NDG Presort

Amendment/Revision

Customers should ensure they are using the most current version of the Mail Preparation and Presortation Guide, including all amendments and other applicable documents, which are posted on the Canada Post website. See in particular, www.canadapost.ca/postalservices for key documents.

Significant changes appear in red in the electronic version.

In addition, when there is an amendment or a revision to the document, the version number will be modified as follows:

• an amendment increases the first digit in the version (e.g., version 2.0, 3.0).
• a revision increases the second digit in the version (e.g., version 1.1, 1.2, 1.3).
• the version number restarts at 1.0 every January.

Table of Contents

Customers should ensure they are using the most current version of the Mail Preparation and Presortation Guide and other applicable documents, which are posted on the Canada Post website. See in particular, www.canadapost.ca/postalservices for key documents.

It is the Customer’s obligation to meet all the requirements outlined in the Agreement.

1

Overview

1.1	Who Should Use This Guide?

This Guide has been designed to explain how to prepare NDG mail items for the following services:

• Addressed Admail, excluding Dimensional Addressed Admail
• Catalogue Mail, and
• Publications Mail.

Visit www.canadapost.ca/postalservices for a list of support documents detailing the requirements, qualifications, terms and conditions and pricing.

1.1.1

What is Mail Presortation and Preparation?

Mail preparation is the process of facing and containerizing the items and labelling the containers. It helps ensure machineability of mail (where applicable), protection of mail, identification of the type of mail and ease of handling.

Mail presortation is the process of sequencing, grouping and containerizing the items and labelling the containers to allow Canada Post to bypass various processing steps and facilities within its mail distribution network.

1.1.2

What is NDG Presort?

The NDG option allows for the presortation of items manually according to the National Presortation Schematic (NPS); see section 2.2 “National Presortation Schematic (Non-Lettermail)” for more information, allowing Canada Post to bypass various processing steps and facilities within its mail distribution network.

1.1.3

Why Say “NDG”

“NDG” stands for “National Distribution Guide.” This is the former name of the National Presortation Schematic (NPS), which this presort is based on. When NDG was changed to NPS, the term NDG Presort was kept for operational reasons.

1.2	Requirements for NDG Presort

To qualify for NDG presortation:

• the mailing must meet minimum volume requirements for the appropriate service option
• the mail items must be mailed in Canada for delivery in Canada
• the mail items must meet all Canada Post requirements for the appropriate service and type of mail such as size and weight. Consult the appropriate Customer Guide (see section 1.3 “Information Sources”), and
• the mail items must meet any requirement specified in the Agreement and the Canada Postal Guide.

Commingling of NDG Presort items is not permitted. Commingling occurs when a number of separate and notably different mailings are combined to achieve the minimum deposit requirement or sufficient densities to achieve discount prices.

1.3	Information Sources

This Mail Preparation and Presortation Guide forms part of the Agreement, and all references to the Agreement shall be deemed to include the documents referenced in section 13 “Entire Agreement and Alterations”of the General Terms and Conditions.

2

What You Need to Know Before You Start

This section explains basic information on postal codes, FSA sequencing and the National Presortation Schematic (NPS) that is required to prepare NDG mailings.

2.1	The Postal Code

The postal code is an integral part of every postal address in Canada. It was designed to aid in sorting mail by both mechanized and manual methods.

The postal code is a six-character, alphanumeric code in the form of ANA NAN in which “A” represents a letter of the alphabet and “N” represents a digit. See section 2.1.1 “Sequencing by Forward Sortation Area (FSA)” for more information.

For example, the postal code M4B 1G5 is made up of two segments (as shown in Figure 1).

Figure 1: Postal Code Segments

The first segment [the first three (3) characters] represents a Forward Sortation Area (FSA). The first letter indicates which major geographical region (as shown in Table 3).

The last three characters represent a Local Delivery Unit (LDU). It identifies the smallest delivery unit within an FSA. In urban areas, the LDU may indicate a specific city block (one side of a street between two intersecting streets), a single building or, in some cases, a large-volume mail receiver. In rural areas (as indicated by the zero in the FSA), the LDU combines with the FSA to identify a specific rural community.

For more information on postal codes, visit www.canadapost.ca/postalguide under Addressing Guidelines.

2.1.1

Sequencing by Forward Sortation Area (FSA)

When sequencing by FSA, first sequence by the FSA [the first three (3) characters] according to the NPS (as shown in Figure 2).

Figure 2: Example of Sequencing by FSA

2.2	National Presortation Schematic (Non-Lettermail)

The National Presortation Schematic (NPS) has two schematics: for Lettermail and for Non-Lettermail. The correct NPS must be used, depending on the type of mail being sorted. For NDG Presort, use the Non-Lettermail NPS.

The NPS is a set of tables that indicates how to consolidate mail through Canada Post’s mail distribution network, beginning with the FSA.

The NPS is used for all Canada Post presortation processes, including Letter Carrier Presort. The NPS has four levels of access:

• Level 1 – Delivery Facility;
• Level 2 – City;
• Level 3 – Distribution Centre Facility (DCF); and
• Level 4 – Forward Consolidation Point (FCP).

Following the NPS levels of access is key to sequencing, grouping, containerizing and labelling mail for presortation (as shown in Figure 3).

Figure 3: Sample Illustration of the Non-Lettermail National Presortation Schematic (NPS)

To avoid delays and extra handling charges, the current version of the National Presortation Schematic must be used. It is available at www.canadapost.ca/nps on the Canada Post website.

2.2.1

Levels of Access for Groupings

Figure 4 shows the NPS levels of access for grouping mail for NDG presortation. Addressed Admail requires a minimum of eight (8) items to create a grouping. Catalogue Mail requires a minimum of four (4) items to create a grouping. Publications Mail requires a minimum of six (6) items to create a grouping. First consolidate to Level 1; if there are not enough items for that level, consolidate to Level 3; if there are not enough items for that level, consolidate to Level 4; if there are still not enough items, consolidate to Residue.

Figure 4: NPS Levels for Grouping Mail

2.3	Electronic Shipping Tools

Electronic Shipping Tools (EST) is a free, fast and flexible way to prepare Orders (Statements of Mailing). Two user platforms have been developed: the Online and the Desktop versions.

Electronic Shipping Tools (EST) is an application designed to eliminate the need for manual paperwork and save valuable time for Customers who are using Canada Post’s shipping and/or mailing services.

Sign up for EST free of charge at www.canadapost.ca/obc by registering for a user ID and password. Visit www.canadapost.ca/offerings/eship_tools/can/default-e.asp to learn more about the different Electronic Shipping solutions offered to suit the needs of their business. For technical enquiries regarding EST, please call the EST Help Desk at 1-866-511-0546.

2.4	Using Containers

Groupings must be consolidated into containers:

• for Addressed Admail and Publications Mail, lettertainers, flats tubs or bags can be used
• for Catalogue Mail, bags or brick-piling on pallets can be used.

The NPS groupings that are placed in a container determine the container’s NPS access level. For example, when there are not enough groupings for Level 1 consolidation, consider preparing a container for a Level 2 consolidation. Figure 5 shows the NPS access levels for containerization of mail. See section 5 “Place the Groupings in Containers (Step 3)” for more information.

Figure 5: NPS Levels for Containerization

2.5	Steps for NDG Presort

The essential steps for NDG presortation are:

1. Sequence the Mail (Step 1) – This manual sort is by FSA only, but must be sequenced in NPS order.
2. Group the Mail (Step 2) – This step prepares the mail for placing it in containers.
3. Place the Groupings in Containers (Step 3) – Groupings are placed in containers in NPS order. Proper facing will ensure efficient handling of the mailing.
4. Label the Containers (Step 4) – Correct labelling ensures that mail is directed to the appropriate work centre within a Canada Post facility and/or downstream destination.
5. Make Up Monotainers and Pallets (Step 5) – Monotainers and pallets make it much easier to move large volumes of mail and maintains the integrity of the presortation, ensuring efficient handling by Canada Post.

3

Sequence the Mail (Step 1)

The first step in presorting mail is called sequencing. “Sequencing” is the process of placing the mail in the necessary order in preparation for NPS grouping, as enumerated below:

• NPS Level 1 Urban
• NPS Level 1 Rural
• NPS Level 3 Distribution Centre Facility (DCF)
• NPS Level 4 Forward Consolidation Point (FCP)

For all levels of sortation, Canada Post prefers sequencing in ascending order (i.e., from lowest to highest numerically or alphabetically; as shown in Figure 6). Descending order can be used, provided it is used consistently throughout the entire mailing.

Figure 6: Sequencing the Mail

3.1	Sequencing Urban Mail (Level 1)

Sequence NPS Level 1 Urban mail items by the following information (as shown in Figure 7):

1. Sort by Urban Delivery Facility in NPS order.
2. Within each Urban Delivery Facility, sequence by the Forward Sortation Area (FSA) in NPS order.

Figure 7: Sequencing Urban Mail (Level 1)

3.2	Sequencing Rural Mail (Level 1)

Sequence NPS Level 1 Rural mail items by the following information (as shown in Figure 8):

1. Sort by Rural Delivery Facility in NPS order.
2. Within each Rural Delivery Facility, sequence items by all six (6) characters of the postal code, in alphanumeric order.

Figure 8: Sequencing Rural Mail (Level 1) by Postal Code

3.3	Sequencing Mail by DCF (Level 3)

DCF groupings typically consist of a combination of urban and rural mail. However, some major urban centres do not consolidate to a DCF (as shown in Table 4). These major urban areas consolidate to a FCP (Level 4).