Chapter 21: Working with Postal Code Formats (WPCF)

Purpose: Use the Work with Postal Code Format function to define the format for printing postal codes on pick slips or gift acknowledgments. Postal codes are defined by country, but each country can have more than one postal code format.

When you print pick slips, the system compares each customer's postal code with the postal code formats you have defined through this function. In order to match a format, the postal code should have the same number of positions and conform in the placement of filler characters, such as hyphens. If the system cannot find a match, no postal code prints on the pick slip. For this reason, it is useful to consider the different postal code formats your operators typically use in Order Entry and define a format to cover each.

In this chapter:

• Postal Code Validation

• Work with Postal Code Format Screen

• Postal Code Layout (Creating a Format)

• Postal Code Layout Screen (Changing a Format)

• Postal Code Layout Screen (Displaying a Format)

Postal Code Validation

Purpose: The system calls a user-defined program to validate postal code formats outside the CWDirect environment if you set the External Postal Code Validation (E62) system control value to Y. The system provides a "hook" to the program when an operator presses Enter on a screen containing a postal code in the following files:

• Customer Bill To

• Customer Ship To

• Customer Sold To

• Order Header

• Order Ship To

• Order Ship To Address

• Call Tags

• Catalog Request

This program can be used to validate postal code rules for a specific country; for example, if a postal code for a country should only contain 6 numbers and the operator enters more than 6 numbers, the program passes an error message such as the following back to CWDirect:

 

Invalid Postal Code Format

 

Once the program completes, CWDirect returns to normal processing.

Work with Postal Code Format Screen

Purpose: Use this screen to work with the formats you have defined for printing postal codes on pick slips or gift acknowledgments.

How to display this screen: Enter WPCF in the Fast path field or select Working with Postal Code Formats (WPCF) from a menu.

MSR0584 DISPLAY Work with Postal Code Format 5/01/97 12:41:37 The Mail Order Company Opt Country Code Length Format POSTALCODE Type options, press Enter. 2=Change 4=Delete 5=Display CAN CANADA 6 POSTAL USA UNITED STATES 5 POSTA USA UNITED STATES 10 POSTA-LCOD F3=Exit F6=Create F12=Cancel

Field	Description
Country	A code to represent the country for the postal code format. Country codes are defined in and validated against the Country file. See Chapter 14: Setting Up the Country File (WCTY). Alphanumeric, 3 positions; optional.
Country description (Unlabeled field to the right of the country)	The description of the country. Alphanumeric, 30 positions; display-only.
Code length	The number of characters in the postal code. Numeric, 3 positions; optional.
Format postal code	The postal code format, illustrated by arranging the ten letters of the word "postalcode" in the same order and position as the characters of the postal code will print on the pick slip. Example: The "zip plus 4" postal code used in the United States is represented on this screen as:   POSTA-LCOD   When printed on the pick slip or gift acknowledgment, this postal code would appear in the following format:   01609-1039   Alphanumeric, 10 positions; display-only.

Screen Option	Procedure
Change a postal code format	Enter 2 next to a postal code format to advance to the Postal Code Layout Screen (Changing a Format).
Delete a postal code format	Enter 4 next to a postal code format.
Display a postal code format	Enter 5 next to a postal code format to advance to the Postal Code Layout Screen (Displaying a Format).
Add a new postal code format for a country	Press F6. See Postal Code Layout (Creating a Format).

Postal Code Layout (Creating a Format)

To create: Press F6 at the Work with Postal Code Format Screen.

MSR0585 ENTER Postal Code Layout 5/01/97 12:46:21 The Mail Order Company Country Code Length Unformatted Postal Code Positions 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 Enter the number of the position above into the correct position below to format the postal code for the country. You may also enter special characters, such as a dash, comma, etc. Formatted Postal Code Positions Zip Spaces Zip Position B=Before, A=After, S=Separate F3=Exit F12=Cancel

Field	Description
Country	A code to represent the country for the postal code format. Country codes are defined in and validated against the Country file. See Chapter 14: Setting Up the Country File (WCTY). Alphanumeric, 3 positions; required.
Code length	The number of characters in the postal code. The maximum number is ten. Numeric, 3 positions; required.
Formatted postal code positions	The order and position of each of the postal code digits for pick slips or gift acknowledgments, including any hyphens or other "filler" characters. The first digit of the postal code will print where you enter a 1, the second digit will print where you enter a 2, and so on, up to the tenth digit, which will print where you enter a 0. Example: Create a United States five-digit postal code format as: 1 2 3 4 5 Create a United States "zip plus 4" postal code format as: 1 2 3 4 5 - 7 8 9 0 Create a Canadian postal code format as: 1 2 3 4 5 6 Alphanumeric, 10 positions; required.
Zip spaces	This field is not currently implemented. Numeric, 1 position; optional.
Zip position	This field is not currently implemented. Valid values: A = After B = Before S = Separate Alphanumeric, 1 position; optional.

Step-by-step instructions:

1. Complete the Country field and the Code length field.

2. Enter the postal code format in the Formatted postal code positions fields, indicating where each digit of the postal code should print. Include any hyphens or other "filler" characters in your count. See the Formatted postal code positions fields for an example.

Postal Code Layout Screen (Changing a Format)

To change: Enter 2 next to a postal code format at the Work with Postal Code Format Screen to advance to the Postal Code Layout screen in Change mode. You can change only the Formatted postal code positions fields. See Postal Code Layout (Creating a Format) for field descriptions.

Postal Code Layout Screen (Displaying a Format)

To display: Enter 5 next to a postal code format at the Work with Postal Code Format Screen to advance to the Postal Code Layout screen in Display mode. You cannot change any information on this screen. See Postal Code Layout (Creating a Format) for field descriptions.