Latest Changes to
Postal Barcoder Max

We've updated Postal Barcoder Max to keep up with the latest postal changes, and made some software improvements. Here are the details. Note that each update includes all previous updates, so you only need to download and install the latest. Get the update.


Postal Updates:

• USPS has changed how some processing steps are reported in the tracking system, and those changes are included in this update.
  

Software Improvements:

• You can now print addresses on 2" x 4" label sheets when you are adding barcodes to a file of addresses. If you choose that label size on the print window, you will also have the option to include a return address and/or your indicia (aka "postage paid" box) on the label.
  
  
• We added a help button on the print window.
  
  
• We corrected a bug that sometimes caused text to be scrambled on the screen for creating single barcodes for First Class mail.
  
  
• We fixed some other minor bugs and improved the wording of some messages.
  

Software Improvements:

• USPS has updated its address standardization API. On the screen for creating a single First Class barcode, we have updated the address standardization function to stay up to date with the USPS change. Older versions of Postal Barcoder Max will no longer be able to perform address standardization after January 21, 2025.
  
  
• When adding barcodes to a file of addresses, it is no longer necessary to have at least three records in your mailing list file to use it with the software.
  

Postal Updates:

• USPS is making various changes to parcel size categories. We changed the wording on sack tags and pallet labels and on the mail category selection screen to reflect these changes.
  
  
• USPS is replacing the eVS system for shipping parcels with a new system called USPS Ship. We added the option to print "USPS Ship" on pallet labels for shipments sent using that system, per USPS requirements.
  

Software Improvements:

• When printing a barcode onto a roll label or directly onto your mail, you can now choose the font size.
  
  
• On the screen for creating a single barcode, you can now automatically reload the last address if you need to reprint it, as long as you have not left the barcoding screen.
  
  
• When printing a single address and barcode, addresses printed with font sizes smaller than 8 point will be printed in all caps, per USPS rules.
  
  
• On the tracking screen, you can now delete entries from the list of saved addresses and tracking numbers.
  
  
• On the tracking screen, we increased the number of times the software automatically repeats a tracking request if USPS doesn't find the barcode on the first try. The USPS system has an ongoing bug where it will often return "barcode not found" one or more times even if a barcode is in its system, but usually then finds it if you ask several more times.
  
  
• On the tracking screen, if you copy/paste a tracking number that includes spaces or hyphens, the software will now automatically remove them, so a numeric barcode created by the USPS Imsb tool can be entered without editing.
  
  
• We updated tray and sack tags and pallet labels by replacing "STD" with "MKT" for Marketing Mail.
  
  
• We fixed a bug where the software could crash if it received an unexpected response from USPS during an address standardizing request.
  
  
• We fixed some other minor bugs and improved the wording of some messages.
  

Postal Updates:

• USPS has changed how some processing steps are reported in the tracking system, and those changes are included in this update.
  

Software Improvements:

• When you create a single First Class Mail barcode, you can now print an address with a barcode on a selected label on a standard address label sheet. Just choose your label format and select which label to print. No more measuring to try to hit the correct label and leave enough margin.
  
  
• We've removed the "Create Another Barcode" button from the single First Class Mail barcoding screen. Now when you print or copy a barcode, the software will automatically be ready to create another without you needing to tell it. We think this will make it easier when you have more than one piece to address.
  
  
• On the tracking screen, we fixed a bug that could cause the software to crash if the tracking number list got corrupted or had incomplete entries.
  
  
• Also on the tracking screen, we fixed a bug in the Mac version where the correct tracking number was not selected if the list of sent mail was scrolled with the up/down arrows.
  

We hope you find these improvements helpful. Many of "our" best ideas come from our users, so please don't hesitate to let us know if you have suggestions or questions.

Thanks!