Mail

How to send post through and access Dataforge to prepare and send mail.

Overview

To send post at Essex County Council, you'll need to use Hybrid Mail.

Hybrid mail allows you to schedule post to be sent when you need it and saves time as it prints and prepares your mail so you don’t have to. Offering cheaper postage rates, up to half the price of standard postal methods, it is the recommended postage method for employees.

By providing a template of your letter and recipient data, Dataforge​ software will print, prepare, frank and provide it to Royal Mail to distribute. 

Hybrid mail offers first or second class postage, we are unable to send recorded or signed for post using Dataforge. As the software is automated it cannot apply the required labels by Royal Mail for recorded or signed for delivery. 

Other postage options are available, contact the Mitie helpdesk (PDF, 139KB) if you:

  • need to send post by recorded or signed for delivery 
  • are sending original documents or objects such as keyrings
  • want to send post to over 4000 (four thousand) recipients 
  • send post regularly such as monthly, quarterly or termly 

How to send Hybrid mail

You can read our Hybrid mail user guide (PDF, 637KB)​ or follow the steps below:

Get a Dataforge account 

You can get a Dataforge account if you are:

  • an employee who joined the council after March 2019, please email the Mitie helpdesk (PDF, 139KB) to request an account
  • an employee who joined before March 2019, you will have an account already. Your username will be the start of your email address, such as firstname.surname 
  • an employee who has changed their name since March 2019 please the Mitie helpdesk (PDF, 139KB) to change your account 

To request a new password, see the password reset guidance (PDF, 81KB).

Complete the letter template

Make sure your letter is 20 pages or under. First and second class post has weight restrictions set by Royal Mail, a letter over 20 pages will be too heavy. 

Complete the letter template (DOCX, 59KB), following the user guide (PDF, 637KB).  

Import your letter and attachments 

Add your letter and attachments require. 

If you see a blank page when previewing your letter or attachments, it will be because your version of Adobe is not compatible, but your letter will print correctly. 

Please check error messages and warnings. Read the user guide (PDF, 637KB) for help. 

Submit 

Before submitting your request please check:

  • your letter and attachments are not over 20 pages or 40 sides
  • colour settings 
  • postage, choose first or second class post 
  • if you need to include a business reply envelope (BRE)
  • date you want to send your request

Read the user guide (PDF, 637KB) to help check your request thoroughly as it cannot be cancelled once it is processing. 

If you need to cancel and your request status is not ‘processing, you can click on ‘cancel on the righthand side of the item on the DataForge po​​rtal. 

Processing and sending

Your item will show as ‘processing’ and will be printed for Royal Mail to post. 

Issues with DataForge 

If you are experiencing issues, please email the Mitie helpdesk (PDF, 139KB) providing details of the problem with screen shots or images of your screen, and details of error messages. 

Contact 

Our partners Mitie are responsible for council postage, contact the Mitie helpdesk (PDF, 139KB) if you have any questions.​