Smart Barcoder User Guide

Transcription

1 Smart Barcoder User Guide Updated June, 2018 Copyright 2018 Intelligent Mail Barcode Setup Software Table of Contents General User Information... 4 What Smart Barcoder does... 4 Postal Wizard certification... 4 Purchasing Smart Barcoder... 4 How to get lost registration codes... 5 How to install on a different machine... 5 Update policy... 5 How to reach us... 6 About Intelligent Mail Barcodes... 7 What are Intelligent Mail barcodes?... 7 How to get CASS-certified zip+4 codes and delivery point codes... 8 Where to print Intelligent Mail barcodes on your envelopes... 8 Step-by-Step Instructions for Adding Bulk Mail Barcodes to Your Mailing List Files Step-by-step instructions for adding bulk mail barcodes to Microsoft Access files (.mdb,.accdb) (Windows only) Step-by-step instructions for adding bulk mail barcodes to comma-separated, tab-separated or barseparated files (.csv,.tab,.txt)... 11

2 Smart Barcoder User Guide Page 2 Step-by-step instructions for adding bulk mail barcodes to dbase files (.dbf) Step-by-step instructions for adding bulk mail barcodes to Excel files (.xls,.xlsx) Step-by-step instructions for adding bulk mail barcodes to Filemaker Pro files Setting Up Your Mailing List File to Work With Smart Barcoder Setting up Access files (.mdb,.accdb) (Windows only) Setting up dbase (.dbf) files Setting up Microsoft Excel (.xls,.xlsx) files Setting up Filemaker Pro files Setting up other types of files Using Smart Barcoder to Create Barcodes for Bulk Mailing Starting the process Intelligent Mail Barcode Setup screen Column Selection screen Creating Intelligent Mail Barcodes for Reply Envelope Layouts Creating a Reply Mail barcode Creating Barcoded Tags and Placards for Trays, Sacks and Pallets About barcoded tags and placards Creating barcoded tray or sack tags Creating barcoded container placards for pallets Odds and Ends If you forget to write down the serial number range for the USPS Postal Wizard Running Smart Barcoder from the command line or shell (Windows only) Bulk Mail 101 A Short How To on Postal Bulk Mail (links to web) First Things First Getting Started with Postal Bulk Mail Preparing & Submitting Your Bulk Mailing Is it a Postcard, Letter, Flat or Parcel? Postage and Requirements Marketing Mail (Bulk Mail) Presorted First Class Periodical Class Bound Printed Matter... 47

3 Smart Barcoder User Guide Page 3 Bulk Rate Parcels Good Things to Know Barcoding and Cass Certification Using a Mail Merge to Print Barcodes Move Update" (NCOA) Requirement Can Bulk Mail be Personalized?... 47

4 Smart Barcoder User Guide Page 4 General User Information What Smart Barcoder does Smart Barcoder creates United States Postal Service (USPS) Intelligent Mail barcodes (IMBs) and barcoded USPS tray and sack tags. You can use Smart Barcoder to: add IMBs to a file of addresses to prepare the file for bulk mailing; create individual Intelligent Mail barcodes for layouts of postal reply mail envelopes, including business reply, qualified business reply, permit reply, metered reply and courtesy reply; create USPS barcoded tray or sack tags for most categories of USPS trayed or sacked mail. The trial version of Smart Barcoder has all the features of the registered version, except that it will stop operating after 45 days. It can be converted into a registered version simply by entering a correct registration code. Smart Barcoder is compatible with mailing lists saved as Access, Excel, dbase, comma-separated (csv), tab-separated and bar-separated files. Lists saved in other formats, such as Microsoft Works, can generally be exported to one of these standard formats for Smart Barcoder to use. If you are new to bulk mailing and/or need more information about how to prepare a bulk mailing, please see the Bulkmail 101 section of our web site for more details. Postal regulations often change, and we update Smart Barcoder to stay current with those changes. Using an out-of-date version of Smart Barcoder could cause your mail to be rejected. To find out if this is the latest version of Smart Barcoder, please see our update page. Postal Wizard certification Smart Barcoder is certified by the USPS to meet the "unique serial number" requirement for Full- Service IMB mailings. Unique serials are automatically created either per piece or per mailing, at your choice. Purchasing Smart Barcoder If you received this copy of Smart Barcoder as a demo, then you must purchase to continue using this software beyond the first 45 days. When you purchase, you receive: a registration code that allows you to continue to run this demo copy beyond the initial 45-day trial period; updated files for a full year as necessary to stay in compliance with USPS regulations; free bug fixes for a year as necessary; full technical support via and phone;

5 Smart Barcoder User Guide Page 5 Smart Barcoder costs only $35, PLUS, if you purchase Smart Barcoder, you'll receive a free copy of our Intelligent Mail barcode font for your printer. You can purchase in the following ways: To purchase on the web using VISA, Master Card, American Express, Discover or PayPal, please go to our online order page for immediate delivery by Internet download, or to order a copy on CD-ROM. To purchase by check or government purchase order, or by credit card by mail or fax, please see our mail/fax order form. Thank you for your order! How to get lost registration codes If you lose your registration code, or your latest update code, you can retrieve them automatically from our web site. Go to our Resend Codes page, enter the address that we have on file for your registration, and we will your codes to you immediately. It's that easy. We maintain registration codes for one year from your date of purchase. Sorry, we do not have registration codes available for older purchases. How to install on a different machine You may download a current copy of Smart Barcoder at any time by using the link in your original registration . If you are using the same computer that has a previous registered copy of Smart Barcoder, the new copy will automatically detect your registration information. If you are on a different computer, or if you have reformatted your hard drive, you will need to enter your original registration code to convert the demo into a registered copy. If you do not have your registration , you can retrieve it automatically from our web site. Go to our Resend Codes and Download Instructions page, enter the address that we have on file for your registration, and we will send a copy of your registration to you automatically. We retain your registration for one year from your date of purchase. Sorry, we do not have registration s available for older purchases. Update policy We will provide any bug fixes and updates based on new postal regulations at no charge within one year of your purchase date. We normally notify you of these updates via , and provide these updates via the Internet. If you paid an additional fee for updates via regular mail, we will mail them to you on CD-ROM. We may also notify you by , if we have your address, to speed your receipt of any new information. We learn of changes to bulk mail requirements through the Domestic Mail Manual and other official USPS sources. We are not obligated to notify you of any change that is not announced via a revision to the Domestic Mail Manual, although we may notify you of changes prior to such revision. It is your responsibility to send us any changes to or regular mail addresses. We will discontinue notifications if your is returned to us as undeliverable. We will discontinue regular mail notifications if your regular mail is returned without a forwarding address. Make sure you include savepostage.com as an accepted sender in any spam filter you may have.

6 Smart Barcoder User Guide Page 6 Otherwise, our update notices may be rejected by your system as spam. We are not responsible for updating Smart Barcoder if the USPS makes major changes in the bulk mail system that would, in our judgment, make it impractical for us for update your version of Smart Barcoder to remain in compliance. How to reach us To reach us for tech support, customer service and all other questions, please go to the customer support page on our web site. The customer support link above is generally the fastest way to get an answer to your question. In addition to a direct web form to contact us, there are also links to automatically receive a copy of your registration or recent update notices, along with a list of frequent questions. You can also reach us: By phone: By mail: 1712 Morrow Street, Austin Texas

7 Smart Barcoder User Guide Page 7 What are Intelligent Mail barcodes? About Intelligent Mail Barcodes Intelligent Mail barcodes are barcodes used on envelopes, mailing labels, etc. that can be read by USPS sorting equipment. Properly barcoded mail can be automatically routed to the correct post office and carrier. Intelligent Mail barcodes are created using the full nine-digit zip code plus an additional two-digit "delivery-point" code that is derived from the address. You must have the ninedigit zip code plus the two-digit delivery-point code to create an Intelligent Mail barcode for lettersized and flat-sized mail. Since barcoding by the mailer saves handling, the USPS allows small additional discounts when bulk or presorted mail has correct Intelligent Mail barcodes. To qualify for barcoding discounts, the barcode must be printed in one of several specific locations, depending on the size and shape of the mail, and the mail itself must be of a size and shape that allows it to pass through automated sorting machines without jamming. The mailer must also show that the zip codes and delivery-point codes used to create the barcodes came from a source certified by the USPS. (See How to get CASS-certified Codes for more information on getting certified zip codes and delivery-point codes.) There is no postage discount for barcoding your mail unless it is part of a presorted mailing. To find out more about presorting your mail, see the Bulkmail 101 section of this guide. There is no advantage to barcoding individual pieces of mail unless the mail is part of a larger presorted mailing that you are taking to the post office in specially marked trays or sacked. Otherwise, the USPS will assume that the mail needs to be barcoded by its own machines and it will go through the same process as if it were not barcoded. USPS would rather you not barcode single pieces of mail that are not part of a larger mailing submitted according to USPS rules for presorting. How does a barcode work? The following information is used to create the Intelligent Mail barcode for each piece of mail: the nine-digit zip code; the 2-digit delivery-point code, that specifies the exact mailbox where the piece will be delivered; the class of mail for the mailing (first class, standard, etc.); the mailer's Mailer ID number, assigned by USPS; a serial number for each piece of mail or for each entire mailing; an indication of whether the mailer is using any of several address change services offered by USPS; an indication of whether the mailer is using Informed Visibility tracking service; and, for flat-sized mail, the sort level of each mail bundle, if "optional endorsement lines" (OELs) are used on the mail.

8 Smart Barcoder User Guide Page 8 All of this information is encoded using a complicated formula into a sequence of 65 letters, using the letters A, T, F and D. Each letter corresponds to a particular type of bar in the Intelligent Mail barcode. The letters correspond to the bars as follows: A T D F Smart Barcoder automatically creates the sequence of 65 letters for each Intelligent Mail barcode. If you print the sequence of letters using an Intelligent Mail barcode font, the letters are printed as the correct bars. We provide the Intelligent Mail barcode font, called SmartBars12, with each copy of Smart Barcoder. How to get CASS-certified zip+4 codes and delivery point codes For your barcodes to be accepted by the USPS, you have to prove that the zip+4 codes and deliverypoint codes you used to create the barcodes are accurate. To prove accuracy, you must be able to show that your codes came from "CASS-certified" address matching software. CASS-certified address matching software matches your addresses to the USPS master zip+4 data base. CASS-certified software is usually too expensive to be practical for small-volume mailers. This is because the software must include a costly subscription to the USPS master zip+4 file, which must be updated every two months. Typically, over a year you could spend $800 on CASS-certified software, which, for most mailers, is more than the savings that you would get from barcoding. A more practical option is to send your list to a processing service that will perform the CASScertified zip+4 match for you for a small fee (typically around $35 for a small list). Some firms that specialize in matching your address file to the postal zip+4 database are listed on our CASS help page. Mailing lists that are purchased from professional list providers are usually CASS-certified. Mailing lists that come from other sources, such as lists from government agencies, typically are not CASScertified. If your list is CASS-certified, you should receive a "CASS certificate" (USPS form 3553) stating that you have matched your addresses using CASS-certified software, which you must show to USPS on request. Where to print Intelligent Mail barcodes on your envelopes The rules for locating Intelligent Mail barcodes are complicated. If you ve never printed barcodes on your mail before, it s a good idea to talk to the experts at your USPS business service center. Click one of these USPS links for details on barcode placement for letter-sized mail or for flat-sized mail.

9 Smart Barcoder User Guide Page 9 If you are printing barcodes on standard #10 business envelopes, the following requirements apply: The barcode may be printed either in the lower right-hand corner of the envelope or as part of the address. If the barcode is printed in the lower-right hand corner, the left end of the barcode must be between 3 1/2" and 4 1/4" from the right edge of the envelope. Vertically, the barcode must be located between 3/16" and 1/2" from the bottom of the envelope. If the barcode is printed as part of the address, it may be either above the recipient's name, or below the city, state and zip code line. If you use an address keyline or an optional endorsement line, the barcode can be either above or below these lines. Intelligent Mail barcodes must be separated from the nearest printing by at least 0.028" above and below. The barcode can be no more than 5/8" above or below the nearest line of the address. And, there must be at least 1/8" space between the barcode and any printing to its left or right. The barcode must be at least 1/2" from both the left and right edges of the envelope, and at least 5/8" from the bottom of the envelope. If you use a label for the address and barcode, the barcode must be at least 1/8" from the left and right edges of the label. Intelligent Mail barcodes must be separated from the top and bottom of the label by at least 0.028".

10 Smart Barcoder User Guide Page 10 Step-by-Step Instructions for Adding Bulk Mail Barcodes to Your Mailing List Files For Microsoft Access files (.mdb,.accdb) For comma-separated, tab-separated or bar-separated text files (.csv,.txt,.tab) For dbase file (.dbf) For Excel files (.xls,.xlsx) For Filemaker Pro files Step-by-step instructions for adding bulk mail barcodes to Microsoft Access files (.mdb,.accdb) (Windows only) 1. Set up your Access file for Smart Barcoder to be able to process. Here s how. 2. Run Smart Barcoder. Choose the Barcodes for Bulk Mail menu, then choose Add Barcodes to a File of Addresses. 3. Fill in the information on the Intelligent Mail Barcode Setup screen. If you need help with any of the questions, click here. When you are finished, click Next. 4. Next, you will see the standard open file window. Choose the file to which you want to add barcodes. Click Open. 5. If your Access file has more than one table, you will now be able to select the table that you want to add barcodes to. Double click the name of the correct table. 6. You will now see the Column Selection screen. You use that to tell Smart Barcoder which columns in your Access table to use to find the information it needs, and where to save the information it adds to the table. For detailed instructions for this screen, click here. When finished, click Finish. 7. Smart Barcoder will now add barcodes to your mailing list, and show you its progress. When it has finished, it will show you how many barcodes it has successfully added and why it was unable to add barcodes to some of the addresses. It will also show you the range of serial numbers added (or the serial number used for the entire mailing, depending on the option you chose.) This information is necessary if you are using the USPS Postal Wizard web site to submit your mailing to USPS. (If you forget to write this down, you can find it again, without re-running the file, by going to the Barcodes for Bulk Mail menu and choosing Show Serial Number from Last Run.) 8. Your Access file will now contain your barcodes, and you can now print your addresses with barcodes using Access (or Microsoft Word). 9. If you have not yet set the barcode column (in your Access file) to use a barcode font, what you will see are sequences of 65 letters. That sequence is the barcode, shown in regular characters. To view or print this sequence as a barcode, change the font for this column to SmartBars12 (which is installed with Smart Barcoder). Be sure to set the size to 12 point. Then make sure to add this column to your envelope or label layout. If are you using Microsoft Word to print your addresses and barcodes, you need to add the barcode column to your mail merge layout in Word, and set the font for the barcode column (in Word) to SmartBars12. For help setting up the mail merge, you can click here to watch our short video. Questions?

11 Smart Barcoder User Guide Page 11 Step-by-step instructions for adding bulk mail barcodes to comma-separated, tab-separated or bar-separated files (.csv,.tab,.txt) 1. Run Smart Barcoder. Choose the Barcodes for Bulk Mail menu, then choose Add Barcodes to a File of Addresses. 2. Fill in the information on the Intelligent Mail Barcode Setup screen. If you need help with any of the questions, click here. When you are finished, click Next. 3. Next, you will see the standard open file window. Choose the file that you want to add barcodes to. Click Open. 4. You will now see the Column Selection screen. You use that to tell Smart Barcoder which columns in your mailing list file to use to find the information it needs, and where to save the information it adds to the table. For detailed instructions for this screen, click here. When you are finished, click Finish. If you want Smart Barcoder to save information for which you don t already have a column in your mailing list file, you can tell Smart Barcoder to do that by checking the Add a new column to my data file checkbox, and then leaving the selection menu(s) blank for the item or items you want to add. 5. Smart Barcoder will now add barcodes to your mailing list, and show you its progress. When it has finished, it will show you how many barcodes it has successfully added and why it was unable to add barcodes to some of the addresses. It will also show you the range of serial numbers added (or the serial number used for the entire mailing, depending on the option you chose.) This information is necessary if you are using the USPS Postal Wizard web site to submit your mailing to USPS. (If you forget to write this down, you can find it again, without re-running the file, by going to the Barcodes for Bulk Mail menu and choosing Show Serial Number from Last Run.) 6. Your mailing list file will now contain your barcodes, and you can now print your addresses with barcodes using a mail merge in Microsoft Word. In the file, what you will see are sequences of 65 letters. That sequence is the barcode, shown in regular characters. When you print these sequences using the SmartBars12 barcode font (installed with Smart Barcoder), the letters will be converted into the correct bars. When you set up your mail merge in Microsoft Word, you need to add the barcode column to your mail merge layout, and set the font for the barcode column (in Word) to SmartBars12. For help setting up the mail merge, you can click here to watch our short video. Questions?

12 Smart Barcoder User Guide Page 12 Step-by-step instructions for adding bulk mail barcodes to dbase files (.dbf) Please note that dbase is a specific kind of data base file. This does not refer to database files in general (like Excel, Access, etc.), which have different formats. 1. Set up your dbase file for Smart Barcoder to be able to process. Here s how. 2. Run Smart Barcoder. Choose the Barcodes for Bulk Mail menu, then choose Add Barcodes to a File of Addresses. 3. Fill in the information on the Intelligent Mail Barcode Setup screen. If you need help with any of the questions, click here. When you are finished, click Next. 4. Next, you will see the standard open file window. Choose the file that you want to add barcodes to. Click Open. 5. You will now see the Column Selection screen. You use that to tell Smart Barcoder which columns in your mailing list file to use to find the information it needs, and where to save the information it adds to the table. For detailed instructions for this screen, click here. When you are finished, click Finish. 6. Smart Barcoder will now add barcodes to your mailing list, and show you its progress. When it has finished, it will show you how many barcodes it has successfully added and why it was unable to add barcodes to some of the addresses. It will also show you the range of serial numbers added (or the serial number used for the entire mailing, depending on the option you chose.) This information is necessary if you are using the USPS Postal Wizard web site to submit your mailing to USPS. (If you forget to write this down, you can find it again, without re-running the file, by going to the Barcodes for Bulk Mail menu and choosing Show Serial Number from Last Run.) 7. Your dbase file will now contain your barcodes, and you can now print your addresses with barcodes using your dbase software. 8. If you have not yet set the barcode column (in your dbase software) to use a barcode font, what you will see are sequences of 65 letters. That sequence is the barcode, shown in regular characters. To view or print this sequence as a barcode, change the font for this column to SmartBars12 (which is installed with Smart Barcoder). Be sure to set the size to 12 point. Then make sure to add this column to your envelope or label layout. If are you using a mail merge in Microsoft Word to print your addresses and barcodes, you need to add the barcode column to your mail merge layout in Word, and set the font for the barcode column (in Word) to SmartBars12. For help setting up the mail merge, you can click here to watch our short video. Questions?

13 Smart Barcoder User Guide Page 13 Step-by-step instructions for adding bulk mail barcodes to Excel files (.xls,.xlsx) 1. Set up your Excel file for Smart Barcoder to be able to process. Here s how. 2. Run Smart Barcoder. Choose the Barcodes for Bulk Mail menu, then choose Add Barcodes to a File of Addresses. 3. Fill in the information on the Intelligent Mail Barcode Setup screen. If you need help with any of the questions, click here. When you are finished, click Next. 4. Next, you will see the standard open file window. Choose the file that you want to add barcodes to. Click Open. 5. If your Excel file has more than one worksheet, you will now be able to select the worksheet that you want to add barcodes to. Double click the name of the correct table. 6. You will now see the Column Selection screen. You use that to tell Smart Barcoder which columns in your Excel worksheet to use to find the information it needs, and where to save the information it adds to the worksheet. For detailed instructions for this screen, click here. When you are finished, click Finish. 7. Smart Barcoder will now add barcodes to your mailing list, and show you its progress. When it has finished, it will show you how many barcodes it has successfully added and why it was unable to add barcodes to some of the addresses. It will also show you the range of serial numbers added (or the serial number used for the entire mailing, depending on the option you chose.) This information is necessary if you are using the USPS Postal Wizard web site to submit your mailing to USPS. (If you forget to write this down, you can find it again, without re-running the file, by going to the Barcodes for Bulk Mail menu and choosing Show Serial Number from Last Run.) 8. Your Excel worksheet will now contain your barcodes, and you can now print your addresses with barcodes using Microsoft Word. What you will see in your Excel worksheet are sequences of 65 letters. Those sequences are the barcodes, shown in regular characters. When you print these sequences using the SmartBars12 barcode font (installed with Smart Barcoder), the letters will be converted into the correct bars. When you set up your mail merge in Microsoft Word, you need to add the barcode column to your mail merge layout, and set the font for the barcode column (in Word) to SmartBars12. For help setting up the mail merge, you can click here to watch our short video. Questions?

14 Smart Barcoder User Guide Page 14 Step-by-step instructions for adding bulk mail barcodes to Filemaker Pro files 1. Set up your Filemaker Pro file for Smart Barcoder to be able to process. Here s how. 2. Run Smart Barcoder. Choose the Barcodes for Bulk Mail menu, then choose Add Barcodes to a File of Addresses. 3. Fill in the information on the Intelligent Mail Barcode Setup screen. If you need help with any of the questions, click here. For Where should the barcodes be saved?, choose the second option. When you are finished, click Finish. 4. Next, you will see the standard open file window. Choose the file that you exported from Filemaker Pro. (Note that this is not the Filemaker Pro file itself. If you have not prepared an exported a file, please see the section on setting up Filemaker Pro files.) Click Open. 5. You will now see the Column Selection screen. You use that to tell Smart Barcoder which columns in your Filemaker Pro export file to use to find the information it needs. For detailed instructions for this screen, click here. When you are finished, click Finish. 6. Smart Barcoder will now create a file of barcodes, and show you its progress. When it has finished, it will show you how many barcodes it has successfully added and why it was unable to add barcodes to some of the addresses. It will also show you the range of serial numbers added (or the serial number used for the entire mailing, depending on the option you chose.) This information is necessary if you are using the USPS Postal Wizard web site to submit your mailing to USPS. (If you forget to write this down, you can find it again, without re-running the file, by going to the Barcodes for Bulk Mail menu and choosing Show Serial Number from Last Run.) 7. Now you can bring the barcodes back into the Barcode column that you added to your Filemaker Pro file when you set up your Filemaker Pro file. a. Without changing the group of found records you used when exporting your file, choose IMPORT records, using the Import/Export command from the File menu in Filemaker Pro. b. Choose the file where Smart Barcoder saved the barcodes. The standard name for this file is barcodes.txt. You'll find it in your Documents folder. Or, you may have told Smart Barcoder to let you name the file it saved, in which case you should choose the file with that name. c. When the list of columns is displayed, choose "Replace data in current found set" or "Update existing records in found set" (wording depends on your version of Filemaker Pro). d. Align the Barcode column with the first column in the file you are importing. The barcodes in that column will look like sequences of 65 letters for each barcode. (They will become actual bars later in the process.) e. If you have chosen to have Smart Barcoder assign serial numbers for your mail pieces, and you want to save those serial numbers, or you are using Informed Delivery tracking numbers, you can also import this column by aligning it with the column you have provided for the serial or tracking numbers. f. Click OK to import the file.

15 Smart Barcoder User Guide Page Once you import the barcode information, the barcodes will be in your Filemaker Pro file, ready to print. If you have not yet set the barcode column (in your Filemaker Pro file) to use the SmartBars12 font (installed with Smart Barcoder), what you will see are sequences of 65 letters. That sequence is the barcode, printed in regular characters. To view or print this sequence as a barcode, change the font for this column to SmartBars12, at a size of 12 point. Then make sure to add this column to your envelope or label layout, again using the SmartBars12 font at a size of 12 point. Questions?

16 Smart Barcoder User Guide Page 16 Setting Up Your Mailing List File to Work With Smart Barcoder Setting up Access files (.mdb,.accdb) (Windows only) To set up your Access mailing list table for adding bulk mail barcodes with Smart Barcoder, you need to add at least one new column to save the barcode. Suggested Purpose Data Type Minimum Req. or Opt. Field Name Size BARCODE Intelligent Mail Barcode Text 65 Required SERIAL Barcode Serial Number Number or Text 6* Optional OR TRACKING Informed Delivery tracking # Text 20 Optional *If you are a large-volume mailer that has a 6-digit mailer ID, then the minimum size of the serial number field is 9. Intelligent Mail barcodes each contain a serial number. Smart Barcoder can assign these serial numbers automatically, and has been certified by USPS to do that correctly. If you want to save the serial numbers that Smart Barcoder assigns, you can do so by adding a serial number column to your mailing list file. If you select Informed Delivery tracking on the Intelligent Mail Barcode Setup screen, Smart Barcoder provides the Informed Delivery tracking number instead of the barcode serial number. The tracking number is used to identify specific pieces of mail in the Informed Delivery tracking report provided by USPS if you have signed up for that service. (Note that the barcode serial number is also part of the tracking number. It's the last six digits for most mailers, or the last nine digits if you are a large-volume mailer with a six-digit Mailer ID number.) The column names shown are suggestions. You can use any name that Access will accept. Smart Barcoder will automatically identify the correct columns to use if you use the suggested names shown, but you will always be given the opportunity to match Smart Barcoder s columns to your column names even if Smart Barcoder guesses incorrectly. Eliminating Duplicate Records Before Running Smart Barcoder: Access will not allow Smart Barcoder to save the barcodes if you have two or more duplicate records in your file. (By "duplicate", we mean records that are identical in ALL columns.) Before running Smart Barcoder, make sure you do not have duplicate records. You can find duplicates by using the Query Wizard in Access to run a "Find Duplicates Query". Access will identify duplicate records and you can delete the duplicates. If you want to keep the duplicates (because you want the same person listed two or more times), then you should add a new column of the type "AutoNumber" to your table, so that records that were duplicates will now each have a unique number in the "AutoNumber" column, so Access will allow the Smart Barcoder to modify the records.

17 Smart Barcoder User Guide Page 17 Setting up comma-separated, tab-separated or bar-separated text files (.csv,.tab,.txt) No setup is required for these types of files. Step-by-Step Menu Table of Contents Questions?

18 Smart Barcoder User Guide Page 18 Setting up dbase (.dbf) files Please note that dbase is a specific kind of data base file. This does not refer to database files in general (like Excel, Access, etc.), which have different formats. To set up your dbase file for adding bulk mail barcodes with Smart Barcoder, open your dbase database with your mailing list software. You need to add at least one new column to save the barcode: Suggested Purpose Data Type Minimum Req. or Opt. Field Name Size BARCODE Intelligent Mail Barcode Text 65 Required SERIAL Barcode Serial Number Number or Text 6* Optional OR TRACKING Informed Delivery tracking # Text 20 Optional *If you are a large-volume mailer that has a 6-digit mailer ID, then the minimum size of the serial number field is 9. Intelligent Mail barcodes each contain a serial number. Smart Barcoder can assign these serial numbers automatically, and has been certified by USPS to do that correctly. If you want to save the serial numbers that Smart Barcoder assigns, you can do so by adding a serial number column to your mailing list file. If you select Informed Delivery tracking on the Intelligent Mail Barcode Setup screen, Smart Barcoder provides the Informed Delivery tracking number instead of the barcode serial number. The tracking number is used to identify specific pieces of mail in the Informed Delivery tracking report provided by USPS if you have signed up for that service. (Note that the barcode serial number is also part of the tracking number. It's the last six digits for most mailers, or the last nine digits if you are a large-volume mailer with a six-digit Mailer ID number.) The column names shown are suggestions. You can use any name that dbase will accept. Smart Barcoder will automatically identify the correct columns to use if you use the suggested names shown, but you will always be given the opportunity to match Smart Barcoder s columns to your column names even if Smart Barcoder guesses incorrectly. Step-by-Step Menu Table of Contents Questions?

19 Smart Barcoder User Guide Page 19 Setting up Microsoft Excel (.xls,.xlsx) files Please note that this section is for actual Excel files, which end with.xls or.xlsx. Commaseparated files (.csv) and tab-separated (.txt) files can be opened and read by Excel, but are not Excel formatted files and need no setup to work with Smart Barcoder. To set up your Excel mailing list worksheet for adding bulk mail barcodes with Smart Barcoder, you need to add at least one new column to save the barcode: Suggested Purpose Data Type Minimum Req. or Opt. Field Name Size BARCODE Intelligent Mail Barcode Text 65 Required SERIAL Barcode Serial Number Number or Text 6* Optional OR TRACKING Informed Delivery tracking # Text 20 Optional *If you are a large-volume mailer that has a 6-digit mailer ID, then the minimum size of the serial number field is 9. Intelligent Mail barcodes each contain a serial number. Smart Barcoder can assign these serial numbers automatically, and has been certified by USPS to do that correctly. If you want to save the serial numbers that Smart Barcoder assigns, you can do so by adding a serial number column to your mailing list file. If you select Informed Delivery tracking on the Intelligent Mail Barcode Setup screen, Smart Barcoder provides the Informed Delivery tracking number instead of the barcode serial number. The tracking number is used to identify specific pieces of mail in the Informed Delivery tracking report provided by USPS if you have signed up for that service. (Note that the barcode serial number is also part of the tracking number. It's the last six digits for most mailers, or the last nine digits if you are a large-volume mailer with a six-digit Mailer ID number.) The column names shown are suggestions. You can use any name that Excel will accept. Smart Barcoder will automatically identify the correct columns to use if you use the suggested names shown, but you will always be given the opportunity to match Smart Barcoder s columns to your column names even if Smart Barcoder guesses incorrectly. Step-by-Step Menu Table of Contents Questions?

20 Smart Barcoder User Guide Page 20 Setting up Filemaker Pro files Filemaker Pro saves the data it stores in a private format, so its files cannot be read directly by Smart Barcoder. However, it is easy to send files from Filemaker Pro to Smart Barcoder and back again. First, DEFINE new columns in your Filemaker Pro file as follows: Suggested Purpose Data Type Minimum Req. or Opt. Field Name Size BARCODE Intelligent Mail Barcode Text 65 Required SERIAL Barcode Serial Number Number or Text 6* Optional OR TRACKING Informed Delivery tracking # Text 20 Optional *If you are a large-volume mailer that has a 6-digit mailer ID, then the minimum size of the serial number field is 9. Intelligent Mail barcodes each contain a serial number. Smart Barcoder can assign these serial numbers automatically, and has been certified by USPS to do that correctly. If you want to save the serial numbers that Smart Barcoder assigns, you can do so by adding a serial number column to your mailing list file. If you select Informed Delivery tracking on the Intelligent Mail Barcode Setup screen, Smart Barcoder provides the Informed Delivery tracking number instead of the barcode serial number. The tracking number is used to identify specific pieces of mail in the Informed Delivery tracking report provided by USPS if you have signed up for that service. (Note that the barcode serial number is also part of the tracking number. It's the last six digits for most mailers, or the last nine digits if you are a largevolume mailer with a six-digit Mailer ID number.) Creating and Exporting a File for Smart Barcoder to Read: To prepare a Filemaker Pro file to be read by Smart Barcoder: FIND the records you want to include in your mailing. EXPORT the records to a new file, using the Import/Export command from the File menu. Choose "tab-separated" as your export file type. When the list of columns is displayed, be sure to select (by clicking next to the column) your zip code and delivery point code columns. No other columns need to be selected. The order of the columns does not matter. Choose "Don't format output." Click OK to export the file. Be sure to remember the name of the file that you have created by exporting.

21 Smart Barcoder User Guide Page 21 Setting up other types of files If your software does not use one of the standard formats that Smart Barcoder processes directly, there's a very good chance that your software can export or save its information in one of several standard formats: comma-delimited (csv), tab-delimited or Excel. In that case, simply export or save your file in standard format and follow the instructions for using Smart Barcoder with that particular type of file. The Save As or Export command in your software will typically give you a list of formats to choose from. Software programs use many different names for the same file format. Here are some names that we know are used for formats that will work: ascii comma-delimited ascii tab-delimited ascii bar-delimited ascii comma-separated ascii tab-separated ascii comma-quote ascii csv merge text text text as tab text as comma text as comma-quote. Generally, anything that looks somewhat like these names will work. If one doesn't, try another. The tab formats are somewhat more standardized than the comma formats. When you Save As or Export to the new format, you will be required to name the formatted file. Use a name like text copy of my list. Be sure to remember the name, and especially the folder you saved it in. Otherwise, you'll have a hard time finding it to run it in Smart Barcoder. Step-by-Step Menu Table of Contents Questions?

22 Smart Barcoder User Guide Page 22 Using Smart Barcoder to Create Barcodes for Bulk Mailing Starting the process Smart Barcoder is designed to walk you through the information that is needed to add barcodes to your mailing list. To start your mailing, click on the barcode in the center of the main screen, or choose Add Barcodes to a File of Addresses from the Barcodes for Bulk Mail menu. OR This will bring up the Intelligent Barcodes Setup screen.

23 Smart Barcoder User Guide Page 23 Intelligent Mail Barcode Setup screen The Intelligent Barcodes Setup screen must be completed fully and correctly for Smart Barcoder to create accurate barcodes. This section explains each of the items on the Intelligent Barcodes Setup screen. What USPS Mail Class will you be using: The mail class is encoded into the Intelligent Mail barcode. Smart Barcoder can create Intelligent Mail barcodes for first class, standard class, periodical class and bound printed matter. Choose your IMB service option: USPS offers two types of service for automation-compatible pieces that have Intelligent Mail barcodes. Full service can provide tracking for your mail as it moves through the postal system, but requires electronic submission of your paperwork, either through the USPS Postal Wizard web site or through special software. Basic service provides no tracking. You can also use Intelligent barcodes for automated change of address services and delivery confirmation service on "nonautomation" pieces that are not eligible for barcoding discounts. If you are mailing nonautomation pieces, choose that option. Enter your USPS Mailer ID: This is a 6-digit or 9-digit number that you get from the USPS. It is NOT the same as your permit number or CRID. If you do not have a Mailer ID, you can request one by going to the USPS Business Customer Gateway. You must have a Mailer ID to create Intelligent Mail barcodes. While you can use any 9-digit number to run a sample mailing, you must use your own Mailer ID for any actual barcoded mailing, or you may lose your barcoding discount and your mailing could be rejected.

24 Smart Barcoder User Guide Page 24 Check if using Informed Delivery tracking: If you are using USPS Informed Delivery tracking service to confirm receipt of your mail, check this box, as this must be encoded into the Intelligent Mail barcode. If you are signed up for Informed Delivery tracking with USPS, they will provide reports to you as your mail moves through the postal system. This service is free if you are using full-service barcoding and if you include the proper "service type ID code" in the barcode, which Smart Barcoder does automatically if you check this box. Informed Delivery tracking does not tell you whether or when the piece has been delivered, since the carrier does not scan each piece of mail at the mailbox. It only reports the automatic scans that occur as the mail is moved through the system. Check if mailing flats using OELs: The optional endorsement line (OEL) is a line at the top of the address that looks like ********** 5-DIGIT The optional endorsement line is used to avoid using the brightly-colored stickers that are generally required on the top piece of any bundle. The OEL indicates the destination of each specific bundle of mail, and, as such, is created when you sort your mailing list. If you are mailing flat-sized mail, and you are using optional endorsement lines (OELs), the OELs are required to be encoded into the Intelligent Mail barcodes. That means that your mailing list file must include the OELs for Smart Barcoder to read when it is creating barcodes. Barcode serial number option: Each Intelligent Mail barcode can include a serial number, either for each piece of mail, or for each entire mailing. Serial numbers are required for full-service IMBs, and are optional for basic-service IMBs. Smart Barcoder encodes a serial number into each barcode it creates. You are not required to do anything in particular with the serial numbers, other than including them in the barcodes, which Smart Barcoder will take care of automatically for you. You don t need to save them in your mailing list file unless you want to do so. If you are using full-service IMBs, and you are mailing at least 10,000 pieces, you must use the first serial

25 Smart Barcoder User Guide Page 25 number option, to create a serial number for each piece of mail. If you are using full-service IMBs, but are mailing fewer than 10,000 pieces, you can use either the first serial number option or the second serial number option, to create a serial number for the entire mailing. If you are using basic-service IMBs, you can choose either the first or second option, regardless of the number of pieces in the mailing. The third option lets you control the serial numbers manually. If you choose the third option, Smart Barcoder will use serial numbers that you have already entered into your mailing list file, rather than having Smart Barcoder create them. In this case, Smart Barcoder will read each serial number from your mailing list file and encode it into the barcode for the corresponding address. If you use this option, you must take care to make sure you do not duplicate serial numbers within the 45-day period, as Smart Barcoder will not track that for you when using this option. First serial number for this mailing: OR This is the first serial number that will be assigned to a piece in this mailing, if the "Use a different serial number for each piece" option is chosen above. Or, it is the serial number that will be assigned to all pieces in this mailing, if the "Use the same serial number for all pieces in a single mailing" option is chosen. Generally, you should not change this entry. In either case, you must not re-use a serial number within the same 45 days. Smart Barcoder takes care of that for you. The serial numbers used in IMBs will start with the number shown as "First Serial for this Mailing", and will increase by one for each barcode created. The number will automatically reset to 1 when you get to the maximum serial number for your Mailer ID (999,999 if you have a 9-digit Mailer ID, or 999,999,999 if you have a 6-digit Mailer ID.) However, if you use more than one computer or software program to create barcodes for the same Mailer ID, or if you have reinstalled the software after a hard drive crash, you must manually make sure not to reuse the same serial numbers. You can change the serial number shown here to make sure that you don't duplicate serial numbers within 45 days, per USPS requirements. If you choose the third option above (Use the serial numbers that I'll provide "), this field does not appear.

26 Smart Barcoder User Guide Page 26 Information about the saved file: This option allows you to either add the barcodes to your mailing list file, or save them in a separate file. Normally, this should be set to the first option, "Save them in my mailing list file." Choose this option if you are adding barcodes to Excel files, Access files, dbase files, comma-separated files, tab-separated files or bar-separated files. If you are using Filemaker Pro for your mailing list file, or similar software that allows you to import one or more columns at a time into an existing record, you should use the "In a separate file " option. Note that the wording of the second choice changes depending on various other options you choose on this screen. Name of separate file: This option only appears if you chose In a separate file above. The file created by Smart Barcoder can either be automatically named "barcode.txt" and saved in your "documents" folder, or you can choose a name and folder each time the file is saved. If you name it yourself, Smart Barcoder will stop and display the standard "Save File" window each time it sorts a file. Otherwise, it will save the file without stopping to display the window. Address correction options: If you are using a USPS address correction service, Smart Barcoder must encode this information into the Intelligent Mail barcode. Select the address correction option you are using.

27 Smart Barcoder User Guide Page 27 If you want only the address correction services that automatically come without additional charge for the class of mail you have chosen, choose "No Address Corrections". For example, First class mailers will receive undeliverable mail back even with No Address Corrections selected, as this service is provided for all First Class mail. However, that does not occur for Marketing Mail unless you ask for it (and pay for it!) If you are marking your mail with an address correction line, like "Address Correction Requested", but are not using a USPS method to receive your corrections electronically, choose "Manual Corrections". If you are using the traditional "keyline" address correction method for automated address correction, choose "Traditional". If you are using One-Code ACS with basic service IMBs, choose "One-Code". If you are using One-Code Full-Service ACS, choose "Full-Service". Choose your address notification option: USPS offers several different types of address change information, depending on the address correction method and mail class you are using. If you are using traditional (keyline), One-Code or Full-Service address correction, select the notification option you are using, so that the notification option will be correctly encoded into the barcode. (Periodical Class mailers do not use notification options.) Check if using USPS Secure Destruction service: If you are using USPS Secure Destruction service, check this box, as this must be encoded into the Intelligent Mail barcode. Secure Destruction is a service offered for First Class mail. If your mail is encoded for this service, undeliverable pieces are destroyed in a secure manner by USPS rather than being returned. The mailer receives electronic notification of the recipient's forwarding address, if available, but the piece is not forwarded. Before selecting this option for the IMB barcode, you must first be approved for this service by USPS.

28 Smart Barcoder User Guide Page 28 USPS Service Type ID code: Each combination of mail class, address correction option and tracking option is assigned a specific 3- digit Service Type Identifier (STID) code by USPS. The code is incorporated into the barcode. Smart Barcoder takes care of this automatically, based on the combination of options you select, so you never have to know the correct Service Type Identifier. But sometimes, someone at USPS will ask you what STID you are using, or tell you to use a certain STID for your mailing. So, Smart Barcoder shows you what STID it will use in your barcodes, just in case you need to know. Normally, you won t. Step-by-Step Menu Table of Contents Questions?

29 Smart Barcoder User Guide Page 29 Column Selection screen On this screen, you can confirm that you have opened the correct file that you want to sort. You also use this screen to tell Smart Barcoder where the information it needs is located in your file. This screen is not on any menu but appears automatically when you choose a mailing list file. You opened: Smart Barcoder will scan the mailing list file you have selected to determine its format and the number of records. If this does not match what you expect to see, make sure you have selected the correct file. The name of the file you have selected is displayed above the screen. Sometimes, the number of records shown might included records that have been deleted from your file but not actually erased by your data base program. If this is a Microsoft Access file, try running compact file in Access to eliminate unwanted records. If the screen shows one extra record, that may be because there is a column names record at the top of the file. For example, in Excel, there is usually a row that contains the names of the columns. You should not be concerned about a record count that is off by just one extra record. Column identification lists: Your mailing list file has various pieces of information for each address, such as the zip code, the city, etc. Each piece of information is in a separate column in your mailing list file. In some files, each column has a name to identify the contents of the column. In other files, only the actual mailing list data is included. Here is part of an Excel file showing column names and mailing list data. Row 1 has the column names; row 2 and below has the mailing list data. Smart Barcoder needs to know which columns contain the information it needs to create barcodes for your mail. For example, in the file shown above, Smart Barcoder needs to know that the zip code is in the fifth column, and the delivery point code is in the sixth column. Each item that Smart Barcoder uses has a section on the Column Selection screen, so you can tell Smart Barcoder where to find that item in your mailing list file. For example, Smart Barcoder needs to know the zip code for each address, so there is a section where you can tell Smart Barcoder where to find the zip code in your mailing list file (note that the whole zip code can either be in a single column, as shown in the Excel file above, or can be split into two columns):

30 Smart Barcoder User Guide Page 30 In each section, there is a selection list (shown by the arrow) that shows all of the columns in your mailing list file, one address at a time. If your mailing list file has column names, the list will show those. Otherwise, it will show the first address in the file. ( You can use the Record now showing buttons at the top of the screen to step through the file to see other addresses if you need to. Here s the selection list showing the column names the Smart Barcoder automatically found in the Excel file shown above: Since this Excel file has the entire zip code in one column (rather than splitting it into two columns), you would use the selection list next to Entire Zip Code (as shown), and select the Zip column:

31 Smart Barcoder User Guide Page 31 After you make your selection, it will show in the box at the top of the list: When you open your mailing list file in Smart Barcoder, Smart Barcoder will try to figure out which columns in your file match the information it needs, and will make selections from the lists on this screen for you automatically. If Smart Barcoder has guessed correctly, you can leave it alone. But if Smart Barcoder has left an item it needs blank, or has chosen incorrectly, you should make the correct selection for that item. A column in your data file cannot be assigned to more than one item, since there is no circumstance under which Smart Barcoder would want to read the column for two different items of information. If a column is assigned to one item, like Complete Zip Code, and you then try to assign it to another item, like First 5 Digits, it will be removed from the first item and that box will become blank. You can clear ALL boxes by clicking on Clear Selections at the bottom of the screen. Or, you can clear an individual box by double-clicking on the back arrow next to the selection box. Record now showing in drop-downs: This selector shows which record in your mailing list file is being viewed in the selection boxes on the screen. At first, it is set to show either the first record in the mailing list, or, if the list has column names, the column names. You can change the view to another record or back again by using the previous and next buttons.

32 Smart Barcoder User Guide Page 32 Zip Code columns: Smart Barcoder can read zip codes from your data base in two different formats. You can either have the zip code in a single column containing the entire zip code (such as or ), or you can have the first five digits in a different column from the last four digits. Smart Barcoder requires that you identify either a single column containing the entire zip code, or two separate columns. If, for some reason, you have both, you can choose either way for Smart Barcoder to read your file. If you have only 5-digit zip codes, you should still show the column containing those zip codes as the Entire Zip Code column. Otherwise, if you show that as the First 5 Digits column, Smart Barcoder will require you to also designate a Last 4 Digits column. Delivery Point or Address columns: Smart Barcoder needs a 2-digit delivery-point or a street address or to create each barcode. The deliverypoint code is a 2-digit code that you normally receive when you get CASS-certified zip+4 codes. CASScertified zip+4 codes are required for bulk mail barcoding discounts. See "How to get CASS-certified Zip+4 Information" for details. Some vendors provide a 3-digit code which they call a delivery-point code. Actually, this is a combination of the delivery-point code and another part of the barcode, called the check digit, which is no longer used. If your address file has 3-digit codes instead of 2-digit codes, Smart Barcoder will interpret these as the delivery-point code plus the check digit and will calculate the barcode accordingly. For demo purposes only, if you do not have delivery-point codes, you can provide addresses instead, and Smart Barcoder will determine delivery-point codes from the addresses. However, this only works reliably for buildings that have no suite or apartment numbers, or have only a small number of suites or apartments, so you cannot use addresses instead of delivery-point codes for an actual mailing.

33 Smart Barcoder User Guide Page 33 Optional Endorsement (OEL) column: If you checked Check if mailing flats using OELs on the Intelligent Mail Barcode Setup screen, you will see this column asking you to identify which column in your mailing list file contains your optional endorsement lines (OELs). The optional endorsement line (OEL) is a line at the top of the address that looks like ********** 5-DIGIT The optional endorsement line is used to avoid using the brightly-colored stickers that are generally required on the top piece of any bundle. The OEL indicates the destination of each specific bundle of mail, and, as such, is created when you sort your mailing list. If you are mailing flat-sized mail, and you are using optional endorsement lines (OELs), the OELs are required to be encoded into the Intelligent Mail barcodes. That means that Smart Barcoder must be able to read the OELs from your mailing list file when it is creating barcodes. Barcode serial #s columns (in upper panel): This selection appears under the delivery-point and address selection boxes ONLY if you have selected the option to provide your own barcode serial numbers as part of your mailing list file, rather than having Smart Barcoder create and assign them. In other words, you've selected the third "barcode serial number option" on the Intelligent Mail Barcode setup screen. This is where you tell Smart Barcoder which column in your mailing list file contains the serial numbers you want it to use in the barcodes. The following selection boxes are on the lower panel of the Column Identification screen. Note that the selection boxes on the lower panel are for columns that Smart Barcoder will erase and fill with new information. Be very careful not to select a column in your mailing list file that contains information that you don t want to lose! Barcodes column: This is the column in your mailing list file where Smart Barcoder will save the barcode characters. It will fill in a 65-letter sequence, which will be converted into the correct bars when printed or viewed using the SmartBars12 barcode font (installed with Smart Barcoder).

34 Smart Barcoder User Guide Page 34 Barcode Serial #s column (in lower panel): If you chose either of the first two serial number options on the Column Identification screen (so that Smart Barcoder creates the barcode serial numbers), and did not choose Informed Delivery tracking, you can use this selection to tell Smart Barcoder what column to use in your mailing list file to save the serial numbers it creates. Saving the serial numbers is optional. If you don't want to save them, you can leave this selection blank. USPS Tracking #s column: If you chose Informed Visibility tracking on the Intelligent Mail Barcode Setup screen, you have the option to save the tracking numbers used in the barcode, which USPS will use in your tracking reports. Saving the tracking numbers is optional. If you don't want to save them, you can leave this selection blank. Add a new column to my data file for any item to the left that I leave blank: This box is visible when you are using a comma-separated file (.csv), tab-separated file (.tab,.txt) or barseparated file only. If you check this box, Smart Barcoder will add a new column for each of the items in the lower panel of selection menus, if you haven t specified an existing column for that item. For example, let s say you want Smart Barcoder to save tracking numbers., but you don t already have a column for tracking numbers, so there is no column for tracking numbers listed in the selection menu next to USPS Tracking #s. If you leave the USPS Tracking #s selection menu blank, but check this box, Smart Barcoder will add a column for tracking numbers at the end of each record in your mailing list file. Leave this box unchecked if you only want Smart Barcoder to save information for which you already have a column in your mailing list file. Clear All Selections: This button clears all of the column selection boxes on the screen. You can also clear each box separately by double-clicking on the back button next to each selection box.

35 Smart Barcoder User Guide Page 35 Step-by-Step Menu Table of Contents Questions?

36 Smart Barcoder User Guide Page 36 Creating Intelligent Mail Barcodes for Reply Envelope Layouts Creating a Reply Mail barcode Smart Barcoder can create the correct Intelligent Mail barcode for a reply envelope layout. To create a reply mail barcode, choose Barcodes for Reply Mail from the main menu. This will bring up the Intelligent Mail Barcodes for Reply Mail screen. You will need to enter some information so that Smart Barcoder can create an accurate barcode. What type of reply mail are you sending? There are several different types of USPS reply mail, each with different setup requirements. Check with USPS if you are not sure which type of reply mail to use. You can also ask us a question. Check if you are using Informed Visibility tracking: Indicate whether you are using USPS Informed Delivery tracking service for your reply mail. If you are, click the box. Informed Delivery tracking can tell you when your reply mail is put back into the mail stream on its way back to you. Check if you want USPS to identify your reply mail by Mailer ID, instead of by zip+4. (MID-based IMB option"): This is an option offered by USPS for mailers that receive reply mail for more than one entity. If the MIDbased option is selected, USPS will charge for and track reply mail according to Mailer ID (MID) numbers. Otherwise, reply mailer is charged and tracked according to the nine-digit zip code of the mailer s reply account. If you are using the MID-based option, click the box.

37 Smart Barcoder User Guide Page 37 Check if this is election ballot return mail: USPS allows election authorities to identify and track outgoing and returning mail-in ballots, by using special mail codes in the barcode. If you check this option, Smart Barcoder will code the barcode as a returning mail ballot envelope. Enter your 9-digit zip code: Enter the full 9-digit zip code. You must have all nine digits to create a reply envelope barcode. Enter your 2-digit delivery-point code: If you are creating a barcode for permit reply, metered reply or courtesy reply, you also need the 2-digit delivery point code for the mailer's address. If you do not have this, you can find it by using the zip code lookup tool at USPS.com, and then clicking on "mailing industry information" when it gives you the zip+4 code. Enter your USPS Mailer ID: Enter the mailer's 6-digit or 9-digit mailer ID number, which is assigned to the mailer by the USPS. This is required for some types of reply mail, and optional for others. The mailer ID is NOT the same as the mailer's permit number. If you do not have a mailer ID number, you can request one by going to the USPS Business Customer Gateway. Enter a serial number (optional): Serial numbers are not required for barcodes for reply mail. However, you may enter one if you wish. This can be helpful if you are doing multiple mailings and want to keep track of which one generated the reply. There is no requirement that serial numbers for reply mail be unique in any way. Here are the letters that represent your barcode:

38 Smart Barcoder User Guide Page 38 Once you have filled in all the necessary information, Smart Barcoder will create the corresponding barcode, and also show you the sequence of characters used to create the barcode. The sequence will have 65 letters, each letter representing one of 65 bars. You can select the sequence, copy it, and paste it into the envelope layout. Once the sequence is pasted into your layout, change its font to the SmartBars12 font (installed with Smart Barcoder) to replace the sequence with the actual bars. You must use 12 point for the font size or your barcode will not meet USPS requirements. You can also print the barcode directly from Smart Barcoder. Simply click the Print Code button. Make sure that your printer is set to print at actual size, or your barcode may be printed too large or too small. USPS Service Type ID code within barcode: Each combination of reply mail type and service options is assigned a specific 3-digit Service Type Identifier (STID) code by USPS. The code is incorporated into the barcode. Smart Barcoder takes care of this automatically, based on the combination of options you select, so you never have to know the correct Service Type Identifier. But sometimes, someone at USPS will ask you what STID you are using, or tell you to use a certain STID for your mailing. So, Smart Barcoder shows you what STID it will use in your barcodes, just in case you need to know. Normally, you won t. Here is what the barcode looks like: The screen shows what the actual barcode looks like when printed. Table of Contents Questions?

39 Smart Barcoder User Guide Page 39 Creating Barcoded Tags and Placards for Trays, Sacks and Pallets About barcoded tags and placards USPS mail trays and mail sacks must be labeled according to specific USPS rules, using barcoded tags. The barcodes used on these tags are different from the barcodes used with addresses. The barcode on an Intelligent Mail tray or sack tag has information about the type and destination of the tray or sack, the mailer's USPS Mailer ID number, and a serial number identifying the tray or sack so that it can be tracked in the mail stream. USPS mail pallets must have an identification sheet (called a "container placard") on each end of the pallet. Container placards have a different type of barcode from the barcodes used on tray and sack tags. Smart Barcoder creates Intelligent Mail tray and sack tags, as well as Intelligent Mail container placards. Creating barcoded tray or sack tags Smart Barcoder makes it easy for you to print Intelligent Mail barcoded tray and sack tags on standard business card sheets. To create barcoded tray and sack tags, choose Barcoded Tags & Placards, then click Create and Print Intelligent Mail Tags. This will bring up the Mailing Categories for Tags screen. You will need to enter some information so that Smart Barcoder can create the tags you want to print.

40 Smart Barcoder User Guide Page 40 Choose the type of mail you are sending: Select the type of mail you will be sending. Since this information is printed on the tag, you must select it properly for the tags to be correct. If you select Periodical class mail, you must also indicate whether you are using the Periodical or Newspaper category. Mailer Company: Enter the mailer s company name. Do not use any punctuation. Mailer City State: Enter the city and state where you are located, or where you are mailing from. Use the two-letter abbreviation for the state name, and do not use any punctuation.

41 Smart Barcoder User Guide Page 41 USPS Mailer ID#: The Mailer ID is a special six-digit or nine-digit number that the USPS will assign to each mailer on request. It is not the same as your permit number or your CRID number. You can request a Mailer ID# by creating an account or logging into an existing USPS account at the USPS Business Customer Gateway. Once you have entered all the required information on this screen, click Next. This will bring up the Intelligent Mail Barcode Tray or Sack Tags screen. This screen lets you enter the specific destination lines for each tag. Top Line of Tag: The top line of the tag is the destination line. The line must include a specific postal destination plus the 3-digit or 5-digit zip code for that destination, such as HOUSTON TX or AADC DALLAS TX 750. Do not use any punctuation. Sort Level: The second column on this screen contains selection menus to select sort level for each tag. Smart Barcoder will use your selection to determine what to print on the second line of each tag, and how to encode that information into the tag s barcode. Since each type and size of mail has different sort level options, the options on the selection lists will be different depending on what type and size of mail you chose on the Mail Type screen. Carrier Rte. Code or Scheme Ltr. (may say just Carrier Rte. Code, or just Scheme Letter): The third column is used to add special information to the second line. Depending on the type and size of your mail, and sort level, this could be a carrier route code, a scheme letter, or may not be used at all. If the tray or sack is going to a specific carrier route, you must enter the route code in this box. A route code starts with a letter, followed by three numbers, like "C004". If the tray or sack is going to a specific three-digit scheme, the scheme may require an identifying letter (for example, "SCHEME A"). If there is only one scheme for the three-digit area, it will be designated as "SCHEME" without an identifying letter. Enter a letter in this box for a scheme ONLY if the scheme

42 Smart Barcoder User Guide Page 42 requires an additional letter. Otherwise, leave the box blank. (Scheme letters are used for three-digit schemes only. Five-digit schemes never have scheme letters.) These boxes will be not appear when they are not used for the type of mail you are sending. Tray or Sack #: Each tag must have a enter a unique serial number. If you have a nine-digit Mailer ID#, your tray or sack numbers can be any number from 1 to 99,999. If you are a large volume mailer with a six-digit Mailer ID#, your tray or sack numbers can be as large as 99,999,999. A tray or sack number may not be reused for 45 days from the time the tray or sack was mailed. The number assigned to a tray or sack does not need to match the number listed for that sack on the qualification report or other documentation for the mailing. Draw cutting box around each tag: Tray tags are formatted to fit standard business card printer paper, such as Avery 5371 (for laser printers) or Avery 8371 (for ink jet printers). Each sheet contains two columns of five cards, with 1/2- inch margins at the top and bottom and 3/4-inch margins on the left and right. If you would rather print the tags on un-perforated sheets and cut them yourself, you can set Smart Barcoder to print a cutting box around each tag. Use this checkbox to turn on cutting boxes. Printing the tags: Once you have entered information for at least one tray or sack tag, you can print the tag. Some older, lower resolution printers cannot print tray and sack tag barcodes to postal specifications. If you are using a low-resolution printer, we recommend that you consult your postal bulk mail facility to be sure that the tags printed by your printer meet specifications. Table of Contents Questions?

43 Smart Barcoder User Guide Page 43 Creating barcoded container placards for pallets Smart Barcoder makes it easy for you to print container placards for USPS pallets. To create placards, choose Barcoded Tags & Placards, then click Create and Print Container Placards. This will bring up the Mail Categories for Placards screen. You will need to enter some information so that Smart Barcoder can create the placards you want to print. Choose the type of mail you are sending: Select the type of mail you will be sending. Since this information is printed on the placard, you must select it properly for the placard to be correct. If you select Periodical class mail, you must also indicate whether you are using the Periodical category or the Newspaper category. Mailer Company: Enter the mailer s company name. Do not use any punctuation.