Certified Mail
Introduction
If you're looking to send your mail out Certified, with or without signature, you are in the right place! DFS offers an automated solution to the entire process - completely eliminating the green card process. Your labels will be auto generated, no more hand writing addresses! You also have the option to manually pull tracking updates or connect with APIs for seamless updates!
What is Certified Mail?
Certified Mail is a service option from the USPS, providing the sender with a mailing receipt, a tracking number with full history, and delivery confirmation with signature options. This service can be used on Letters (#10 and 6X9) as well as Flats (9x12) and Priority Mail.
Who is this guide for?
This guide is for Customers who want to use DFS services to:
- Automatically generate USPS Certified Labels to deliverable addresses.
- Setup manual or API processes to receive Certified Tracking Updates and Signatures.
How to use this guide?
Whether you are new to Certified Mail, or a seasoned sender, this guide will walk you through:
- How DFS generates Certified labels & tracking numbers.
- USPS Address Processing & NCOA requirements.
- Your preferred handling options for Undeliverable Mail.
- How you can obtain Status Updates & Signatures.
Getting Started
To get started, you will need to be a current customer of DFS. If you are an existing customer you can request a new job by contacting [email protected].
If you are a new customer looking for mailing services, please contact your Sales Rep directly or submit an inquiry to [email protected] to discuss onboarding!
USPS Requirements & Options
- DFS can run your addresses through the NCOA Database before generating Certified Labels.
- NCOA is a fee based product, however it has the most up to date addresses with Move Updates from the USPS allowing for better delivery.
- NCOA requires a minimum of 100 unique addresses.
- CASS will run instead of NCOA, either by customer choice or if the job fails to meet the minimum record count of 100 unique addresses.
- Addresses must have a successful Delivery Point Validation to generate Certified labels.
DFS Options - How Certified Works
DFS Processing Flow
- You transmit your address list/job files to DFS via Portal or SFTP.
- Address List (XLS, CSV, TXT, etc.) plus the notice(s) to be sent, or
- Job Files such as a precomposed PDF
- DFS automation retrieves your file and:
- Assigns a unique work order number to track your Job
- Your addresses are then ran against the USPS database & processes to generate Certified Labels & Tracking Numbers
- If the supplied address is valid, with an associated DPV, a Certified Label will be generated.
- If the address is invalid, you can choose to
- Downgrade to First Class Mailing; no tracking, no signatures or,
- Flag for No Mail; the address will be listed on an Exception Report and the piece will not be printed, nor mailed.
- Samples of your job along with reports including tracking numbers, will be provided back via our secure online Portal.
- You will be required to review and approve your job before printing & mailing occurs.
- Your approved job is now set for mailing from DFS via USPS Certified Mail!
Mail Piece Tracking & Signature Updates
- You can obtain Tracking Reports & Signatures 2 different ways:
- Manually download Tracking Reports & Signatures via a third-party website.
- Request DFS-API Automation to retrieve Tracking Updates & Signatures on a scheduled basis
- Reports & Signature Files to be loaded to an SFTP site
- DFS can post to our hosted SFTP for your retrieval
- Or we can deliver to a Custom SFTP location
Examples
Certified Labels
Labels are generated automatically and printed on a standard sheet of paper. All required information to track & deliver is contained within the barcodes applied; eliminating the need for green cards.
Certified Envelopes
DFS offers 3 custom envelope solutions for Certified Mail.
- #10.5; Large Single Window - USPS Approved!
- 6.5X9.5; Large Single Window - USPS Approved!
- 9X12; Large Single Window - USPS Approved!
Reporting Options
Initial Reports
DFS will always provide an initial report containing Recipient Name, Address, and Tracking Number. This report is posted to Portal with every file successfully processed at DFS for Certified Mailing.
In addition to the initial tracking report, DFS will provide a Processing Summary noting the total mail pieces, total images, and expected materials to be used (Envelopes, Paper).
Tracking Updates & Signature Files
API Process
If you choose to connect to the USPS with DFS APIs, you will be able to:
- Receive automated reporting at an ongoing, scheduled date/time of your choosing
- Receive signature files for successful deliveries at an ongoing, scheduled date/time of your choosing.
- Determine the location you receive these files
- DFS SFTP
- Custom SFTP
Manual Process
If you opt out of the API process, you will be provided with login credentials to a third-party website. This website will allow you to:
- Track all Certified mail sent via DFS
- Track specific pieces for status or delivery
- Download one/many/all available Signatures of Delivery
- Run reporting specific to your needs, using available filters.
Requesting Certified Job Setup at DFS
Now that you know how DFS manages your mailing for USPS Certified using fully automated processes, we hope you are interested in utilizing our services! To get started;
- Contact your Sales or Account Services Representative.
- If you are unsure who to contact, please reach out to [email protected]. One of our team members will be ready to assist!
- Have available:
- Estimated Mail Pieces sent Certified Monthly/Annually
- Tentative Mailing Schedule (Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Other)
- Test Files if available, or an overview of what your input to DFS will be (Address Data File(s), or prepared mailings such as PDFs)
- DPV Failure Option: Downgrade or No Mail
- Reporting Option: API or Manual-Web Based