We have a dedicated team of expert professionals who not only provide outstanding technical support, but we help keep you up to date. Staying abreast of the ever-changing rules and regulations, policies and procedures in the mailing and shipping industry is a daunting task at best. We hope you will find this blog filled with pertinent information you can use to run your business more efficiently and profitably. As always, we welcome your feedback and comments.
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In our ongoing efforts to educate mailers and the postal industry as a whole about critical changes happening with the USPS, we are publishing an informative, 29-page white paper titled, “Intelligent Mail Full-Service: Critical Steps to Understanding and Implementing”.
The Postal Team here at Window Book believes that in this white paper you’ll discover:
- What’s going on in the Postal industry
- The differences between the Full-Service and Basic options
- What Full-Service will do for you (It’s not just about the discounts!)
- The 3 ways to participate in the USPS PostalOne! System
- What steps you need to take, and in which order, to get going with IM Full-Service
- And much, much more!
Click here to download your free copy of Intelligent Mail Full-Service: Critical Steps to Understanding and Implementing.
Wallace Vingelis
Director, Postal Industry Practice
Window Book, Inc.
Phone: (617) 395-4569
email: wvingelis@windowbook.com
At last week’s MTAC meetings, things were a little different than normal. Instead of a lot of committee and workgroup updates on the first day (Wednesday), the USPS requested that the MTAC membership and attendees break out into separate workgroups to focus on USPS innovation for the future. There were 10 separate groups all tasked with the same thing: bringing innovative ideas to the attention of the USPS for consideration and implementation. All 10 groups ranked their top 3 ideas and presented them to the rest of the MTAC attendees. These 30ish (not every group had 3) ideas were captured and sent around for everyone to vote on with the goal being a Top 3 list for the USPS to act and report on.
Unfortunately, the Top 3 list was not available before we broke the meetings on Thursday, but as soon as it’s available, I’ll post it here. In the meantime, check out the list of top ideas we voted on:
Wallace Vingelis
Director, Postal Industry Practice
Window Book, Inc.
Phone: (617) 395-4569
email: wvingelis@windowbook.com
If you need assistance with the USPS FAST system, you can submit your issue via email to FAST@usps.com. Or, depending on the date, you can call one of the two numbers below:
- Prior to August 30, 2010 – call 1-800-522-9085
- After August 30, 2010 – call 1-877-569-6614
** If you are having any problems with your Customer/Supplier Agreements (CSAs) – you must log these issues with the FAST Help Desk via one of the methods listed above. **
Wallace Vingelis
Director, Postal Industry Practice
Window Book, Inc.
Phone: (617) 395-4569
email: wvingelis@windowbook.com
As we hurtle along towards 2011 and increased postage prices due to the USPS exigency filing, IDEAlliance formally published the Mail.dat 11-1 specification for the industry’s review. This new specification is designed to take into account new items being requested by the industry and the USPS for better communications amongst ourselves and with the USPS via PostalOne! Although, truth be told, it’s more the latter than the former. With the publishing of the final spec, there are a few things/dates people need to know:
- All reviews must be complete and comments turned in by Friday, 08/06/10. Due to the compressed schedule for publishing this spec requested by the USPS, there is only 1 week to dig into and review this new spec.
- The “must-catch” date is 12/02/10 – This is the date software that receives and reads Mail.dat files (like Window Book’s DAT-MAIL or the USPS PostalOne! system) must be ready to receive (catch) files formatted using the 11-1 spec.
- The “must-send” date is 02/02/11 – This is the date software that creates Mail.dat files must be able to produce files formatted using the 11-1 spec.
- Expected date of exigency price increase is 01/02/11 – These 3 dates create a 60-day window between catch and send dates for Mail.dat with the price increase date right in the middle.
- When reviewing the new spec, it’s easier to start at the back! Find the section in the back that details the changes to the spec between 11.1.0.0 and 9.1.0.3 (page 154) and use that to guide you through your review.
- Pay attention to the new “air box” scenario described on page 150. These are containers that mailers are being required to use even though the USPS doesn’t have many technical details about them.
For those of you just getting familiar with Mail.dat (and Mail.XML), Window Book will be presenting a Mail.dat/Mail.XML Webinar on Tuesday, 08/10/10 at 3:00 pm EDT. Interested parties can register at http://www.windowbook.com/WindowBookWebinars.aspx.
Wallace Vingelis
Director, Postal Industry Practice
Window Book, Inc.
Phone: (617) 395-4569
Fax: (617) 395-5969
email: wvingelis@windowbook.com
URL: www.windowbook.com
We wanted to inform you that Window Book has rescheduled its ‘DAT-MAIL’ Software User Seminar’ to September 14-15, 2009 in Chicago.
Attend our Seminar while you are at Print 09 this fall.
This is a great opportunity for you to meet our staff in person and get expert tips on how to use your program more efficiently!
Sending eDocs via PostalOne! Mail.dat
FAST appointment scheduling
Generating reports to track postage, permits, clients & jobs
Electronic Round Date Stamp (Fall 2009)
How to optimize Freight Planning and Drop Shipping
Priority Mail Open and Distribute Cost/Savings Analysis
Register for your ‘DAT-MAILTM Software User Seminar’ Register now
Learn all the updated and new software functionalities
Work towards your certificate as a program user
Learn about new service offerings: Postal Concierge & Mailing Services
Day One Everything and anything new – improved – underutilized with DAT-MAILTM, PMOD, and Services
Day Two Advanced users and One-on-one breakouts Register now
When: Monday, September 14th, 2009, 8am-5pm
Tuesday, September 15th, 2009, 9am-1pm
Where: The James Chicago The James Chicago
55 East Ontario St. Chicago, IL 60611
Local: 312.337.1000 Fax: 312.337.7217
Special Room rate code: WindowBook Group
Free Print ’09 Shuttle: 2 block walk to Four Points Downtown (Magnificent Mile) Hotel, #3 Route Free Print ’09 Shuttle
Registration fee: $60.00 per person / Discounted rate of $50 per person for 3 or more attendees from same company location.
Register now Get a FREE Print ’09 Exhibit Hall Pass when you register before 8/28! Register now
Note:
1. You will receive an Attendance Certificate for your participation. Hour(s) will be credited towards becoming a Certified WBI Software User.
2. Registration Fee is non-refundable but may be applied towards future seminars. Register now
This will be a very productive event for you and we look forward to your participation.
Please email us at postalspecialist@windowbook.com if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
J. Jeffery Peoples
CEO & Founder
Window Book, Inc.
Are you trying to work with eDocs, PostalOne!, Mail.dat or Mail.XML files, Do you need to improve your method of accounting of permits, postage and and meters? Are you needing educational information on USPS TEM, Electronic Mail Acceptance and Entry? Have you ever tried using Priority Mail Open Distribute (PMOD) to make an “In-Home-Date” and reduce postage costs? Did you know you don’t have to pay up front postage for Return Merchandise Labels, you can use a permit! Did you know there is International Commercial USPS Rates – Pricing available. Are you considering switching from optional procedures to Manifest Mailing? PUB 401? Are you trying to work with eDocs, PostalOne!, Mail.dat or Mail.XML files? Do you need to improve your method of accounting of permits, Would you like to know how to shave hours of your day with self populating mailing and financial reports?
Window Book is hosting a ‘Software User Seminar’ on August 4-5, 2009 where you can meet our staff in person and get expert tips on how to better use your program.
Please join us to discover all the new features available for your Window Book software.
Sending eDocs via PostalOne! Mail.dat or Mail.XML
FAST Web Services and Mail.XML for drop shipping
Generating reports to track postage, permits, clients & jobs
Electronic Round Date Grp. ID Stamp (Fall 2009)
How to optimize Freight Planning and Drop Shipping
Priority Mail Open and Distribute Cost/Savings Analysis
Register for your ‘Software User Seminar’ hosted by Window Book, Inc.
Learn all the updated and new software functionalities
Work towards your certificate as a program user
Learn about new service offerings: Postal Concierge & Mailing Services
Day One Everything and anything new – improved – underutilized with DAT-MAILTM, PPPTM and other software
Day Two Advanced users and One-on-one breakouts
When: Tuesday, August 4th, 2009, 8am-5pm
Wednesday, August 5th, 2009, 9am-1pm
Where: Holiday Inn Willowbrook, Chicago, IL
Registration fee: $60.00 per person / Discounted rate of $50 per person for 3 or more attendees same company
Register now
Hotel Information:
Holiday Inn Chicago-Willowbrook-Hinsdale
7800 South Kingery Hwy, Willowbrook, IL 60527
ph: 630-325-6400 | Fax: 630-325-2362
Rates: $98.00 SIG/$109.00 DBL
Group Code: WindowBook
Deadline for Registration: Thu, 7/30/09
Note:
1. You will receive an Attendance Certificate for your participation. Hour(s) will be credited towards becoming a Certified WBI Software User. 2. Registration Fee is non-refundable but may be applied towards future seminars. This is your great opportunity to sharpen your skills and identify your specific needs for your company! Please email us at mailto:postalspecialist@windowbook.com?subject=Join%20Us%20at%20the%20Window%20Book%20Software%20User%20Seminar if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
J. Jeffery Peoples
CEO & Founder
Window Book, Inc.
Mary Busch Joins Window Book as the Manager of Mail Transportation Services
June 25, 2009, Cambridge, MA
Window Book is pleased to announce Mary Busch as the Manager of Mail Transportation Services.
Mary is responsible for helping companies that drop ship mail by processing their Mail.dat files for them. Companies that have mail data processors that need to take vacation or sick time and need an expert to actually process their mail now have a solution. It is a temporary help service for mailers.
By working with transportation companies and drop ship mailers Mary will deliver a service when the mailer has increased demand or mail data processing workers are out. She will enable them to process all the mail without needing to hire another full time staff member. She will also provide them with technical support and optimal mail transportation service solutions by utilizing Window Book mailing software. She will be offering regional training seminars on how to fully utilize all the functionalities in DAT-MAIL and providing mail processing services from preparation to delivery including file analysis, USPS entry planning, and postage statements.
DAT-MAIL mailing software includes many features that transportation companies as well as printers and lettershops can benefit from for transportation and drop ship logistics: Entry View, Quick Plan, Palletization, CoPal for copalletization, Freight Planning analysis, and Destination Data Distribution System for automatic database updates to the FAST destination data. It also includes modules that you can add-on to meet your specific needs and requirements. It is precisely this complete functionality, flexibility, and versatility that sets DAT-MAIL apart from other mailing software in the mailing industry.
Mary brings over 25 years of experience in various facets of customer service, logistics, and mail transportation. Prior to joining Window Book, she served as the Director of Data Processing for Postal Logistics Services where she was instrumental for the start up of the company. She also worked for RR Donnelley Logistics as a Pre-production Manager and provided their clients optimal load planning efficiencies to meet their specific requirements for mail delivery.
“Quite often, many companies are not aware of new methods they can use which may help them enhance their current system. Others simply conduct their business the same old way they always have without considering how to improve their operation. Mary will definitely prove to be an asset to these companies by investigating their current system, addressing their temporary mail processing needs, and helping them fully utilize all the tools available to them,” said Jeffery Peoples, Window Book’s CEO.
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