Publication 91, Confirmation Services Technical Guide, provides in-depth information concerning population of the electronic file. (See 2-1 for additional information about which types of bulk proof of delivery participation necessitate the use of an electronic file.) For participation in the bulk proof of delivery program, however, mailers must ensure that specific aspects of their electronic files conform not only to the rules outlined in Publication 91 but also to rules specific to this program. Note that a record in an electronic file might pass all error checks necessary for tracking, yet that record might not pass all edits necessary for bulk proof of delivery, therefore disqualifying that mailpiece from being part of a customer’s Signature Extract File or CD-ROM.
For records to qualify for inclusion in the program, the electronic file must contain an appropriate electronic file type code in the Header Record (position 003). The following list contains the correct electronic file type codes to use for each service:
- For Signature Confirmation service, use Electronic File Type Code 2.
- For Express Mail service, use Electronic File Type Code 3.
- For Certified Mail service, use Electronic File Type Code 7.
- For Registered Mail service, use Electronic File Type Code 6.
- For insured mail (more than $200), use Electronic File Type Code B.
- For COD mail, use Electronic File Type Code 8.
As noted in earlier sections, mailers may elect to send their own electronic files or to have a third-party designee do so on their behalf. When using a third-party designee, a mailer must ensure that its DUNS/Mailer ID number is included in the appropriate part of the electronic file. The options for DUNS number placement when using a third-party designee are as follows:
- A third-party designee mails one or more clients’ mail using a unique DUNS number assigned to the client(s) (the bulk proof of delivery mailer) and places the number(s) in the Client DUNS Number field of Detail Record 1 (positions 122–130). The third-party then places its own DUNS number into the PIC and into the electronic file number within the Header Record.
- A third-party designee mails one or more clients’ mail using a unique DUNS number assigned to the client(s) and places the number(s) into the PIC field of Detail Record 1 (positions 005–026). The Client DUNS Number field of Detail Record 1 (positions 122–130) is left as the default (all zeroes). The third-party then places its own DUNS number into the electronic file number within the Header Record.
If a customer decides to submit its own electronic file, the DUNS/Mailer ID number that it registered for the bulk proof of delivery program may be placed into the client ID field, the PIC, or the electronic file number within the Header Record.
Mailers electing to receive bulk proof of delivery records for Certified Mail service, Registered Mail service, insured mail (more than $200), or collect on delivery (COD) mail must indicate an appropriate Special Services Code and Fee in their electronic files. The correct Special Services Code is 06 (return receipt). The current return receipt fee is located in the rates and fees section in the DMM — note that the appropriate rate is for “records received electronically.” Mailers may choose to include this code and fee for every Detail Record in the electronic file, or just for some records. Return receipts will be generated only for those mailpieces for which the code and fee are included.
Customers electing to receive bulk proof of delivery records for Signature Confirmation service or Express Mail service do not need to indicate a special services code or fee in their electronic files.
If a customer includes information within the Customer Reference Number field of the electronic file (positions 131–160 in Detail Record 1), that information will be included on the return receipt that is produced for that mailpiece. See Exhibit 4-6.2.1 for an example of the Customer Reference Number within the return receipt. Note that the Postal Service does not validate or edit this information. The Postal Service does not recommend use of this field for personally identifiable information such as Social Security numbers.
After uploading electronic files, the transmitter will wait 1 hour and then reconnect to the Postal Service account and view or download the Confirmation/Error/Warning Report. Tables 4-6.1.2a, 4-6.1.2b, and 4-6.1.2c display common error and warning messages for return receipt (electronic) (BPOD) files.
Table 4-6.1.2a
Error Messages That Cause Rejection of Entire Electronic File
Error Message
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What It Means
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CUSTOMER DECERTIFIED FOR INSURED, CERTIFIED, OR REGISTERED FILE
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Insured, Certified, or Registered file from customer will no longer be accepted.
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CUSTOMER NOT CONFIGURED FOR INSURED, CERTIFIED, OR REGISTERED FILE
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Customer has not been certified to send Insured, Certified, or Registered files.
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CUSTOMER PENDING FOR INSURED, CERTIFIED, OR REGISTERED FILE
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The DUNS number found in the Header Record has not been certified to send an Insured, Certified, or Registered file.
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Table 4-6.1.2b
Detail Record Error Messages That Cause Nonacceptance of Record
Table 4-6.1.2c
Detail Record Warning Messages That Do Not Cause File Rejection
Instead of Data Extract Files, mail owners or third-party designees receive mailed CD-ROMs containing signature files, or download Signature Extract Files from their Postal Service FTP accounts. CD-ROMs are produced and mailed on the first and fifteenth of each month. The Signature Extract File is produced weekly on Monday.
For each individual mailer that the third-party designee represents, the Postal Service sends to the third-party designee two separate types of PDF files — one type of PDF file contains all of the mailer’s proof of delivery records (with a maximum of 1,000 proof of delivery records per file), and the other type contains a corresponding Table of Contents. If the third-party designee requests files on CD-ROMs, both PDF files will be on the CD-ROM; if the third-party designee requests Signature Extract Files, the Postal Service will send two separate files. For example, if a third-party designee represents 20 mailers, it will receive 20 CD-ROMS (if using the CD-ROM option) or 40 individual PDF files (if using the Signature Extract File option). Note that no Table of Contents file is provided when the customer elects to receive records individually.
