Intelligent Mail barcode attempts to bring a revolutionary change in the postal system. It is an initiative by the US Postal department to enable them and the users, much more competency in handling mail. It aims to increase a mailer's capacity of tracking individual pieces of mail and also provides better visibility in the mail stream.



It has been designed so as to upgrade the existing four-state customer barcode, and uses a 65-bar USPS barcode for sorting and tracking letters and flats. The Intelligent Mail barcode allows mailers to use more digits, thus enabling distinctive identification of a billion mail pieces for every mailing. Users can include up to 31-digits worth of information. Apart from it, there are also some additional features like ACS services and enhanced tracking.

Mailers have two options to choose from. They can either go for basic service or for full service. In case of a basic service option, just essentials of IMB i.e. service code; delivery point code and mailer ID are required, whereas in case of full service, you require all the essential elements of basic service, in addition to a unique identity on every mail piece.

There are some features of Intelligent Mail bar-coding system that make it truly unique and invaluable. It can combine multiple services such as OneCode ACS (Address Change Service), OneCode Confirm Service Type ID, postNET barcode and OneCode Confirm Service Type ID in a single barcode. It also helps in simplifying the look of the mail piece. Apart from it, IMB can free up valuable real estate area in the address block by combining what used to be four-five lines of the address block into just a single one.

This new system of IMB has many advantages. It will definitely improve readability and more under adverse conditions. There are features like advanced error correction that will help in hiding portions of the barcode. All information can be recovered during the read. It will also reduce Return Mail. Mailers can update their records when they receive their free notices containing information about customer move.

It will be easy for customers to track their inbound and outbound mail pieces via the Intelligent Mail Barcode. It insures that every mail piece remains uniquely traceable through the Intelligent Mail Barcode's ID capacity. This will definitely improve performance.

IBM Manager is an excellent USPS IMB solution from the software companies. It is extremely easy to use and is compatible with both Basic and Full service options. It allows the users to generate Intelligent Mail Barcodes for files created by different types of presort or by Mail.dat product. The users can also manage their Intelligent Mail Serial Numbers within a single mail ID or else across multiple mail lists. It also creates a database for tracking the 45-day expiration dates for Unique Serial Numbers. IBM Manager can create all 3 types of Intelligent Mail Serial Numbers.

Thus this latest software is revolutionizing the age old postal system and modernizing the way we handle our mail.