Intelligent Mail Barcodes can make your mailing operation much more productive. You can prepare USPS compliant mailings faster and more easily and achieve increased mail deliverability at the lowest postage rates by using Intelligent Mail Barcodes from the United States Postal Service.
The Intelligent Mail Barcode (IMB) is an advanced 65-barcode offered by the U.S. Postal Service for domestic mail delivery. It has a greater data capacity than POSTNET and PLANET, the previous barcodes. There is more space for copy or graphics, improved delivery, and the ability to track your mail. It also eliminates the need for multiple barcodes to accommodate different USPS programs.
Sample Intelligent Mail Barcode:
Sample Postnet Barcode:
Barcodes can be printed on documents (shown through a window envelope) or directly onto envelopes at various points in the process. Many large companies may use some or all of these approaches based on their business needs and environment, as well as the unique characteristics of an application.
In recent years, more companies have been applying barcodes as part of document creation, with all barcode information included in the initial data payload. This trend has been driven by the goal of individualized, relevant statements. Creating barcodes at this point in the process may require some added effort, but with the proximity to databases and business applications, some may find it easier to track back data (such as a corrected address) to its original data source.
Adding Intelligent Mail barcodes post-composition into the electronic print file allows organizations to simultaneously clean up all their transaction print streams while adding the IMBs they need.
Have you used Intelligent Mail Barcodes? Tell us what you think.