Some variable data products (VDPs) and SmartCanvas products may be direct mail products. The specific type of VDP is also known as EFI VDP. Direct mail products are designed to be sent to multiple recipients so if a product gives you the choice of being ordered in single or batch mode, the direct mail features apply only when batch mode is selected. (Direct mail products are for U.S.-based customers only.)
1. If you are given the choice of Single Mode or Batch Mode, select Batch Mode.
2. If an Opt-Out of Direct Mail check box is displayed, and you do not want to do a direct mailing, select the check box. (Opting out is not always a choice.) If you opt out, you will personalize the product like any other multi-record VDP or batch mode SmartCanvas product (the information below does not apply).
Print options can affect the size and weight and therefore the postage costs of a direct mail product. You should select print options first. If you process the mailing list (as described later) and then change print options, you must re-process the mailing list before you can add the direct mail product to the cart.
● If print options are displayed on the left, select the ones you want.
Note Some print option selections may result in messages about incompatibilities with previously selected options, recommendations for other or alternative options you might consider, or notifications that your selection resulted in another print option being automatically enforced (selected for the product).
In this step you must identify the source of your mailing list. The type of source that you can specify depends on the product you selected. The choices may be:
● Address Book or Data Source for using a company address book or other list supplied by the print shop.
● Upload Data Source for uploading your own CSV file.
● Use EDDM (Every Door Direct Mail) for obtaining addresses based on locations you specify.
● Purchase Data List for buying a mailing list.
To select your mailing list source
● In the Versioned Data field, select the source of the mailing list to use for the product. For example, you may be able to choose Address Book or Data Source, Upload Data Source, Use EDDM, or Purchase Data List.
The steps you take next depend on what you selected in the Versioned Data field: Upload Data Source, Use EDDM, Address Book or Data Source, or Purchase Data List.
Tip If you previously purchased a mailing list and want to re-use it, you can download the CSV file from My Saved Files and then upload it following the steps below.
If you selected Upload Data Source in the Versioned Data field, complete these steps:
1. Click Choose File, locate your CSV file, and click Upload File.
2. All the records that were in the file are automatically selected. Click Map Mailing Data to continue to the map mailing data step.
If you selected Address Book or Data Source in the Versioned Data field, complete these steps:
1. Select the addresses you want to include.
2. Click Map Mailing Data to continue to the map mailing data step.
If you uploaded a data source or used an address book, you must map fields in your mailing list to fields (name, address, city, and so on) that are required for mailing the product. The Mailing Data Name column lists the names of the fields required to mail the product; the Datasource Name column lets you select the matching field in the mailing list you are using. (Some fields may be matched automatically if their names are similar.)
1. Review the mapping and, if necessary, correct it by selecting a different field in the Datasource Name column. (The Sample column helps you see how data is being mapped.)
2. Click Next to continue to list processing.
If you uploaded a data source or used an address book, you must now select a mailing date and print shop. The location of the print shop affects the postage charges that are calculated for your mailing.
You must also select the criteria you want used to process the addresses where the mailing is being sent. This processing involves the validation of addresses in various ways (known as CASS certification), handling of changes of address (known as NCOA verification), and handling of duplicate addresses. Typically, the processing prunes the list.
After the list is processed, it is presorted for reduced USPS mailing rates, and the postage cost is calculated.
1. In the Mailing Date field, select the date on which you want the product mailed.
2. Make sure the Selected Print Shop is correct. (The location of the print shop affects the postage costs.)
3. Select the criteria you want to use to validate the addresses:
● For CASS Certification (address validation) and NCOA Verification (change of address), all the settings are selected by default. If you do not want to use a particular criterion for address validation or change of address processing, clear its check box.
● Duplicate Removal is automatically set to Removes all duplicates based on address match only, but if necessary change this to Do not remove duplicates, First and last name match, or Household name.
4. If you uploaded a data source, you may have the option of changing the mailing service class, for example, from standard mail to first class mail. If Mailing Service Class is displayed, change the class if necessary.
5. Click Process List. The mailing list processing and presorting begins. Depending on the number of records being processed, this may take a few minutes. The status of steps changes as steps are completed, and the final number of records and the postage cost are displayed after the processing is complete.
6. Click Mapping to continue to the Map Template Data step where you personalize the product with your own data.
If you selected Use EDDM in the Versioned Data field, a sample map is automatically displayed. You must now select the postal routes for your mailing, as well as select a mailing date.
1. In the Mailing Date field, select the date on which you want the product mailed.
2. Make sure the Selected Print Shop is correct. (The location of the print shop affects the postage costs.)
3. In the Location field, enter an address, city and state, or a zip code and then select the address you want from the results. The map is updated to show the location you selected.
4. Zoom in or out on the map and click the map to highlight the area a particular carrier route covers. This lets you see where your mailing will be sent.
Tips:
●
If you select a route and change your mind, click it again to de-select
it.
●
To remove all the highlighted routes and
the selected map, click Clear Map Selection.
You must then start over by specifying a different Location.
As you select carrier routes, the area to the right of the map indicates how many routes are selected and gives you an approximate number of residential, business, and total deliveries. The information above the map is for the last route you selected.
5. To obtain a more accurate number of deliveries and postage cost, click Get Estimated Postage Charge. The Estimated Record Count and Estimated Postage Charge are displayed below the map.
6. When you are satisfied with your selections, click Process List.
After you click Process List, the mailing list creation and presorting begins. Depending on the number of records being processed, this may take a few minutes. The status of steps changes as steps are completed, and the final number of records and the postage cost are displayed after the processing is complete.
7. Click Mapping to personalize the product by mapping template data.
If you selected Purchase Data List in the Versioned Data field, you must now specify the criteria for the list you want to purchase, as well as select a mailing date. When you specify criteria you can mix and match what you want, for example, you can purchase business addresses together with consumer ones.
After you order and pay for the product, the list you purchased will be part of your saved files (on the My Saved Files page) in the form of a CSV file. You can re-use the purchased mailing list when ordering products in the future or in any other way you want (for example, with other systems).
Tip The CSV file may include codes to represent values (for example, household income ranges, ages, or sales). Click here for a reference to the values the CSV file may include.
1. In the Mailing Date field, select the date on which you want the product mailed.
2. Make sure the Selected Print Shop is correct. (The location of the print shop affects the postage costs.)
3. Specify the criteria for the list you want to purchase:
a. In the Select Database Type field, select the type of addresses you want: Business, Consumer, New Mover (those who have recently moved), New Home Owner, or New Business.
b. In the first search field, select a criterion such as First Name or State. (The available selections will depend on the type of database you selected.)
c. In the second search field, select or enter the value you want to match, for example, Vermont as the state.
d. Click Add.
Notes
●
For First Name searches, the results
include nicknames. For example, if you specify Steve,
the results will include variations such as Steve,
Steven, Stefan,
and Stephen.
●
For Last Name and Company
searches, the results are based on "contains." For example,
if for Last Name you specify Green, the results will include
such variations as Green, Greene, or Greenberg;
if for Company you specify Soft, the results will include such
variations as SuperSoftware, Microsoft, and Softbank.
e. Specify additional criteria. For example, you may want to leave the same database selected but specify more criteria (steps 3b to 3d) or you may want to select a different database and different criteria (steps 3a to 3d).
As you add criteria, the Record Count and Purchase List Price are updated.
Tip To remove
a criterion, click 
.
4. Duplicate Removal is automatically set to Removes all duplicates based on address match only, but if necessary change this to Do not remove duplicates, First and last name match, or Household name.
Note The Duplicate Removal selection will not affect the estimated record count, but will be reflected in the purchased list.
5. Click Get to see the estimated Postage Charge for mailing the product using the list you are purchasing.
6. Click Mapping to personalize the product by mapping template data.
Now you must personalize the product by mapping any variable data in the product to data in the data source you provided. For example, the front of a postcard may have fields for first name and last name to personalize the card. Some information may be mapped for you automatically.
1. If necessary, in the Datasource Name column, select the field that corresponds to the field in the product (Variable Data Name column).
2. Click Fill Form.
Note If you are purchasing a mailing list, the data you will see is always sample data, not actual data from the list.
Before you can add the direct mail product to the cart, you must preview it. You can preview the first 25 records of a direct mail job.
Note If you are purchasing a mailing list, the preview always consists of sample data, not actual data from the list. The contents of the mailing list are not available until after you place the order.
1. Click Update Preview. The Preview pane opens so you can review the product.
2. Click
to zoom in or 
to zoom out. To restore the preview
to its original size, click 
.
3. Use the Record arrows at the top of the Preview pane to display different records (up to 25) and check that data looks the way you expected.
4. To see what the printed version of the product will look like, click PDF Proof.
5. If the product has two sides, preview each side by using the page buttons.
1. When you are satisfied with the product, click Add to Cart.
2. Proceed with the checkout process when you are ready. Note that a direct mail product must be checked out by itself; you cannot check it out with other products.
Tip If you purchased a list, it will be part of your saved files (on the My Saved Files page) in the form of a CSV file. You can download this file and then re-use the mailing list in the future any way you want.