production Center in
Topeka, KS is handled
through the Customer Label
Distribution System (CLDS)
•
CLDS is a web based
application that provides
mailers with the capability to
create, edit and submit
Intelligent Mail® Tray Label
orders online
http://clds.usps.gov
29
Intelligent Mail® Container
Label
• Affix the 8"x11" label
and the 4"x7"
adhesive label on the
outside of the
shrinkwrap or
container
The 8’’x11’’ label is the
minimum size!
30
Generating Intelligent Mail®
Container Label
• To create and print labels,
obtain and use the
specifications available at
http://ribbs.usps.gov
• Consider working with
vendors
http://ribbs.usps.gov
31
Agenda
• Introduction to the 3 Barcodes
• Constructing the Barcodes
• Managing Your Mail
– Uniqueness
– Mailer IDs
• Technical Resources
32
Lessons from Early Adopters
• Ability to induct Full-Service
Mail does not happen
overnight!
• Consider whether to “build or
buy” capabilities
• Pay special attention to
managing uniqueness and the
Mailer ID
33
Agenda
• Introduction to the 3 Barcodes
• Constructing the Barcodes
• Managing Your Mail
– Uniqueness
– Mailer IDs
• Technical Resources
34
Uniqueness
• For the Full-Service Option, mailers are required to
maintain unique mailpiece, tray, and container barcodes
for 45 days
• Managing uniqueness can be complex
• Key considerations:
– How will uniqueness be driven?
– Who will manage uniqueness?
– Will uniqueness be managed
centrally?
35
Managing Uniqueness
• Consider letting a vendor manage your
uniqueness
• Use license plating to connect data behind the
scenes
– Use the barcode to relate to data in a
database
– Remember: You’ll need to link Address
Correction information to mailpieces and
mailings without using Keyline information
36
Agenda
• Introduction to the 3 Barcodes
• Constructing the Barcodes
• Managing Your Mail
– Uniqueness
– Mailer IDs
• Technical Resources
37
Your Mailer ID
• Your Mailer ID (MID) will be
included in each mailpiece,
tray, and container barcode
that you print
940
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SC FLTS
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OR ION
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( Ma
iler
a
Are
)
• If you use multiple mail
preparers, managing your
Mailer ID while maintaining
uniqueness will require
constant attention
38
Managing Multiple Mailer IDs
• Larger mailers may have multiple Mailer IDs to manage
• Be sure to keep track of your Mailer IDs and who is using
each ID
• Strategies to consider:
– Distribute your Mailer IDs
based on geography. Assign
each of your major hubs a
different ID
– Assign each mail preparer
you work with one Mailer ID
39
Managing A Single Mailer ID
• Most mailers will need to manage a single Mailer ID
• Use only your own Mailer ID; it’s the key to your mail
• Consider assigning each mail preparer you work with a
different first digit in the serial numbers they apply to
mailpieces, trays, and containers
“50700123456X1234567838141834649”
For Mail Preparer 1, X = 1
For Mail Preparer 2, X = 2
…
40
Agenda
• Introduction to the 3 Barcodes
• Constructing the Barcodes
• Managing Your Mail
– Uniqueness
– Mailer IDs
• Technical Resources
41
Validating Intelligent Mail®
Barcodes
• Manual Tools
– Visual Inspection
– Plastic Templates
– Optical Comparator
• Software
– Online Encoder/Decoder
– Scanners and Verifiers
• Local postal resources
42
Technical Resources
Plastic Template
• Automation Barcode
Gauge Template (Item
#04A)
• Great tool available from
local BSN or Mailpiece
Design Analyst
• Measures both the
Intelligent Mail barcode
and the POSTNET™
43
Technical Resources
Optical Comparator
• Optical Comparator 6X
(Eye Gage) by Gage-Line
Technology
• Complements Item 04A
with ability to measure
exact heights/widths and
to assess barcode jitter
(~centerline shift)
44
Technical Resources
Basic online decoder tool is available at:
http://ribbs.usps.com/OneCodeSolution
45
Technical Resources
Scanners and Verifiers
• The Culver Group
– HHP4600 Area Imager
• Videk
– VisionSensor 2030 and PostnetVerifier
• BCC Software (A BÖWE BELL+HOWELL Company)
– Mail Verifier Plus (MVP)
• Motorola / Symbol
– Scanners – DS3408, DS3478 and DS6707
– Mobile computers – MC50, MC70, MC3000, MC9000
Information about these companies is available at
ribbs.usps.gov/OneCodeSolution
46
Steps to Getting Started
STEP 1:
Talk with your Mailpiece Design Analyst,
mail service providers & vendors
STEP 2:
Apply for Mailer ID (MID)
STEP 3:
Apply for a PostalOne!® account
STEP 4:
Visit RIBBS - download guides and
software
STEP 5:
Determine uniqueness strategy
STEP 6:
Generate barcodes
47
When is the Right Time for you to
Implement Intelligent Mail®?
The Time is
NOW…
48