How can I include the postal barcode on envelopes I print?

Anonymous
2010-08-19T21:58:15+00:00

I've been using word for years.  I occassionally print envelopes including the postal barcode.  I haven't figured it out yet in office 2010.  I hope that some one can help me.  Thanks in advance.

Lee Warren

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For home | Windows

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Anonymous
2012-01-13T23:40:07+00:00

As explained in  http://support.microsoft.com/kb/897290 the POSTNET barcode that Word can create is now obsolete, so it was removed from the Envelope dialog starting in Word 2007.

If you really want to put in a POSTNET barcode, you can go to Insert > Quick Parts > Field and insert a BarCode field (which is how the option in the Envelopes dialog used to do its work). The syntax

of the field code is explained here:

http://office.microsoft.com/en-in/word-help/field-codes-barcode-field-HP005186205.aspx

Jay Freedman

MS Word MVP  FAQ: http://word.mvps.org

Hello everyone!   I too was very frustrated by this.  When I used the "add field" under the quick parts menu in Word 2010 and added "barcode", I would always get "Invalid Zip" as the response.  After some investigating, I found the fix:  if you go to the USPS website at https://ribbs.usps.gov/onecodesolution/download.cfm and download uspsEncoderMsOffice-1.3.0.zip, you can install it in seconds.

Once you install, all you have to do is the following: I went back to the "mailings" menu, selected "envelopes", then went to the address field and clicked "insert", then clicked "quick parts", selected "bar code" and clicked "is US address" and entered the zip code.  This worked perfectly for me in Word 2010. 

Hope this helps!!

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Anonymous
2013-10-30T10:58:10+00:00

The download you want for a 64-bit Windows system running 32-bit Office software is uspsEncoderMsOffice-1.3.1.  Looks similar except the MsOffice part.

The solution referenced requires more operator intervention than I would like each time one wishes to insert a bar code on an envelope.  Hopefully, that will be a fix in the future.

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Jay Freedman 208.3K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
2010-08-20T01:37:37+00:00

As explained in  http://support.microsoft.com/kb/897290 the POSTNET barcode that Word can create is now obsolete, so it was removed from the Envelope dialog starting in Word 2007.

If you really want to put in a POSTNET barcode, you can go to Insert > Quick Parts > Field and insert a BarCode field (which is how the option in the Envelopes dialog used to do its work). The syntax

of the field code is explained here:

http://office.microsoft.com/en-in/word-help/field-codes-barcode-field-HP005186205.aspx

Jay Freedman

MS Word MVP  FAQ: http://word.mvps.org

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  1. Doug Robbins - MVP - Office Apps and Services 323.6K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2011-02-08T20:01:45+00:00

    The feature was removed from Word because the barcodes that were generated by Word did not qualify for discounts from the USPS.

    The USPS now has an Intelligent Mail Barcode system.

    See:

    http://www.usps.com/mailpro/2008/mayjune/page10.htm

    and

    https://ribbs.usps.gov/index.cfm?page=intellmailmailpieces

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  2. Anonymous
    2011-08-03T02:08:33+00:00

    I have always used the zip code bar code in order to ensure that the envelope was electonically sorted. This eliminated any mistakes in the electronic reading of the address (or human error if re-directed for human interpretation) when the Post Office adds the bar code to the envelope either on the bottom front or on the back in the orange ink.  I do not do it for postal discounts.  Does the bar code generated when using the above work-arounds still serve the purpose of directing the envelope automatically, or does the Post Office ignore it and print their own on the bottom or back of the envelope?  If it still works, is there any way to get it back to a simple check box to add it, since it still serves a useful function, and not have to go through the Rube Goldberg approach?

    Thanks.

    Larry

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