Starting in January of 2009, the United States Post Office will require the use of the Intelligent Mail Barcode (IMB) in order to qualify for postal discounts.
The IMB is also formally known as the 4-State Barcode, and aka OneCode.
The USPS will provide you, upon application, a Mailer ID number. If you mail less than 10MM pieces, you get a 9 digit number. If you mail more, you are assigned a 6 digit number.
If you get assigned a 9 digit MID, you then can use a 6 digit field for a unique sequence number. If you are are assigned the 6 digit MID, then you can use a 9 digit field for a unique sequence number. Nifty !
Printshop Mail version 5 wants me to use the first 6 digits of my MID. And carry over the remaining 3 digits of my MID into the sequence number field. I wouldn't mind this... however, the barcode that is output is questionable. It doesn't match the output from the USPS website.
http://ribbs.usps.gov/onecodesolution/Default.aspx
What I am left to do is to take some samples to the nearest Bulk Mail Center and ask them to scan my barcode samples.
The folks at Printshop are currently working on this and are confident that their solution will work.
Have you had a similar experience? How are you making preparations for the change to OneCode?
The IMB is also formally known as the 4-State Barcode, and aka OneCode.
The USPS will provide you, upon application, a Mailer ID number. If you mail less than 10MM pieces, you get a 9 digit number. If you mail more, you are assigned a 6 digit number.
If you get assigned a 9 digit MID, you then can use a 6 digit field for a unique sequence number. If you are are assigned the 6 digit MID, then you can use a 9 digit field for a unique sequence number. Nifty !
Printshop Mail version 5 wants me to use the first 6 digits of my MID. And carry over the remaining 3 digits of my MID into the sequence number field. I wouldn't mind this... however, the barcode that is output is questionable. It doesn't match the output from the USPS website.
http://ribbs.usps.gov/onecodesolution/Default.aspx
What I am left to do is to take some samples to the nearest Bulk Mail Center and ask them to scan my barcode samples.
The folks at Printshop are currently working on this and are confident that their solution will work.
Have you had a similar experience? How are you making preparations for the change to OneCode?