Bulk Barcode Generator - USPS Intelligent Mail

Barcode Technology - USPS Intelligent Mail Barcode               Hide the description

Intelligent Mail Barcode

The Intelligent Mail barcode (IMb) is used to sort and track letters, cards and flats and offers greater versatility by allowing many services to be requested and embedded within one barcode. The Intelligent Mail barcode combines the data of the existing POSTNET?and the PLANET Code barcodes, as well as other data, into a single barcode.

The Intelligent Mail barcode is a 65-bar Postal Service barcode used to sort and track letters and flats. It allows

mailers to use a single barcode to participate in multiple Postal Service programs simultaneously, expands mailers' ability to track individual mailpieces, and provides greater mail stream visibility.

The IMb is required for use on letters and flats prepared for automation prices. This requirement affects First-Class

Mail postcards, Insured Mail, Certified Mail, and any other mail using extra services currently available and appropriate for the class and shape of mail prepared for automation prices..

USPS Intelligent Mail is one of the many barcode formats currently in use.

A Barcode is a method of representing data in a visual, machine-readable form.

The barcode formats has two categories:

One-dimensional (1D) --- Barcodes represented data by varying the widths and spacings of parallel lines.

Two-dimensional (2D) --- Using rectangles, dots, hexagons and other geometric patterns to represented data.

The IM barcode carries a data payload of 31 digits representing the following elements:

Index of first digit                   Length             Name
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1                                             2                      Barcode identifier
3                                             3                      Service type identifier
6                                             6 or 9                Mailer ID
12 or 15                                   9 or 6               Sequence number
21                                           11                     Delivery point ZIP code

Human Readable:

Most barcodes display their corresponding values below them, which makes it possible to human read and manually  enter the barcode values into the equivalent system when the barcode label is worn out and cannot be read by the barcode scanner.

The Advantages of using barcodes:

If you want to reduce costs and save time, using barcodes is a good choice. Whether you are a company or a non-commercial organization, to improve efficiency and reduce overhead, barcodes are a valuable and viable option, which is economical and reliable.

Using Barcode system eliminates the possibility of human error. The error rate of manually entering data is
significantly higher than that of scan barcodes. Barcode scanning is fast and reliable, and it takes much less time than manual data entry. Especially when using a QR code, hundreds of characters can be read and entered into your system instantly.

The barcode system is very versatile, it can be used for any necessary data collection. This may include pricing or inventory information or management information service system. In addition, because barcodes can be affixed to almost any surface, they can be used not only to track the product itself, but also to track the production process, shipments and equipments.

The barcode system provide better data. Because a barcode can store various information such as inventory and pricing, especially when using QR Code, it can store thousands of characters, so the data stored in the barcode can be quickly obtained by the barcode reader, this fast turnaround ensures that time is not wasted on data entry or retrieval. In addition, the barcode can be customized to include other relevant information as needed. They provide fast and reliable data for various applications.

Barcodes are cheap and user-friendly, providing an indispensable tool for tracking data from pricing to inventory. The end result of a comprehensive bar code system is reduced overhead.

Frequently Asked Questions About Intelligent Mail Barcode

What is the origin and development process of Intelligent Mail Barcode?

Intelligent Mail Barcode (IMb) is a barcode used in U.S. mail. The term "Smart Mail" refers to the service provided by the United States Postal Service for domestic mail delivery.

Its historical origins date back to the 1980s, when the United States Postal Service began using POSTNET barcodes to automatically identify postal codes for mail.

In 1996, the U.S. Postal Service introduced the PLANET barcode to track the delivery status of mail.

In 2003, the U.S. Postal Service began developing a new barcode that combined the capabilities of POSTNET and PLANET and added more information capacity and security. This is the prototype of Intelligent Mail Barcode.

In 2006, the United States Postal Service officially released the specifications for Intelligent Mail Barcode, and began full implementation in 2009. It allows mail senders to participate in multiple Postal Service programs simultaneously using a single barcode and expands tracking capabilities for individual pieces of mail, improving visibility into mail flow.

IM barcodes are designed to provide richer information and functionality than their predecessors, POSTNET and PLANET. Intelligent mail barcodes are also known as single-code solutions and 4-state customer barcodes, abbreviated as 4CB, 4-CB or USPS4CB. Complete specifications can be found in USPS document USPS-B-3200.

It effectively combines routing postal code and tracking information contained in previously used postal barcode standards.

IM barcodes are affixed to mails by the sender. Effective January 28, 2013, the Postal Service requires the use of smart mail barcodes to qualify for automated pricing.

The use of IM barcodes can improve overall efficiency, including improved delivery capabilities and new services.

Intelligent Mail Barcode is a highly modulated barcode that can encode up to 31 decimal digits divided into 65 vertical bars. It consists of four different symbols, hence it was once called the 4-State Customer Barcode.

The Intelligent Mail Barcode standard is developed by the United States Postal Service (USPS).

The purpose of this standard is to improve the efficiency of mail sorting and tracking, and to provide more value-added services. Intelligent Mail Barcode combines data from legacy POSTNET and PLANET Code barcodes, as well as other data, into a single barcode.

What are the application scenarios of Intelligent Mail Barcode?

Used to participate in the OneCode Confirm project, which is a service that provides mail delivery confirmation, which can help mail senders understand the arrival time and status of the mail.

Used to participate in the OneCode ACS project, which is an mail address correction service that can help mail senders update mail addresses and reduce bounced mails.

Used to participate in the Full-Service Intelligent Mail project, which is a service that provides mail tracking and reporting to help mail senders optimize mail marketing and management.

Used to participate in the Intelligent Mail Small Business (IMsb) Tool project, an online tool for small businesses that helps them create and print Intelligent Mail Barcodes and submit electronic postage statements.

How to use Intelligent Mail Barcode?

Apply for a Mailer ID, which is a 6-digit or 9-digit number that uniquely identifies the mail owner or mail agent.

Use specific software and hardware to generate and print barcodes.

Make sure the size and location of the barcode meets U.S. Postal Service technical standards.

Attach the barcode to the address area or the blank space in the lower right corner of the letter or snail mail.

Use the United States Postal Service's databases and tools to track and manage mail.

How to apply for a US Mailer ID?

To apply for a US Mailer ID, the steps are:

Submit Form 5053 (Proof of Bulk Delivery) to USPS.

Visit the USPS Business Customer Gateway Mailer ID page and follow the instructions to request a Mailer ID for Smart Mail barcoding.

Wait for USPS to approve your application and assign you a Mailing ID.

There are no fees for applying for a Mailer ID. However, you may need to pay for the software and hardware that are required to generate and print the Intelligent Mail barcode. You may also need to pay for the postage and delivery confirmation services that are associated with the barcode.

How secure is Intelligent Mail Barcode?

Intelligent Mail Barcode has high security:

It uses a barcode composed of four different symbols, namely full-height bar, tracking bar, ascending bar and descending bar. These symbols can provide more information capacity and redundancy, increase the readability and reliability of barcodes, and also increase the complexity and difficulty of counterfeiting of barcodes.

It uses a highly modulated barcode that can encode up to 31 decimal digits, including the mail sender's identification code, mail service type, mail serial number, postal code and other information. This information helps the U.S. Postal Service efficiently sort and track mail while also protecting the privacy and security of mail senders.

It uses an encryption algorithm to generate an mail sequence number, a 12-digit number that uniquely identifies each mail. This algorithm is a secret shared by the U.S. Postal Service and mail senders, and only they can decipher the meaning of a mail serial number. This prevents third parties from intercepting or tampering with mail serial numbers, thus protecting the integrity and authenticity of mails.

What are the structural characteristics of Intelligent Mail Barcode?

It consists of two parts: tracking code and routing code. The tracking code contains the sender and message information, and the routing code contains the destination zip code.

The tracking code contains the sender and message information, and the routing code contains the destination zip code.

It uses four different symbols (bars of four different heights, representing 0, 1, 2, and 3), so it was once called the 4-State Customer Barcode.

Intelligent Mail Barcode is a height-modulated barcode, meaning the height of the bar determines its encoded value. Mail data of up to 31 decimal digits can be encoded into 65 vertical bars.

What is the difference between IMB and other barcodes?

What distinguishes IMB from other barcodes is mainly its capacity and functionality.

IMB uses four bars of different heights, while Postnet and Planet only use two. Therefore, IMB can encode mail data up to 31 digits, while Postnet and Planet can only encode postal codes of 11 digits.

IMB can also request and embed a variety of services such as tracking, confirmation, address correction, etc.

Other commonly used barcodes are mainly used in fields such as commodities, assets, inventory, etc., and the supported character sets and encoding lengths are also different.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of Intelligent Mail Barcode?

Advantage:

It allows mail senders to use a single barcode to participate in multiple US Postal Service programs at the same time, such as Full-Service Intelligent Mail, OneCode Confirm, OneCode ACS, etc. This can save mail space and costs, and improve mail efficiency and convenience.

It allows mail senders to track the delivery status and location of each mail, thereby improving mail visibility and control. This can help mail senders optimize mail marketing and management, and improve mail response rates and satisfaction.

It allows mail senders to enjoy more benefits and services provided by the US Postal Service, such as electronic postage statements, address corrections, delivery confirmations, return processing, etc. This can help mail senders save time and money and improve the quality and effectiveness of mails.

Shortcoming:

It requires more printing space and precision, potentially increasing costs and error rates.

It requires the use of specific software and hardware to generate and scan, which may limit compatibility and flexibility.

It requires real-time communication with the U.S. Postal Service's database and may be affected by network delays and failures.

Most commonly used barcode types

EAN-13 code: Product barcode, universal, supports 0-9 digits, 13 digits in length, has grooved.

UPC-A code: Product barcode, mainly used in the United States and Canada, supports 0-9 numbers, 12 digits in length, has grooves.

Code-128 code: Universal barcode, supports numbers, letters and symbols, variable length, no grooves.

QR-Code: Two-dimensional barcode, supports multiple character sets and encoding formats, variable length, and has positioning marks.

Why are there many types of barcodes?

There are many types of barcodes because they have different uses and characteristics.

For example, a UPC [Universal Product Code] is a barcode used to label retail products and can be found on nearly every item sold and in grocery stores in the United States.

CODE 39 is a barcode that can encode numbers, letters and some special characters. It is commonly used in manufacturing, military and medical fields.

ITF [Interleaved Two-Five Code] is a barcode that can only encode an even number of digits. It is commonly used in the logistics and transportation fields.

NW-7 [also known as CODABAR] is a barcode that can encode numbers and four start/end characters. It is commonly used in libraries, express delivery and banks.

Code-128 is a barcode that can encode all 128 ASCII characters. It is commonly used in areas such as package tracking, e-commerce and warehouse management.

What is the historical origin of barcodes?

In 1966, the National Association of Food Chains (NAFC) adopted bar codes as product identification standards.

In 1970, IBM developed the Universal Product Code (UPC), which is still widely used today.

In 1974, the first product with a UPC barcode: a pack of Wrigley's gum was scanned in an Ohio supermarket.

In 1981, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) approved Code39 as the first alphanumeric barcode standard.

In 1994, Japan's Denso Wave Company invented QR-Code, a two-dimensional barcode that can store more information.

Barcode application examples

Barcode Apps for Food Tracking: Apps that record the nutritional content, calories, protein and other information of the food you eat by scanning the barcode on the food label. These apps can help you record your eating habits, Manage your health goals, or understand where your food comes from.

Transportation and logistics: Used for ordering and distribution codes, product warehousing management, logistics control systems, ticket sequence numbers in international aviation systems. Barcodes are used in ordering and distribution in the logistics and transportation industry. They can be used to string Line Shipping Container Codes (SSCCs) are encoded to identify and track containers and pallets in the supply chain. They can also encode other information such as best before dates and lot numbers.

Internal supply chain: internal management of the enterprise, production process, logistics control system, ordering and distribution codes. Barcodes can store various information, such as item number, batch, quantity, weight, date, etc. This information can Used for tracking, sorting, inventory, quality control, etc., to improve the efficiency and accuracy of the company's internal supply chain management.

Logistics tracking: Barcodes are widely used in logistics tracking. It can be used to identify goods, orders, prices, inventory and other information. By affixing barcodes on packaging or shipping boxes, it is possible to achieve warehouse entry and exit. Automatic identification and recording of distribution, inventory and other logistics information to improve the accuracy and efficiency of logistics management.

Production line process: Barcodes can be used for factory production line process management to improve production efficiency and quality. Barcodes can identify product numbers, batches, specifications, quantities, dates and other information to facilitate traceability during the production process. Inspection, statistics and other operations. Barcodes can also be integrated with other systems, such as ERP, MES, WMS, etc., to achieve automatic collection and transmission of data.

Some common barcode application areas

Ticket Verification: Cinemas, event venues, travel tickets and more use barcode scanners to verify tickets and the admission process.

Food Tracking: Some apps allow you to track the food you eat via barcodes.

Inventory Management: In retail stores and other places where inventory needs to be tracked, barcodes help record the quantity and location of items.

Convenient checkout: In supermarkets, shops and restaurants, barcodes can quickly calculate the price and total of goods.

Games: Some games use barcodes as interactive or creative elements, such as scanning different barcodes to generate characters or items.

Benefits of using barcodes

Speed: Barcodes can scan items in a store or track inventory in a warehouse faster, thus greatly improving the productivity of store and warehouse personnel. Barcode systems can ship and receive goods faster to reasonably way to store and locate items.

Accuracy: Barcodes reduce human error when entering or recording information, with an error rate of approximately 1 in 3 million, and enable real-time information access and automated data collection anytime, anywhere.

Cost Effectiveness: Barcodes are cheap to produce and print, and can save money by increasing efficiency and reducing losses. Barcoding systems allow organizations to accurately record the quantity of product left, its location and when reorders are needed, which This avoids waste and reduces the amount of money tied up in excess inventory, thereby improving cost efficiency.

Inventory Control: Barcodes help organizations track the quantity, location and status of goods throughout their life cycle, improve the efficiency of moving goods in and out of warehouses, and make ordering decisions based on more accurate inventory information.

Easy to use: Reduce employee training time because using the barcode system is easy and less error-prone. You only need to scan the barcode label attached to an item to access its database through the barcode system and obtain information related to the item. information.

Application of barcodes in inventory management

Goods Receipt: By scanning the barcode on received goods, the quantity, type and quality of goods can be quickly and accurately recorded and matched with purchase orders.

Shipping: By scanning the barcode on outgoing goods, the quantity, destination and status of the goods can be quickly and accurately recorded and matched with sales orders.

Moving warehouse: By scanning the barcodes on the goods and warehouse locations, the movement and storage of goods can be quickly and accurately recorded, and inventory information updated.

Inventory: By scanning the barcodes on goods in the warehouse, you can quickly and accurately check the actual quantity of goods and the system quantity, and find and resolve discrepancies.

Equipment Management: By scanning the barcode on the equipment or tool, you can quickly and accurately record the use, repair and return of the equipment or tool, and prevent loss or damage.

About QR-Code

QR-Code was invented in 1994 by a team led by Masahiro Harada of the Japanese company Denso Wave, based on the barcode originally used to mark automobile parts. It is a two-dimensional matrix barcode that can achieve multiple uses.

QR-Code has the following advantages compared with one-dimensional barcodes:

QR-Code can store more information because it uses a two-dimensional square matrix instead of one-dimensional lines. One-dimensional barcodes can usually only store dozens of characters, while QR-Code can Stores thousands of characters.

QR-Code can represent more data types, such as numbers, letters, binary, Chinese characters, etc. One-dimensional barcodes can usually only represent numbers or letters.

QR-Code can be scanned and recognized faster because it has four positioning marks and can be scanned from any angle. One-dimensional barcodes usually need to be scanned from a specific direction.

QR-Code is more resistant to damage and interference because it has error correction capabilities that can recover partially lost or obscured data. One-dimensional barcodes generally do not have such capabilities.

The difference between two-dimensional barcodes and one-dimensional barcodes mainly lies in the encoding method and information capacity. Two-dimensional barcodes use a two-dimensional square matrix, which can store more information and represent more data types. One-dimensional barcodes use one-dimensional lines, can only store a small amount of information, and can only represent numbers or letters. There are other differences between two-dimensional barcodes and one-dimensional barcodes, such as scanning speed, error correction capabilities, compatibility, etc.

QR-Code is not the only two-dimensional barcode. According to the principle, two-dimensional barcodes can be divided into two categories: matrix and stacked. Common two-dimensional barcode types are: Data Matrix, MaxiCode, Aztec, QR -Code, PDF417, Vericode, Ultracode, Code 49, Code 16K, etc., they have different applications in different fields.

The two-dimensional barcode developed on the basis of the one-dimensional barcode has advantages that the one-dimensional barcode cannot compare with. As a portable data file, although it is still in its infancy, it is in the ever-improving market. Driven by the economy and rapidly developing information technology, coupled with the unique characteristics of 2D barcodes, the demand for the new technology of 2D barcodes in various countries is increasing day by day.

About EAN-13 barcode

EAN-13 is the abbreviation of European Article Number, a barcode protocol and standard used in supermarkets and other retail industries.

EAN-13 is established based on the UPC-A standard established by the United States. The EAN-13 barcode has one more country/region code than the UPC-A barcode in order to meet the needs of international applications. . The UPC-A barcode is a barcode symbol used to track goods in stores. It is only used in the United States and Canada. It was developed by the United States [Uniform Code Council] in 1973 and has been used since 1974. It It was the earliest barcode system used for product settlement in supermarkets.

EAN-13 consists of a prefix code, manufacturer identification code, product item code and check code, a total of 13 digits. Its encoding follows the principle of uniqueness and can ensure that it is not repeated worldwide.

EAN International, referred to as EAN, is a non-profit international organization founded in 1977 and headquartered in Brussels, Belgium. Its purpose is to formulate and improve globally unified commodities The barcode system provides value-added services to optimize enterprise supply chain management. Its member organizations are located around the world.

EAN-13 barcodes are mainly used in supermarkets and other retail industries.

What is the difference between EAN-13 barcode and UPC-A barcode?

The EAN-13 barcode has one more country/region code than the UPC-A barcode. In fact, the UPC-A barcode can be regarded as a special case of the EAN-13 barcode, which is the EAN-13 barcode with the first digit set to 0.

The EAN-13 barcode is developed by the International Article Numbering Center and is universally accepted. The code length is 13 digits, and the first two digits represent the country or region code.

UPC-A barcode is produced by the United States Uniform Code Committee and is mainly used in the United States and Canada. The code length is 12 digits, and the first digit indicates the numeric system code.

EAN-13 barcode and UPC-A barcode have the same structure and verification method, and similar appearance.

EAN-13 barcode is a superset of UPC-A barcode and can be compatible with UPC-A barcode.

If I have a UPC code, do I still need to apply for an EAN?

No need. Both UPC and EAN can identify goods. Although the former originated in the United States, it is part of the global GS1 system, so if you register UPC under the GS1 organization, it can be used globally. If you need to print a 13-digit EAN barcode, you can add the number 0 in front of the UPC code.

UPC-A barcodes can be converted to EAN-13 barcodes by prepending 0. For example, the UPC-A barcode [012345678905] corresponds to the EAN-13 barcode [0012345678905]. Doing this ensures Compatibility with UPC-A barcodes.

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