We've updated Postage $aver Pro and Lite 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.

• Cass Certified Software For Mac Computers
• Cass Certified Address Validation

MaxCASS OS is Anchor's CASS Certified software solution for address correction and standardization. It includes all of the functionality of MaxCASS, with DPV, LACS Link® and Suite Link®, as well as NCOA Link®, ANK Link®, DSF 2®, RDI™, geocoding and options.MaxCASS OS works on a new table driven system, so USPS updates and program upgrades are easier, and a. CASS is a system that the USPS uses to qualify specialized software—private party software that references the USPS address database to process addresses. The CASS system gives the USPS a way to evaluate and measure how accurate the results of that private party's software processes are. CASS Certification The CASS certication and encoding engine is one of the most important features in mail management CASS software. This is the step that cleans, corrects, standardizes and validates addresses. Technically, 'CASS certification' is the USPS' procedure for verifying the accuracy of commercial zip code matching software. But most mailers and many postal employees think of CASS certification as the actual matching process that the software performs, rather than the postal service's testing procedure.

What’s new in Version 11.2.1 – January, 2021

Postal Updates:

• The annual postage rate increase is effective on Jan. 24. This update includes the new rates and corresponding changes to postage statements. While the impact of the increases varies depending on the exact breakdown of your mailing, the overall increases are as follows:
  Marketing Mail Letters - up 0.8%
  Marketing Mail Flats - up 3.6%
  First Class Presort Letters - up 2.1%
  First Class Presort Postcards - up 3.3%
  First Class Presort Barcoded Flats - up 4.1%
  Periodicals In-County - up 1.2%
  Periodicals Outside-County - up 1.5%
  Bound Printed Matter Flats - no change
  Regular First Class stamps for one ounce letters remain at 55 cents.
  
• Updated for January and February USPS routing changes required for mail sent on or after February 1, 2021. (May be used before then).
  
• For Periodical Class mailers, the container charge for trays is now lower than the charge for sacks, in some cases, and we have made that change. For flats, you have the choice of using 'flat trays' (tubs) or sacks.

Software Improvements:

• We improved the Mail Preparation Instructions report by clearly showing the savings for each mailing, the supplies required, and some other helpful assembly information.
  
• Postage $aver Pro now accepts files from the USPS 'IMsb' small business tool, and automatically detects the correct fields for zip codes and delivery point codes in those IMsb files.
  
• We fixed several minor bugs.

What’s new in Version 11.1.13 – November, 2020

Postal Updates:

• Updated for November and December USPS routing changes required for mail sent on or after December 1, 2020. (May be used before then).

Software Improvements:

• We made some graphics improvements and rearranged some of the screens. All items are still on the same screen where they have been, but some screens have been rearranged for better clarity.
  
• Some items on the Preferences screen are now grayed out when they don't apply to the mailing being prepared.
  
• We added a warning to prevent entering 0 as a starting barcode serial number or tray/sack tag number. 0 is not accepted by USPS as a valid serial number or tag number.
  
• We fixed some bugs where, under certain circumstances, a column selection on the Column Matching screen would not be 'remembered' from the previous run.
  
• We updated the column names that Postage $aver automatically recognizes when using a file that has been CASS-certified by Listcleanup.com.
  
• We corrected a minor bug that could occur when controlling Postage $aver from another app.

What’s new in Version 11.1.12 – September, 2020

Postal Updates:

• Updated for September and October USPS routing changes required for mail sent on or after October 1, 2020. (May be used before then).
  
• Updated for USPS barcoding changes to Election Mail and Ballot Mail, announced 9/3/20, effective immediately. There are now separate checkboxes for Election Mail and Ballot Mail on the Mailing Categories screen. Election Mail includes all official election mailings, such as ballots, voter registration cards, mail ballot applications, polling place locations, etc. Ballot Mail is a category of Election Mail, and is only for actual ballots sent from or being returned to official election authorities.

Software Improvements:

• Added a checkbox to the Preferences screen for an additional option for the Mail Preparation Report. This option is for mailings that included some barcoded pieces and some nonbarcoded pieces. It lets the user decide whether to include the nonbarcoded pieces in the Rejected Pieces report.
  
• Added a warning to the Mailing Categories Screen to detect too small a number in the Thickness Measure, which would indicate pieces that are too thick for the mail size category chosen.
  
• Added a warning on the Tracking and Address Correction screen if IV Tracking is selected without having chosen to use a unique serial number in the barcode on each piece.
  
• Added more on-screen Help links and changed hotlinks to 'i' symbol.
  
• Fixed several minor bugs.

What’s new in Version 11.1.11 – July, 2020

Cass Certified Software For Mac Computers

Postal Updates:

• Updated for July and August USPS routing changes required for mail sent on or after August 1, 2020. (May be used before then).
  
• USPS now has special 'service codes' within the Intelligent Mail barcodes to indicate political mailings and official ballot and election mailings. We have added checkboxes on the mail categories screen for you to indicate if your mailing is either a political campaign mailing or an official ballot/election mailing.
  A political mailing is 'any material mailed for campaign purposes by a registered political candidate, campaign committee, or committee of a political party, or political message mailing by a PAC, super PAC, or other organization engaging in an effort to influence or drive voter mobilization'.
  Ballot/Election mail is 'any item mailed to or from authorized election officials or local election offices that enables citizens to vote, such as official ballot materials, voter registration cards, absentee applications and polling place notifications'.
  If you are mailing either of these kinds of mail, you should check the appropriate box on the Mail Categories screen. These boxes appear on your screen only if you have selected Marketing Mail or First Class Presort, since they do not apply to Periodicals or Bound Printed Matter.
  
• We have added a new 'no forwarding' option for Periodicals, which is allowed only when using 'Or Current Resident' or similar wording in the address.

New Feature:

• For Periodical mailers using in-county rates, your in-county zip code list will be automatically checked for updates each time you update your copy of Postage $aver. If there are any changes (which do not occur often), you will see a message showing any zip codes that have been added or deleted, after your update code is accepted.

Bugs Fixed:

Cass Certified Address Validation

• Fixed a bug where the Move Update Options screen did not appear when using the Preparation Wizard.
  
• Fixed a bug where a new bundle was sometimes not indicated on the separator label when a new sack was started.
  
• Fixed a bug that would cause a crash if printing was attempted when no printer or default printer had been specified. (Mac only)
  
• We changed the error detection routine to allow a -9999 +4 code for General Delivery addresses.
  
• Fixed a bug that could cause a crash if non-standard characters were found in a mailing list file. (Mac only)
  
• Fixed a bug that could cause a crash when using a csv or tab mailing list file that did not have column names in the first row.
  
• Fixed a bug that allowed a Delivery Point Code column to be identified for a nonbarcoded mailing.
  
• Fixed a bug that prevented the mail merge option from being selected on the Preferences screen after the 'I'll use other software to create barcodes' was selected on the Mail Categories screen.
  
• Fixed a bug that could cause in-county pieces not to be included in Periodical mailings under certain circumstances.
  
• Fixed a bug that caused incorrect results when using an 'in-county' column when the address printing option had been selected.
  
• Fixed a bug where Periodical flats in tubs were shown as letters on the first page of the postage statement.
  
• Fixed a bug where Periodical flats in tubs could show an incorrect count for a zone under certain circumstances.
  
• Fixed a bug for Periodical flats in tubs where bundles were indicated for certain tubs that did not allow bundles.
  
• Fixed a bug where Periodical flats in tubs appeared on the sacks page of the bundle charge section of the postage statement, instead of the trays page.
  
• Fixed a bug that could cause nonbarcoded 5-digit trays to be incorrectly created in a combined barcoded/nonbarcoded Marketing Mail letters mailing.
  
• Fixed a bug that could cause a crash when printing the postage statement for a combined barcoded/nonbarcoded Marketing Mail letters mailing.

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!