Nonprofit Postal Standard Mail (A) Toolkit
Stewart A. Levin
stew @ sep.stanford.edu
Microsoft® Office provides capabilities and tools for building and maintaining modest mailing lists and printing of mailing labels. These tools include Excel database manipulation, Word Mail Merge, Form and Barcode fields. In the accompanying package, I have enhanced this environment with a series of Excel macros for presorting the mailing list and generating accompanying postage statements according to current (DMM 50) USPS requirements.
To use this software, you must have Excel 4.0 or higher and Word 6.0 or higher. You should have enough memory to run both of them simultaneously. I find that a 486/66MHz machine is plenty zippy for the job.
To retrieve the mailing package, download Wee Nonprofit Mailings V1.09.
The mailing package includes a companion spreadsheet to print barcoded sack or tray labels.
For general guidelines on how to prepare a newsletter mailing, you may want to read the Mailing Guide I put together. The corresponding Microsoft Works 3.0 files are available in MAILIST.ZIP.
Is bulk rate mailing worth it for your nonprofit organization? My Excel spreadsheet can help you estimate comparative costs over the next 5 years between regular stamped First Class and Standard Mail (A) bulk rates. For a sample calculation, look here.
These packages are available for use by nonprofit groups, but may not be sold or redistributed except by express, written permission of the author. I may answer questions electronically, depending upon interest and time, but any support you get will likely be worth what you paid for the package, i.e. nothing.
Oct 96 Update News: I am currently updating the package to accomodate DMM 51 changes that went into effect on Oct 6th and have just submitted part of the package for USPS PAVE approval. You may use the PS3602-N form and the tray/sack label generator now.
June 97 News: I have updated the tray/sack label generator to reflect CIN changes published in recent Postal Bulletins. I have also put a DMM-51 compliant version of the mailing package for nonprofit Standard Mail (A) flats on this page.
August 97 News: PAVE approval for Standard Mail (A) flats package mentioned above.
September 97 News: Added Microsoft Works .ZIP collection showing how one small Congregation here in Dallas recently handling barcoded automation rate Standard Mail (A) mailings.
October 97 News: Minor updates for new nonprofit rates.
November 97 News: Added "mailcost.zip" Excel spreadsheet to help compare costs of single-piece First Class mailing and bulk rate Standard Mail (A) options. Also updated labeling lists in Wee Nonprofit Mailings workbook to match Postal Bulletin changes.
December 97 News: Fixed missing line 3 for nonautomated tray labels.
June 98 News: Updated labeling lists as per Postal Bulletin.
September 98 News: Updated labeling lists per Postal Bulletin 21978.
October 98 News: Updated for Oct 4, 1998 nonprofit rates
January 99 News: Update for Jan 10, 1999 nonprofit rates and labeling lists.
May 99 News: Update for May 6, 1999 labeling list changes.
July 99 News: Update for July 29, 1999 labeling list changes.
November 99 News: Update for November 18, 1999 labeling list changes.
February 00 News: Update for Feb 24, 2000 labeling list changes and April 1, 2000 CIN changes.
April 00 News: Update for Apr 20, 2000 labeling list changes.
June 00 News: Update for June 15, 2000 labeling list changes.
August 00 News: Update for August 10, 2000 labeling list changes.
January 01 News: Update for new rates and labeling list changes.
Mar 01 News: Update for Mar 8, 2001 labeling list changes.
July 01 News: Update for July 1, 2001 rate changes
Oct 01 News: Update for Sep 6, 2001 labeling list changes plus PAVE certification changes.
April 02 News: Update for March 2002 labeling lists
June 04 News: Updates for PAVE certification and lastest labeling lists.