NewsCast

2008 Customer Conference Updates

Don't forget to save the dates for Group 1's Customer Conference "Live in Las Vegas" from May 21 – 23, 2008 at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino. The following are featured sessions from our software solution tracks:

Mailing Efficiency

Intelligent Mail Implementation — Complying with the Requirements
What are the best ways to meet the upcoming Intelligent Mail requirements and preserve your automation discounts? Find out in this extremely valuable session.

Making Intelligent Mail Work For You
Complying with the Intelligent Mail Barcode (IMB) requirement benefits the USPS, but how do you get it to benefit you? Find out how you can employ the IMB to solve a number of mailing and business problems. In this session, you will also learn about Pitney Bowes Software’s newest offering: Visible Mail.

CASS Coder Mega-Session — Finalist
Talk to product management and key developers about your Finalist issues and needs.

Location Intelligence

Enterprise Tax Management Sales and Use
During the past few years, more and more utilities have recognized the value of automating the tax jurisdiction assignment process. Learn how TXU uses Enterprise Tax Management to solve its tax liability. TXU provides power to over 2.9 million electric delivery points. With over 14,000 miles of electrical transmission lines and some 98,000 miles of distribution lines, TXU has one of the largest energy infrastructures in the U.S.

Enterprise Tax Management Insurance Premium
Insurance companies are currently required to pay taxes on premiums written in an increasing number of states. Each year, many municipalities and fire and police districts change boundaries, which are the foundation for most premium tax districts. Learn how Enterprise Tax Management provides an ongoing research program, with nationwide coverage, that tracks these changes and provides you with an integrated solution with up–to–date premium tax boundary information.

Using Location Intelligence to Facilitate Straight-Through Processing in Insurance
P&C Insurance Companies are always looking for ways to reduce the time to issue insurance policies and to increase underwriters productivity. Attend this session and learn how Location Intelligence can help streamline rating and underwriting process to increase efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Customer Communications Management

Email and SMS Message Management — Enabling the Highest Quality Communications and Customer Service
Gain the power to control customer email and short message service (SMS) communications within your enterprise. Learn to create, deliver and manage highly personalized email and SMS messages from a single design environment and predictably display across all popular browsers and devices. Automated zero click archiving of all inbound email and SMS along with all other related customer communications to enable a complete 360 degree customer centric view of the customer relationship. Learn to manage communication bounces and graphical reporting of messages sent, delivery failures, responses and more. Put the power of email and SMS to work as part of your total customer communication management strategy.

Web-Based Document Management Can Work for You
Learn how enterprise class document management and work flows can be delivered totally via the web at a fraction of the cost and deployment time of yesterday’s heavy weight solutions. Discover how to use your corporate intranet and the World Wide Web to manage, revise, store, control and audit all forms of documents and content. Gain the ability to route, revise and approve all forms of content in a timely, efficient and completely secure manner. Web-based document management for hundreds of users is a quick deploy environment with no client software to manage or control. Web-based document management can work for you today!

Data Quality/Data Integration

Data Integration (Data Flow 6.5)
This is a "must see" presentation for Data Flow users. You will learn about the exciting new features of Data Flow and the vision going forward.

Customer Data Quality Customer Stories
Come hear overviews and details of how customers have used their CDQ Platform to advance their business and improve customer interaction.

Customer Data Quality Solution
Understand the "how" and "why" for Data Quality Solution with an in-depth review of the CDQ Platform covering architecture, integration to your existing applications, modules of services with orchestration and various deployment schemes.

Please watch for more information about the 2008 Customer Conference in future issues of NewsCast. Additional information is available online at the conference Web site at http://www.g1.com//About/Events/Conference.

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New Postage Rates

New postage rates will go into effect on May 12, 2008, as described in the Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) Advisory below. There will not be any mail presorting changes associated with the postage increase.

In March, Group 1 Software, Inc. will ship April Postal Reference files that will contain both new and current rates. These will also be available to download from the Group 1 Web site, http://www.g1.com. Today's rates will be accessible via the "previous" option once the April Postal Reference files have been installed using the following parameter:

HEADERP

For additional information about how the new USPS® postage rates will affect MailStream Plus, please refer to the most recent MailStream Plus Product Announcement (reference # MUz7xxP1308).

"New Prices Coming May 12" from the DMM Advisory:

On May 12 we will adjust prices for mailing services — First-Class Mail, Standard Mail, Periodicals, Package Services, and Special Services. The average increase by class of mail is at or below the rate of inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index.

A First-Class Mail stamp will be 42¢. Customers can continue to use the Forever Stamps they purchased for 41¢, even after the price change. We will have 5 billion Forever Stamps in stock to meet increased demand before the price change. Forever Stamps are widely available through Post Offices, Contract Postal Units, consignment locations, Automated Postage Centers, vending, and online. We also will have a 62¢ stamp available shortly after May 12 for 1-ounce nonmachinable First-Class Mail letters, such as square greeting cards.

Pricing highlights:


• No change in the First-Class Mail single-piece additional-ounce price.



• Lower additional-ounce price for presorted First-Class Mail letters.



• Lower pound price for Standard Mail saturation and high-density flats.



• Shape-based pricing for First-Class Mail International letters, flats, and parcels.



• First-Class Mail International price groups expand from five to nine groups.

Select prices:

First-Class Mail letter (1 oz.): 42¢

First-Class Mail letter (2 oz.): 59¢

Postcard: 27¢

First-Class Mail large envelope (2 oz.): $1.00

Certified Mail: $2.70

First-Class Mail International letter to Canada and Mexico (1 oz.): 72¢

First-Class Mail International letter to all other countries (1 oz.): 94¢

See http://www.usps.com/prices/ for all mailing services prices and links to downloadable pricing files, and additional information. We will announce new prices for shipping services — Express Mail, Priority Mail, Parcel Select, and International Mail — in March.

Consistent with The Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act, we will adjust our mailing services prices each May. By law, these prices can increase on average no more than the rate of inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index. We plan to provide 90 days' notice of the new prices each year, to help mailers prepare for the change.

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Intelligent Mail Barcode Changes

Group 1 Software, Inc. has become aware of multiple changes concerning the implementation of Intelligent Mail Barcode (IMB). The IMB changes have been addressed in a letter from Postmaster General John E. Potter to postal customers. The Postmaster’s letter highlights the Proposed Rulemaking to be published in the upcoming Federal Register:

• A proposed May 2009 implementation, concurrent with the next annual price change.



• The May 2009 implementation will include separate prices for the full-service and basic option.



• The Postnet Barcode will remain eligible for an automation price until May 2010. Those prices will be announced with the May 2009 change.



• The proposal will include new options for mail owner identification.



• We are removing the requirement for green color bars on the container label.

Please click on the following link to view the full version of this letter, published in the USPS® PCC Insider on February 29, 2008:

http://www.usps.com/communications/pccinsider/welcome.htm

We will continue to keep you informed with updates as soon as we receive them. Group 1 has multiple representatives attending the IMB Road Show, which will provide us with additional information to answer your questions. In addition, Group 1 will be holding an IMB Interactive Forum on March 18, 2008. To register, please click the link below:

http://www.g1.com/About/Events/Making-Intelligent-Decisions-About-Your-Intelligent-Mail-Barcode-Strategy/

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Group 1 University Classes

As mentioned above, the 2008 Customer Conference will be held May 21 – 23, 2008 at the Rio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. Preconference intensives are scheduled for Monday, May 19 and Tuesday, May 20.

For further information or to register for any of the intensives or other classes listed below, please visit the Group 1 University Web site, http://www.g1.com/Education, and choose Online Registration on the left sidebar. Seating is limited, so register early!

Finalist Workshop

Monday, May 19, 2008
Cost: $500.00
Duration: 1 day

The Finalist workshop provides instruction on how to use Finalist address correction software in a batch environment. Upon completion of the workshop, you will be:

• Prepared for installing, setting up and running Finalist
• Educated in USPS® terminology and automation standards

This preconference intensive will include numerous reporting and processing examples.

Advanced StreamWeaver Workshop

Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Cost: $500.00
Duration: 1 day

This advanced StreamWeaver workshop has been designed to help developers push their use of StreamWeaver beyond the simple barcoding applications that most customers have.

In this workshop, we will look at some of the advanced functionality with which customers use StreamWeaver including:

• Calling UserFunctions to make use of external libraries
• Using StreamWeaver to parse non-Print Stream Data
• Calling CASS™ and PAVE™ tools
• The functionality of the StreamWeaver Reprint module
• The use of the Variables Tag group for simple document composition

Prerequisite for this class: Attendance of the StreamWeaver Development workshop or equivalent and a minimum of six months of active experience creating and/or maintaining StreamWeaver applications.

CODE-1 Plus Workshop

Monday, May 19, 2008
Cost: $500.00
Duration: 1 day

In the CODE-1 Plus workshop, 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
• Mailing concepts and techniques to return a complete standardized address
• How to implement DPV™ and LACS^Link™ processing

Instructional techniques will include lecture and hands-on training.

MailStream Plus Workshop

Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Cost: $500.00
Duration: 1 day

In the MailStream Plus workshop, you will learn:

• MailStream Plus sortation concepts
• Implementation techniques for MailStream Plus sortation
• Basic USPS® regulations and postal discounts for selected classes of mail

Instructional techniques will include lecture and hands-on training.

DOC1 Series 5 Basic – “UNDERSTANDING THE ESSENTIALS”

Monday, May 19 – Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Cost: $1,500.00
Duration: 2 days

Need to sharpen your DOC1 Series 5 programming skills? Are you about to embark on a Series 5 project and interested in getting to know the basics quickly?

This hands-on, two-day course will provide nearly all of the training in our normal two-and-a-half-day class but in a more intensive format and will meet the prerequisite for attending the Series 5 Advanced class.

Topics covered will include:

• Overview of the various Series 5 Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs)
• Text, table and object formatting options
• Options for conditional logic in Series 5
• Messaging options
• Data acquisition, formatting and use
• Use and formatting of transactional (repeating) data
• The complete Document Publishing path
• Creation of a Print Stream

This course is limited in seating to five (5). Pre-registration is required to attend.

Sagent Data Flow – “YOU GET TO CHOOSE”

Monday, May 19 – Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Cost: $1,500.00
Duration: 2 days

How do you use Sagent Data Flow? Are you a “power user” – someone who builds DataMarts and devises Data Flow Plans? Are you a more casual user – someone who views and analyzes your company’s data? Are you someone who has just heard of this product and would like hands-on experience to help you decide if Sagent Data Flow is right for you?

If you fit into any of the above categories, we are offering a unique Sagent training experience at this year’s annual conference. You decide how much you want to know – you decide the depth of Sagent information you need!

We will be providing a two-day Sagent class. Come for the first day if you want a good general overview of Sagent, and stay for the second day if you want to get more in-depth information. You get to choose!

Topics covered on Day One will include:

• Complete overview of the Sagent environment
• The basic GUI
• Creation of simple plans
• Work with the Sagent Analysis module
• Work with the Sagent Reports module
• Quick demo of Sagent WebLink

Topics covered on Day Two will include:

• More in-depth work with all of the basic Sagent Transforms
• Creation of several Sagent Plans from scratch
• Work with creating DataMarts

This course is limited in seating to six (6). Pre-registration is required to attend.

Customer Data Quality Platform (CDQP) – Universal Addressing Module (UAM)

Monday, May 19 – Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Cost: $1,500.00
Duration: 2 days

This introductory CDQP for UAM intensive has been designed to help new users develop their use of control stages and building data flows within Enterprise Designer. In this intensive we will learn about:

• CDQP – what is it?
• CDQP available modules
• Module features, functions and benefits
• Building batch jobs using UAM components
• Building services using UAM components
• Use of control stages

OTHER GROUP 1 UNIVERSITY CLASSES

CODE-1 Plus – Dispatcher4

March 11 – 12, 2008 in Lanham, MD
April 8 – 9, 2008 in Lanham, MD
May 6 – 7, 2008 in Lanham, MD
June 10 – 11, 2008 in Lanham, MD

In this course, 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.

Duration: 2 days

Objectives:

• Understand the capabilities and benefits of CODE-1 Plus
• Understand the CODE-1 Plus system flow and relationships
• Understand the 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 4 Basic

April 1 – 3, 2008 in Lanham, MD
July 8 – 10, 2008 in Lanham, MD

This course concentrates on the DOC1 Designer suite and introduces the DOC1 Generate Production environment. The course covers data and print stream manipulation, document logic control and the use of fonts, images, overlays, lines, text and boxes.

Duration: 2 days

DOC1 Series 5 Basic – "Understanding the Essentials"

March 18 – 20, 2008 in Lanham, MD
April 8 – 10, 2008 in Addison, TX
June 17 – 19, 2008 in Lanham, MD

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 course will be delivered in a step-by-step interactive educational atmosphere.

Duration: 2.5 to 3 days

DOC1 Series 5 Advanced – "Total Knowledge of Solutions"

April 15 – 17, 2008 in Newport Beach, CA
May 28 – 30, 2008 in Addison, TX
July 15 – 17, 2008 in Addison, TX

This course is different than our traditional instructor-led courses in that it guides students through complex logic and allows them to solidify and apply the information while resolving real business needs. This course is designed for advanced users and will allow students to immediately use the knowledge gained with self-paced skill-building exercises.

Duration: 2.5 to 3 days

Objectives:

• Obtain in-depth exposure to logic techniques
• Use DOC1 Series 5 to build applications that resolve real business requirements

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

March 25 – 27, 2008 in Addison, TX
June 24 – 26, 2008 in Addison, TX

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 course concentrates solely on handling the requirements of post-processing with hands-on exercises to reemphasize techniques.

Duration: 2.5 to 3 days

Objective:

• Learn about common PCE script operations through self-paced exercises designed to focus on satisfying common business requirements.

List Conversion Plus

June 24, 2008 in Lanham, MD

In this course, you will learn learn how to convert files to a standard in-house format using List Conversion Plus.

Duration: 1 day

Objectives:

• Be able to describe the List Conversion Plus system and its components
• Identify and use work areas
• Be able to describe the name and address parsing functions
• Create and run a batch job that converts multiple input files to one standard format

MailStream Plus

March 13 – 14, 2008 in Lanham, MD
April 10 – 11, 2008 in Lanham, MD
May 8 – 9, 2008 in Lanham, MD
June 12 – 13, 2008 in Lanham, MD

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.

Duration: 1.5 days

Objectives:

• 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

Merge/Purge Plus

June 25, 2008 in Lanham, MD

You will learn how to merge multiple name/address files and delete duplicate records using Merge/Purge Plus.

Duration: 1 day

Objectives:

• Learn about the Merge/Purge Plus features and system components
• Define a duplicate and list the kinds of duplicates that Merge/Purge Plus can identify
• Create and run a batch job
• Analyze and review reports generated by Merge/Purge Plus

Sagent Solution

March 25 – 27, 2008 in Lanham, MD
May 13 – 15, 2008 in Addison, TX
July 22, 2008 in Lanham, MD

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.

Duration: 2.5 – 3 days

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 DataMart 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

March 25 – 28, 2008 in Lisle, IL
April 15 – 18, 2008 in Lisle, IL
June 17 – 20, 2008 in Lanham, MD

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

Duration: 3.5 days

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

April 2 – 3, 2008 in Lanham, MD
May 7 – 8, 2008 in Lisle, IL

In this course, you will learn advanced topics in the StreamWeaver environment.

Duration: 1.5 days

Prerequisite for this class: Attendance of the StreamWeaver development workshop or equivalent and a minimum of six months active experience creating and/or maintaining StreamWeaver applications.

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

• Make calls to external libraries
• Cleanse addresses and presort documents in accordance with USPS® CASS™ and PAVE™ regulations
• Create indexes that can be used by the StreamWeaver Reprint module as well as creating control files for runs of that module
• Parse data on a record basis, thereby allowing StreamWeaver to handle non-print stream files or nonstandard data
• Use the Variables Tag group to populate data on page layouts

VeriMove

Call for dates.

This course will teach you how to comply with the USPS Move/Update requirement.

Duration: 1 day

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

• Describe the Move/Update requirements of the USPS®
• Understand installation and certification requirements for VeriMove and National Change of Address^Link™ (NCOA^Link™)
• Set up the VeriMove software to match your site's requirements
• Set up and run VeriMove batch jobs

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