Quality Assurance

• ›QA Process
• ›CBC / OCR Test Data

Quality Assurance Process

What is Royal Mail's Quality Assurance Process ?

Before initially using our services to send large volumes of machine-readable letters and pre-sorted packets, we must check your mail is;

• addressed according to Royal Mail's requirements
• produced in the correct format which can pass through Royal Mail's machines
• able to be sorted correctly (for Mailsort 700 only)

Which Royal Mail services require a quality assurance check ?

In order to be accredited, you need to pass a quality assurance check for the following services -

• Mailsort 120
• Mailsort 700
• Cleanmail
• Packetsort 8

How do I apply ?

Please discuss this with your Account Manager so that they can oversee the process. Together, you will need to complete the relevant forms for the service required. Your Account Manager can supply you with these forms or they can be found below.

Which of the forms do I need to complete ?

The Quality Assurance Process consists of three distinct parts and you need only complete the parts relevant to the product you wish to use:

• Mailsort 700 - Forms A, B and C
• Mailsort 120 and Cleanmail - Forms A and B
• Packetsort 8 - Form A Packetsort (You must sort items into 8 defined areas for these products, but this isn't one of the Quality Assurance checks we carry out)
• Delivery Point Suffix (DPS) Check - Form D

Form A - Address Management

Ensuring that your mailings are accurately addressed and postcoded.

At least 90% of your addresses must be full and accurate and include an accurate postcode. Complete the form and return it to the Barnsley address shown, on the form, including, if necessary, an electronic file or CD containing a sample of 5000 addresses (or 500 for Packetsort).

There are many suppliers who produce software for address management, and some include it with their Mailsort sortation software. A list of Mailsort software suppliers can be found at Mailsort Software Suppliers. Within the detail for each of these suppliers, those whose software deals with address management, will have details under 'other features'.

Form B - Mailpiece design and printing

Ensuring your mail can be processed and read by our sorting machines.

The mail you are going to send must be able to meet a set standard read rate on our machines. The required specifications are set out in our 'How to use Mailsort, Walksort and Cleanmail' brochure. Alternatively, see the Mailsort 120 or Mailsort 700 chapters in the Mailsort User Guide.

The OCR template and CBC template are also useful to assess the mailpiece design, and these can be ordered via your Account Manager.

Form B should be completed and sent, together with the relevant number of mailpieces to one of the Royal Mail, Mail Centres listed on Annex A. The Customer Liasion Manager at the Mail Centre will then test the items, write a report and send it, along with Form B, to the Quality Assurance Coordinator at Barnsley. If the machines can read them to our required standard - 90% for Optical Character Recognition (this is where we read the address) or 95% for Customer Bar Code (this is where we read the code you have applied for us) and we can also print and recover our codes on the OCR items then you will pass this part.

Form C - The Sortation

Ensuring your mail is correctly sorted to the correct 700 locations. Here we either test your software with a sample address file or you will automatically pass if you use a Royal Mail approved co-supplier or software package. Form C should be completed and sent to the Barnsley address, shown on the form and also below.

Form D - Delivery Point Suffix (DPS) Check

Ensuring your mailing has the correct Delivery Point Suffix (DPS) allocated to the address barcode as per Postal Address File (PAF).

If you are using a barcoded product, at least 90% of the addresses must have an accurate DPS. Form D should be completed and returned to the Barnsley address shown on the form with an electronic file or CD.

Next Steps

The Quality Assurance Coordinator will match the forms, and providing all have passed, register you on the database of accredited customers and a confirmation email will be sent to your Royal Mail Account Manager. You are then welcome to start using these services straight away.

Quality Assurance Forms

Download the relevant Quality Assurance Forms. Other literatures including 'DPS Guidance' and 'Customer Accreditation Process for Machineable Mail' can be found in this section.

Extra help for you  ?

The following pieces of literature can be found at Downloads Mailsort User Guide

• 'Introducing Mailsort'
• 'Introducing Walksort'
• 'Introducing Cleanmail'

The following literature can be ordered via your Royal Mail Account Manager

• 'Introducing Packetsort 8' brochure
• 'How Much Does It Cost? Packetsort 8' brochure

For clarification on any of the information relating to this process, please contact your Account Manager or send an email to:

quality.assurance.coordinator@royalmail.com

If you do not have an Account Manager, then please call the Royal Mail Sales Centre on 08457 950 950 so that one can be allocated.

Completed Quality Assurance Forms can be sent to the email address above or in hard copy to:

Accreditation Manager
Royal Mail
Dearne House
Cortonwood Drive
BARNSLEY
S73 0UF