Speed up Your Post
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Speed up your post For your world 1 An Post want to provide Contents you with the best postal An Post Speeding up your post service possible. We’ve invested heavily over the years in automating our mail processes so that your post can be delivered quickly and efficiently. Address layout 4 OCR (Optical Character Recognition) is well established within An Standard Structure Post and is so called because of its capacity to Optically Recognise Address Block Spacing Characters within address blocks and sort through mail at the Business Reply / Freepost Address Structure phenomenal rate of 40,000 pieces per hour. PO Box Address Structure Suitable Fonts and Sites To achieve maximum sorting rate OCR must be presented with mail which is compatible with its capabilities. Envelope Content & Colours 4 In this comprehensive “Speed up your Post” leaflet you have a handy Content guide to post preparation which will not only ensure that the whole Colours system works more efficiently, but most importantly will get your post there on time. Envelope Specifications 5 Definitions of sizes, weights, formats etc. in this document are not a Letter / Postcard legal definition of a “letter”, “ large envelope”, “packet”, “parcel” or Large Envelope ”postcard”. This guide is to be used to maximise the machinability and OCR (Optical Character Recognition) of your mail to allow for speedier Windows, Labels and Paper Quality 6 and quicker sorting and delivery of your mail. Windows & Labels Window Surface Paper Quality Use of Plastic Covers Return Addressing, Advertising & Other Insignia 6 Return Address Logos & Advertising Air Mail Postage Sample Address Layouts 7 2 3 140mm 90mm 20mm Clear Zone Please keep Clear Zones free of text, logo Address layout Envelope specifications Standard Structure Address Block Spacing Letter/Postcard Large Envelope ● Each element of the address (e.g. County, Town, Locality, Address lines should have a minimum spacing of Size Size Street) should appear on a separate line. This facilitates 2mm and maximum spacing of 4mm in between Standard envelopes range from: Standard envelopes range from: our automated system which matches an address element each address line. Minimum Size 90mm x 140mm Minimum Size 160mm x 250mm from our electronic address database. Maximum Size 162mm x 235mm Maximum Size 250mm x 350mm Business Reply / Freepost Address Structure ● The Eircode should appear on the last line of the address. City Addresses 80mm 50mm 120mm Dublin postal districts should appear on the line above the Business Reply or Freepost should appear on the 235mm Return Address Logo Postage Area Eircode. Abbreviations such as D4 or Dub 1 should not be address line above the town and county. 162mm used. DL County Addresses ● Addresses outside of the Dublin postal districts should Outside cities, Business Reply or Freepost should 140mm include the County Name and identifier on the line above appear on the line above the town and county. 90mm the Eircode. The Post Town should appear on the line PO Box Address Structure Paper Grade 0.18mm 5mm above the County. See sample address layouts on page 7. City Addresses Weight Size ● Post Towns are the nearest towns in which mail is A PO Box number should appear above the 75gsm Letter sorted and delivered to the recipient and may be some postal district in Dublin addresses. 110gsm Postcard 104mm (H) x 140mm (L) Item Depth (thickness) distance from the recipients location. If the recipient lives County Addresses 160gsm Postcard 162mm (H) x 250mm (L) 0.18mm Outside cities PO Box should appear on the Large envelopes including contents near a county boundary the Post Town may be in the 18mm neighbouring county from which the recipient resides. (e.g. address line above town & county. Item Depth (thickness) should140m mbe at least 0.18mm in 80mm 50mm 90mm Return Address Logos/Advertising Postage Area if the recipient lives in Ardmore, Co. Waterford, the postal Business Reply or Freepost Standard envelopes including 0.18mm thickness and not exceed 18mm. 90mm address is Ardmore, Youghal, Co. Cork as the mail is sorted When a PO Box number is combined with contents should be at least 0.18mm 5mm Paper Grade/Plastic Clear Zone and delivered from the Youghal Delivery Services Unit.) Business Reply or Freepost it must always in thickness and not exceed 5mm. 20mm Recommended minimum paper weightPlease k eforep Clear Zones free of text, logo appear above Business Reply or Freepost. ● In the case of international addresses, the name of the Plastic envelopes is 75gsm. Transparent, plastic & destination country should appear on the last line of the Suitable Fonts and Sizes Transparent, plastic & shrink wrapped items 0.18mm shrink wrapped items are fine for OCR but shrink address. The recommended address font is Arial black are not permitted for Letters or Postcards. 18mm wrapped items should have a consistent surface ● Addresses should be left justified. Nothing resembling an text on a white background. Other sans serif and plastic wrapping tightly fitted. When over- Height to length ratio address should be printed on the back of an envelope. No fonts such as Gothic, Helvetica or Calibri can labelling plastic or shrink wrapped items, please The length of the envelope should be 1.5 x its height. non address text should appear within the address block. also be used. ensure that the address is printed on a white label. ● Do not use colour, italics, underlining or punctuation Font sizes 11pt, 12pt and 13pt are perfect with a including commas in the address. pitch value of 10, 11 or 12 (i.e. letters not too close 80mm 50mm 90mm 80mm 50mm 120mm Return Address Logos/Advertising Postage Area Return Address Logo Postage Area ● Printed addresses are recommended, however if the together). address is hand written please use block capitals. 2 Address Block 0mm 20mm Clear Zone Please keep Clear Zones free of text, logos or images PO Box 12345 Postage Paid Dublin 1 Baile Átha Cliath Postas Íoctha Ceadúnas Envelope content and colours L 0000 Content Preferred colour: When posting keys, coins, metal objects or thick card it is Mr A Sample Company best to use jiffy or padded envelopes. Staples, metal Suitable colour: 80mm 50mm 90mm Newtown Road Return Address Logos/Advertising Postage Area or plastic clips should not be used on the envelope itself. Wexford Unsuitable colour: Certain levels of phosphor and/or metal in the outer cover 20mm Clear Zone of mail items can result in the rejection of the mail items Please keep Clear Zones free of text, logos or images Perfect Fit Postage Paid Baile Átha Cliath from the automated system. Please contact the Customer Postas Íoctha Ceadúnas PO Box 12345 L 0000 Service at 01 705 7600 for technical advice. Dublin 1 Check that contents are not loose in the envelope, otherwise the address can disappear The clear zone at the bottom of the front and back Colours PO Box 12345 of the envelope should be the same white or pastel Postage Paid from the window.Dublin 1 Baile Átha Cliath Postas Íoctha Ceadúnas L White and pastel coloured envelopes provide the best 0000 colour. This avoids colour contrast between the background for OCR recognition. Dark backgrounds such front and back which can sometimes lead to false as red, yellow, orange, blue or green are unsuitable and doubles detection. Mr A Ryan should not be used. Town Road Wexford Ensure all envelopes are sealed without excess glue which can cause envelopes to stick together. 4 Postage Paid Baile Átha Cliath 5 Postas Íoctha Ceadúnas PO Box 12345 L 0000 Dublin 1 PO Box 12345 Postage Paid Dublin 1 Baile Átha Cliath Postas Íoctha Ceadúnas L Mr A Ryan 0000 Smith and Company Town Road Wexford Mr A Simon Co Wexford Postage Paid Baile Átha Cliath Postas Íoctha Ceadúnas PO Box 12345 L 0000 Dublin 1 Mr A Simon Co Wexford Windows, labels and paper quality Sample address layouts Windows and Labels Dublin Postal District address County Dublin or Provincial address Sample layout Sample layout Ensure the window or label is positioned within the address block & text is left aligned. If undelivered return to: If undelivered return to: Murphy and Sons Place Murphy and Sons Place PO Box 12345 528 Dame Street 528 Dame Street Dublin 1 Stamp Stamp Postage Paid Baile Átha Cliath Dublin 2 Dublin 2 Label sizes min 32mm x 70mm, max 50mm x 120mm Postas Íoctha here here Ceadúnas L 000 D02 6966 D02 6966 Make sure that only the address appears in the window/label. Banking Headquarters Text should not be closer than 15mm from the left edge of the Corporate Centre Mr A Ryan Mr D Ryan Blackrock Smith and Company 5 Montclare window/label and not closer than 5mm from the top, bottom & Co Dublin D08 DX47 252 Parnell Street Claremont Road right hand side of the window/label. Dublin 1 Killiney D01 F5P2 Co Dublin Ensure the address (and label if using one) is straight. The A96 TY23 maximum tolerance for text skew is +/- 5° from the horizontal. Window Surface PO Box12345 Window surface should be shiny rather than matt with no Professional Business Ltd. HA C Dublin 1 T L A I Dock Road, Dublin 5 E A PO Box 12345 L T I Í H P Dublin 1 A 00.00.00 O O B C S Postage000 Paid T Baile ÁthaT Cliath Business Reply Freepost A Postas Íoctha H S 00000000CeadúnasA wrinkles. Contrast ratio should be >50% L 000 ● Sample layout Sample layout Window opacity <25% Banking Headquarters Banking Headquarters Corporate Centre ● Corporate Centre Blackrock Window transparency >75% Blackrock Co Dublin Postage will be paid No Postage Stamp necessary Postage will be paid No Postage Stamp necessary Co Dublin D08 DX47 by Licensee if posted in the Republic of Ireland by Licensee if posted in the Republic of Ireland Paper Quality D08 DX47 Ensure your paper quality is not so poor that letter text is Mr A Ryan visible through either the envelope or address area.