# Presentation: 606591

## Flats Symposium 2008

**Flats Symposium 2008**

**National Postal Forum 2008**

## Panel Members

**Mike Winn**
- Director, Postal Affairs and Operations
- R.R. Donnelley
**Sharon Daniel**
- Manager Mailing Standards
- United States Postal Service
**Steve Dearing**
- Manager, Intelligent Mail Planning & Standards
- United States Postal Service
**James West**
- Director, Postal and Government Affairs
- Williams-Sonoma

## Flats Sequencing System (FSS)

## Flats Addressing

**Sharon Daniel**
- Manager Mailing Standards
- United States Postal Service

**Flats Addressing**

**Notes:**
Panel 1

## New Standards for the Delivery Address are Effective in March 2009 and Specify:
Minimum Type Size for All Commercial Flats
New Spacing Requirements for All Automation Flats
Placement Within the Top Half of the Mailpiece for All Commercial Flats Except First-class Mail

**Minimum Type Size for All Commercial Flats**
**New Spacing Requirements for All Automation Flats**
**Placement Within the Top Half of the Mailpiece for All Commercial Flats Except First-class Mail**

**New Address Standards**

**Notes:**
Effective March 29, 2009.

## Ideal Address: Uses Type Larger Than 8 Points, All Required/ Recommended Clear Spaces, and Arial Capital Letters

**Ideal Address: Uses Type Larger Than 8 Points, All Required/ Recommended Clear Spaces, and Arial Capital Letters**

**0.028****"**

**0.028****"**

**0.028 "**

**0.125****"**

**0.125****"**

**New Address Standards**

**Address Characteristics ****— Type Size and Spacing**

**Notes:**
New address standards require mailers to address all presorted and carrier route flats using at least 8-point type. (Each letter or figure must be at least 0.080 inch high.)

Additional standards for automation pieces only:
 Address characters cannot overlap.
 Address lines cannot touch or overlap (0.028-inch clearance preferred).
 Address elements may be separated by no more than five blank spaces.

Note: 
Minimum clear space above and below POSTNET barcode is 0.125 inch.
Item B (below address block) represents a typical printer’s minimum. We do not have a requirement for this clear space.

## New Address Standards

**Mailers May Use 6-point Type if a POSTNET or Intelligent Mail Barcode with a Delivery-Point Routing Code is Used**

**New Address Standards**

**Address Characteristics ****— Type Size and Spacing**

**Notes:**
Flats using an 11-digit POSTNET or an Intelligent Mail barcode may use 6-point type if the address is printed in all capital letters. (Each letter or figure must be at least 0.065 inch high.)

## The Delivery Address Must be Entirely Within The Top Half of The Mailpiece– the “Top” is:
Either of the Shorter Edges on Enveloped or Poly-Wrapped Pieces
The Upper Edge When the Spine is Placed On the Right-Hand Side of an Unenclosed Piece
Either of the Shorter Edges on all Carrier Route (or ECR) Saturation Pieces

**The Delivery Address Must be Entirely Within The Top Half of The Mailpiece– the “Top” is:**
**Either of the Shorter Edges on Enveloped or Poly-Wrapped Pieces**
**The Upper Edge When the Spine is Placed On the Right-Hand Side of an Unenclosed Piece**
**Either of the Shorter Edges on all Carrier Route (or ECR) Saturation Pieces**

**New Address Standards**

**Notes:**
New address placement standards apply to all Periodicals and Standard Mail flats, and to Package Services flats mailed at any discount price.

The new placement standards do not apply to First-Class Mail.

## Usually Addressed on Back Cover.

**Usually Addressed on Back Cover.**

**Catalog Example**

**Top half**

**New Address Standards**

**Notes:**
The delivery address must be entirely within the top half of the mailpiece. For unenclosed pieces, the top is the upper edge of the mailpiece when the spine is placed on the right-hand side.

The address can be placed parallel or perpendicular to the top edge, but not upside-down.

## Usually Addressed on Front Cover

**Usually Addressed on Front Cover**

**Magazine Example**

**Top half**

**New Address Standards**

## Often Addressed on an Insert.

- Often Addressed on an Insert.

**Magazine in Polywrap Example**

**Top half**

**New Address Standards**

**Notes:**
For pieces in envelopes or polywrap, and all saturation pieces, the “top” is either of the shorter edges.

When the address is printed on an insert showing through polywrap, the address must stay in the top half throughout processing and delivery.

## Horizontal Format is Still Okay

**Horizontal Format is Still Okay**

**Business Envelope Examples**

**Top half**

**Top half**

**New Address Standards**

## Postal Explorer                                                       pe.usps.com

MailProusps.com/mailpro

DMM Advisorydmmadvisory@usps.com

**Postal Explorer                                                       *****pe.usps.com***
**MailPro*****usps.com/mailpro***
**DMM Advisory*****dmmadvisory@usps.com***

**Resources**

**Notes:**
Mailers are encouraged to work with their local Mailpiece Design Analysts on specific mailpieces. MDAs can offer guidance on the new addressing standards and all aspects of mailpiece design.  An MDA lookup tool is available on Postal Explorer, click “Postal Links” in the left frame.

## Intelligent Mail® Barcode

**Intelligent Mail® Barcode**

**Steve Dearing**
- Manager, Intelligent Mail Planning & Standards
- USPS

## Intelligent Mail® Barcode

**Improved Tracking Intelligence**
**Can Uniquely Identify More Mailpieces**
**Enables Improved Customer Service**
**Enables Service Measurement**
**Multiple Services through One Barcode**
**Provides More Real Estate for Mailpiece**
**Automation Discounts, One Code ConfirmTM, OneCode ACSTM**

**Intelligent Mail® Barcode**

## Intelligent Mail® Barcode

**Worked With the Flat Mail Industry (IDEAlliance)**
**Tested Variable Print Speeds and Book Thickness**
**Identified Inkjet Constraints**
**Modified Barcode Specifications**
**Shortened Height of Barcode**
**Reduced Barcode Clearance**
**Increased Void Tolerance**
**Retain Comparable Footprint of POSTNETTM**

**Intelligent Mail® Barcode**

## Customer Perspective & Challenges

**Customer Perspective & Challenges**

**James West**
- Director, Postal and Government Affairs
- Williams-Sonoma

## Customer Perspective and Challenges

**Challenge to Creative Flexibility**
**Compromise Prime Merchandising Space**
**Hinder Creative Flexibility**
**Address Orientation Within Address Area**

## Value Challenge 

**Sales Revenue vs. Mailing Requirement**
**What is Our Other Option?**
**Is This a Permanent Change?**
**What is FSS and Why is it Important?**

**Customer Perspective and Challenges**