Understanding Simplified Addressing

The USPS allows mailers to use simplified address format when sending mail to every address on a rural or highway contract route or to every PO Box at a Post Office^® without city carrier route service. Unless you are sending flat-sized mail pieces or irregular parcels, only those sending mail on behalf of any government agency can send simplified address mail to city carrier routes (see DMM^® 602.3.2). When mailing in these conditions, the mailer can address mail pieces to “Postal Customer”,” Residential Customer” or “Rural Route Boxholder” and not include a delivery address. Simplified addressing mailings must be sent to every customer on the route.

Understanding Simplified Addressing and EDDM

Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) is a direct mail service offered by USPS® in which mailers send un-addressed mailpieces to every address in a given carrier route (neighborhood).  There are different types of carrier routes, including rural or highway contract routes and PO Boxes, and also including city routes.  As with Simplified Addressing, the mailing must be sent to every customer on the route.

• Read more about Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM)

Creating a Simplified Addressing  or EDDM List with Bulk Mailer

Bulk Mailer can generate the required USPS postage statements, container labels and bundle facing slips for this type of mail. This tech note discusses the steps necessary to create a list that you can import into Bulk Mailer and sort as a simplified address mailing.

To create the list, you must use an outside program, as Bulk Mailer cannot generate lists. This example uses  Microsoft Excel to create the list. You may use any program you wish to generate the data necessary.

You must know the exact number of active deliveries on each carrier route to which you plan on mailing. The local Post Office that handles these deliveries can provide you with this information, or for EDDM, the information is accessible online at the USPS EDDM site.

Creating a Simplified Address List

1. Open Microsoft Excel. From the File menu, select New to create a new Excel workbook.
2. The New dialog box displays. Select Workbook and click OK.
3. In the new spreadsheet, type the following headers in the corresponding cells:
   • Cell A1 – “Walk Sequence”
   • Cell B1 – “Carrier Route”
   • Cell C1 – “City”
   • Cell D1 – “State”
   • Cell E1 – “ZIP Code”
4. In the three cells below the Walk Sequence header, type 1, 2 and 3. Your spreadsheet should look like the screenshot below.
   
   
5. Click in cell A2 and drag the mouse to select all three cells.
6. Click on the bottom-right corner of cell A4 and drag down until the number displayed in the tooltip equals the number of deliveries in the carrier route.
   
   
7. In cell B2, type the first carrier route designation, i.e. “R001.” Copy this cell and paste it into all cells in this column with a number in column A.
8. Repeat these steps for the City, State and ZIP Code^TM fields.
   
   

 

9. Repeat steps 4 – 8 for each carrier route to which you plan on mailing.
10. From the File menu, select Save As. In the Save As dialog box, enter a file name and click Save.

To Import the List into Bulk Mailer

1. In Bulk Mailer, move to the Home section and double-click the New Mailing Wizard.
2. On the Import Data screen, select Create a blank mailing and click Finish.
3. Move to the Import/Export section and double-click the Import Wizard. Click Next at the Welcome screen.
4. On the Source File screen, click Select File.
5. Select the file you created in the steps above and click Open. Click Next.
6. Select First Row Contains Field Names and click Next.
   
   
7. Review the Field Mapping screen for accuracy. When satisfied, click Next, then Finish.

To Sort for an EDDM or Simplified Addressing Mailing

1. Move to the Mail Sort section and double-click the Mail Sort Wizard.
2. On the Mailing Type screen, select Postnet. Simplified addressing is only available when this option is selected.
3. Complete the wizard as normal until the Sorting Preparation screen.
4. On the Sorting Preparation screen, select Carrier Route (Simplified Addressing) as the First sort level and leave the rest blank.
   
   
5. Complete the rest of the Mail Sort Wizard.
6. When the Mail Sort Wizard completes, print the required reports from the Progress screen.

To Print Your EDDM or Simplified Addressing Mailing

1. Move to the Print Mail section and double-click the Print Mail Wizard.
2. On the Print Mail Template Type screen, select either of the envelope template types. Click Next.
3. Complete the wizard as appropriate for your mailing up to the Address Block Options screen.
4. Select the Create a blank template option and click Next.
5. Enter a name for the template and click Finish.
6. The Label Designer will display your blank template in Design Mode. Click the Address Block button  on the toolbar.
7. Click anywhere on the template to place an address block.
8. Delete everything from this address block except the City, State and ZIP Code fields.
   
   
9. Create a blank line at the top of the address block and click the Database Field button . Click the blank line and select Endorsement Line from the resulting Add Database Field dialog box.
10. Press the enter key to add a blank line below the endorsement line. Type either “Postal Customer,”” Residential Customer” or “Rural Route Boxholder,” depending on which is appropriate to your mailing.

Note: Printing the city and state names are optional; you can use "Local" in its place. The USPS recommends that you use city and state name unless you will deposit the mail directly at the destination delivery unit.

Related Topics

You may also be interested in:

• Understanding Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM)

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