To be or not to be (delivered), that is the question...

... for thousands of US postal workers every day. When you stop and think about how complicated mailings have become, we should all be thankful computers showed up to help the process. ACS is right in the middle of keeping up with the latest postal regulations. The two most recent changes in automation requirements by the USPS® are the addition of Delivery Point Validation™ (DPV) and Locatable Address Correction System (LACSLink™). Unless you regularly study postal regulations, you may not be familiar with these new initiatives.

DPV now takes the CASS™ certification process to the level of knowing whether each address is one of the over 145 million valid delivery points on file with the USPS. Previously, CASS certification knew that 100 to 300 Main Street was a range of valid addresses, so all street numbers in that range passed certification. Now—with DPV—the CASS certification process knows that 101 Main Street is valid, but 102 Main Street is not. Thus, CASS-certified data will eliminate undeliverable addresses, make it easier on the postman, and allow you to get the best rates for your mailings.

The LACSLink system provides an automated method of obtaining new addresses for any converted by local municipalities (like when a 911 system is implemented that standardizes addresses). This automation will update your database with the new addresses. Again this makes life easier for the postman and allows you to get the best mailing rates.

The USPS is making these changes effective August 1, 2007. Users of the ACS CASS-It™ module with receive both the DPV and LACSLink changes with the August/September Mail Module update. The update is now delivered on three CD's to include the expanded functionality of CASS. Pay attention to the new loading instructions and system requirements with this update. For more information, see article 20276 in the Knowledge Base.

Let's hope these new changes will lessen some of the “slings and arrows of outrageous fortune” associated with your mailings.