After more than two years of pilot testing, USPS® has rolled out e-Induction nationwide. This is the program that allows mailers to drop ship without 8125 forms. That’s right, no more printing and round-stamping 8125s!
If you are not enrolled in e-Induction (or another program called the Drop Ship Management System, DSMS) then you currently have to print multiple copies of form 8125 for each entry point you drop ship to. Typically, that would involve one copy for the postal clerk, one for your files, one to go with the truck, and sometimes, one for the mail owner. You would have to get them round-stamped as well. This can become extremely time consuming and can cause bottle necks in the mail verification and payment process.
With e-Induction, as containers are paid for electronically through e-Doc in PostalOne!®, the unique IMb™ barcode for each paid container is transmitted out to the entry point facility where that container is designated to be entered. A server at that facility stores a list of “expected” containers. As containers arrive at the dock and are scanned, they are compared to the list of expected containers and if there is a match, the container is accepted. No paperwork!
However, it is important to note a few limitations. Most mailers can only go e-Induction to entry points designated as Surface Visibility (SV) capable. This means the facility has to have the proper scanners available at all of its dock doors, connected to a local server that communicates with PostalOne! Plus, not all of the facilities are currently SV capable. Unless you meet very specific criteria, you must only claim e-Induction to the SV capable sites. You cannot provide 8125s for e-Inducted containers but you must provide 8125s for non-e-Induction containers.
USPS is working to make e-Induction available at all sites to avoid confusion and to encourage adoption. We hope to hear good news on this topic sometime this summer.
