Three (More) Things to Know About Mail.XML™

In the previous article we began exploring the basics of Mail.XML. And now that we understand that it is a messaging protocol that enables two-way communication between parties in the mailing supply chain and is designed to increase efficiency and lower costs by removing many manual data entry processes and enabling quick, near real-time communication between business partners, we can begin to look more in-depth at this latest specification from the International Digital Enterprise Alliance (IDEAlliance®) by asking a few more questions.

What information is Mail.XML communicating? Mail.XML uses the comprehensive Mail.dat® database to communicate mailing related information and specific transactions between members of the mailing supply chain, i.e., buying of services for printing, manufacturing, and transportation processes. In addition, the information communicated to and from the United States Postal Service® (USPS®) supports mail verification, acceptance, and induction processes.

What types of messages does Mail.XML support? Among an ever-growing list of messages, Mail.XML supports container-based scheduling, pick up and drop off business processes, as well as identifying different business entities responsible for performing different services such as quality of mailing, address correction, and delivery confirmation on a mailing. Mail.XML also supports the communication of electronic documentation (eDocs) with the PostalOne! ® system. As Intelligent Mail® services available from the USPS become more and more critical to mailers, the number of messages supported by Mail.XML will continue to grow.

Will Mail.XML replace Mail.dat? NO. Mail.dat and Mail.XML are different specifications, and Mail.XML will not replace Mail.dat. These specifications currently exist side-by-side and will continue to do so for many years to come. Remember - Mail.dat provides a storage/database model for mailing information while Mail.XML enables two-way business-function specific communication between members of the supply chain. In the meantime, for more information about both Mail.dat and Mail.XML, you can visit the IDEAlliance website at www.idealliance.org .

Wallace Vingelis is Director, Postal Industry Practice for Window Book, Inc., and currently serves as Co-Chair for the Mail.dat Specification Committee and Mailing Software Developers Group for IDEAlliance. He can be reached at wvingelis@windowbook.com. Window Book has been helping clients manage their operations more profitably since 1989, and is the leader in mailing and shipping software for Lettershops, Corporate Mailers, Service Bureaus, and Mail Owners. Visit their website at www.windowbook.com.

IDEAlliance, Mail.dat and Mail.XML are trademarks owned by the IDEAlliance. The following trademarks are owned by the United States Postal Service: Intelligent Mail, PostalOne!, United States Postal Service and USPS.