Payload, Encode, and Render — Oh My!
The Intelligent Mail® Barcode (IMB) is a bit of a mystery to some. The more we learn about the IMB, the more we see that the key to its impressive services lies in the design and structure of the data within the IMB.
The IMB uses a four-state technology, as opposed to the two-state technology used in POSTNET™ and PLANET® barcodes. The barcode is composed of trackers, ascenders, descenders, and full bars — more commonly known as TADFs. These TADFs represent the data in the barcode. Since more data can be encoded with four-states instead of two, the IMB is able to contain more information per given footprint.
Intelligent Mail® Barcode TADF footprint.
The IMB continues to contain the familiar field-like routing ZIP® that is currently part of the POSTNET™ barcode. This routing ZIP® is a result of the CASS™ and Move Update address correction process.
Intelligent Mail® Barcode fields.
To continue to better serve customers, the IMB contains new fields such as the service code, the mailer ID information, and more importantly, the new mail piece ID.
Basically, there are three steps to generate the IMB:
- Payload assignment — determines what data goes into which fields
- Encoding — takes the data, adds error correction, and outputs to a TADF
- Rendering — converts the TADF to a graphical representation of the IMB
Three steps to generate the Intelligent Mail® Barcode.
For more information on how Group 1 Software can help your business with the three steps to the IMB, email us at mailstream_intelligentmail@g1.com or call 888-413-6763.