Mailing

Terms related to mailing products and services provided by UW Creative Communications.

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Accountable Mail: Mail that requires the signature of the recipient or recipient's agent upon receipt to provide proof of delivery or indemnification for loss or damage. This includes Express Mail and extra service mail such as Certified Mail^I, collect on delivery, insured mail^I for more than $50, registered mail^I and return receipt^I for merchandise.
Address Change Service (ACS): An automated process that provides change-of-address information to participating mailers who maintain computerized mailing lists. The information is captured in the Computerized Forwarding System (CFS) units and sent to mailers on electronic media, which reduces the volume of manual change-of-address notices.
Barcode Clear Zone: A rectangular area in the lower right part of a letter-size mailpiece that must be kept free of printing and symbols, except for the barcode itself. This requirement allows automated processing machines to read or apply a barcode. (Also see FASTforward^I).
BCS (Barcode Sorter): A computer-controlled, high-speed machine that sorts letters by using an electric reader to interpret an imprinted barcode.
Bound Printed Matter (BPM): Standard Mail (B)^I weighing at least 1 pound but not more than 15 pounds that consists of permanently bound sheets of which at least 90% are printed with advertising, promotional, directory, or editorial matter (or a combination of such matter).
BRM: A domestic service that allows a mailer to receive First-Class Mail back from customers and pay postage only for the pieces returned to the mailer from the original distribution of BRM^I pieces. These pieces must have a specific address and format. Postage and fees are collected when the mail is delivered back to the original mailer.
Bulk Mail: Standard (formerly third-class) mailings of 200 or more pieces (or 50 pounds of addressed pieces) of identical weight. Eligible for a discount rate if prepaid and sorted under specific standards.
Campus Mail: Official university mail between departments and staff that is distributed throughout campus by UW Mailing Services.
Cancellation: A postmark that contains the post office name, state, ZIP^I Code, and month, day, and year that the mail matter was canceled.
CASS Certification: A software process that verifies that a specific address exists and adds the plus-4 to the zip^I code.
Certified Mail: Provides the sender with a mailing receipt and a delivery record at the post office of address. No record is kept at the office from which certified mail^I is mailed. This service is dispatched and handled in transit as ordinary mail. No insurance is provided.
Cheshire Labels: Computer-generated labels printed on continuous-form^I computer paper. The labels are applied to mail pieces by a Cheshire labeling machine.
Courtesy Reply Mail: Consists of pre-addressed postcards or envelopes provided by mailers to their customers, both to expedite their responses and to provide more accurate delivery.
Delivery Point Barcode (DPBC): A Postnet barcode that consists of 62 bars with beginning and ending frame bars and 5 bars each for the nine digits of the ZIP+4^I code, the last 2 digits of the primary street address number (or Post Office box, etc.), and a correction digit. The DPBC allows automated sortation of letter mail to the letter carrier level in walk sequence.
Direct Mail: Another name for advertising mail sent to targeted markets. It can be any mail class, but it is usually Standard Mail (A)^I.
Endorsement: An authorized marking on a mailpiece that shows handling instructions, a special service, or a request for an ancillary service.
FASTforward: A USPS^I-licensed automated system that updates addresses by matching names and addresses with current change-of-address orders on file. A piece updated with FASTforward^I can be delivered directly to the new address rather than forwarded from the old address. FASTforward systems interface with USPS-approved automation systems such as multiline optical character readers (MLOCRs) and remote video encoding (RVE) operations. FASTforward is available in two applications. The Mailing List Correction application updates computerized name and address mailing lists before mailpiece creation. The MLOCR/RVE application provides an "on-piece" address correction during mail processing before deposit into the mailstream.
First-Class Mail (FCM): A class of mail that includes all matter wholly or partly in writing or typewriting, all actual and personal correspondence, all bills and statements of account, and all matter sealed or otherwise closed against inspection. First-Class Mail comprises three subclasses: postcards, letters and sealed parcels, and Priority Mail^I. Any mailable matter may be sent as First-Class Mail. First-Class Mail is a USPS^I trademark.
Flat-Size Mail: A mailpiece that exceeds one of the dimensions for letter-size mail^I (11-1/2 inches long, 6-1/8 inches high, 1/4 inch thick) but that does not exceed the maximum dimension for the mail processing category (15 inches long, 12 inches high, 3/4 inch thick). Dimensions are different for automation price flat-size mail^I eligibility. Flat-size mail may be unwrapped, sleeved, wrapped, or enveloped.
Indicia: An imprinted designation used on mail pieces denoting method of postage payment (also called permit imprint).
Ink-jet addressing: High-speed, direct-to-mail-piece addressing that eliminates the use of labels.
Insured Mail: Provides reimbursement coverage for a lost, rifled, or damaged article. No record of insured mail^I is kept at the office of mailing.
Letter-Size Mail: A mail processing category of mailpieces, including cards that do not exceed any of the dimensions for letter-size mail^I (that is, 11-1/2 inches long, 6-1/8 inches high, 1/4 inch thick).
Machinable: The capacity of a mailpiece to be sorted by mail processing equipment.
NCOA: National Change of Address. An address correction service that the USPS^I provides to mailers through USPS licensees. The licensees match mailing lists submitted to them on tape or disk against change-of-address information for the entire country from all Computerized Forwarding System units. If a match is made, NCOA^I can correct the address before it is printed on a mailpiece.
OCR/BCS: Optical Character Reader/Barcode Sorter. An automatic mail sorting system that locates the address written on the face of an envelope, reads the city, state, and ZIP^I Code, and prints a PostNet barcode on the mail piece. The machine then used a barcode reader to interpret the barcode and sort the mail at high spped.
Parcel: A piece of mail that exceeds the maximum dimensions for flats.
Periodicals: Formerly called second-class mail. Magazines, newspapers, or other periodical publications issued at least four times a year at regular, specific intervals.
Presorted First-Class Mailing: A nonautomation price category for a mailing that consists of at least 500 mailpieces and is sorted and prepared according to USPS^I standards. This mail does not bear a barcode.
Presorted Standard: The postage price for Standard Mail (A)^I pieces that are part of a mailing and that meet minimum volume and preparation requirements.
Priority Mail: All First-Class mail weighing over 13 ounces and up to 70 pounds. The USPS^I targets a two-day delivery, however, two-day delivery is not guaranteed.
Registered Mail: The most secure service the USPS^I offers. Incorporates a system of receipts to monitor the mail's movement from the point of acceptance to delivery. Postal insurance coverage may be purchased for registered mail^I in case of loss or damage.
Return Receipt: Provides a mailer with evidence of delivery.
Standard Mail: Formerly called third-class and fourth-class mail.
Standard Mail: A class of mail consisting of mailable matter that is not required to be mailed as First-Class Mail or is not mailed as Periodicals^I.
Standard Mail (A): Standard Mail^I matter that weighs less than 16 ounces. It comprises the subclasses of Regular Standard Mail^I, Nonprofit Standard Mail, Enhanced Carrier Route Standard Mail, and Nonprofit Enhanced Carrier Route Standard Mail. These subclasses include circulars, printed matter, pamphlets, catalogs, newsletters, direct mail^I, and merchandise. Standard Mail (A)^I may be sent at presorted prices and at automation prices.
Standard Mail (B): Now called "Package Services," weighs 16 ounces or more but not more than 70 pounds. It comprises four subclasses: Bound Printed Matter, Library Mail, Parcel^I Post, and Special Standard Mail^I.
USPS: United States Postal Service
ZIP (Zone Improvement Plan) Code: Established in 1963, the system of 5-digit codes that identifies the individual post office or metropolitan area delivery station associated with an address. The first three digits identify the delivery area of a sectional center facility or a major-city post office serving the delivery address area. The next two (the fourth and fifth) digits identify the delivery area of an associate post office, post office branch, or post office station. All post offices are assigned at least one unique 5-digit code. ZIP+4^I is an enhanced code consisting of the 5-digit ZIP^I Code and four additional digits that identify a specific range of delivery addresses. ZIP Code is a USPS^I trademark.
ZIP+4: The nine-digit numeric code, established in 1981, composed of two parts: (a) The initial code: the first five digits that identify the sectional center facility and delivery area associated with the address, followed by a hyphen; and (b) the four-digit expanded code: the first two additional digits designate the sector (a geographic area) and the last two digits designate the segment (a building, floor, etc). ZIP+4^I is a USPS^I trademark.