PostalOne!® Getting Started Guide
Version 20.0.0

May 2009

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1	Program Overview
1.1	Key Features
1.2	Key Benefits
1.3	How Can the System be Used in Your Business Environment?
1.4	Customer Commitment Required
2	Applying for Participation
2.1	Getting Started
2.2	Program Requirements
2.3	What Happens After I Apply?
2.4	Duties for Business Service Administrators
2.5	PostalOne! Services
2.6	Postage Statement Types
2.7	Additional Business Mailing Solutions
3	Using System Functionality
3.1	Logging on and off
3.2	Resetting Your Password
3.3	Getting Help
3.4	Sending Feedback

PostalOne!, USPS, United States Postal Service, First-Class Mail, Standard Mail, and Priority Mail are registered trademarks, and Postal Service is a trademark of the United States Postal Service. Mail.dat and IDEAlliance are registered trademarks of the International Digital Enterprise Alliance, Inc. (IDEAlliance). All other trademarks used are the property of their respective owners.
1	Program Overview
Using the latest Internet technologies, the PostalOne!® system provides a suite of online services and a single point of customer access to many of the Postal Service™ business systems used in the mail process workflow. The PostalOne! system allows business mailers to integrate their mail planning and production processes with those of the Postal Service for efficient and streamlined mail induction.
1.1	Key Features
No more paper printouts
The PostalOne! system automates much of the acceptance and verification process, enabling a faster and more accurate method of accepting, assessing, and finalizing your postage statements. The electronic documentation provided by the PostalOne! system means you will no longer have to physically bring much of the presort paper documentation to Postal Service acceptance units or have it delivered to storage.
Know more about your mail
Using the PostalOne! system, customers can view individual postage statements, see an overview of the containers within a mailing, submit forms electronically, cancel forms submitted electronically, and review metrics for files transferred. 
1.2	Key Benefits
Integrated, online, web-based solutions providing:
•	Simplified mail acceptance 
•	Reduced hard copy paperwork 
•	System-generated electronic presort documentation and postage statements
•	Reduced administrative costs for printing and storage 
•	Improved tracking of mailing jobs and access to mailing information
The initial page available after logging on is the Business Customer Gateway (BCG), which not only allows access to PostalOne! features that previously required Owner and Preparer access, but also grants access to postal resources, such as online printable forms, and any linked programs. For programs that have registration and participation requirements, information is only available if all requirements have been met and data is available. Users who previously had access to Owner and Preparer features have automatically been updated to use the new Business Customer Gateway page; special features and/or programs previously available will continue to be available to authorized users, although many links have been relocated.
1.3	How Can the System be Used in Your Business Environment?
The PostalOne! system impacts your business processes in many ways. It enables customers to electronically send detailed mailing data by using the industry-standard Mail.dat® file specification, or to complete and electronically submit a mailing form online. Customers using the PostalOne! system no longer have to complete and present manual paper postage statements because the PostalOne! system automatically generates them.
1.4	Customer Commitment Required
The key investment you will make is through the commitment of your staff to make the transition to the PostalOne! system successful. This may include internal programming to modify your system files, if required. Depending on the file transfer method selected, it may require obtaining a VeriSign digital certificate and Mail.dat certification. Some customers may choose the automated or unattended batch transfer method. If so, a digital certificate is required. For more information about the technical requirements, see the PostalOne! Mail.dat Technical Specification, which is available from the PostalOne! website: www.usps.com/postalone/guides.htm.
This document explains how to log on to the system, how to change your user profile information, what to do if your password needs resetting, how to contact customer assistance, and how to use online Help when accessing the program. 
2	Applying for Participation
2.1	Getting Started
It’s as easy as visiting the PostalOne! home page at www.usps.com/postalone and clicking Learn More on the left under Features & Benefits. There, you will find additional information about the program and application process. If you have questions, call the PostalOne! Customer Care Center at (800) 522-9085.
2.2	Program Requirements
To help you decide if using the PostalOne! system is right for you, we have included the question most often asked by customers below.
DO I MEET THE CURRENT REQUIREMENTS TO SEND MAILING INFORMATION ELECTRONICALLY VIA THE POSTALONE! SYSTEM?
Ask yourself the following questions:
•	Do I have Internet access?
•	[Applicable to mailers interested in submitting mailing files only] Does my company have the ability to transmit Mail.dat 08-1, Mail.dat 08-2, or Mail.dat 09-1 files?
If you answered YES to these questions, you may be ready to complete the application process to begin using the PostalOne! system.
2.3	What Happens After I Apply?
You no longer have to wait to receive a welcome kit or for manual activation by postal employees. You can control access to your own information by designating a Business Service Administrator (BSA), who determines what individuals are authorized to use the PostalOne! system, and what features each of those users can access. The first user to apply for access must go through online authentication, and will be a BSA (formerly known as the site administrator). The initial BSA for an organization must know a permit number and type, the amount of a recent mailing using that permit, and the Post Office of Mailing ZIP Code to gain access to existing permit data. If a BSA fails authentication, you must contact the Help Desk to resolve the issue.
Once a BSA has been established for an organization, other users at the same organization can simply register, and then request access to the services (groups of features) necessary to perform their job. 
2.4	Duties for Business Service Administrators
The Business Service Administrator (BSA) determines what individuals are authorized to use the services available from the Business Customer Gateway, including the PostalOne! system. Once BSA authentication is successful, the BSA will receive an automated email every time a user from your organization applies for access. The BSA can then approve or deny the user, and assign the appropriate access rights. A BSA can authorize other users to have BSA rights. 
Additionally, corporations and locations are now created automatically when users register for access, so Help Desk and Customer Care Center users no longer need to create or activate corporate accounts, locations, or external user accounts; BSAs can now do this. Postal Service administrators can still view corporations and corporate users, but can only edit location assignments and indicate participation in Discount/Rebate and other special programs. 
2.5	PostalOne! Services
While the Business Customer Gateway offers access to many features, the following are PostalOne! features or related to PostalOne! features: 
•	Schedule a Mailing Appointment (FAST) – Electronically manage appointments to deliver mail to USPS facilities. Organizations must participate in the Facility Access Shipment Tracking (FAST) program to use this feature. 
•	Manage Electronic Return Activity – View Parcel Return Service (PRS) information, including automatic charges and reporting. Organizations must participate in the PRS program to use this feature. 
•	Audit Mailing Activity (PostalOne!) – View the last five transactions linked to your company, PostalOne! reporting, a summary of year-to-date activity or access library resources relevant to bulk mail. Does not permit users to submit postage statements.
•	Manage Electronic Verification Activity Service – View electronic Verification System (eVS) information, including automatic charges and reporting. Organizations must participate in the eVS program to use this feature. 
•	Manage Mailing Activity (PostalOne!) – Submit postage statements using the Postal Wizard (PostalOne! Web pages) or Mail.dat files, view balances and fees, and update permit links, in addition to viewing PostalOne! reporting. 
•	View Mailing Induction Activity (PostalOne!) – View eDropShip induction information and FAST reporting. Organizations must participate in eDropShip and/or FAST programs to use this feature. 
To use any of these services, you must register and be approved by your BSA. 
2.6	Postage Statement Types
Currently, bulk mail postage statements can be electronically submitted using the Postal Wizard Web pages or using Mail.dat files. Alternately, users can also submit a paper postage statement to acceptance personnel. Electronic submission using the Postal Wizard or Mail.dat files is available for all domestic mail; the Postal Wizard also allows international First-Class Mail® Permit Imprint (PS Form 3700 Part A) submissions. Paper postage statements are available for all domestic and international statements. 
The Postal Service would like to highlight the Full-Service implementation of Intelligent Mail Barcodes (IMB) on domestic mail. The PostalOne! system supports basic option (IMB on letters and flat-size mail pieces), Full-Service (IMB on mail pieces, unique Intelligent Mail tray labels used on trays and sacks, and unique Intelligent Mail container labels), and nonautomation pieces with IMB. Additionally, validation also accepts the combination of Full-Service, Basic Service, and POSTNET mail pieces within a single bundle, sack, or tray, also known as a “mixed” mailing. International mail is not supported. For more information on Intelligent Mail® barcode use, see http://ribbs.usps.gov/.
2.7	Additional Business Mailing Solutions
Business Mail 101 is a mailing solution that may help meet your mailing needs. Business Mail 101 is a user-friendly tool that will help you harness the power of mail for your business or organization. This website will walk you through all of the key decision points in the mailing process. Business Mail 101 is an excellent source for mailing information and will direct you to resources to help you understand your options and help you make the right choices for your business or organization. You can access Business Mail 101 at www.usps.com/businessmail101/.
3	Using System Functionality
This section explains the basic functions of the system such as how to log on and off, how to reset your password, how to access the online Help system, and how to send feedback, report problems, or get additional help from the PostalOne! Customer Care Center.
If your company is enrolled in the PostalOne! program and you have been given access, you are ready to start realizing the benefits of the system. 
3.1	Logging on and off
Before you can use the PostalOne! system, you must log on with your unique username and password. 
•	To log on, open a Web browser and go to the Business Customer Gateway page on usps.com. Enter your username and password, then click Sign In.
•	To log off, on the left menu bar or at the top or bottom of almost any PostalOne! system page, click Sign Out.
3.2	Resetting Your Password
You can reset your password with the I forgot my password link on the Business Customer Gateway logon page. This will change your password for all features available from the Business Customer Gateway. First, click I forgot my password. After you enter your username and click Continue, your security question will appear. Type the answer to the question, then click Continue. You will be prompted to enter your new password twice. Click Continue again, then click OK in the confirmation dialog box. The logon page will reappear and you will be able to log on again.
3.3	Getting Help
The PostalOne! online Help is an indexed series of Web pages supported by your default browser. It is designed to allow you to find information in the shortest time possible. To open the Help, click Help at the top or bottom of any page.
To search for a particular topic, click the Index link in the Help window, then click the link for the first letter of the topic you want to find. For example, to find out how to cancel a postage statement online, click P. Under Postage Statements, click canceling. 
3.4	Sending Feedback
You can choose to contact the PostalOne! team either by sending feedback directly or by contacting the Customer Care Center. To request a feature, express a complaint or compliment, or just to notify the team of a problem, you should use the Feedback feature to send an email. Click a PostalOne! feature, such as Balance and Fees or Electronic Data Exchange on the Business Customer Gateway. At the top or bottom of almost any PostalOne! system page, click Feedback. Enter your name, e-mail address, and a comment in the appropriate fields. Click Submit. 
To receive assistance with the application process, report access issues, or receive technical support, call the Customer Care Center at (800) 522-9085 or go to http://www.usps.com/postalone/contact.htm.