Seamless Acceptance

Seamless Acceptance compares a mailer's electronic postage statement with data USPS collects as it processes the mail.2Seamless Acceptance: Mailer Fact SheetPDF page 1“Seamless Acceptance allows the USPS and mailers to answer 3 key questions by comparing information submitted in the electronic postage statement to mailpiece characteristic data obtained during mail processing.”USPS original The comparison answers 3 questions about whether pieces were paid for, paid for correctly and prepared correctly.2Seamless Acceptance: Mailer Fact SheetPDF page 1“Seamless Acceptance allows the USPS and mailers to answer 3 key questions by comparing information submitted in the electronic postage statement to mailpiece characteristic data obtained during mail processing.”USPS original

It relies on eDoc, the electronic postage statement and mailing data, and on Intelligent Mail barcodes on containers, handling units and pieces.3Seamless Acceptance: Mailer Fact SheetPDF page 2“leverages electronic documentation and the Intelligent Mail barcodes on containers, handling units, and mailpieces that Full-Service provides”USPS original Every piece needs a unique barcode and a place in the eDoc.2Seamless Acceptance: Mailer Fact SheetPDF page 1“To participate in Seamless Acceptance all pieces must be uniquely barcoded, included in electronic documentation (eDoc), and mailers must meet the following requirements:”USPS original

A Seamless mailer must also take part in eInduction, the USPS process for the induction of drop shipments and expedited plant load mailings.1PostalPro: Seamless Acceptance“Participation in eInduction is required”USPS original eInduction checks payment and preparation of commercial mail containers with eDoc, container barcodes and handheld scanners.1PostalPro: Seamless Acceptance“The electronic Induction (eInduction) process simplifies the induction of drop shipments and expedited plant load mailings by leveraging existing eDoc, Intelligent Mail Container barcode (IMcb), and handheld scanner technologies to verify payment and preparation of commercial mail containers.”USPS original The requirement covers DMU-verified origin entry and destination entry drop shipments.2Seamless Acceptance: Mailer Fact SheetPDF page 1“for DMU-verified origin entry or destination entry-drop shipments”USPS original

USPS adds up a mailer's preparation errors each month and measures them against thresholds.4A Guide to Full Servicepage 10“Preparation errors are aggregated monthly for measurement against established thresholds; individual errors won’t trigger a penalty by the Postal Service.”USPS original A single error does not trigger a penalty.4A Guide to Full Servicepage 10“Preparation errors are aggregated monthly for measurement against established thresholds; individual errors won’t trigger a penalty by the Postal Service.”USPS original The Mailer Scorecard, a USPS mail quality dashboard, shows the results under a Seamless tab.4A Guide to Full Servicepage 10“Verification results are displayed in the Mailer Scorecard under the ‘Seamless’ tab.”USPS original Since June 27, 2021, that tab is named Seamless / Automated Verifications.5Full-Service Automated Verification Fact Sheetpage 2“Effective June 27, 2021, the Seamless tab on the Mailer Scorecard will be renamed Seamless / Automated Verifications.”USPS original USPS and mailers both use this trend-based reporting to correct mail quality issues.4A Guide to Full Servicepage 10“The trend-based reporting is accessible by the Postal Service and mailers to correct mail quality issues.”USPS original

A mailer first goes through Automated Verifications, an intermediate step that tests its mail preparation.2Seamless Acceptance: Mailer Fact SheetPDF page 1“Prior to participating in Seamless Acceptance mailers must participate in an intermediate step, Automated Verifications to test out their mail preparation standards.”USPS original Every Customer Registration ID that submits Full-Service volume is enabled for it.6Publication 685: Publication for Streamlined Mail Acceptance for Letters and FlatsPDF page 61“All CRIDs submitting Full-Service volume are enabled for Automated Verifications.”USPS original It differs from Seamless Acceptance in two ways: undocumented pieces are not assessed, and statements do not auto-finalize.7Publication 685: Publication for Streamlined Mail Acceptance for Letters and FlatsPDF page 55“Automated Verification differs from Seamless Acceptance in that undocumented is not currently an assessable metric and auto-finalization does not occur.”USPS original Its other verifications may result in additional postage.6Publication 685: Publication for Streamlined Mail Acceptance for Letters and FlatsPDF page 61“Automated Verifications may result in additional postage for all metrics except Undocumented”USPS original

Once in Seamless Acceptance, USPS reconciles scans and samples to the mailer's eDoc.3Seamless Acceptance: Mailer Fact SheetPDF page 2“Mailpiece scans collected from Mail Processing Equipment (MPE) and samples from hand-held scanning devices are reconciled to the mailer eDoc to confirm proper mail preparation for the discounts claimed and postage paid.”USPS original This confirms the mail is prepared for the discounts claimed and the postage paid.3Seamless Acceptance: Mailer Fact SheetPDF page 2“Mailpiece scans collected from Mail Processing Equipment (MPE) and samples from hand-held scanning devices are reconciled to the mailer eDoc to confirm proper mail preparation for the discounts claimed and postage paid.”USPS original

An acceptance employee no longer finalizes a Seamless mailer's postage statements in PostalOne!.2Seamless Acceptance: Mailer Fact SheetPDF page 1“electronic postage statements are no longer finalized in PostalOne! by an acceptance employee.”USPS original Instead, the statement auto-finalizes on the Mailing Date in the eDoc.2Seamless Acceptance: Mailer Fact SheetPDF page 1“The statement will be auto-finalized on the postage statement Mailing Date (Mailer's Mailing Date identified in eDoc)”USPS original

A Seamless mailer can change the mailing date through the Business Customer Gateway Dashboard.8Mailing Date Change Option for Seamless MailersPDF page 1“offers a practical way to modify the mailing date through the Business Customer Gateway (BCG) Dashboard.”USPS original The option works for all Seamless mailings, whatever the submission type.8Mailing Date Change Option for Seamless MailersPDF page 1“all Seamless mailings, regardless of submission type”USPS original The change must happen before finalization.8Mailing Date Change Option for Seamless MailersPDF page 1“As long as changes are made PRIOR TO FINALIZATION”USPS original

USPS measures a Seamless mailer's quality across all pieces it mails in a calendar month.3Seamless 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 Each error type has its own threshold.3Seamless Acceptance: Mailer Fact SheetPDF page 2“For Seamless Acceptance mailings, the Postal Service uses error thresholds for all verifications plus undocumented pieces identified by MPE and Sampling.”USPS original

A Postage Adjustment Factor applies the error rate from handheld samples to all of a month's mailings.3Seamless Acceptance: Mailer Fact SheetPDF page 2“Postage Adjustment Factor (PAF) is a method to apply an error rate determined from handheld scanner samplings to the entire population of”USPS original If a verification crosses a threshold, the mailer may be charged additional postage.3Seamless Acceptance: Mailer Fact SheetPDF page 2“If a verification crosses a threshold, the mailer may be charged additional postage.”USPS original The Seamless Acceptance and Service Performance system calculates the errors and the factor for each one.9Mail.dat Technical Specifications R65.0.0.0page 162“SASP will calculate the errors, determine if they are statistically significant and calculate the postage adjustment factor of each error”USPS original

USPS collects postage for sampling errors only after a mailer exceeds the factor more than 3 times in a rolling 12 months.3Seamless 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 The 4th month over the threshold is the month USPS assesses.3Seamless Acceptance: Mailer Fact SheetPDF page 2“The 4th month over the PAF threshold in the rolling 12-month period is the month that will be assessed.”USPS original Mail Characteristic failures count against the eDoc submitter, whoever owns the mail.3Seamless 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

The Seamless Acceptance Incentive is a USPS discount that pays eDoc submitters for adopting Seamless Acceptance.10Seamless Acceptance Incentive Fact SheetPDF page 1“The Seamless Incentive provides an incentive to electronic documentation (eDoc) submitters for adoption of the Seamless Acceptance program.”USPS original It is a rate incentive, a discount that is not a workshare discount.10Seamless Acceptance Incentive Fact SheetPDF page 1“A rate incentive is defined as: “a discount that is not a workshare discount and is designed to increase or retain volume, improve the value of mail for mailers, or improve the operations of the Postal Service.””USPS original It applies to postage statements that finalize on January 24, 2021 or later, and it has no end date.11Seamless Acceptance Incentive FAQsPDF page 1“The incentive is effective for postage statements that finalize on January 24, 2021 or later and does not currently have an end date.”USPS original

Eligible First-Class Mail cards, letters and flats and Marketing Mail letters and flats earn $0.002 a piece.10Seamless Acceptance Incentive Fact SheetPDF page 1“All eligible First-Class Mail cards, letters and flats and Marketing Mail letters and flats will be given a $0.002 incentive.”USPS original Eligible Periodicals letters and flats and Bound Printed Matter flats earn $0.001 a piece.10Seamless Acceptance Incentive Fact SheetPDF page 1“All eligible Periodicals letters and flats and BPM flats will continue to receive a $0.001 incentive.”USPS original A mailing's incentive is its eligible pieces times their rate.10Seamless Acceptance Incentive Fact SheetPDF page 1“The total number of eligible pieces multiplied by $0.001 or $0.002 will be the total Seamless Incentive for a given mailing.”USPS original A First-Class Mail or Marketing Mail statement must earn at least $2.00.10Seamless Acceptance Incentive Fact SheetPDF page 1“Minimum Incentive must be $2.00”USPS original A Periodicals or Bound Printed Matter statement must earn at least $1.00.10Seamless Acceptance Incentive Fact SheetPDF page 1“Minimum Incentive must be $1.00”USPS original

The incentive goes to the eDoc submitter, a mailer or a mail service provider that meets the Seamless Acceptance requirements.12Seamless Acceptance Incentive FAQsPDF page 2“The eDoc submitter can be a mailer or an MSP as long as they meet the requirements of Seamless Acceptance and are enrolled in PostalOne!”USPS original It is based on the submitter's Customer Registration ID, whose status in PostalOne! must be Seamless Acceptance.13PostalPro: Seamless Acceptance Incentive“The incentive is based on the eDoc submitter’s Customer Registration ID (CRID). A Seamless Mailer is defined by their CRID’s status in PostalOne! as “Seamless Acceptance.””USPS original An ID still in Automated Verifications does not qualify.13PostalPro: Seamless Acceptance Incentive“Note: Seamless Parallel does not qualify for the discount.”USPS original The Mailer Scorecard shows each ID's status as Seamless, Automated Verification or Inactive.5Full-Service Automated Verification Fact Sheetpage 2“The CRID Seamless Status line is now the CRID Seamless / Automated Verification Status line and will identify CRIDs as Seamless (activated for Seamless Acceptance); Automated Verification (submitting FullService, but not activated for Seamless); or Inactive (not submitting Full-Service)”USPS original

The submitter also needs an Enterprise Payment Account, the single account customers pay through in the Enterprise Payment System.14Enterprise Payment System (EPS) Account Creation Fact Sheet - August 2024PDF page 1“The Enterprise Payment System (EPS) allows customers to pay for Postal products and services through a single account, called the Enterprise Payment Account (EPA).”USPS original Only pieces that qualify for Full-Service earn the incentive.11Seamless Acceptance Incentive FAQsPDF page 1“Pieces must qualify for Full-Service in order to qualify for the Seamless incentive.”USPS original Every Door Direct Mail pieces are not eligible for Full-Service, so they earn none.12Seamless Acceptance Incentive FAQsPDF page 2“EDDM is not eligible for Seamless incentive as EDDM pieces are not eligible for Full-Service”USPS original The incentive is not a promotion, so it can be claimed on eligible pieces in a promotion.11Seamless Acceptance Incentive FAQsPDF page 1“In general, only one promotion can be availed at a time (with the exception of the Earned Value promotion), however Full-Service and Seamless incentives are not promotions and can be claimed on eligible pieces in a promotion.”USPS original

A Mail.dat file names the eDoc submitter in the Segment Record's eDoc Sender CRID field.13PostalPro: Seamless Acceptance Incentive“To receive the incentive using Mail.dat: use existing Segment Record’s (.seg) “eDoc Sender CRID” field to identify the CRID of the eDoc submitter.”USPS original A Mail.XML submission names it in OpenMailingGroupRequest > MailingGroupData > MailingFacility.13PostalPro: Seamless Acceptance Incentive“To receive the discount using Mail.XML: use existing OpenMailingGroupRequest > MailingGroupData > MailingFacility field to identify the CRID of the eDoc submitter.”USPS original

The submitter may pick any account it is payment manager for, even one not tied to its Seamless ID.11Seamless Acceptance Incentive FAQsPDF page 1“There is not a requirement for a direct relationship for the selected EPA to be tied to the Seamless CRID. Upon enrollment to the Seamless incentive, the user may select any EPA for which they are payment manager.”USPS original The permit that pays postage need not be linked to an account, but the permit that receives the incentive must be.11Seamless Acceptance Incentive FAQsPDF page 1“The paying permit does not have to be linked to an EPA but the permit receiving the refund must be linked to an EPA and enrolled in PostalOne!.”USPS original The submitter may change the enrolled permit later with the Update Seamless Incentive Permit link.15Seamless Acceptance Incentive Fact SheetPDF page 2“You may also change the enrolled permit by clicking the Update Seamless Incentive Permit link.”USPS original

USPS deposits the incentive into the Enterprise Payment Account of the enrolled permit.10Seamless Acceptance Incentive Fact SheetPDF page 1“The incentive is deposited into the Enterprise Payment Account that corresponds with the permit enrolled for the incentive.”USPS original A trust account receives it when the postage statement finalizes.10Seamless Acceptance Incentive Fact SheetPDF page 1“Trust accounts are credited upon postage statement finalization, and ACH debit accounts will receive the incentive as a daily aggregate at 6:00 pm EST every evening.”USPS original An ACH debit account receives a daily total at 6:00 pm EST.10Seamless Acceptance Incentive Fact SheetPDF page 1“Trust accounts are credited upon postage statement finalization, and ACH debit accounts will receive the incentive as a daily aggregate at 6:00 pm EST every evening.”USPS original When the money from an ACH credit can be used depends on the mailer's bank.10Seamless Acceptance Incentive Fact SheetPDF page 1“The ability to use the money deposited as an ACH credit is based on when the mailer’s bank makes the funds available.”USPS original The funds may be withdrawn or used to pay for future mailings.10Seamless Acceptance Incentive Fact SheetPDF page 1“The funds may be withdrawn from the Enterprise Payment Account or used to fund future mailings.”USPS original

PostalOne! shows each statement's incentive in the Seamless Acceptance Incentive Report.16Seamless Incentive ReportPDF page 1“Notes on the PostalOne! Seamless Acceptance Incentive Report:”USPS original

An undocumented error is a scanned piece that USPS cannot match to any eDoc.17Seamless Acceptance Undocumented Mail Fact SheetPDF page 1“If no match is found to an eDoc, the piece is reported as an undocumented error.”USPS original USPS matches scanned barcodes against finalized eDocs from the previous 45 days.17Seamless Acceptance Undocumented Mail Fact SheetPDF page 1“Scanned piece level barcodes are attempted to be matched to any finalized eDoc from the previous 45 days.”USPS original The match uses the full length of the scanned barcode.17Seamless Acceptance Undocumented Mail Fact SheetPDF page 1“The barcode match is based on the full length of the scanned barcode.”USPS original

USPS tries to find a match for 3 days before it reports the error.17Seamless Acceptance Undocumented Mail Fact SheetPDF page 1“The USPS attempts to find a match for 3 days.”USPS original It tries again on day 7 and day 10 after the scan.17Seamless Acceptance Undocumented Mail Fact SheetPDF page 1“The USPS will continue to attempt a barcode match again on day 7 and day 10 following the scan.”USPS original If it finds a match, it deactivates the error.17Seamless Acceptance Undocumented Mail Fact SheetPDF page 1“If a match is found, the undocumented error is deactivated.”USPS original Scans more than 10 days before USPS receives the eDoc stay undocumented.17Seamless Acceptance Undocumented Mail Fact SheetPDF page 1“Scans more than 10 days before the eDoc is received will not associate to the eDoc and will remain reported as undocumented errors.”USPS original

Common causes of undocumented errors include:

• no eDoc for a barcoded mailing17Seamless Acceptance Undocumented Mail Fact SheetPDF page 1“Mailer did not submit an eDoc for barcoded mailings”USPS original
• Full Rate postage on barcoded pieces17Seamless Acceptance Undocumented Mail Fact SheetPDF page 1“Full Rate postage applied to barcoded mailpieces”USPS original
• mailings presented with hardcopy or Postal Wizard statements17Seamless Acceptance Undocumented Mail Fact SheetPDF page 1“Mailings presented using hardcopy and Postal Wizard statements”USPS original
• a printed barcode that does not match the eDoc, most often in the Mailer ID, STID or serial number17Seamless Acceptance Undocumented Mail Fact SheetPDF page 1“MID, STID, or Serial Number are the most common types of mis-matches.”USPS original
• an eDoc Mailing Date more than 30 days before finalization17Seamless Acceptance Undocumented Mail Fact SheetPDF page 1“eDoc with a Mailers’ Mailing Date more than 30 days prior to finalization date will not pass into SASP for barcode association”USPS original
• a reversed job, which removes the eDoc barcodes from the Seamless Acceptance and Service Performance system17Seamless Acceptance Undocumented Mail Fact SheetPDF page 1“Reversing the job from PostalOne! removes the eDoc barcodes from the SASP system”USPS original
• piece scans more than 3 days before USPS receives the eDoc17Seamless Acceptance Undocumented Mail Fact SheetPDF page 1“Piece scans more than 3 days before the eDoc is received will cause undoc reporting”USPS original

In January 2022, USPS deployed logic that reassigns undocumented errors to the right eDoc submitter.18Seamless Acceptance Undocumented Category 14 Fact SheetPDF page 1“In January 2022, the Postal Service deployed logic that would change how undocumented errors are assigned by creating a more refined reassignment process.”USPS original One reassignment path is Category 14 logic.18Seamless Acceptance Undocumented Category 14 Fact SheetPDF page 1“Reassigned based on Category 14 logic”USPS original It uses a Mailer ID relationship established within the past 180 days.18Seamless Acceptance Undocumented Category 14 Fact SheetPDF page 1“MID to CRID established within past 180 days”USPS original Category 14 errors became assessable on March 1, 2023.18Seamless Acceptance Undocumented Category 14 Fact SheetPDF page 1“Category 14 Errors Will Become Assessable Beginning March 1, 2023”USPS original

For questions about Intelligent Mail Services, call (800) 522-9085 or email IntelligentMailSupport@USPS.GOV.1PostalPro: Seamless Acceptance“For questions about Intelligent Mail Services, please call us at (800) 522-9085 or email IntelligentMailSupport@USPS.GOV.”USPS original The Mailing & Shipping Solutions Center Help Desk answers questions about the mailing date change, at MSSC@usps.gov.8Mailing Date Change Option for Seamless MailersPDF page 1“MSSC@usps.gov”USPS original