NewsCast

Canada Post Undeliverable Publications Mail^TM

Canada Post sent the following letter to customers, on August 27, 2007, regarding the new Undeliverable Publications Mail application.

Ladies & Gentlemen:

Canada Post is pleased to announce that effective January 14th, 2008 we will launch a new application to automate the timely return of Undeliverable Publications Mail address information to you our Publishers. This service enhancement resulted from a need identified by Canada Post and you our customers so as to improve the processing of Undeliverable Publications Mail.

Beginning January 2008, we will data enter the address information from Undeliverable Publications Mail items and return a weekly electronic summary and detailed report to you, using Canada Post's secure PosteCS service. For easy reconciliation, a unique number will appear on both the report and the corresponding invoice.

What's new?
Undeliverable Publications Mail (UPM) involves an enhanced automated process for providing publishers the addressing details of Undeliverable Publications Mail items.

Effective January 14, 2008, Canada Post will be sending an electronic file via PosteCS to publishers providing them with the Publications Mail title and addressee information for the undeliverable items. Although it is mandatory to sign up for this service, customers who are not willing or capable of receiving details electronically will receive the new UPM reports weekly (as determined by the frequency of undeliverable items) in hardcopy format via Lettermail.

Why the change?
The current process for returning details to publishers of undeliverable items is inefficient. YOU, our publishing customers, have questioned the value and the price for paying for the current return service. Canada Post and the Publishing Industry have embarked on a joint project to develop a process to streamline the returns of undeliverable Publications Mail.

Based on publisher’s feedback and discussion at the IDEAlliance meetings, Canada Post has developed an electronic solution that will reduce publisher’s frustrations and costs by eliminating redundant mail-outs caused by late arrival of undeliverable notices. This initiative will:

• Improve the publishers satisfaction with the process for returning undeliverable Publications Mail,
• Improve the quality and timeliness of information to publishers,
• Reduce costs for publishers by eliminating redundant mail-outs caused by late arrival of undeliverable notices,
• Maintain a positive relationship with Publishing Associations by implementing this process,
• Provides publishers with an electronic file containing undeliverable Publications Mail addressing information in the form of a summary and detailed report (UPM report)
• Automate the billing process for the returns.

What Type of Information will you be Receiving?
You will be receiving one report with the following:

• A section of the report will provide you with address details of the specific returned publication, including the keyline with the subscriber's information,

• A section which summarizes the details for easy invoice reconciliation.

Will You Require Special Software to Print the Undeliverable Publications Mail Report?

• No you will not require any additional software. The only requirement that you will have to have is access to the internet and a valid email address. The report will be sent in CSV format which can be converted to Excel or other formats.

What if Publishers Have MORE than one Title? Is it possible to provide the Publisher with separate Reports?

• Yes, there will be one report for each title.

Can You Have One email Per Publication?

• You can have up to 3 email addresses. BUT, it is important to note that each report is sent to all email addresses. There is no functionality that assigns individual reports to individual email addresses.

Where and How will all this Be Done?

• This initiative centralizes the processing of the Undeliverable items at 3 locations, Toronto, Montreal and Edmonton. Once the information is captured, a report is generated and forwarded to publishers via PosteCS.

Can Publishers Change their Returns email address at anytime?

• Yes you can. All that is required is that you call our Credit Management Group at 1 800-267-7651 and the change will be made.

How Will You Pay For the Service?

• The Automated System will generate an invoice based on the returns process. This will be generated by the agreement #.

HOW DO YOU SIGN UP?

• Simply long onto the following Canada Post website, and answer the questions. You will require your Customer #(s) and Agreement #.

https://ssl.postescanada-canadapost.ca/business/campaigns/upm/forms/default-e.asp

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Sign Up Now and Save On Group 1 University Classes!

Save on seats by signing up now for these newly scheduled classes! Buy two seats and get the third seat free (in any class of equal or lesser value)! Or, for a better value, buy a block of classes: purchase five days of onsite training and get three days – of equal or lesser value – free! These are limited-time offers - you must register for courses by October 31, 2007 for delivery by December 31, 2007.

For further information or to register for a class, please visit the Group 1 University Web site, http://www.g1.com/Education, and choose Online Registration on the left sidebar.

CODE-1 Plus – Dispatcher4

You will learn how CODE-1 Plus improves the address quality of mail, saving you the time and money it takes to reprocess undeliverable mail. Additionally, you will learn mailing concepts and techniques to return a complete standardized address.

Lanham, MD

• September 25, 2007 – September 26, 2007
• November 27, 2007 – November 28, 2007

Objectives – Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:

• Understand the capabilities and benefits of CODE-1 Plus
• Understand the CODE-1 Plus system flow and relationships
• Understand CASS™ requirements and the CASS™ report
• Search the CODE-1 Plus database using the Interactive System to answer specific queries
• Define and discuss US Postal Service™ terminology and concepts
• Create and submit a batch job that invokes the CODE-1 Plus driver program, access the matching subroutine, and produce reports
• Learn the basic features and functions of supplemental processing options, including EWS, DPV™, and RDI™

DOC1 Series 5 Advanced – "Total Knowledge of Solutions"

This course is different than our traditional instructor-lead courses. Taking a different approach in delivering the material, this course guides students through complex logic and allows them to solidify and enforce the information while resolving real business needs. This 2.5- to 3-day course is targeted to advanced users and will allow students to immediately use the knowledge gained with self-paced skill building exercises.

Lanham, MD

• October 16, 2007 – October 18, 2007

Addison, TX

• September 25, 2007 – September 27, 2007
• November 13, 2007 – November 15, 2007

Objective – The objective of this course is to provide in-depth exposure to logic techniques and challenge students in the use of DOC1 Series 5 to build applications that resolve real business requirements.

DOC1 Series 5 Basic – "Understanding the Essentials"

This complete hands-on training course enables you to master everything from the basic DOC1 Series 5 functions to more complex features. Through exercises designed to simulate real life applications, this 2.5- to 3-day course will be delivered in a step-by-step interactive educational atmosphere.

Addison, TX

• October 16, 2007 – October 18, 2007

DOC1 Series 5 PCE (Post Composition Engine) – “Modification Scripting Tool”

In this course, students will receive comprehensive training in the use of the DOC1 PCE tool. Fundamental techniques and practical exposure through popular post processing scripts will be the core of this course. This 2.5- to 3-day course concentrates solely on handling the requirements of post-processing with hands-on exercises to re-emphasize techniques.

Addison, TX

• October 23, 2007 – October 25, 2007

Objective – The objective of this course is to expose and deliver common PCE script operations through self-paced exercises that are designed to focus on satisfying common business requirements.

MailStream Plus – Dispatcher4

You will learn how MailStream Plus presorts your mailing file to USPS® specifications. Basic USPS® regulations and possible postal discounts for selected classes of mail will be discussed.

Lanham, MD

• September 27, 2007 – September 28, 2007 (This course is 1.5 days)
• October 25, 2007 – October 26, 2007

Objectives – Upon completion, the student will be able to:

• Discuss the MailStream Plus system components and functions
• Understand the USPS® system of pricing tiers and their relationship to worksharing
• Create and submit batch jobs for different mailing classes and types
• Generate and review MailStream Plus reports
• Understand the benefits of a default-driven mail sortation system
• Able to identify options appropriate for specific mailings

Sagent Solution

This course introduces you to the design, customization, and creation of business intelligence solutions using the Sagent Platform. You will be guided through the individual components that make up the full Sagent Solution using hands-on labs and exercises.

Lanham, MD

• September 18, 2007 – September 20, 2007
• October 9, 2007 – October 11, 2007

Objectives – Upon completion, the student will be able to:

• Create and optimize Sagent data load plans to access, analyze and collaborate on data
• Use Sagent Analysis to summarize results by multiple dimensions
• Create and optimize graphical, aggregate and logical views of databases
• Manage data mart security and administrative environment
• Extract legacy data from a source database and load a target data warehouse
• Configure and use WebLink to access the data warehouse over the Internet

StreamWeaver Development Using Visual Engineer Workshop

This 3.5-day workshop is appropriate for new technical StreamWeaver users or those who attended training prior to the release of StreamWeaver 4.0.

Lisle, IL

• September 25, 2007 – September 28, 2007
• October 23, 2007 – October 26, 2007

Objectives – Upon completion, the student will be able to code StreamWeaver to perform the following:

• Reorder pages within documents
• Add, delete or modify barcodes for insertion equipment
• Create multiple-document output
• Consolidate documents
• Insert pages into a document
• Create extract files

Advanced StreamWeaver

This course is designed for the advanced user or developer responsible for the development and implementation of Sagent Data Flow plans. Class presentations and exercises provide you with tips and techniques for developing business intelligence solutions for your company.

Irvine, CA

• October 4, 2007 – October 5, 2007

Lanham, MD

• November 6, 2007 – November 7, 2007

Prerequisites

• Sagent Solution course
• In-depth understanding of database concepts
• Working knowledge of network environments and security concepts
• Working knowledge of the Internet
• Structured Query Language (SQL) experience

Objectives – Upon completion, the student will be able to:

• Understand the use and application of all Sagent transforms
• Learn the different types of Sagent Transforms - Source, Sink, Data Flow Control, and Data Manipulation
• Comprehend how the Sagent client application works in conjunction with the Data Flow Server and the RDBMS server
• Explore statistical and other functions available via the Analytical Calculator transform
• Apply seasonal considerations in the Forecast Transform to predict customer demand
• Standardize address data using the Address Cleanser transform

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Technical Support Spotlight

If you’re a Data Flow customer and have contacted Group 1 Technical Support, you may already know Dale Flores, though probably not by name.

As a Level II Technical Support Representative (TSR) for the Data Flow Products Support Team, Dale draws on his product expertise, along with strong technology and communication skills, to help Group 1 Data Flow customers get the most out of their products.

Dale played a leadership role in the process of transitioning Data Flow customer support from an outsourced company in India to Group 1 Software Tech Support in the United States. He researched how support was set up and delivered in India, helped collect all open tickets, planned the transition timeline, and provided first-line customer support during and after the transition.

“Dale was a large part of our ability to transition successfully,” recalls Padraic Way, Technical Support Director at Group 1.

Since beginning his work with Data Flow products in 2001, Mr. Flores has served as a TSR, consultant, and trainer. As a consultant, he had completed several customer engagements for Group 1 Professional Services, including a custom database migration utility supporting original equipment manufacturer (OEM) resellers. As a trainer, he delivered Sagent Solutions and Advanced Transform Public Seminar courses at Group 1’s headquarters and regional training centers. And as a senior and Level II TSR, he led implementation of the Sagent online support Web site, the primary means of communication between Sagent customers and TSRs.

To help Group 1 with the transition for Data Flow product support, Dale set up development and support servers, drawing on research his team had done on support infrastructure in India to replicate their setup for Group 1 in the United States. He also planned a phased timeline to guarantee continuous delivery of service to customers during the transition. He helped his team to find and track all open tickets, all while he continued to deliver top-notch first-line customer support.

Dale continues to make a major contribution to the success of the Data Flow Products Support Team at Group 1. Brian Hughes, his supervisor and Support Manager for Data Flow products, describes him as “definitely the Sagent lead” and “a mentor for his team.”

Dale is currently working towards Unix and Oracle certifications to complement his bachelor’s degree in business information systems from San Diego State University. He has lived in the Philippines and the Middle East, where he spent his formative years. A Group 1 teleworker, he currently lives and works in the San Francisco area.

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Points of Interest...

...Product Responsibilities
The Update Contact Info page on the Group 1 Technical Support Site has been modified to clarify where to go to notify Group 1 about changes to Primary designation information. Primary designation information includes: Primary User, Primary Bill To, and Primary Ship To contacts. While the Primary designations are displayed under Product Responsibilities of the Update Contact Info page, it is not intended as a page from which Primary designation requests should be made; for those they should refer to Online Forms. The Product Responsibilities area of the Update Contact Info page now directs users to the Request for Primary Contact Record Change Form, available from the Online Forms area of the Support Site.

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