Clean Mail LodgementBusiness Letter Services

Introduction

Clean Mail is an Australia Post service for the delivery of machine addressed Small and Small Plus articles within Australia. No barcodes or sorting are required.

In this module

This module introduces you to Australia Post’s requirements for Clean Mail sorting and lodgement.

Learning outcomes

By completing this module, you will be able to:

• identify and prepare the correct tray labels for Clean Mail articles

• identify the necessary steps to prepare an Clean Mail lodgement

• identify and complete the correct lodgement documentation for Clean Mail

Clean Mail at a glance

What is Clean Mail?

Clean Mail is an Australia Post service for the delivery of machine addressed letters to addresses within Australia. Companies can use Clean Mail articles to send:

• bills and cheques• statements or invoices• promotional letters• Brochures

Customers choose the Clean Mail service because they can distribute their Clean Mail articles when they don’t have the time or facilities for barcoding or sorting. This saves time, while still ensuring efficient processing of their articles.

With Clean Mail, customers can:• choose not to sort or barcode their mail• lodge bulk mailings of 300 or more articles• use the Registered Post service in conjunction with Clean Mail

Clean Mail articles are designed to ensure that the addresses are compatible with Australia Post’s automated letter sorting equipment which can efficiently process articles.

Australia Post differentiates between mail that is addressed by hand (“Hand Addressed”) and where the address has been printed onto the article (“Machine Addressed”).

Domestic Registered Post offers you:• a unique identification number for every article• proof of posting when lodged at the post office counter• signature obtained on delivery• extra cover of up to $100 is includedAdditional services for Domestic letters:• delivery Confirmation – within Australia and International• Person-to-Person Delivery• additional Insurance up to $5,000

Clean Mail at a glance

More information

More detailed information is available in the Clean Mail Fact Sheet and Clean Mail service guide.

Prices for Clean Mail can be found in the Post Charges booklet and the Australia Post website (auspost.com.au).

These guides are also available at any Australia Post outlet.

Clean Mail lodgement Lodgement overview

To qualify for Clean Mail prices, customers need to meet Australia Post’s bulk mail sorting and lodgement requirements. Each requirement is covered in more detail on the following pages.

Clean Mail lodgement

Sorting Clean Mail articles

Introduction

To qualify for cost savings, customers do not need to sort their articles, however they need to perform some of the preparation work Australia Post would normally do.

To ensure Clean Mail articles can be delivered correctly, customers need to follow Australia Post’s bulk mail requirements for Clean Mail.

Whilst no sorting is required, Clean Mail articles must meet certain conditions when presented for lodgement.

For Clean Mail lodgements, customers need to:

• prepare letter trays

• prepare tray labels

• sort articles into trays

Clean Mail lodgement

Sorting Clean Mail articles

Preparation of letter trays

Obtain letter trays at no cost from your local lodgement facility.

The process for preparing letter trays is as follows:

• face all articles in the same direction – sorting of articles is not required

• do not bundle or tie the articles

• place the articles into small letter trays, with the addresses facing the front (label end) of the tray.

• complete and affix tray labels.

The maximum acceptable weight for a tray is 16kg (including the weight of the tray).

Clean Mail lodgement

Sorting Clean Mail articles

Preparation of letter trays

For volumes of: Then:

Less than 2,000 articles Affix tray labels for the state where the lodgement is occurring

2,000 or more articles Separation of articles by state is optional but recommended, as follows:

• place articles into separate trays for each state –

NSW, ACT, VIC, QLD, SA, WA, TAS and NT

• affix tray labels for the state of the destination.

Clean Mail lodgementSorting Clean Mail articlesCompleting tray labels

Preprinted tray labels

Australia Post provides preprinted tray labels at no cost for each state: NSW, ACT, VIC, QLD, SA, WA, TAS and NT.Order or obtain these labels from your local lodgement facility. Order forms may also be printed or downloaded from the Australia Post website www.auspost.com.au/traylabels.Labelling software

Australia Post recommends the use of Print On Demand Labelling Systems for preparing lodgements. Print on Demand Systems are available either free of charge from Australia Post (VISA Labelling) or may be purchased from third party suppliers.These labels must conform to specifications, which are subject to periodic review.Specifications may be obtained by contacting the Technical Support Centre on 03 9106 8098 or by downloading documentation from the Australia Post website www.auspost.com.au/traylabels. Third party software must be approved by Australia Post prior to use.Blank label stock is also provided free of charge by Australia Post. This label stock is heat sensitive, and is suitable for use only in direct thermal label printers.

Clean Mail lodgement

Sorting Clean Mail articles

How to complete tray labels

Write name and address (or name and telephone including area code) of the mailer in the Sender space.

Write your Job Number in the Job No. space (this number is optional, and is created by and relevant to you and should match with lodgement documentation).

Write the lodgement date in the Date space (this is optional, but must be the correct date of lodgement if shown).

Do not use the Off Peak indicator – it is not used with Clean Mail.

Label pockets are affixed to all letter trays.Remove any old tray labels on trays prior tolodgement.Place a completed tray label in the label pocket with the printed side visible.

Clean Mail lodgement

Sorting Clean Mail articles

Summary

Sorting Clean Mail articles involves:• Completing tray labels • Attaching the correct labels to each tray• Sorting articles into the trays

For more information about sorting Clean Mail articles, refer to the Clean Mail service guide and the Australia Post website (auspost.com.au).

Clean Mail lodgement

Lodging Clean Mail articles

Introduction

Once a Clean Mail lodgement is prepared and ready for bulk mailing, customers need to:

Complete documentation:

• Clean Mail Lodgement document, or• Meter Lodgement Document (if a

postage meter has been used)

Lodge the Clean Mail articles

Clean Mail lodgementLodging Clean Mail articlesComplete documentation

A Clean Mail Lodgement Document (8838879) is required with each mailing, unless a postage meter has been used.

Enter a Lodgement Number or Job Number (generated by customer)The name of the facility where mail will be lodgedMailing agent details, if lodging on behalf of the customer

The customer details – contact, phone/fax, department, business name and address

If you have an Australia Post charge account, tick ‘yes’ and record the account number. If not, tick ‘no’.

Tick ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ for use of a Supplementary Service, eg Registered Post

If you know the purpose of the mailing, you should tick the appropriate box. Otherwise, tick ‘Don’t Know’.Tick the correct size of the mailingRecord the total number of articles and trays used

Sign the Declaration (the mailing agent will do so if they are lodging on your behalf)

Clean Mail lodgement

Lodging Clean Mail articles

Articles must be presented during business hours at an approved lodgement facility.

Due to limited spare capacity at some lodgement points you are requested to provide advance notice to the Officer-In-Charge of the facility for lodgements over 50,000 articles, no later than Friday of the week prior to lodgement.

If you make regular lodgements at the same facility you can request a standing lodgement arrangement and avoid the need for notification.

Locate the closest, most appropriate lodgement facility by using the contact information at the inside front cover of this guide.

Clean Mail articles cannot be lodged in street posting boxes.

Clean Mail lodgementLodgement in ULD’sSteel cage containers known as Unit Loading Devices (ULDs) can be obtained from Australia Post, subject to availability and in instances where large mail volumes are to be lodged. Contact your mail facility for further information.

ULDs remain the property of Australia Post and all other rules and regulations pertaining to the use of the ULD are applicable. Australia Post reserves the right to charge for any ULD that you damage or do not return.

The maximum weight for a loaded ULD is 600kg (including the weight of the ULD which weigh around 100kg). This means that 500kg is available for the contents. Be aware that ULDs will often exceed the maximum weight limit before they are completely full.

In order to maximise transportation efficiency and ULD utilisation, mailers should ensure that each ULD is used as efficiently as possible.

It is a requirement that you affix a label to each ULD declaring the lodging customer’s name and the gross weight (actual or deemed).

Clean Mail lodgementUse of pallets

Where pallets are used to transport articles to the lodgement point, the dimensions of these pallets should conform with the Australian standards (1,165mm x 1,165mm) and total load must weigh less than 600kg.

Pallets can only be used to transport articles to mail centres.

Australia Post does not accept responsibility for the pallets and will not accept any transfer of hiring charges.

Clean Mail lodgement

Lodging Clean Mail articles

Summary

Lodging Clean Mail articles involves:

• Completing required documentation• Lodging the articles at an approved lodgement facility

For more information about lodging Clean Mail articles, refer to the Clean Mail service guide and the Australia Post website (auspost.com.au).

Clean Mail lodgement

Clean Mail requirements

Cost

Clean Mail offers you an economical option for minimal effort. The prices vary by size category.

Note: For External Territories the GST free price will be the same as the GST inclusive price shown in the price table.

Prices for Clean Mail are also located in the Post Charges booklet (8833665) and the Australia Post website auspost.com.au

Australia Post provides a variety of payment options. For details, please discuss with your lodgement point or Account Manager, or the contacts detailed on the inside front cover of the Clean Mail service guide.

Norfolk Island 2899, Christmas Island 6798, Cocos (Keeling) Islands 6799 and Australian Antarctic Territories 7151.

Clean Mail lodgementSummary

The key points covered were:

Clean Mail needs to be :• presented in Australia Post letter trays, with• the correct tray labels affixed, and • be accompanied by a Clean Mail lodgement document or Metered Lodgement

Document (if a postage meter has been used).

When presented for lodgement Clean Mail should have:• All articles facing in the same direction with the addresses facing the label end of

the tray • Articles that are not bundled or tied• Articles in Small Letter Trays with addresses facing the front (label end) of the tray

The maximum acceptable weight for a tray is 16kg (including the weight of the tray)

You now need to complete a short assessment to check your understanding of the information covered in this module. This assessment consists of 10 multiple-choice questions and should take you approximately 10 minutes to complete. To pass the assessment, you need to answer at least eight of these questions correctly.Attempt this assessment as many times as you need to. If you do not pass, it is recommended that you review this module again.

Assessment

a. True

b. False

Assessment

1

Correct answer = AIf articles are presented with barcodes and they are incorrect, corrupt, out of specification, or contain illegible 4-State Barcodes, then they are not eligible for access to the Clean Mail service.

True or False?

Clean Mail articles do not have to have postal barcodes. However, if articles are presented with barcodes and they are incorrect, corrupt, out of specification, or contain illegible 4-State Barcodes, then they are not eligible for access to the Clean Mail service.

a. To be presented in Australia Post letter trays

b. To have correct tray labels affixed to letter trays

c. To be accompanied by a Clean Mail lodgement document

d. All of the above

Assessment

2

Correct answer = DClean Mail articles need to be lodged in Australia Post letter trays, with the correct tray labels affixed and be accompanied by a Clean Mail lodgement document.

At lodgement, Clean Mail articles need:

a. True

b. False

Assessment

3

Correct answer = BClean Mail articles should not be in bundles but placed in letter trays with all articles facing in the same direction with the addresses facing the label end of the tray.

True or false?

Clean Mail articles must be lodged in letter trays. They should be bundled in lots of 50 with strong rubber bands.

a. 6kgs

b. 12kgs

c. 16kgs

d. 22kgs

Assessment

4

Correct answer = CThe maximum weight including the tray weight is 16kgs

The maximum acceptable weight of a letter tray including the tray weight is?

a. Yes

b. No

c. Yes provided they meet the mandatory correct address conditions

Assessment

5

Correct answer = BPlastic Wrapped articles cannot be lodged as Clean Mail.

Can plastic wrapped articles be lodged as Clean Mail?

a. This is a number that is created by and relevant to the customer

b. This is a number allocated by Australia Post at the time of lodgement

c. It is a number made up of the date and number of articles in the lodgement

Assessment

6

Correct answer = AThe lodgement/job number is a number created by and relevant to the customer.

A lodgement /job number can be recorded on all tray labels and the Clean Mail lodgement document. What is it?

a. Yes

b. No

Assessment

7

Correct answer = BClean Mail articles do not need to be sorted.

Do Clean Mail articles have to be sorted into specific categories?

a. True

b. False

Assessment

8

Correct answer = AIt is true that when there are over 2,000 Clean Mail articles Australia Post would prefer that articles were separated into State based Clean Mail letter trays.

True or false?

If there are over 2,000 articles in a Clean Mail lodgement, Australia Post would prefer that articles were separated into State based Clean Mail letter trays.

a. True

b. False

Assessment

9

Correct answer = AClean Mail letters must be presented during business hours at an approved lodgement facility.

True or false?

Clean Mail letters must be presented during business hours at an approved lodgement facility?

a. True

b. False

Assessment

10

Correct answer = A

Clean Mail letters cannot be lodged in Street Posting Boxes.

True or false?Clean Mail letters cannot be lodged in Street Posting Boxes