AWAM - Using the Dates Tab

The Dates tab is in the Post Processing section of all three profile setup screens (Import, Merge, and Post Process). The functionality associated with the Dates tab allows you to change/set the actual or correct production mail dates in a Mail.dat’s CSM file. When the profile is applied, the dates specified will replace what currently exists in the Mail.dat.

The available settings for USPS Pickup are: Existing, Blank, No, and Yes.

The individual dates that can be specified are:

Scheduled Ship Date [CSM-1172]
Scheduled Induction Date [CSM-1117]
Scheduled Induction End Date [CSM-2001]
Scheduled Pick Up Date [CSM-1177]
Actual Container Ship Date [CSM-1113]
In Home Date [CSM-1115]
Postage Statement Mailing Date [CSM-1184]

You can use the existing date that is in the CSM file (Existing is the default), use the current date (Today), use a specific date (Specific Date), or if there is no date in the original file, leave the field blank (do not insert a date Blank/Clear).

In addition, if Existing or Today is selected, you can add or subtract a specific number of days to the existing date or today’s date for specifying the actual date to be populated in the imported file.

Selecting Specific Date displays an actual calendar for selecting an exact date to be used.

If the import date is to be “today’s date,” make sure to select the setting of ‘Today’ for the import profile vs. selecting ‘Specific Date’ and specifying today’s date on the calendar provided.

Here's an example of Date fields populated when you set USPS Pickup to No.

If you want the USPS to know when to expect your mail, populate the Scheduled Induction Start Date and End Date.

For information on populating date fields, refer to the Mail.dat DTAC Database Standard located on the https://www.delivery-tech.org/mail-dat page in the Downloads section.

Return to