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What is the USPS® is changing?

The USPS recently announced that changes have been made that will affect the dates of usability for database products that are used as part of CASS processing. This includes ZIP+4 data, DPV data, LACSLink data, SuiteLink data, and other related products. These changes were put into the Domestic Mail Manual in 39 CFR Part 111, in section 602-Addressing. These changes will go into effect on October 1, 2022.

The following is a list of the changes that are being made that will affect the usage of these data products:

  1. The official release date of the USPS database products is being changed from the 15thof the month to the 1st of the month. For example, the September database products will have an official release date of September 15, 2022, and the October database products will have an official release date of October 1, 2022.
  2. The database expiration time period will be changed from 105 days following the official release date, to 3 months following the official release date. For example, the October 1, 2022 database can be used until December 31, 2022, and it will be expired starting on January 1, 2023.
  3. The allowable time period for submitting a mailing to the USPS has been changed from 180 days after the mailing was processed through CASS software, to the last day of the month following the expiration of the CASS database. For example, an address list processed with the October 1, 2022 database release can be submitted for mailing up to January 31, 2023. The exception to this is for 5-digit Coded mailings, which are eligible for mailing up to 180 days after the release date of the database product that was used to code the address list.
  4. A small change is being made to the header files that are used in the LINK database products, namely LACSLink, SuiteLink, and RDI. The change to the header files that will start with the October 1, 2022 product release will break compatibility with all current Anchor software that uses those data products. Because of this, any LINK products that are downloaded directly from the USPS will no longer work in the current Anchor software.

Note: This change does not affect NCOALink in any way, and customers can continue to download NCOALink data directly from the USPS.

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How Anchor is Reacting

Anchor is taking measures to update all of our software products that use CASS data to accommodate these changes. The products affected by these changes are listed below:
 
  • MaxCASS OS
  • MaxCASS API
  • AddressPro
  • Anchor Coder API
  • Mainframe Callable API
  • Address Verifier
  • MaxDup OS
  • Deceased
 
The following changes to Anchor’s software products will be made as a result of the USPS changes listed above:
 
  1. Starting with the October 1, 2022 database product, database release dates will be shown with the new official release day of the 1st of the month.
  2. Starting with the October 1, 2022 database product, the CASS database will expire at the appropriate date according to the new DMM requirements. The expiration date and the remaining days until expiration will be calculated using the new values outlined in the DMM changes.
  3. Starting on the calendar date of October 1, 2022, 3553 forms generated by CASS software will use the new calculation method for the last-allowable-mailing date. The 3553-form fields affected are C.a.2 (ZIP+4/DPV Validation Period), C.c.2 (5-Digit Coded Validation Period), C.d.2 (CRRT Coded Validation Period), and C.e.2 (eLot Assigned Validation Period).
  4. Anchor will take measures to adjust the LINK data products that we provide to our customers so that current Anchor software will continue to function after the October 1, 2022 product is released.

Customer Impact

Customers who use Anchor Software products for CASS-certified mailing purposes will be required to install the new versions of our software prior to October 1, 2022.
 
Customers who use Anchor Software products for other, non-CASS purposes (e.g. online lookups) can continue to use their current software with databases released in October 2022 or later, provided that they get all of their database files fulfilled from Anchor.
 
Customers who use Anchor’s software and download the named LINK products directly from the USPS will need to take one or both of the following actions to keep their software functioning properly:
 
  • Install the new version of Anchor’s software that has been updated to handle the October 1, 2022 date changes. This option is strongly recommended.
  • Have the LINK database products fulfilled by Anchor instead of by the USPS.
 
If you have any questions about MaxCASS OS, please call Technical Support at 972-881-2424 or by email at Support@anchorcomputersoftware.com for assistance.