

Frequently Asked Questions
1What are your hours?
The ProList offices are open from 8am – 5pm Monday thru Friday.
2What are your receiving hours?
Normal receiving hours are from 8:30am – 4:30pm. If you need to deliver outside of these times we request that you talk to your ProList account representative to ensure someone will be available to assist you.
3What format do you accept data in?
Our data management specialists are able to work with most standard data files. Most database packages have the ability to export easily to Excel. Please consult with your ProList account representative.
4How long will you need to complete my mailing?
There are many factors to be considered such as job complexity and number of pieces being mailed. As a general rule of thumb you will want to allow 2-3 days for the processing of your data and an additional 3-4 days for personalization and mailing. Your ProList account representative will work with you in establishing a production schedule that ensures prompt mailing without sacrificing quality.
5Can you invoice me for postage?
ProList requires clients to provide funds for postage in advance so that postage may be purchased and applied in advance of mailing.
6Will I see a sample of my mailing before it mails?
As part of our quality control process all clients are provided counts and live setups for approval PRIOR to actual production.
7How do I get my materials to ProList? Can you send a truck?
Yes, ProList does offer pick-up services. Most printers will deliver your materials directly to ProList at no additional charge.
8Can I get an estimate for my next mailing?
Yes! Contact your ProList sales representative. If you do not already have a rep, click here to contact us and one of our knowledgeable sales representatives will contact you to discuss your mailing and provide pricing.
9How do I get my data file to you?
If your file is small enough you are welcome to email it directly to your service representative otherwise ProList has a client FTP site, please contact your service representative to have a secure login established for your use!
10What is the difference between CASS and NCOA – when do I need to order these services?
CASS is the process that examines the quality of your addresses and certifies that the address is in fact an address the US Postal Service recognizes, while NCOA examines the recipient's name in relation to the address to determine if that individual or organization has filed a change of address notification with the postal service. The US Postal Service requires that all mailings receiving postal automation discounts participate in a US Postal Services certified "move update" program within 95 days of mailing. National Change of Address (NCOA) is a convenient and cost efficient method of meeting this requirement. Other options, include Address Correction and Fast Forward.
11What are intelligent barcodes? Do I need to use them for my mailing?
The intelligent barcode is a 4-state barcode that uses 4 different bar lengths to add more digits to the barcode. Using these additional digits the barcode can both track your mail like a PLANET code, but it also replaces the postnet barcode for routing mail. Tracking and routing are done by a single barcode, as well as other "Intelligent Mail" functions. The US Postal Service began requiring use of the intelligent barcodes in January 2013 however ProList has been using the intelligent barcodes since 2009.
12How many digits are in an intelligent barcode, and what do they mean?
Generally there are 31 digits, although it may have as few as 20. The elements of the intelligent barcode are: Digits 1-2: Barcode Identifier. Generally, this field will be left as "00".
Digits 3-5: Service Type Identifier. "040" for FC Letters; "042" for STD letters, "044" for Periodical letters, etc.
Digits 6-11: Customer Identifier: Example "000923".
Digits 12-20: Tracking ID: This is the job/piece identifier and will be unique to each job or each piece depending on what you choose.
Digits 21-31: Delivery Point Zip Code.
13What are some of the ways marketers are using Email along with their existing direct mail efforts?
One of the ways ProList has been able to assist clients is through the use of mail tracking. When you are able to track in home delivery of your mail piece you can effectively boost response rates by timing an email reminder to land in your recipients email box the next day or so. Your ProList sales representative can tell you more about this, as well as the other multi-channel marketing services Prolist provides under our SnailWorks™ product line.