einduction: A New Way to Save Time and Money when Drop Shipping Mail

Transcription

1 White Paper einduction: A New Way to Save Time and Money when Drop Shipping Mail By Jeffery Peoples, CEO & Founder, Window Book, Inc. Lloyd Moss, Vice President, Premier Client Solutions Wallace Vingelis, Vice President, Industry Relations Monica Lundquist, Postal Affairs & Technical Support Manager January 2014

2 2014 Window Book, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. Contact Window Book for current information. DAT-MAIL and eround Stamp are trademarks of Window Book, Inc. The following trademarks are owned by the United States Postal Service: CASS Certified, Delivery Confirmation, DMM, Express Mail, FAST, First-Class Mail, Intelligent Mail, IMb, LACS Link, MAC, MAC Gold, NCOA Link, PAVE, PLANET Code, POSTNET, PostalOne!, Post Office, Postal Service, RIBBS, Priority Mail, Standard Mail, U.S. Postal Service, United States Postal Service, USPS, ZIP Code, and ZIP + 4. Mail.dat, Mail.XML and IDEAlliance are trademarks of the International Digital Enterprise Alliance. All other trademarks are held by their respective owner or manufacturer Fax:

3 Table of Contents Introduction... 5 About einduction... 6 How einduction Works... 7 Third party postal logistics company... 8 Facilities not equipped with Surface Visibility scanners % of drop-ship mail is done from SV equipped sites... 9 Benefits of einduction Participation Verification Assessment Evaluator (VAE) Errors That Generate Invoices Additional information from RIBBS Software for participating in einduction Conclusion MUST READ!!! Resources About Jeffery Peoples About Window Book, Inc Fax:

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5 Introduction On November 17, 2013, the United States Postal Service (USPS ) launched a new program to mailers: einduction. This program was in a pilot stage for quite some time, and now all mailers are able to participate in the program. einduction is intended to replace the current hard copy PS Forms 8125 and 8017 clearance documents used for drop shipments of origin and destination mail. This is all part of a continuing effort by the USPS to convert hard copy postal documentation into electronic documentation (edoc). The USPS is equipping acceptance facilities with Surface Visibility (SV) scanners, which will scan the container barcodes to ascertain whether or not the containers have been properly verified and paid for at the origin post office. It provides a paperless induction method for validating container payments at the destination facilities. This innovative program provides mailers, logistics companies, and the Postal Service a cost-effective and automated validation system, along with an efficient and streamlined process for mail induction. In this paper, we will discuss what einduction is, how it works, the benefits, how to participate, and the tools you can use to participate Fax:

6 About einduction No more hardcopy 8125 and 8017 forms: einduction is intended to replace the current hardcopy PS Forms 8125 and 8017 clearance documents, which are used for drop shipments of origin and destination mail. It eliminates the need to print and round stamp the 8125 s for most Destination Sectional Center Facility (DSCF), Destination Area Distribution Center (DADC) and Destination Network Distribution Center (DNDC) drop ship entry points. It provides a paperless induction method for validating container payments at the destination facilities. As stated earlier, this new and innovative program provides mailers, logistics companies, and the Postal Service a cost-effective and automated validation system, combined with an efficient and streamlined process for mail induction. Here are just a few of the benefits realized with einduction: Streamline dock management Eliminate human checks at points of acceptance Facilitate the check-in process Transmit advanced notification of drop ship mail volumes Enable better handling of bulk mailings. One quick scan of the container barcode can validate the entry facility is correct, perform real-time quality checks for potential mis-loads or mis-routings and validate postage payment. einduction reduces manual administrative work and provides timely mail movement with fewer bottlenecks often caused by using hardcopy 8125 s Fax:

7 How einduction Works Current process using einduction hardcopy 8125 & 8017 forms Origin Mailer prepares mailing Mailer prepares mailing with Unique Intelligent Mail Container Barcodes (IMCb s) edoc/epostage is submitted to PostalOne! edoc/epostage is submitted to PostalOne! or hardcopy is given to BMEU/DMU Acceptance clerks MANUALLY validate entry point discounts and collects postage. Acceptance clerks MANUALLY verify PS forms Appointment is scheduled Appointment is scheduled Containers are transported for induction Containers are transported to USPS facilities for induction Destination Containers are delivered to destination Containers are delivered to destination facility facility Dock clerks MANUALLY verify PS forms Containers are offloaded and staged Dock clerks MANUALLY reconcile physical containers to containers listed on hardcopy PS forms Containers are released for processing Containers are scanned at offload or at staged location Containers are released for processing Fax:

8 With einduction, the mailer tells the USPS that a pallet is einduction by populating the CSM einduction Indicator in the Mail.dat pallet record with a Y. This can be done in the original PostalOne! submission, the ready to pay submission or even in a transportation update after the postage is paid. When PostalOne! sees that a pallet is flagged for einduction, the information about that pallet is pushed to the entry facility that is going to be inducting the mail, thereby making it available to the wireless Surface Visibility scanners at that facility. Placard Arrival Scan at an Entry Facility Source: USPS Global Systems Management When a load arrives with einduction pallets, the USPS personnel at the facility can scan the pallet and instantly know whether it is in the right place and that it has been paid for - no 8125 required at all. The SV scanning device can even uniquely identify and validate drop ship contents at a handling unit, container and/or trailer level. The date-and-time stamped scan - or Start-the-Clock event - is also provisioned back to the mailer as part of the Full-Service data they are entitled to receive (if the content of the pallet is Full-Service qualified mail). This information is also available in the Facility Access and Shipment Tracking (FAST ) system as part of the close-out information for that appointment. Third party postal logistics company If you use a third party postal logistics company to drop ship your mail, you will need to find out what their plans are for einduction. They will want to use this to eliminate paper 8125 s, but you as the mailer will have to correctly populate your Mail.dat files to reflect which entry points for einduction your logistics provider will use Fax:

9 Facilities not equipped with Surface Visibility scanners It s important to note that it is also possible to do einduction even if the entry facility is not equipped with SV scanners; however, this requires the mailer or logistics company to provide pallet barcodes when making the FAST appointment. This process is known as associating content and to do this a mailer must make their FAST appointment via Mail.XML scheduling. When this process is done, FAST provides the entry facility with a pallet manifest used to check in the pallets instead of relying on an 8125 form. Though many logistics companies can supply this content when they make appointments, if additional thirdparties are used to do final delivery, such as breakup agents, they may not end up associated to the appointments made by those third-parties. This means that as long as content association is required for non-surface Visibility sites and these sites are the ones frequently serviced by third parties, einduction to these facilities may not be common. The USPS is looking at a number of options for making it easier to do einduction at these sites, so this is likely to be a short-term limitation. Note: Even if you do business with multiple logistics companies who will be doing einduction at different sets of entry facilities, Window Book can make this very easy for you. Call for help now. 80% of drop-ship mail is done from SV equipped sites Surface Visibility equipped sites are responsible for the induction of approximately 80% of drop-shipped mail, so even if a mailer only does einduction to those sites, they could still significantly reduce the number of 8125 s they produce. Because the einduction process at Surface Visibility equipped sites is both reliable and relatively simple, it is expected that most mailers and logistics companies will focus on doing einduction at those sites and continue to use regular 8125 s for other sites. The USPS began piloting einduction in 2011 and since then has made many changes to provide for both expected and unexpected situations. For example, if a pallet is not recognized when scanned, there is a backup procedure in place that will allow the entry facility to determine payment status and eligibility for entry of the pallet on a 24/7 basis without a backup Fax:

10 Benefits of einduction There are many ways mailers, logistics companies and the USPS benefit from einduction. These benefits include, but are not limited to: Reducing the number of PS forms 8125 and 8017 you need to print and have round stamped Saving time by using edoc and eliminating redundant data entry Values are pre-populated Reduce human errors Automate tedious manual procedures on the dock Automating data collection for accuracy and time saving by using electronic files Reducing or altogether eliminating the rejection of shipments by an entry facility for problems with 8125 forms. Receiving tracking information and increasing visibility of containers and trailers as they travel from starting points to end points - including intermittent stopping points. Obtaining more reliable and timely information about the induction of your pallets through participation in the Seamless Acceptance program. (By the way, einduction is a requirement for Seamless Acceptance). If you are shipping under a Drop Ship Management System (DSMS) agreement, you currently don t have to create 8125 forms. But, you could still enjoy the benefits of streamlining the drop shipping process via the einduction program. Participation To participate in the einduction program, you must notify the USPS of your desire/intention. You can do this by calling the FAST Help Desk at and providing them with your name, company name, address, phone number and edoc Submitter CRID information. The USPS will make sure that your DMU clerks are properly trained for einduction and will also help you set up a login to access special MicroStrategy reports for einduction users. The Friday following the training of your DMU or BMEU clerk, your CRID will be activated for einduction and you will be notified that you are authorized to participate. You should also contact your postal logistics carrier and find out what documentation they would like you to provide for your einduction pallets Fax:

11 Note: DAT-MAIL users can simply provide logistics carriers with an 8125 that says einduction on it instead of being round-stamped or you can still provide them with a round-stamped 8125 if they require it. Call for more info on how DAT-MAIL software makes this very easy for you. If you provide a regular 8125, it will be very important to enable the option to print einduction on your einduction pallet since this would be the only way a USPS receiving clerk would know to scan the barcode to accept the pallet. Barcodes on pallets that are not einduction are not normally scanned at the time of receiving. Note: Can your mailing software print einduction on pallet placards? DAT-MAIL can! Call to find out how easy it is to do this Verification Assessment Evaluator (VAE) Be aware that when edoc is submitted to PostalOne!, and it does not match the actual mailing, penalties will be incurred. You may even lose the drop ship discount! When these situations occur, mailers will be issued Invoice Reports detailing the errors and any associated penalties. These Invoice reports will be generated 10 days after the end of the month, and an will be sent to your company s designated Verification Assessment Evaluator (VAE) upon generation of the invoice. The mailer will designate a VAE for each CRID, and the VAE is responsible for reviewing and paying the invoice or requesting a review of the invoice by the Postal Service. The results of einduction verifications are available - for informational purposes only - through MicroStrategy reports Fax:

12 Errors That Generate Invoices Undocumented containers not included in the edoc. Mis-shipped containers drop shipped at an entry facility different than the one identified in the edoc. Duplicate containers with the same IMcb across multiple appointments. Mailers have the option to indicate to the USPS how they want any mis-shipped containers to be handled. This is done by an indicator in the Mail.dat file. There are two fields that affect how EInduction charges are billed. "CSM Accept Misshipped" will allow the USPS to accept a pallet that was delivered to the wrong entry facility. Unless the "CSM EInduction Mis-shipped Payer CRID" is populated, the mailer would get billed the amount of the drop ship discount. If it is populated, the party that owns the Payer CRID, usually a logistics company, would get billed. All other assessments would go to the mailer based on the MID in the pallet barcode. Additional information from RIBBS For more detailed information on the einduction program, download the Postal Service einduction Guide for Mailers ( Mailers may also check with their District Business Mail Entry office to obtain more information or to ask questions. Software for participating in einduction Use a post-presort software solution such as DAT-MAIL, which already has all the features and functions you need to readily participate in einduction. Manipulate Mail.dat files to notify the USPS of einduction Send Mail.XML files to FAST View which entry points are SV equipped Mark pallets for einduction Remove einduction status from Pallet records when necessary Print einduction on the pallet placards Print einduction in the round stamp area (section 27) of 8125 s Populate the CSM einduction Indicator in the Mail.dat pallet record Generate the IMcb Transmit edoc to PostalOne! Note: For help participating in einduction, visit to schedule an appointment to discuss your specific needs and challenges and to see, in action, how DAT-MAIL can help you. Call for help now Fax:

13 Conclusion The Postal Service is always introducing new technologies that will help everyone in the postal industry become more effective, efficient and productive mailers. By using edoc and Surface Visibility scanning devices, einduction promises mailers, logistics companies and the USPS a more streamlined process for drop shipping mail. If you drop ship, you owe it to yourself to take a good look at exactly how you can benefit from participating in einduction and simplify the drop shipping process.no more waiting in long lines for induction and payment, no more rejection due to errors in PS forms 8125 and 8017, less data entry, less human errors, increased productivity - it s time to join the electronic wave of einduction for drop shipping. Note: Window Book is ready to help you get started with einduction. Simply call us at and schedule a free consultation with one of our Client Services Directors Fax:

14 MUST READ!!! Why not work smarter, better, faster? einduction is not a requirement for drop shippers, but the USPS may make a fast turn and surprise you one day by announcing they ve changed their mind. Especially since it speeds up the unloading of trailers and, ultimately, saves them a lot of money. Don t get caught off guard. Window Book has been working with einduction, Intelligent Mail Full-Service, IMb s for months and helping hundreds of mailers get going with new postal technologies and requirements. We know the shortcuts you can take and the pitfalls you will encounter if you don t have the proper protection and guidance. We have many options available for all types and sizes of mailers Call and we will HELP you. Changing business practices can seem daunting and troublesome, but it is essential at times. It is essential to embrace Intelligent Mail options if you want to be able to compete with other mailers, stay viable in the mailing business, and most importantly continue to conduct business with the United States Postal Service. If you thought in the past that Intelligent Mail services did not provide enough ROI, you need to re-evaluate that calculation. Intelligent Mail is, indeed, the future state of mail processing, and ignoring or delaying implementation will only put you at a competitive disadvantage to those who do. If you don t invest in resources to comply with new 2013 and 2014 Intelligent Mail mandates, it s going to cost you even more in the long run very possibly your business. The potential financial losses can be so astounding that you won t be able to sustain your business very long. It s your choice, for many mailers you had better get ready to adopt Intelligent Mail options or fold. Resources Window Book offers some great resources for mailers as you head down this path to the world of edoc and Intelligent Mail. Check out our web site, to access white papers, upcoming webinars, previously recorded webinars, or to request a free Diagnostic Analysis and optimization review of your mailing and shipping operation that can help you facilitate Full-Service and cost savings Fax:

15 About Jeffery Peoples Jeffery Peoples As Founder and CEO of Window Book, Jeffery Peoples has created many innovations since 1988 that make using the Postal Service easier and more profitable for mailers and shippers, including the first-ever: electronic Domestic Mail Manual, MAC Gold shipping system, commercial postal statement management system that supports both Mail.dat & non-mail.dat presort data, and the first Priority Mail Open and Distribute system that goes from analysis to printing PMOD labels for tracking mailings. He is continually educating and enabling mailers on Intelligent Mail; developing systems to help mailers benefit by utilizing Full Service Intelligent Mail including edoc with PostalOne!, Mail.XML, Mail.dat, Post-Presort software, and FAST. He is frequently invited to speak at industry events such as GraphExpo, MAILCOM, the National Postal Forum, Postal Customer Council meetings, and other industry and direct marketing events. About Window Book, Inc. Window Book has helped clients manage their operations more profitably since A leader in mailing and shipping software for Lettershops, Corporate Mailers, Service Bureaus, and Mail Owners. Window Book s best-in-class postal solutions include: Intelligent Mail Full-Service, PostalOne!, edoc, Mail.dat, Mail.XML, FAST, bound printed matter, post-presort data management, entry planning, drop shipping, postage accounting, postal documentation & statements, meter and stamp management, Express Mail and Priority Mail Open and Distribute, Commercial Plus rates, evs, delivery confirmation, and manifesting shipping systems. Window Book, Inc. 300 Franklin Street Cambridge, MA Ph: Fax: postalspecialist@windowbook.com Fax: