Patent ID: 8457782

Claim:
A method of associating data of a mail item with an intended mail target to which the mail item is addressed in an address block, during processing of the mail item through a mail production environment and a mail delivery network, the method comprising steps of: on a mail sorting device in the mail production environment, reading a mail item identifier from an address block on the mail item; associating the mail item identifier with: the mail target to which the mail item is addressed in the address block of the mail item, and metadata associated with the mail target, the metadata is data associated with the mail target selected from one or more of: mail content, buying habits, personal data, demographics, promptness in bill payment, interests or hobbies; generating a postal authority delivery point barcode containing a unique mail item identifier; associating the mail item identifier from the address block on the mail item with the unique mail item identifier; printing the postal authority delivery point barcode on the mail item; transferring of mail item to the mail delivery network; storing event data from processing of the mail item in the mail delivery network; and generating a report containing information obtained during the processing of the mail item through the mail production environment and the mail delivery network.