Electronic Documentation (eDoc)

eDoc is the computer-readable version of a mailing's paperwork, and it replaces the hardcopy postage statement and qualification report.2PostalPro: Electronic Documentation (eDoc)“This computer-consumable version replaces existing hardcopies and includes the following: postage statement and qualification report.”USPS original USPS encourages every mailer to submit postage statements electronically, and it requires eDoc for Full-Service and Seamless Acceptance.1Electronic Documentation (eDoc) Fact SheetPDF page 1“All mailers are encouraged to submit their postage statements electronically, but eDoc is a requirement for Full-Service Intelligent Mail® and Seamless Acceptance.”USPS original eDoc gives faster and more accurate pricing and acceptance of postage statements.1Electronic Documentation (eDoc) Fact SheetPDF page 1“eDoc enables faster and more accurate pricing and acceptance of postage statements.”USPS original

An eDoc carries the postage statement and supporting documentation, such as qualification reports.1Electronic Documentation (eDoc) Fact SheetPDF page 1“Submit Postage Statement Information & Supporting Documentation like Qualification Reports electronically”USPS original It names the party that submits it, and the Mail Owner and Mail Preparer.1Electronic Documentation (eDoc) Fact SheetPDF page 1“Identify party submitting eDoc … Identify Mail Owner and Mail Preparer (By/For)”USPS original It lists barcodes for the mailpieces, trays, sacks and containers in the mailing.1Electronic Documentation (eDoc) Fact SheetPDF page 1“Barcode Information for mailpieces, trays/sacks and containers included in eDoc”USPS original

PostalOne!, a USPS information management system, receives the eDoc.1Electronic Documentation (eDoc) Fact SheetPDF page 1“eDoc allows mailers to electronically submit mailing information to the PostalOne!® application that were traditionally provided by hardcopy postage statements and qualification reports.”USPS original It links a customer's mailing information to USPS acceptance and induction of business mail.3Guide to eInductionpage 7“electronic linkage between a customer’s mailing information and the Postal Service’s business mail acceptance and”USPS original It produces postage statements and supporting documentation.3Guide to eInductionpage 7“It produces postage statements and supporting documentation.”USPS original Seamless Acceptance compares the eDoc with scans of the mail itself, so the eDoc becomes the record USPS checks the mail against.4Seamless Acceptance: Mailer Fact SheetPDF page 2“Data gathered from the FS-IMD, MPE, and Surface Visibility (SV) scans will be compared to the eDoc to identify mail preparation”USPS original

A mailer submits eDoc in one of four ways:1Electronic Documentation (eDoc) Fact SheetPDF page 1“Mail.dat (Presort software required)”USPS original

• The IMsb Tool, a free web tool for small mailers, builds the mailing and submits its postage statement automatically.5Intelligent Mail® for Small Business (IMsb) Fact SheetPDF page 1“Electronic postage statement and qualification reports submitted automatically.”USPS original
• Postal Wizard, a web form, takes postage statement information the mailer types in by hand.6Postal Wizard Fact SheetPDF page 1“Mailer manually enters postage statement information into online forms in Postal Wizard”USPS original
• Mail.dat, an industry-defined database structure of files linked by key fields, stores complete information about a mailing.7A Guide to Full Servicepage 45“Mail.dat is an industry-defined database structure consisting of files linked by key fields.”USPS original8Electronic Documentation (eDoc) Fact SheetPDF page 2“Stores complete information about a mailing as a database”USPS original
• Mail.XML, an XML-based specification for web services, offers an alternative to exchanging the entire Mail.dat database.9Mail.xml Technical Specifications R65.0.0.0 page 19“Mail.XML is an XML-based DTAC specification for web services.”USPS original8Electronic Documentation (eDoc) Fact SheetPDF page 2“Provides an alternative to exchanging the entire Mail.dat database”USPS original

Each method ends with an electronic postage statement on the PostalOne! Dashboard.6Postal Wizard Fact SheetPDF page 1“Postal Wizard creates the electronic postage statement and submits it to the PostalOne!”USPS original A Full-Service letter or flat mailing goes in by Mail.dat in these steps.10How to Submit Mail.dat Files to PostalOne!page 3“This guide provides step-by-step instructions for submitting electronic mailing information into the USPS for Full-Service letter & flat mailings using Mail.dat.”USPS original

The IMsb Tool serves small business mailers who prepare their own Full-Service mailings.5Intelligent Mail® for Small Business (IMsb) Fact SheetPDF page 1“Full-Service mailing solution specifically designed for”USPS original It handles mailings of fewer than 50,000 pieces entered at a BMEU.5Intelligent Mail® for Small Business (IMsb) Fact SheetPDF page 1“Maximum mailing size of fewer than 50,000 pieces for mail entered at a BMEU.”USPS original It creates an Intelligent Mail barcode for mailpieces and tray and sack labels.8Electronic Documentation (eDoc) Fact SheetPDF page 2“Creates an IMb for printing on mailpieces”USPS original It is not designed for Mail Service Providers that prepare mail for others.5Intelligent Mail® for Small Business (IMsb) Fact SheetPDF page 1“The IMsb Tool is not designed for use by Mail Service Providers who prepare mail on behalf of others.”USPS original

Postal Wizard creates the electronic postage statement and submits it to the PostalOne! Dashboard.6Postal Wizard Fact SheetPDF page 1“Postal Wizard creates the electronic postage statement and submits it to the PostalOne!”USPS original Its user needs a Business Customer Gateway account with an active mailing permit.6Postal Wizard Fact SheetPDF page 1“Users must have a USPS Business Customer Gateway (BCG) Account with an”USPS original It does not make barcodes, so separate software must generate them.6Postal Wizard Fact SheetPDF page 1“Separate software is required to generate Intelligent Mail barcodes (IMb)”USPS original A mailing must be all Full-Service pieces or no Full-Service pieces.6Postal Wizard Fact SheetPDF page 1“Limited to mailings of either 100% Full-Service pieces or 0% Full-Service pieces”USPS original

Postal Wizard handles basic or Full-Service mailings up to 9,999 pieces.1Electronic Documentation (eDoc) Fact SheetPDF page 1“The Postal Wizard application is a free, online tool that can be used for basic or FullService mailings up to 9,999 pieces.”USPS original Full-Service mailings of 10,000 or more pieces need approved software or the IMsb Tool.1Electronic Documentation (eDoc) Fact SheetPDF page 1“Mailers claiming Full Service with 10,000 or more pieces need to utilize postal approved software or the IMsb Tool.”USPS original A USPS fact sheet dated August 2024 gives a higher limit, fewer than 50K pieces per Full-Service mailing.6Postal Wizard Fact SheetPDF page 1“Limited to fewer than 50K pieces per mailing (Full-Service mailings only) … nonautomation pieces) August 2024”USPS original

Mail.dat and Mail.XML both need presort software.1Electronic Documentation (eDoc) Fact SheetPDF page 1“Mail.dat (Presort software required) … Mail.XML (Presort software required)”USPS original All of a job's Mail.dat files go in at one time through a client application.8Electronic Documentation (eDoc) Fact SheetPDF page 2“All Mail.dat files are submitted at one time through a Client Application to be processed”USPS original A Mail.dat submission is made up of 20 different types of files.8Electronic Documentation (eDoc) Fact SheetPDF page 2“Mail.dat submissions are composed of 20 different types of files”USPS original Mail.XML is built of families of related messages that travel by web services.8Electronic Documentation (eDoc) Fact SheetPDF page 2“families of related messages that are/to be”USPS original

Mail.XML complements Mail.dat rather than replacing it.9Mail.xml Technical Specifications R65.0.0.0 page 19“The Postal Service implementation of Mail.XML is a complement to Mail.dat.”USPS original A mailer can keep Mail.dat as its database and use Mail.XML for communication between businesses.9Mail.xml Technical Specifications R65.0.0.0 page 19“use it as a database, but can use Mail.XML for communication and automation of business to business processing.”USPS original

Mail.dat and Mail.XML users go through testing in the Testing Environment for Mailers before production.2PostalPro: Electronic Documentation (eDoc)“Mail.dat® and Mail.XML® users must go through TEM processing (Testing Environment for Mailers).”USPS original Mail.XML software must use the WSDL and XSD files USPS provides.18How to Submit Mail.XML Files to PostalOne!page 9“When programming to create Mail.XML software, developers must use USPS-provided Web Services Description Language (WSDL) and XML schema document and templates (XSD).”USPS original

Every Full-Service eDoc names two parties: the Mailing Agent, the "By", and the Mail Owner, the "For".19By/For Relationship in Electronic Documentation Fact SheetPDF page 1“Full-Service Requirement: Mailing Agent (By) and Mail Owner (For) information must be identified”USPS original The Mail Owner makes the business decisions about the mailpiece and pays for its postage.20Quick Step Guide to Mailer Identifier (MID) and/or CRID Acquisitionpage 1“the business entity, organization, or individual who makes business decisions regarding the mailpiece content, directly benefits from the mailing, and ultimately pays for the postage on the mailpiece directly or by way of a Mail Service Provider”USPS original A Mail Service Provider acts for one or more Mail Owners.20Quick Step Guide to Mailer Identifier (MID) and/or CRID Acquisitionpage 1“a business entity, organization, or individual acting on behalf of one or more Mail Owners by providing mailing services for which the Mail Owners compensate the Mail Service Provider.”USPS original

A party can be named by a Mailer ID, a Customer Registration ID, a permit number or a publication number.19By/For Relationship in Electronic Documentation Fact SheetPDF page 1“provided through a Mailer ID (MID), Customer … Registration ID (CRID), Permit Number, or”USPS original When one party has several of these, USPS uses the Mailer ID first, then the CRID, then the permit or publication number.19By/For Relationship in Electronic Documentation Fact SheetPDF page 1“given to MID, second priority to CRID, and … third priority to Permit/Publication Number.”USPS original

USPS makes Full-Service data available to the Mail Owner and Mail Preparer based on the By/For information in the eDoc.19By/For Relationship in Electronic Documentation Fact SheetPDF page 1“Data is made available to the Mail Owner and Mail Preparer based on the By/For information provided in the electronic documentation.”USPS original Sending that data to a third party, called Data Delegation, works only when both parties are named by Mailer ID.19By/For Relationship in Electronic Documentation Fact SheetPDF page 1“This feature, called Data Delegation, is only … are identified in the eDoc using the MID.”USPS original

A mail owner presenting fewer than 5,000 pieces in a Full-Service mailing need not be named in the eDoc.21JACKPOT CRID/MID Process for Mail Service Providerspage 1“Exception: Mail owner information does not have to be provided when a mail owner is presenting fewer than 5,000 pieces in a Full-Service IMb mailing.”USPS original This exception does not apply to nonprofit mailings.21JACKPOT CRID/MID Process for Mail Service Providerspage 1“This exception is not applicable to nonprofit mailings where the mail owner must be identified for every mailpiece claiming the nonprofit rate.”USPS original

The Mail.dat Client reports Client and Server Validation Errors in the job's upload history.15How to Submit Mail.dat Files to PostalOne!page 16“If the job has any Client or Server Validation Errors, it will be displayed in the field shown below:”USPS original Each error shows its description and the action that corrects it.23How to Submit Mail.dat Files to PostalOne!page 17“Any errors appearing within the job will be display the description of the error and the action to be taken to”USPS original For help with a job, the Mailing & Shipping Solutions Center asks for the Job ID.17How to Submit Mail.dat Files to PostalOne!page 23“please contact the Mailing & Shipping Solutions Center at 877-672-0007”USPS original

By/For checks log an error in three cases.21JACKPOT CRID/MID Process for Mail Service Providerspage 1“An error is generated when the Mail Owner is not identified (in mailings of 5,000 or more pieces), when the Mail Owner and Mail Preparer are the same, or when the Mail Owner has been identified as a Mail Service Provider (MSP).”USPS original They are a missing Mail Owner in mailings of 5,000 or more pieces, a Mail Owner that is also the Mail Preparer, and a Mail Owner identified as a Mail Service Provider.21JACKPOT CRID/MID Process for Mail Service Providerspage 1“An error is generated when the Mail Owner is not identified (in mailings of 5,000 or more pieces), when the Mail Owner and Mail Preparer are the same, or when the Mail Owner has been identified as a Mail Service Provider (MSP).”USPS original

A Mail Service Provider that names itself as owner of small volumes triggers error 7140.21JACKPOT CRID/MID Process for Mail Service Providerspage 1“This causes By/For error code 7140 (Mail Owner and Mail Preparer are the same”USPS original An authorized JACKPOT CRID/MID removes these errors when used correctly.24JACKPOT CRID/MID Process for Mail Service Providerspage 3“Mailers who choose to participate in the Jackpot CRID/MID process will see By/For errors (error codes 7140 and 7142) greatly reduced.”USPS original Misuse can get the authorization revoked.22JACKPOT CRID/MID Process for Mail Service Providerspage 2“may have the JACKPOT CRID/MID authorization revoked.”USPS original

Under Seamless Acceptance, scans from handheld devices, processing equipment and Surface Visibility are compared with the eDoc to find preparation errors.4Seamless Acceptance: Mailer Fact SheetPDF page 2“Data gathered from the FS-IMD, MPE, and Surface Visibility (SV) scans will be compared to the eDoc to identify mail preparation”USPS original An undocumented piece is one whose barcode was scanned but appears on no eDoc.4Seamless Acceptance: Mailer Fact SheetPDF page 2“IMb was scanned and cannot be found on any eDoc”USPS original Errors are measured against thresholds across all pieces mailed in a calendar month.4Seamless Acceptance: Mailer Fact SheetPDF page 2“Error thresholds are a method to measure mailer quality across all pieces mailed in a calendar month.”USPS original

A mailer that crosses a threshold may be charged additional postage.4Seamless Acceptance: Mailer Fact SheetPDF page 2“If a verification crosses a threshold, the mailer may be charged additional postage.”USPS original USPS collects postage for sampling errors only after a mailer exceeds the Postage Adjustment Factor more than 3 times in a rolling 12-month period.4Seamless Acceptance: Mailer Fact SheetPDF page 2“USPS will only collect postage for sampling errors when a … mailer has exceeded PAF more than 3 times in a rolling 12month period”USPS original Mail Characteristic failures count against the eDoc submitter, whoever the Mail Owner is.4Seamless Acceptance: Mailer Fact SheetPDF page 2“Any failures of the Mail Characteristic PAF regardless of Mail Owner will be included in the failure count for the eDoc Submitter.”USPS original

When a Seamless Acceptance postage statement does not auto-finalize on the mailing date, PostalOne! tries 4 times a day for the next 14 days.25Seamless Acceptance: Mailer Fact SheetPDF page 1“If the statement does not auto-finalize on the mailing date, PostalOne! will attempt to auto-finalize 4x per day for the next 14 days.”USPS original On the 15th day, an acceptance employee must finalize it by hand after funds are added.25Seamless Acceptance: Mailer Fact SheetPDF page 1“On the 15th day, the statement must be manually finalized by an acceptance employee after funds have been added to the account.”USPS original

The Mailing and Shipping Solutions Center answers eDoc questions.29Electronic Documentation (eDoc) Fact SheetPDF page 3“For additional questions, please reach out to the Mailing and Shipping”USPS original Its phone number is 1-877-672-0007.29Electronic Documentation (eDoc) Fact SheetPDF page 3“Phone: 1-877-672-0007”USPS original Its email is mssc@usps.gov.29Electronic Documentation (eDoc) Fact SheetPDF page 3“Email: mssc@usps.gov”USPS original

A Mail Service Provider requests a JACKPOT CRID/MID by email to the Reconciliation Specialist team at recon@usps.gov.22JACKPOT CRID/MID Process for Mail Service Providerspage 2“The MSP will contact the Reconciliation Specialist team via email at recon@usps.gov and attach the completed”USPS original