Friday, December 30, 2011

Harvey Software's Multi-Carrier Shipping System Receives Its 2012 National Carrier Updates

The CPS National Carrier Updates are now available for download. These updates are essential for CPS to function properly, and will install automatically when the Daily Entry program is started next week. On or after Monday, January 2nd, 2012, the update will become critical, and users will be prompted to complete it. There is no charge for the update, and downtime is minimal, so we expect that our customers will be back to shipping just minutes after starting this update. The complete update notes can be viewed in the CPS On-Line Support directory inside the CPS for Windows folder—just find the entry for December 27th, 2011. Below we have selected a few of the updated features to display in our blog.

CPS Feature Updates

This update contains several new features that customers will be happy to see. The automatic backup path must now go to a drive other than the C: drive of the shipping computer, insuring our customers a backup separated from the location of the main program. Also, customers will be able to write-back the carrier and service used for the package using the ODBC External Link. Customers will also be able to do package archives into a .zip format in order to save hard drive space for package records. CPS for Mail Order Manager users doing batch processing can now put the M.O.M. company name into the field chosen by the CPS user. Also, if the Address Verification Module standardizes an address longer than the address field length, CPS will display a dialog box with the standardized address so the shipper can override the changes if needed.

Carrier Updates

The FedEx, SpeeDee, and UPS rates, fuel surcharges, and accessorial charges have been updated to 2012 rates. These changes install automatically when the update is installed, and users who complete the update will have all of the updated published rates.

We now support UPS Return Services, including Returns Flexible Access and Returns Exchange. We also added support for FedEx Ground “Hold At Location” services. SpeeDee customers have new options for their shipping label formats including a signature option. There are a few updates within CPS to the DYMO Endicia interface, which can be viewed within the CPS On-Line Support directory. Please note that Endicia updates its DAZzle software independently of Harvey Software, and users of both services will need to check with Endicia regarding those updates.

Perhaps the biggest change will come to those shippers using USPS Mail Manifesting for international shipments. New federal customs and export control regulations and policies require customs information to be submitted electronically to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection prior to the shipments leaving the country. This change becomes effective January 22nd, 2012, and it impacts shippers who present hard-copy permit imprint mail manifests created in CPS and/or using USPS-produced privately printed customs forms for Express Mail International (EMI) and Priority Mail International (PMI).

This change does NOT affect any shipper using DYMO Endicia Internet postage or any other form of USPS service supported in CPS or provided by any other CPS supported carriers. In fact, we recommend switching to an Internet postage service such as Endicia in order to transition from hard-copy mail manifesting. For more information regarding this transition for mail manifest users, please contact us at sales@harveysoftware.com or at 1-800-231-0296

Fuel Surcharges

Effective January 2, 2012 the UPS fuel surcharge for Domestic Air and International will decrease from 14.00% to 12.50%. The fuel surcharge for Ground will decrease from 8.50% to 8.00%. These surcharges will remain in effect through February 5, 2012.

New Years Week Holiday Hours


Harvey Software realizes that many of you have just completed a very busy time of year and you would like a breather but there is just one last task you need to complete - the National Update for 2012.

We will be closed Monday, January 2, 2012 for the holiday. On Monday, January 2, 2012 we will continue to insure our servers will be active 24/7, and our On-Line Support Internet based support will remain available. We will return to our normal hours on Tuesday, January 3, 2012.

Important Notice: Starting Tuesday, December 27, 2011 through Friday, December 30, 2011 support will be for national update issues only. All other issues will be by appointment as time allows. This policy will continue on Tuesday, January 3, 2012 through Friday, January 13, 2012.

The staff of Harvey Software would like to thank you for your continued business and we wish you a very happy and prosperous New Year!

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