Configuring Labels for Basic Bulk Mail

The Settings tab

Mail Class
Your selections in this section change the options shown on the Print Postal Options report.

• First-Class Mail — A mail class including all matter wholly or partly in handwriting or typing, all actual and personal correspondence, all bills and statements of account, and all matter sealed or otherwise closed against inspection. Discounts are available for First Class Mail, but require more mailable pieces (500), a first class permit, and other requirements as specified by the USPS.

• Standard Mail — A mail class consisting of mailable matter that is not mailed as First Class or entered as Periodicals. This includes matter formerly classified as Third-Class and Fourth-Class mail. Most newsletters and general information mailings done by ACS clients qualify for standard mail, as long as the various USPS requirements are met.

• Periodicals — A mail class (formerly called second-class mail) consisting of magazines, newspapers, or other publications formed of printed sheets that are issued at least four times a year at regular, specified intervals from a known office of publication. Many ACS Clients publish their newsletters as periodicals because it saves them money.

Packet Size
Packet Size refers to the minimum number of pieces required to be in a carrier route to be sorted separately. Postal regulations specify the packet size to be used when claiming different bulk mail discounts. Be sure you know what is required for the discount you plan to take. Generally, 6-piece packet sizes are associated with periodicals mailings and 10-piece packet sizes with First-Class or Standard Mail options.

ACS inserts an "end of packet" label in the label print job so that you know where the breaks occur. This divider label makes it easier for you to band or tray your mail pieces after the labels are affixed. Where these divider labels fall is determined by whether you choose 6 or 10-piece packet sizes.

Nonprofit
A subclass of Standard Mail that is available only to qualified organizations specified by U.S. statute. Nearly all ACS clients are non-profit organizations and qualify for this lower mailing rate.

3-Digit Groupings
The choices you make in this area affect how your mailing labels are sorted and how the Optional Endorsement Line prints, if used.

• Area Distribution Center (ADC) — A mail processing facility that receives and distributes mail to specific ZIP Code areas. Bar codes are not required on all the labels in a packet.

• Automated ADC (11 Digit Bar code) — An Area Distribution Center that uses multi-line optical character readers (MLOCRs), bar code sorters, and other equipment for processing automation-compatible mail. Bar codes are required for all labels to AADCs.

• By State — Groups mailings according to states. This grouping is usually done for purposes other than bulk mailing.

Options
Print Optional Endorsement — The Optional Endorsement Line (OEL) is a line that prints across the top of the label and provides details on the sorting level for the packet. For example, it might look like this:

***CAR-RT SORT **R011

or

**AUTO****3 Digit Zip: 295

In ACS, the OEL prints only when the box to Print Optional Endorsement is checked and if you have included Carrier Code as a field on the label. The OEL is not required by the Post Office on each mail piece. However, it provides information which may be helpful to those who are affixing labels to the mailpieces because it can help keep the label sorting in order.

• Carrier Route Sorting — Select this option to sort labels by carrier route.

• Separate Non-Barcoded Labels (AADC) — Select this option to print non-barcoded labels separately.

Basic Bulk Mail Configuration Buttons

• Define County ZIP Codes — Click to add or edit county ZIP Codes. When you configure labels for bulk mail, you can define County ZIP Codes. For those mailing periodicals, postal rates may vary depending on the ZIP Code Zone to which you are mailing. Zone information identifies the appropriate zone code assigned to each originating and destination ZIP Code pairing. For more information, please refer to the Working with County ZIP Codes topic.

• Define ZIP Code Zones — Click to add or edit ZIP Code Zones. When you configure labels for bulk mail, you can define ZIP Code Zones. For those mailing periodicals, defining ZIP Code Zones is an essential step towards establishing the postal rates for certain areas of a county or city. For more information, please refer to the Defining, Editing, and Deleting ZIP Code Zones topic.

• Load Settings — Click to select bulk mail settings from previously saved reports to apply to your current report. You can also delete saved settings on the Bulk Mail Settings window.

• Save Settings — Click to save present settings for future reference. Save by entering a name for the settings in the Title field and clicking Save. Select Public if you want all users to be able to access the settings.

The Postal Reports Tab

Mailing
If you have saved settings from previous mailings, you can use the same settings again by clicking Lookup and selecting the mailing history from Mailing History.

Postal Reports

ZIP Code Analysis — Select to print the ZIP Code Analysis report. This report provides the total number of ZIP Codes, the number of labels for each ZIP Code, a running total of labels for each ZIP Code, the total number of In-County and Out-of-County labels, and the combined total of all labels.

Detailed Zone Listing — Select to print the Detailed Zone Listing report. This report provides a breakdown of the 3-digit ZIP Codes in the report, the postal zone for each 3-digit ZIP Code, and the number of pieces for each 3-digit ZIP Code and postal zone.

3-Digit Zone Summary — Select to print the 3-Digit Zone Summary report. This report provides a digest of the total mail pieces for each ZIP Code zone.

Mailing Options
Select to print saved report settings. This report provides information for basic bulk mail users to complete the Postage Statement report required by the Post Office. The report is also useful when paired with corresponding archived reports, to document what settings were used on the reports.

The Mailing History Tab

• Sort Date — Lists the date and time a mailing was completed.

• Application — Lists the type of mailing application, such as Periodical Labels.

• User — Lists the user who completed the mailing.

• Show All — Select to show all mailings from all users.

• View Reports — Click to view the reports for the selected mailing. This option takes you to the Postal Reports tab for the selected mailing.

• Delete — Click to delete a selected mailing history.

• Delete by Date — Click to delete mailing histories within a date range or by user.