Sending mail electronically

A lot of our franked mail can be sent electronically using IQ PostMe, Critiqom. Find out the tips and tricks, timescales and print and letter settings.

Contents

  1. Overview
  2. Creating an IQ PostMe account
  3. Letter settings
  4. Attachments
  5. Print settings
  6. Timescales
  7. Envelopes
  8. When letters are removed from the system
  9. Tips and tricks

Overview

A lot of our franked mail can be sent electronically using IQ PostMe, Critiqom.

IQ PostMe is a printing service which prints and delivers your mail.

Using IQ PostMe

Create your letter with the system you would usually use (for example, Microsoft Word) then print it using the IQ PostMe printer. The IQ PostMe printer will come up as an option when you press print.

The letter will then be put into the IQ PostMe system to be delivered.

For information on how to use the system, view the IQ PostMe user guides and the video below:

Creating an IQ PostMe account 

You will need a user account to use the IQ PostMe system.

Accounts are set up by ICT Helpdesk when requested by line managers. Line managers will need to provide ICT Helpdesk with relevant information with regards to the set up of the account. For example

  • team
  • account level
  • structure

There are different levels of users:

  • End user - you only have access to view the letters you created and submitted
  • Supervisor - you have access view all the documents submitted by all members in your department 
  • Company administrator - you have access view all the documents submitted by all members in the company

For more information on setting up your IQ PostMe account and using the web portal, see the videos below:

How to use the web portal

How to use the web portal if you are a supervisor

Letter settings

All letter must be submitted in portrait orientation, this includes images on a letter. The image could be rotated on the source document so that it was portrait.

All letters need to have the margin set at 1.02 inches (2.59 cm).

Adding a signature to a letter

It is possible to attach your signature digitally to a document. Scan a copy of your signature, save this to your files and attach this to documents as needed as an image.

Letterheads

There are 3 letterhead options:

  • South Tyneside Council
  • South Tyneside Homes (Town Hall)
  • South Tyneside Homes (Middlefields)

There is the ability to add additional letterheads.

Straplines can be added for promotional campaigns, an additional letterhead is needed.

You can download a Digitised letter template with pre-set critiqom constraints.

Setting a delay on sending letters 

There is a delay setting which can be applied if required which delays sending the document. For example, you can use the delay setting so  letters are not sent for a week.

Attachments 

Attachments must be A4 sized in portrait orientation.

The left-hand margin  on attachments must be set at a minimum of 0.75 inches. This includes Excel spreadsheets.

If your letter and attachment are both single sided A4, you can combine them onto one double-sided sheet. 

All single sided letters have a blank page on the back, if the letter is 2 pages long and an attachment is added this will start on page 3.

A maximum of 6 double-sided pages, or 12 single-sided pages can be sent to IQ PostMe.

You can request to increase the number of pages to 32 pages / 64 sides of paper. The letter will go into a C4 envelope with the postage cost depending on the weight of the letter. It would be sent out Royal Mail 2nd class large letter.

It is possible to attach your signature digitally to a document. Scan a copy of your signature, save this to your files and attach this to documents as needed as an image.

Print settings

The default settings are:

  • Colour
  • Duplex (double sided)
  • None (no background stationery) 

Timescales

A document submitted today (day 0) will be processed overnight and handed to Royal Mail tomorrow (day 1). Royal Mail will deliver over 95% of mail the next working day (day 2).

The time from print to delivery is 2 days.

Letters sent by recorded delivery need to be printed by secure print and dealt with as usual.

Letters submitted on Fridays are printed but not dispatched until Monday. They should arrive at their destination by Wednesday.

The postage class

The post is 2nd class but is treated similar to 1st due to the time saved in the postal operation. However we cannot categorically state 1st class.

Envelopes

We are unable to make bespoke envelopes for promotional campaigns or pre-paid envelopes.

When letters are removed from the system

All processed letters are removed from the system at midnight every day. 

Letters are kept for 30 days and can be viewed in full. After this they will be deleted from the system.

The system shows the letter output split as follows: ALL / PENDING / PROCESSED.

You can view a preview as a protected PDF with print disabled, so you will not be able to locally print the preview.

If a letter is deleted by a supervisor

If a letter is deleted by a supervisor, IQ PostMe does not notify the person who submitted the letter to the system.

Supervisors are expected to discuss this with the individual concerned, make any necessary changes to the document and re-send to IQ PostMe if required.

Tips and tricks