Getting Started with Intelligent Mail
Full-Service Intelligent Mail offers mailers elimination of permit fees, address correction and visibility and tracking of mailings. USPS is proud to offer a list of certified software vendors and certified mail service providers that can help you start enjoying the benefits of Full-Service.
Solutions are available for small, medium and large volume mailers. Quick Service Guides are also available to provide an overview of mailing standards on the applicable subject matter
Mailer Identifier (MID)
The Mailer Identifier (MID) is a field within the Intelligent Mail barcode that is used to identify mailers. MIDs are assigned by the USPS® to a Mail Owner, Mailing Agent or other service providers who request them.
MIDs are either a 9-digit or a 6-digit numeric code and are assigned based on annual mail volume criteria. One 9-digit MID is assigned to a business location without a volume requirement.
Customer Registration ID (CRID)
The USPS® Customer Registration ID (CRID) is a unique number that identifies a specific business location involved in a mailing. In order to submit electronic documentation (and receive Full-Service benefits), customers must have a customer registration ID assigned to their business location.
Service Type Identifiers (STIDs)
The Intelligent Mail barcode (IMb) is used to identify mailpiece movement through the postal system and support any additional services requested for that mailpiece. The STID defines the mailpiece as full-service or basic (non-automation) and is also used to determine the disposition of undeliverable-as-addressed (UAA) mail and the form of address correction that a mailer desires if any.
Move Update
The Move Update standard is a means of reducing the number of mailpieces in a mailing that require forwarding or return by the periodic matching of a mailer’s address records with change-of-address orders received and maintained by the Postal Service™. Mailers who claim First-Class Mail® presorted or automation prices and USPS Marketing Mail™ prices must demonstrate that they have updated their mailing list within 95 days before the mailing date.
Full-Service Assessments
The Postal Service began Assessments for Electronic Verification Metrics in November 2016 for October data.
Intelligent Mail Guides and Specs
For those new to Full-Service Intelligent Mail, there are several guides, specifications and manuals that will get you started and give a broad overview of the fundamentals of the program.
Full-Service Solutions
Full-Service Intelligent Mail enables seamless acceptance and verification, as well as end-to-end visibility into the mail stream. It streamlines mail entry, provides visibility via scan data, expands access to scan data and mail-quality feedback to improve decision making, and improves efficiency. Full-Service is available for First-Class Mail, Periodicals, Standard Mail, and Bound Printed Matter cards, letters, and flats.
For fact sheets on Full-Service Intelligent Mail, click here.
Electronic Documentation (eDoc)
To participate in Full-Service Intelligent Mail®, mailers must submit information electronically. This computer-consumable version replaces existing hardcopies and includes the following: postage statement and qualification report.
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Industry Training Sessions – Business Customer Gateway (BCG) / Postal Wizard (PW) and Intelligent Mail for Small Business Tool
The Postal Service will host bi-weekly webinars to educate our Industry customers on USPS programs aimed to ease the mailing process. The topics will include using the Business Customer Gateway (BCG) / Postal Wizard (PW) and Intelligent Mail for Small Business Tool (IMsb Tool) applications, as well as Automated Certificate of Mailing.
Join us for the next session – IMsb Tool – held on Tuesday, October 22, at 1:00 PM EST.
• Meeting URL: https://usps.zoomgov.com/j/1603767418?pwd=TTFONWNVMXQ2UW1wcUVCcEt5WFllZz09
o Meeting ID: 160 376 7418
o Password: 996767
• If requested, enter your name and email address.
• Enter meeting password: 996767
• Join Audio by the options below:
o Call using Internet Audio
o Dial: 1-855-860-4313, 1-678-317-3330 or 1-952-229-5070 & follow prompts
A recording of this session is available here: Industry Session: Business Customer Gateway and Postal Wizard Recording
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eInduction
The electronic Induction (eInduction) process simplifies the induction of drop shipments and expedited plant load mailings by leveraging existing eDoc, Intelligent Mail Container barcode (IMcb), and handheld scanner technologies to verify payment and preparation of commercial mail containers.
Seamless Acceptance
Seamless Acceptance automates the entry and verification of commercial mailings by leveraging electronic documentation, Intelligent Mail barcodes (IMbs), and information collected from handheld sampling devices and mail processing equipment scans.
For information regarding the Seamless Incentive, please click here.
Mailer Scorecard
The Mailer Scorecard provides a dashboard view of the results of the letter and flat mailing activity with the Postal Service over a calendar month. This view is available to both the mailer who submitted the electronic documentation for the mailing (eDoc submitter) and the mail owner/mail preparer.
For more information on the mailer scorecard including the metrics and the assessment review process please see publication 685.
Secure Destruction
Secure Destruction is a cost effective, secure, and convenient way to manage mail with personal protected information.
Part of the USPS® BlueEarth sustainability initiatives and an opt-in service, this new program securely shreds and recycles letter and flat-sized pieces of Undeliverable-As-Addressed (UAA) First-Class Mail® with personal protected information that would otherwise be returned to the sender (RTS).
Automated Business Reply Mail® (ABRM) Tool
The United States Postal Service® offers complimentary Reply Mail artwork via the Automated Business Reply Mail® (ABRM) tool, which allows Reply Mail customers to create approved USPS camera-ready artwork for domestic Reply Mail pieces in just a few steps.
Mail Anywhere
Full-Service mailers have the opportunity to use the same permit at any location via the Mail Anywhere program. Entry into the Mail Anywhere program is limited to mailers who meet the quality thresholds for Full-Service electronic verification.
Informed Visibility® Mail Tracking & Reporting (IV®-MTR)
Informed Visibility Mail Tracking & Reporting (IV-MTR) is a near real-time, single source for all domestic-bound mail and mail aggregate tracking information.
Intelligent Mail® for Small Business Mailers (IMsb)
Intelligent Mail® for Small Business Mailers (IMsb) is a free online tool which will allow you to produce the presorted Intelligent Mail barcodes (IMb) for your mail pieces, tray labels and submit an electronic postage statement to the acceptance units.
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Industry Training Sessions – Business Customer Gateway (BCG) / Postal Wizard (PW) and Intelligent Mail for Small Business Tool
The Postal Service will host bi-weekly webinars to educate our Industry customers on USPS programs aimed to ease the mailing process. The topics will include using the Business Customer Gateway (BCG) / Postal Wizard (PW) and Intelligent Mail for Small Business Tool (IMsb Tool) applications, as well as Automated Certificate of Mailing.
Join us for the next session – IMsb Tool – held on Tuesday, October 22, at 1:00 PM EST.
• Meeting URL: https://usps.zoomgov.com/j/1603767418?pwd=TTFONWNVMXQ2UW1wcUVCcEt5WFllZz09
o Meeting ID: 160 376 7418
o Password: 996767
• If requested, enter your name and email address.
• Enter meeting password: 996767
• Join Audio by the options below:
o Call using Internet Audio
o Dial: 1-855-860-4313, 1-678-317-3330 or 1-952-229-5070 & follow prompts
A recording of the IMsb Tool Industry Call is available here: Intelligent Mail Small Business (IMsb) Tool Industry Session Recording
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Manifest Mailing System
The Manifest Mailing System (MMS) is an automated system that allows a mailer to document postage and fees for all pieces in a mailing paid via permit imprint indicia.
Full-Service Assessments
The Postal Service began Assessments for Electronic Verification Metrics in November 2016 for October data.
Mail Quality Data through IV®-MTR
Mail Quality Data (MQD-IV) leverages the Informed Visibility® Mail Tracking & Reporting (IV-MTR) application to enable mailers to receive uncapped Mail Quality Data. Detailed error data from the Mailer Scorecard is available for Full Service, Move Update, eInduction, and Seamless Acceptance.
Intelligent Mail Barcodes
The Intelligent Mail barcode (formerly known as the 4-State Customer Barcode) is the next generation of USPS® barcode technology used to sort and track letters and flats with unprecedented accuracy and ease.
The suite of Intelligent Mail barcodes contains three separate barcodes. The Intelligent Mail barcode is applied to individual mailpieces (letters, cards and flats). The Intelligent Mail Tray barcode is applied on tray labels that are attached to trays, sacks, and tubs, and the Intelligent Mail Container barcode is applied on container labels (or placards) that are attached to handling units such as pallets, containers, and APCs.
The suite of barcodes for Intelligent Mail share some common characteristics: identify the owner or sender of the mailpiece, identify the mailpiece or mail aggregate to allow for tracking, encode product or service requests on individual mailpieces or to include unique indicators for processing mail aggregates, and provide sorting and/or routing information.
Intelligent Mail® Barcode
The Intelligent Mail® barcode (IMb) is used to sort and track letters, cards and flats and offers greater versatility by allowing many services to be requested and embedded within one barcode. The Intelligent Mail barcode combines the data of the existing POSTNET™ and the PLANET Code® barcodes, as well as other data, into a single barcode.
Intelligent Mail® Container Barcode (IMcb)
The Intelligent Mail® Container barcode (IMcb) will be applied to Mailer-generated container labels and is designed to be scanned at acceptance and at other points throughout transportation and processing. The Intelligent Mail Container barcode allows each container to be associated with a unique mailing and facilitates tracking of containers throughout the mail processing network.
Intelligent Mail® Tray Label
All tray label production systems are being transitioned to produce a 24-digit Intelligent Mail® (IM®) tray label in support of the USPS® "100% Visibility" strategy. The IM tray label allows for the unique identification of every tray, tub, and sack traveling throughout our mail processing and delivery network.
OneCode ACS®
OneCode ACS allows customers mailing First-Class Mail®, Standard Mail®, and Periodical flats or letters to receive electronic or automated address corrections using the Intelligent Mail® barcode.
Intelligent Mail® Barcode (IMb) Encoder Software and Fonts
The Postal Service provides Intelligent Mail® barcode files, fonts and encoders, available for download.
Customer Label Distribution System (CLDS)
CLDS is a web-based application that provides mailers with the capability to create, edit, and locally print Intelligent Mail tray labels. Tray labels are no longer printed by the Topeka National Print Center (NPC). CLDS is scheduled to be replaced in January 2023 with a user-friendly updated tray label application.
Releases
October 2024 Releases
Release information for October 2024 deployment.
October, 2024
October 2024 Release
- For the October 2024 Planned changes click here
- Mail Dat Client update is mandatory for this Release
- For the October 6, 2024 Release Notes click here
- For the October 13, 2024 Release Notes click here
September 2024 Releases
Release information for September 2024 deployment.
September 29, 2024
September 2024 Release
- For the September 2024 Release Notes click here
July 2024 Releases
Release information for July 2024 deployment.
July, 2024
July 2024 Release
- For the July 2024 Release Overview click here
- Mail Dat Client update is mandatory for this Release
- Technical Specifications click here
- For the July 2024 Release Notes click here
May 2024 Releases
Release information for May 2024 deployment.
May, 2024
May 2024 Release
- For the May 2024 Release Notes click here
January 2024 Releases
Release information for January 2024 deployment.
January, 2024
January 2024 Price Change Release
- For the January 2024 Price Change Release Overview click here
- Mail Dat Client update is mandatory for this Release
- For details on Marketing Mail/First Class Mail incentives click here
- For the January 2024 Price Change Release FAQs click here
- For the January 2024 Price Change Release Notes click here
- For the January 21, 2024 Price Change Release Notes click here
January 18, 2024 USPS Ship Release 11.0.1.0
- For the January 18, 2024 USPS Ship Release Notes click here
USPS Mail.dat and Mail.XML Technical Specifications
Advertise by Mail
Every Door Direct Mail® (EDDM®)
Overview
Use Every Door Direct Mail® (EDDM®) to promote your small business in your local community and let USPS® do the leg work. Whether you're having a sale, opening a new location, or offering coupons, EDDM can help you send postcards, menus, flyers, and more to the right people.
The EDDM Online Tool also provides mailers the option to obtain delivery statistics for specific carrier routes. The tool generates required documentation under DMM® standards as well as facing slips and postage statements (PS Form 3587-B for retail; PS Form 3602 and PS Form 8125 for BMEU entry).
Getting Started
If you're looking to use Every Door Direct Mail - Retail® (EDDM Retail), see the EDDM resource on how to create and prepare an EDDM Retail Mailing.
- With EDDM Retail, you can send at least 200 and up to 5,000 pieces per day per ZIP Code™
If you're ready to send an EDDM BMEU mailing, see the EDDM resource on how to create and prepare an EDDM Bulk Mailing.
- With EDDM BMEU, you can send more than 5,000 pieces per day per ZIP Code™
Share Mail®
Share Mail® (formerly Alternate Postage) provides a mechanism for businesses and organizations to use the mail to share information, not only with their customers but to have those customers send the Share Mail letters and postcards to other parties — without their having to affix a stamp.
Irresistible Mail Award
The Postal Service has launched the Irresistible Mail™ Award to showcase the most innovative and creative work in direct mail advertising.
USPS Picture Permit® Indicia (PPI)
USPS Picture Permit® Indicia (PPI) is a USPS offering that provides organizations with the opportunity to creatively add value to their mailpiece.
Who is PPI for?
First-Class Mail® automation letters and postcards and USPS Marketing Mail® automation letters.
How to register
Easily register your Picture Permit Indicia (PPI) in Business Customer Gateway (BCG). The process is designed to register for PPI, submit your customized PPI design mailpiece and allow for a quick review process to begin entering your mailpieces into the USPS mailstream.
Note: a permit is required to register for PPI. Please click here for the application for picture permit imprint.
Enterprise Payment
Enterprise Payment System
The Enterprise Payment System (EPS) allows customers to pay for products and services through an Enterprise Payment Account (EPA) funded as an Automated Clearing House (ACH) Debit or Trust Account. The EPS payment account management provides enhanced security features, centralized balance and account management, and a self-service customer experience.
Sign up today to the USPS Business Customer Gateway
- Go to Additional Services and select “Get Access” for the Enterprise Payment System
- For assistance, reach out to your Local Business Mail Entry Unit
- Call or email the Mailing & Shipping Solutions Center (MSSC)
- MSSC@usps.gov
- (877) 672-0007
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To watch instructional IV-MTR videos please follow this link.