Setup AccuZIP6 with your Mailer ID to print the Intelligent Mail Barcode
In order to print the Intelligent Mail Barcode in AccuZIP6, you’ll first need to get a 6-digit or 9-digit Mailer ID. Once you've acquired your Mailer ID, you're ready to begin setup of the intelligent mail barcode within AccuZIP6 5.0! If you do not have a Mailer ID, you’ll need one:
To request a Mailer ID (MID), follow these instructions:
- Go to http://www.usps.com/
- Select the Business Customer Gateway (on the bottom right hand corner of the web page)
- Log in as an existing user or register as a new user to gain access
- Select the Mailer ID link under “Design & Prepare”
- Complete the on-line application to obtain your Mailer ID
Once you have a Mailer ID, the setup procedure will only take a few moments, and begins with opening the Intelligent Mail Information Setup window.
• From the Additions Menu in AccuZIP6 5.0, click on AccuTrace, and then Intelligent Mail Setup. The Intelligent Mail Setup window will appear:
Class-Specific Configuration for the IM® Barcode
Configuring the individual classes requires just a few moments to input your assigned Mailer ID and Service Type:
- Click on the + button of your desired class to configure. For the purposes of this guide, we'll use First Class. The First Class configuration options will appear, as shown:
The first thing you'll want to enter is your USPS-assigned Mailer ID.
- Single click the question mark (?) character under "Mailer ID, then single click on the question mark again. The question mark will highlight and a text box will appear so you’ll be able to type over the question mark. Type in your 6 digit or 9 digit Mailer ID and press Enter to lock that number in.
After entering your Mailer ID, you will then want to configure AccuZIP6 5.0 to use your assigned service type for that class of mail. By default, AccuZIP6 5.0 selects the "No Services" value for each class of mail.
- To configure your service type, double click the icon next to the value shown under the Service Type group. The Service Type window will appear:
If you’re trying to get the full service IMB discount, click on an option with the word (Full) next to it. If you’re not trying to get the Full Service Discount, don’t choose a full option. You cannot select more than one service group at a time, and these services must be subscribed to through the USPS when acquiring the Mailer ID.
- To select your desired Service Type, single-click the appropriate service from the list, and then click the OK button.
For most mailers, that's all the configuration that is required. Press OK to leave the Intelligent Mail Setup window. For more information about this window’s features, pull down the Help menu to Contents, click on Printing, then click on Printing the Intelligent Mail Barcode. More information can also be found at the AccuZIP Forum:
Repeat the steps above for each class of mail you’ll be presorting.
Printing the Intelligent Mail Barcode
Once you've configured the AccuZIP6 5.0 product to generate the Intelligent Mail Barcode data for your chosen class of mail, it's you’re ready to print. To view the IM® Barcode data and barcode itself, you'll need to be at the Print Settings window. If you're not at the Print Settings window, click on the File Menu, and then Print>Labels from the List View, or click Print Labels from the Print Presort window. You'll see the check boxes to the right side of the Print Settings window, beneath the Print and Close buttons, as shown in the image below:
The AccuZIP6 5.0 software will automatically create the fields Imbarcode and Imbdigits when the Print button is clicked and the Intelligent Mail checkbox is checked. You'll see a notification window appear briefly while the data is calculated, and the structure modified:
While the notification is on screen, AccuZIP6 5.0 is adding the two IM® Barcode fields and populating them with data for your qualifying pieces. When it's completed, you'll see the two new fields in the Database section of the Print Settings window: IMBarcode and IMBDigits.
Once the data has been added to the Imbarcode field, the Intelligent Mail Barcode will print out on the piece (or preview, if preview is checked). No additional configuration or modification of the label template is required.
Additional Information for Mail Merge Users
If you want to use AccuZIP6 5.0's ability to create the Intelligent Mail Barcode, but want to export and print within a mail merge environment, that's possible as well. When exporting the data for your mail merge, you will see the two IM Barcode fields, Imbarcode and Imbdigits. The only required field for your merge is Imbarcode. The Imbdigits field is purely a guide given to AccuZIP6 5.0 users who want a visual representation of what data is included in the IM® Barcode. The actual characters used for the Intelligent Mail Barcode are those found in the Imbarcode field, and only that field.
The characters in the Imbarcode field in the image above are the only recognized characters for the IM® Barcode itself. However, you'll notice that the Imbdigits field gives you a visual representation of what that barcode is comprised of. The only field you need for your mail merge data source, however, is the Imbarcode field.
Once you have the field assigned in your merge document, the required font is USPS4CB. It installs with your AccuZIP6 5.0 product, and the only size that should be used is 16. Any size other than that will not allow the USPS scanners to read the IM® Barcode properly.
The Intelligent Mail Barcode is going to change the way that both the USPS and mailers handle and track their mail. If you have further questions on the IM® Barcode, or problems configuring (or printing) the barcode, please let us know.
