Bulk Mail Address Lists

Submitting Files for Mailing Lists

The value of using electronic files for mailing lists at Printing and Mailing Services is that you will receive reduced postage rates if your address list is CASS Certified, presorted and barcoded. Printing and Mailing Services will take care of all the regulations to meet this certification and then will use your electronic file to address your mailing by inkjetting directly onto your material.

File Formats

In order of preference:

1. Attachment in email to Mailing.Services@oregonstate.edu
2. FTP file sent through online form
3. 3.5” diskette
4. zip disk
5. CD-ROM

We cannot use address label files that were created in WordPerfect of Word for Windows because of problems converting text labels back to database files.

Naming the File

Avoid generic file titles such as “Position Announcement” or “Winter Newsletter”. Many departments may have a “Position Announcement” or “Winter Newsletter”. More than one file may be used for a mailing. Each file sent must include a job title that is unique to the job.

Example:

1. geosciences fall newsletter 1
2. geosciences fall newsletter 2

File Format

Include only information that is to be printed on your mail piece. The name, firm, delivery address, city, state, zip code and country must each be in a separate field. It is helpful if a field title line is the first record in your file. This line should name the title for each one of the fields in your address file (eg: name1, name2, firm, address1, address2, city, state, zip, country, etc).

Field Lengths

Number of characters in each field:

First Name Last Name or Name_line Firm Address1 Address2 City State Zip (or Zip+4) Country

12 16 30 30 30 30 22 2 10 30

Campus addresses should have 97331 as the zip code, or no zip code. Either is acceptable as long as all addresses are consistent – don’t use both formats in the same file.

International addresses require a country name in a separate "country" field.

Format: Text Comma Delimited

• Commas between fields
• Quotes around data at the beginning and end of the field (“..”)
• No quotes within fields (a single quote (‘) may be substituted for double quotes (“) within fields if required).
• No hard returns within records – only use the return key at the end of a record. Each file must have the same number of fields preceding the city. It is not required that all fields contain data. If some addresses contain more fields than others, send them in a separate file.
• Sample file

Format: Text Tab Delimited

• Tabs between fields
• No commas or quotes within fields (a single quote (‘) may be substituted for double quotes (“) if required).
• Each file must have the same number of fields preceding the city. It is not required that all fields contain data. If some addresses contain more fields than others, send them in a separate file.
• Sample file

Format: Excel Spreadsheet, Access

• Each field is contained in one cell.
• No commas or quotes within fields (a single quote (‘) may be substituted for double quotes (“) if required.
• No hard returns within records – only use the return key at the end of a record.
• Each file must have the same number of fields preceding the city. It is not required that all fields contain data. If some addresses contain more fields than others, send them in a separate file.
• Sample file

NCOA Processing

NCOA compares your mailing list to more than 160 million address changes. When a postal customer files a permanent change of address with their local post office, the move is added to NCOA. Change of address information is kept on NCOA for 48 months. When name and address information on your mailing list matches name and “old” address information on NCOA, you will receive the new address for your customer.

For additional information see How NCOA Works. (link to information about NCOA).

Duplicate Detection and Elimination

When requested, we can check your address files for duplicates. Duplicates need to be an exact match for name and address information. You can request an optional duplication report that will show you all the addresses that were eliminated.

Address Error Reporting

When processing your list through our postal software, a report can be generated indicating error codes from addresses that do not meet the postal standards. This information can be sent to you in a variety of formats. In using this information, you may fix your address database. Addresses that contain errors cannot be sent out at the discounted rate or may not be deliverable. Address problems can range from a street number missing, street name misspelled, directional incorrect (NE, SW) to no street found.

You need to indicate if you want any or all of these services on your digital print order or print order.