1. The Office Procedures and Technology
Chapter 11
Processing Mail
Copyright 2003 by South-Western, a division of Thomson Learning

2. Sorting and Distributing Mail
In small companies
Sort mail at your workstation
Hand deliver each stack to the appropriate person or department
In large companies
Opening packages and envelopes
Safety precautions
Sorting mail
Distributing mail
Topic 11-1 Incoming Mail Procedures Slide 2

3. Handling Incoming Mail
Documenting receipt of mail
Note receipt of mail received by special postal services or private mail services
Note mail you expect to receive in a separate envelope or package
The underlined words and annotations on this letter will make preparing a response easier
Opening mail
Do not open mail for others that is marked Confidential or Personal
Check for enclosures
Make sure the signature and address are on the letter before discarding the envelope
This database is used to document the receipt of special mail
Separating and annotating mail
Place mail you will answer in one stack and mail to be handled by others in another stack
Annotate correspondence to aid in creating a reply
Annotate: write comments related to the content on a document
Key Term
Topic 11-1 Incoming Mail Procedures Slide 3

4. Handling Incoming Mail
Referring or routing mail
Prioritizing Mail
Arrange mail items in order of importance
A referral or routing slip is used to forward mail to others
1. Urgent messages
6. Orders
2. Personal and confidential letters
7. Bills and invoices
3. Business correspondence of
special importance
8. Advertisements
4. Checks or money orders
9. Newspapers and magazines
5. Other business letters
10. Packages
Topic 11-1 Incoming Mail Procedures Slide 4

5. Handling Incoming Mail
Handling mail for coworkers who are away from the office
Maintain a mail register
Advise the traveler of important actions needed immediately
Refer routine mail to others who can respond or answer yourself
Send a synopsis of mail if the trip is to be long
Prioritize and store mail in an appropriate place
Topic 11-1 Incoming Mail Procedures Slide 5

6. Focus On … Protecting Confidential Information
Confidential information is that which should be kept private or secret
Examples
Inside information about company plans
Proprietary information about company products or processes
Private information about clients or employees
Follow guidelines to safeguard business information
Know your supervisor’s preferences
Follow correct mail procedures
Secure your workstation
Protect written documents
Reduce electronic information loss
Topic 11-1 Incoming Mail Procedures Slide 6

7. Processing Outgoing Mail
Procedures vary from company to company
Various services may be used
United States Postal Service
Private mail companies and courier services
Folding and inserting mail
Verify that items are complete and correct before mailing
Copies have been made
Letters are signed
Enclosures are present
Addresses on the letter and envelope match
Addresses include a nine-digit ZIP code
Follow these steps to fold an 8 1/2" by 11" sheet for a No. 10 envelope
Fold correspondence appropriately for the envelope used
The USPS provides many services useful to businesses
Topic 11-2 Outgoing Mail Procedures Slide 7

8. Processing Outgoing Mail
Sealing and weighing envelopes
Envelopes must be sealed before mailing
Envelopes must be weighed to determine the proper postage
Stamping mail
Postage must be applied to mail to be delivered by the USPS
Stamps may be purchased in sheet, booklet, or rolled form
Printing postage for mail
Postage meter prints postage in the amount needed
Purchase postage for the meter at a post office or online
USPS stamps are available in various designs and postage amounts
Topic 11-2 Outgoing Mail Procedures Slide 8

9. Handling Volume Mailings
Involves sending the same item to many people at the same time
Properly prepared volume mailings may qualify for reduced postage rates
Computer-generated mailing lists are often used for volume mailings
Specialized mailing equipment automates the process of preparing volume mailings
Topic 11-2 Outgoing Mail Procedures Slide 9

10. Address Requirements
The USPS uses optical character readers (OCRs) to process mail
Addresses that cannot be read by OCR take longer to process
Address format
Block the left margin of the address
Use all capitals and omit punctuation except in the ZIP code
Use standard abbreviations
Include the ZIP code in the address for domestic mail
Include the foreign postal code for an international address
Using a proper address format speeds the delivery of mail
ZIP codes
Use of a nine-digit ZIP code speeds delivery of a domestic mail item
ZIP code directories are available in print and online
Optical character reader: electronic equipment that scans the address on an item and prints a bar code
Key Term
Topic 11-2 Outgoing Mail Procedures Slide 10

11. Classes of Domestic Mail
First class
Priority mail
Express mail
Periodicals
Standard mail
Mixed classes
Topic 11-2 Outgoing Mail Procedures Slide 11

12. Special Postal Services
Registered or insured mail
Proof of mailing or delivery
COD mail
This certified mail receipt indicates that the mail item was delivered
Topic 11-2 Outgoing Mail Procedures Slide 12

13. Other Types of Mail International mail
Service provided by the USPS and private companies
Customs forms may be required
Private courier/delivery service
These services usually cannot deliver to a post office box
Many delivery companies have a Web site that allows a package to be tracked from mailing through delivery
Interoffice mail
Delivered by mailroom workers in large companies
Envelopes usually differ from those used for mail going outside the company
Telegram
A message delivered by Western Union
Can be sent by calling Western Union or accessing the company’s Web site
Customs: government taxes on imported items
Key Term
Topic 11-2 Outgoing Mail Procedures Slide 13