Generating Intelligent Mail®

Barcodes

March 2008

2

Getting Started

STEP 1: Talk with mail service providers and vendors

STEP 2: Apply for Mailer ID (MID)

STEP 3: Download software used to translate your intelligent data into the Intelligent Mail barcode

STEP 4: Populate barcode fields

STEP 5: Generate correct barcodes

3

Step 1 of 5

Talk with mail service providers and vendors

● Determine whether you would like to implement Intelligent Mail yourself or through a provider/vendor.

4

Step 2 of 5

Apply for Mailer ID● Contact your local Mailpiece Design

Analyst (MDA): Online tool at pe.usps.com

Click “Mailpiece Design”

Click “Lookup Tool” under heading “Mailpiece Design Analyst”

Survey will be completed and 6 or 9-digit MID assigned based on mail volume

5

Step 3 of 5

Download Intelligent Mail software

Intelligent Mail Data

Font software Converts printing instructions into

barcode

Encoder software Converts intelligent data into printing

instructions

6

Example

7

Download Software

Or contact the

National Customer

Support Center at

(877) 640-0724

To download fonts/encoders, request a user ID and password at https://ribbs.usps.gov/OneCodeSolution/

8

Free Encoders

Language and Applications Supported

Operating System C Java 2 COBOL PL/1 MS Access MS Excel

MVS, z/OS, and OS/390 Yes Yes Yes Yes

VSE/ESA Yes Yes Yes

OS/400 Yes Yes Yes

AIX Yes Yes

Linux for pSeries Yes Yes

Linux for Intel (including Intel-compatible systems)

Yes Yes

Programmer Version for Windows Yes Yes

MS Office Version for Windows Yes Yes

Three new encoders coming online this year:

Mac OS, HP/UX, and Solaris.

9

Free Fonts

Type

Fonts Fixed Pitch Bitmap Scalable

The Advanced Function Printing (AFP) Yes

The XEROX Metacode Yes

Hewlett Packard’s PCL Yes

Adobe’s Postscript Yes Yes

TrueType Yes

New shorter-height fonts (close to the minimum 0.125”) being developed and tested.

10

Other Software Available

Other products for IM barcode artwork

● IDAutomation – Encoding and Fonts

● HALLoGRAM Publishing – Barcode Pro

● Seagull Scientific, Inc. - Bartender

● Envelope Manager Software - DAZzle

11

Step 4 of 5

Populate the Barcode Fields

● Barcode ID defines the presort makeup in conjunction with an Optional Endorsement Line (OEL).

● Service Type ID defines the mail class and any services requested (e.g., OneCode Confirm, OneCode ACS).

Do not use “000”

● Mailer ID is a 6-digit or 9-digit number that uniquely identifies the mail owner or mailing agent.

● Serial Number uniquely (not always!) identifies the mailpiece or mailing.

● Routing Code is used to encode the destination ZIP Code of the mailpiece.

Never pad ZIP Code with zeroes, spaces or any other digits that are not part of the ZIP Code; same as POSTNET

IM Barcode does not require CHECK DIGIT

12

Step 5 of 5

Put Everything Together and Generate the Barcode● Once you have selected service(s), received

your Mailer ID, and devised a unique Serial Number strategy, you are ready to:

Put all the data fields together to form the digit string

Pass the digit string to the encoder

Apply the font to the encoded 65 bar string

Note: the IM barcode is ALWAYS 65 bars

13

IM Barcode Specification History

2005: height between 0.160 and 0.230

2006: height between 0.134 and 0.230

2007: height between 0.125 and 0.165

● September 2007: font packages on RIBBS updated to remove tall (~0.230”) fonts; encoder packages are UNAFFECTED

● Grace period to phase out tall barcode fonts – January 2009

● March 2008: packages will be updated to add short (~0.125”) fonts

14

Specification Tolerances

Same as POSTNET, except:● 2.667 – 3.225 inches in length (3 bars longer)

● 0.125 – 0.165 inch in height (vs. 0.115 – 0.135)

● 0.028 vertical barcode clearance (vs. 0.040)

Clearance between barcode and text lines

same as clearance between text lines!

15

Tilt and Skew Tolerances

< +5° max > -5° max

CL

CL

< +5° max > -5° max

CLCL

Same as POSTNET, except that instead of baseline, you need to look for the centerline!

Barcode Skew Bar Rotation

16

Void Specification

0.010

Maximum dot matrix spacing increased from

0.005 to 0.010 inch.

Increase in the allowed space between dots (voids).

17

Placement Configurations

Placement on letters

● Address block or

● Barcode clear zone

Placement on flats

● On address side and

● At least 1/8 inch from any edge of the piece

To avoid ambiguity, only one IM barcode can be placed in the same area.

Placement configurations of the IM barcode on a letter-size and flat-size mail are defined in the Domestic Mail Manual (DMM™), sections 202 and 302.

JMCXNM5 38141

18

Validating IM Barcodes

Manual Tools

● Visual Inspection

● Plastic Templates

● Optical Comparator

Software Tools

● Online Encoder/Decoder

● Scanners and Verifiers

19

Plastic Template

Great tool available from local

BSN or MDA

Automation Barcode Gauge Template (Item #04A)

20

Using Optical Comparator

Complements Item 04A with ability to

measure exact heights/widths and to assess barcode jitter (~centerline

shift).

Optical Comparator 6X (Eye Gage) by Gageline Technology

21

Online Tools

22

Online Decoder

23

Scanners & Verifiers

Scanners and Verifiers

● The Culver Group – HHP4600 scanner

● Videk – Model 2030 scanner, IMB Verifier

● BÖWE BELL + HOWELL – Mail Verifier Plus (MVP)

● Motorola / Symbol

Scanners – DS3408, DS3478 and DS6707

Mobile computers – MC50, MC70, MC3000, MC9000

Generating Full Service

Barcodes

25

Generating IM Tray Labels

For Intelligent Mail Tray labels: Use largest label stock sizes and holders

Obtain and follow the specifications available on the Rapid Information Bulletin Board System: ribbs.usps.gov/ to create and print labels

Proposed Changes - add text area to the right of the 24 digit barcode and accommodate smaller label stock heights; test in March 2008

Plan - Update specifications and DMM changes to allow use of the 10/24 digit Tray Label

26

Generating IM Container Barcodes

For Intelligent Mail Container Barcodes: Go to the Rapid Information Bulletin Board System:

ribbs.usps.gov/ for the Intelligent Mail Container Barcode specifications

Plan - DMM update to allow the use of new layout and instructions for the (pallet/placard) labels

27

Key Takeaways

Converting to the IM barcode

● Obtaining a Mailer ID is free

● Encoders and fonts available for free; however, integrating an encoder into existing software may require IT involvement

● Applying the IM barcode on mailpieces is the same as POSTNET

28

Your Resources

Rapid Information Bulletin Board System: ribbs.usps.gov

● Intelligent Mail Barcode for letters and flats Encoder Software, Fonts and Online Decoding Tool Intelligent Mail Barcode Specifications Technical Resource Guide Mailer ID Guidelines OneCode Confirm and OneCode ACS Technical Guides

● Intelligent Mail Tray Label Specifications

● Intelligent Mail Container Barcode Specifications

Domestic Mail Manual USPS Publications Mailpiece Design Analyst