Enter or Modify Package Information

Package information indicates how the package will be sent and how it will be tracked. To navigate between fields on this page, use the mouse to click within each field (or press the TAB key).

Order Information

Mailer:	The Mailer field will be populated automatically with the Package Mailer.
Order ID:	The Order ID field will be populated automatically with the Package ID number. You may change the Order ID if you wish to associate a different Order ID with the package. This field is required.
Order Date:	The date that the order was placed. This field is optional.
Total Boxes:	The default for this field is 1. This number should not be changed unless there are two or more packages being processed with the exact same Package ID. See the help topic Multiple Package Sets for more information.
Package ID:	The Package ID is a package's unique identifying number. This field cannot be modified.
Invoice Number:	If there is an invoice number associated with the package, it can be entered here. This field is not required.
Shipping & Handling:	If the sender charged a specific Shipping & Handling cost to the receiver, it can be entered in this field. If no Shipping and Handling cost was charged, or the amount is not known, this field may be left blank.
Customer Reference Number:	This is an alphanumeric identifier assigned by a USPS partner to their customer. If one has been assigned, GSS automatically populates the Customer Reference Number field. This information may be modified if necessary.
USPS Package ID:	This field is displayed when an APO/FPO customs label only service level has been selected for the package. (It does not apply to packages that are being sent to APO/FPO addresses using other domestic service levels such as Priority Mail.) Enter the package's USPS Package ID.

Sender Address and Recipient Address

Each package must have both a sender and a recipient address. To enter or make changes to address information, click the Edit button. For more information, see the help topic Sender & Recipient Addresses.

Content Items

The Content Items section shows information about the items in the package. This section is required for packages that will go through US Customs clearance.

See the help topic Add an Item for information about adding and modifying content items.

Note: The Recipient's country may prohibit or otherwise place restrictions on content items that may enter through the mail system. Click the Restrictions & Prohibitions link for more information.

Customs Information

Package Type:

For an international package, or a domestic package being sent to an APO/FPO or U.S. Territory address, select a package type from the drop-down menu. You can select up to two package types from the list by pressing and holding the CTRL key and then using the mouse to select the appropriate package types.

For other domestic packages, package type information is optional.

Some package types, such as "Live Animals," "Cremated Remains," and "Hazardous Materials," may only be used with certain service levels. If you select the check box for "Other," you must provide a description in the field.

License Number and Certificate Number:

These fields appear on the USPS customs declaration form and are optional. If the numbers are not known or are not relevant, the fields may be left blank.

Restriction Type and Comments

If necessary, you may select a restriction from the Restriction Type list to apply to the mailpiece. Restriction types include "Quarantine," "Sanitary/Phytosanitary," or "Other."

If you select a Restriction Type, you may also include a description or additional information about the restriction in the Restriction Comments field.

Package Information

Service Level:	This field represents the service level that will be used for shipping the package. The package must meet the size and weight requirements for the service level. Additional package detail options are displayed based on the service level selected. If there is only one service level assigned to the user's location, it will be automatically selected. This field is required.
Intended Shipment Date:	The date that will be printed on the mailing label to indicate when the package will be shipped. If you have set the Expected Ship Date on the Current Dispatch page, that date will be the default Intended Ship Date. You can change the Intended Ship Date by selecting a date from the calendar. This field is optional.
Package Weight:	The package weight is necessary for calculating the domestic postage and can be either key-entered or captured from a compatible scale. This field will display the weight in either pounds or kilograms depending on the units selected on the Workstation Settings page. This field is required.
Entry Facility ZIP:	This field is for ePostage mailers and refers to the 5-digit ZIP code of the USPS location that accepts packages for the mailer. This field is usually populated automatically, but it may be modified if necessary.
Extra Services:	The extra services offered for a package will vary based on the Service Level selected and the package recipient's ZIP code. Checking the boxes next to these services will affect the cost of postage for the package. If Live Animals is selected as the Package Type, a Live Animal Transportation Fee (LATF) is automatically added to the package's postage. This extra service cannot be selected from the Extra Services tab, but the LATF fee will appear as an extra service on the package's dispatch reports. GSS automatically assigns Delivery Confirmation to domestic mailpieces if they are shipped using a service level where Delivery Confirmation is available and the mailpiece has not already been assigned Delivery Confirmation or Signature Confirmation. If you select Insurance as an extra service, GSS automatically selects an insurance tier that covers the value of the package up to the maximum allowed for its rate type and service level. For example, if the package's value is $600 but the maximum allowed is $500, GSS will automatically select the maximum $500 insurance tier. You can select a lower tier, which will affect the final postage fee.
Return Service Requested:	The Request Return Service check box defines how the USPS should handle the package if it cannot be delivered to the recipient. For U.S.-bound packages, selecting this box causes "Return Service Requested" to be printed on the shipping label. The Customs Declaration label (if applicable) will always show the shipper's designated US address, which may be the mailer's address if they are a US-based mailer. For international-bound packages, the check box may be selected by default, causing the Return To message on the Customs Declaration label to show "If Undeliverable Return to Sender." Clearing the check box causes the Customs Declaration label to show "If Undeliverable Treat As Abandoned." If you wish to have the undeliverable package returned to an address that is not the Sender address, click the Redirect Address link to specify a different address. Enter the required name and address information as well as any optional information you wish to provide. Specifying a non-Sender redirect address causes the Customs Declaration label to show "Redirect if Undeliverable" and the specified address.

Package Processing & Tracking Information

GSS displays tracking information for the package during the sending process. This information includes the Date/Time that the package's status was recorded by the system, the package status Activity that was logged, and the Postal Code and Location Name where the status was logged.

Save, Print Labels, or Complete Processing

When all of the information has been entered, you may choose to save the package information, label the package, or complete package processing. The options available are based on your location and user permission set.

To save the package information, click Save. The information will be saved to the GSS database.

To save the information and print a label for the package without completing package processing, click Print Package Label. GSS will print labels that should be applied to the outside of the package, and the package information will be saved to the GSS database.

To complete package processing, click Complete Processing. The information will be saved, GSS will print labels that should be applied to the outside of the package, and the package will be processed.

Note:

Effective June 6, 2011, the U.S. Postal Service requires that all mailpieces entering the Customs Territory of the U.S., as well as mailpieces weighing 16 ounces or more being sent to, from, between, and within certain U.S. territories, display a customs declaration form or label listing the contents of the mailpiece.

If a package being processed falls under this requirement and content information has not already been provided, GSS will decline to process the package and will issue the following warning message: "Recipient ZIP code requires item information for the package."

Modify the package details to include item information, and then click Complete Processing again to process the package. GSS will then print all applicable labels, including the customs declaration label.