What is Mail.XML™?

Let’s face it, before either one of us understands what Mail.XML is, we first need to ask and answer “what is XML?” Gathering data from some of my more technically inclined friends, I was able to come up with some pretty good information. And because I understood it, you should have no problem with it either. XML stands for Extensible Markup Language, and is often defined as “a human-readable way of describing data or structured data.” It also means that you can extend a specification with fields - without necessarily impacting your communication software. XML is the current standard of communication between two or more computers over the internet and is the Business-to-Business communication and automation standard.

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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.

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Three Reasons Why You Should Use Mail.dat®

Mail.dat is an industry standard database file set that consists of detailed presort mailing information based on specifications set by the International Digital Enterprise Alliance (IDEAlliance®) (http://www.idealliance.org/maildat). It is a group of files that combines information from a number of sub-files to provide a detailed summary and description of a presorted mailing. Mail.dat is created during the presort process, either by presort software processing name-and-address lists or by MLOCR (multiple line optical character reader) machines. No matter how the sortation is performed, the details that make up the mailing are recorded in the Mail.dat file set for that job.

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Mail.dat® File Validation: How to Make Sure Your Files are Valid

Mail.dat files are valuable tools for mailers, mail service providers, logistics companies, and the United States Postal Service® (USPS®). Mail.dat files contain virtually all the information regarding a specific mailing with the exception of names and addresses. Mail.dat files may be used to communicate information about mailings, edit and manipulate mailing information, analyze mailings for drop shipping or other work-sharing discounts and combined mailing opportunities, and to facilitate the generation and transmission of postal documentation. As valuable as this tool is, however, it is not much use if the Mail.dat file is not "valid".

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Three questions about Mail.dat

The United States Postal Service® (USPS®) will eventually require all the mailers to submit Postage Statements and mailing documents electronically instead of hard copies. This means mailers must use the PostalOne!® system to transmit all the required mailing documents electronically. Mail.dat is one of the data file types mailers can use to send electronic files to the PostalOne! system. Now, let’s review some fundamental questions you may have about Mail.dat.

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Mail.XML™ & FAST

Mailers using Mail.dat can continue to use it as a database, but use Mail.XML™ for communication,automation or business to business processing and get answers in near real time from other parties.

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Mail.XML™ - A Present and Future Tool

Mail.XML™ is a mailing industry standard specification for light-weight transactions between participants in the mailing process. The Mail.XML™ specification, as with the mail.dat specification was established and is maintained by IDEAlliance.

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Drop Ship Data and Labeling List Data for Drop Shippers

For mailers, presort services, and transportation companies who process drop shipments, having up-to-date information on drop ship data and labeling list data is a critical part of their operation. Using updated data helps mailers benefit from greater drop ship discounts and improve efficiency by having accurate information.

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How will you prove that your mailing went out with the new Intelligent Mail eDocs initiative?

The infamous Red Round Stamp you've become so accustomed to as "proof of mailing" to your clients will soon become a thing of the past. With the induction of eDocs for sending your mailing information in an electronic format to the USPS, how will you easily obtain that "proof of mailing"?

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