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FAQs
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 is
the Answer for Your
Toughest Shipping Problems!
Below is a list
of frequently asked questions concerning our shipping software solutions
and the Computerized Parcel System (CPS™). Click on a subject below and
the page will advance to the section with your answer. If
your questions are not answered below, please
send
us an e-mail
and a customer service representative will be glad to help you.
"I love and appreciate CPS and just could
not manage my business without it."
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are the system
requirements for using CPS?
Want to know more?
(800)231-0296
(For other ways to contact us
click here)
Contact Us for a Free Shipping
Software Consultation Today!
Let us show you just how much we can help your business grow
while saving money as you ship and manage your business today!
Shipping and
Saving with
What is CPS?
CPS is a multiple-carrier shipping system for
your global deliveries designed to solve shipping problems by
lowering shipping expenses, reducing shipping errors, expanding
carrier choices and decreasing the time it takes to ship a
package. CPS prints labels, connects to existing data, uploads
data to the carriers, price shops, verifies addresses, provides
management reporting and much more.
Who uses CPS?
CPS users are
primarily small-to-medium size businesses, shipping between 20
to 15,000+ orders per day. CPS is designed for those who want an
affordable, multi-carrier shipping system that can be easily
used with their existing systems. Internet sellers,
manufacturing companies, distributors, fulfillment companies,
wholesalers, retail companies and service providers are examples
of those who can benefit by using CPS.
How can CPS simplify my shipping?
CPS makes shipping simple by providing a single
interface for all of your UPS, FedEx and US Postal Service
package processing. If you use CPS RateBots, CPS will even
compare prices for different carrier and service combinations
and automatically choose the best price for each package. This
means your staff does not need to go to multiple shipping
systems to price shop. Using CPS means you integrate your order
system just once with CPS, and then start shipping. If you use
separate carrier systems, you integrate your company’s
order-taking system several times, once for each carrier
solution. The single CPS interface takes care of everything:
getting your order data; printing your labels; sending optional
email notifications; sending the necessary information to the
carriers; printing daily total reports; printing management
control reports; verifying addresses and the
commercial/residential status; and more. CPS makes your shipping
simple and frees you up to spend time on other parts of your
business.
How can I save money using CPS?
CPS shipping
software cuts shipping costs and is designed to help you solve
shipping problems. As shipping needs grow, CPS can expand to
help. CPS is a shipping system you can start with and stay with.
CPS provides tools to help you expand your market size and
increase sales as it lowers shipping costs. CPS gives you
control and cost-savings along with terrific reliability and
outstanding service and support. CPS provides shipping
management reports, sends automatic shipment notifications to
customers for all carriers, helping you and your customers track
parcels, and more. Finally, CPS easily connects to your in-house
systems and works either as a stand-alone or multi-user system
shipping system.
Will I still get my carrier discounts if I start using CPS?
Yes. With CPS
you use your current carrier accounts so your company's rates
apply to the packages you ship with CPS.
Will CPS price shop between carriers?
Yes, you can use the CPS Best Way Calculator to
see the carrier rates and pick the best, or use CPS RateBots to
automatically choose the best price from the carriers and
services you tell the RateBot to compare. You can set up as many
money saving RateBots as you need.
How can I see my
savings when I use RateBots?
The CPS
RateBot Savings Report will look at your approved shipping methods then
calculate the cost difference between the least favorable way to ship a
package and the carrier and service chosen by the RateBot. This is
calculated for every package shipped with a RateBot, so you can always
see how well the RateBot is doing its job.
Can I use my discounted rates for rate shopping?
Yes, CPS has settings and utilities to let you
enter your company’s specific rates in CPS, and these rates can
be used for price shopping.
Can CPS shop for the best price for delivery on a specific day?
Sometimes you need next day or 2 day service, but Ground service
would deliver in the time needed and Ground service costs less.
The CPS Smart RateBot shops for the best service for time
definite delivery, including using Ground service when Ground
meets the delivery time needed. Smart RateBots can be another
real money saver.
Why use CPS when my order system includes shipping?
Most order
systems print labels and send data to the carriers. That is
certainly a good start, but you could definitely be losing money
in your shipping. Normally, order systems that include shipping
print the shipping label only on a form with the invoice, are often limited to domestic shipping and they may not work
with every carrier. If the pre-determined weight from the order
system does not match the package’s boxed weight, unexpected
additional freight and surcharges will be added to your bill.
With CPS, you can link in real time to the shipping data for
many of these systems, get an accurate weight and label, and
eliminate surprises on your carrier invoice.
How does CPS increase my market size or sales?
If you charge
actual shipping costs to your customers, your products cost more
for customers farther away, which turns your company into a
local or a regional business. CPS helps you get the best price
to ship every package, and CPS provides a "Flat Rate" shipping
report that analyzes your shipping history and calculates the
average cost to ship a package. This lets you accurately
determine a "flat rate" shipping charge for all of your orders,
and that lets you extend your market. Plus, flat rate shipping
charges reduce shipping cost "sticker shock", a proven cause of
abandoned shopping carts.
Why use CPS when we have carrier supplied software?
We certainly know that one carrier may satisfy a shipper. Of
course, that carrier can vary from shipper to shipper. Shippers
using a single carrier have praised superior package processing
times with CPS. Some single carrier shippers take advantage of
the considerable savings on declared value insurance through the
alternate insurance carriers. Still others like the safety net
of the multiple carrier capability of CPS. If the ability of
your main carrier to pickup and deliver your packages is
interrupted, the multiple-carrier safety net could be the
difference in business as usual or a very real “worst case”
scenario for your company. Finally, when a carrier knows it's
easy for you to ship with their competition, you have a better
rate negotiation position.
Why do carriers provide free software but CPS has a cost?
Carriers
provide shipping software at “no charge”, but is it free? We are
in business because we help companies profit on their investment
in CPS. Carrier provided systems are designed to be good for the
carriers. Many articles detail the high, real-world costs of
using carrier provided systems. Is shipping packages using one
system for one carrier and a second system for another carrier
the most efficient way? Use two (or more) shipping systems and
your expenses double. Shipping staff training, setting up the
systems to work with your data, applying system updates, etc.
all use your company's valuable resources. The “free” system
locks you in to that carrier and limits your ability to choose
another carrier. CPS users and professional rate negotiators
tell us they negotiate better rates using third-party instead of
“free” carrier systems. Negotiate your best deal, use CPS to
compare rates for your shipping, then add in the savings by
using an alternate declared value insurance company. Just a 1%
or 2% edge can put thousands on your bottom line. The small cost
for CPS will reward your bottom line every year.
Can CPS help my customers track their packages?
Yes, several ways. The CPS SHIP eLERT®, which is an email
shipping notification, can be sent for every package you ship.
This works with a dedicated tracking page just for CPS users and
their customers so your customers can track their package
without calling you for a package status (see the next FAQ).
From within CPS, it’s easy to find, then track, a package in the
CPS shipping history. You can get the tracking status of one
package or a group of packages in a similar way.
Will CPS send email notifications to customers?
The CPS SHIP eLERT is an email shipping notification you
control. Send a SHIP eLERT and your customer knows their
package is on the way. The SHIP eLERT is sent from your email
address so your customers know it's from you. The SHIP eLERT
includes a tracking link, so with a "click", your customers get
their package status. And your customer service does NOT get a
call! Harvey Software has a dedicated web page that supports
tracking for all CPS carriers, so your customer can always
easily get tracking info on their packages.
How does CPS help to solve my shipping problems?
CPS greatly reduces shipping errors, provides a seamless
connection to in-house systems, increases business rule
compliance, automatically shops between carrier services for the
best rate for normal or time sensitive shipments, and empowers
shippers with real-time decision making tools. In addition,
Harvey Software’s advanced tracking features augment carrier
offerings and cut customer service costs. The single shipping
solution interface in CPS for multiple-carrier processing reduces the
inefficiencies found in single carrier software systems. No
other carrier software is needed. CPS is a carrier compliant
global shipping solution for package shipping, labeling and
electronic uploading. CPS can be purchased, downloaded,
installed, and supported all over the Internet. CPS is very
affordable with no long term contracts and includes toll-free
technical support. CPS is designed to solve your shipping
problems.
Can CPS help determine the charge for shipping at my web site?
Yes, CPS
provides its "Flat Rate" shipping report that analyzes your
shipping history and calculates your average costs to ship a
package. This lets you accurately see a "flat rate" shipping
cost for all of your orders. From this, you can determine the
"flat rate" you need to charge for shipping to be sure you do
not lose money in shipping. A huge bonus is that flat rate
shipping charges minimize shipping cost "sticker shock", which
reduces abandoned carts caused by a shipping cost that is a
surprise. And fewer abandoned carts mean more sales.
Can CPS help determine the charge for shipping for my other
orders?
The same
"Flat Rate" shipping report (from the question above) that
analyzes all of your shipping history can help you determine how
much to charge for all of your orders, not just web orders. The
Flat Rate report gives you overall information, including a
breakdown of next day, 2 day, 3 day and ground costs per
carrier. With this, you'll know how much you need to charge for
shipping for all of your orders.
Using
What carriers are supported in CPS?
FedEx, UPS,
USPS (including Internet postage) and SpeeDee are all included
in every CPS. There is nothing else to buy for any standard
carrier processing. Also included is the General Carrier Service
(GCS) module. Use GCS to ship via LTL carriers, local delivery
services or even your company's delivery trucks. CPS comes
complete with everything you need to ship using any or all of
the CPS supported carriers.
Will I need to install any carrier software for CPS to work?
CPS comes with everything needed to ship with FedEx, UPS, the US
Postal Service and SpeeDee. You do not need to have any other
carriers' system installed.
Can I use my existing carrier accounts?
Yes, you can
use your existing accounts to ship with CPS as long as they are
set up for billing and daily pickup.
Can I use multiple carrier accounts?
Yes, you can
set up as many UPS, FedEx and US Postal Service accounts in CPS
as needed.
Does CPS support International shipping?
International shipping with the US Postal Service, FedEx and UPS
is included with every CPS.
Does CPS include the UPS Paperless Invoice service?
Every CPS includes UPS Paperless Invoice processing.
How many packages can I ship each day with CPS?
There is
really no limit to the number of packages that CPS can handle.
Here are a couple of examples, verified by the carriers. At this
single station CPS installation, one carrier reports a package
volume of 15,000 - 16,000 package records they receive every day
during the peak season from this large shipper. This is a highly
automated environment using CPS as the package processing
“engine”. Another carrier reports a location shipping over
30,000 per day using the CPS Enterprise Edition to process
packages using several shipping workstations. CPS can definitely
solve the problem of shipping big volumes when needed.
Does CPS
support multiple piece shipments?
CPS has a special US Shipment mode to quickly ship multiple boxes to the
same address, and CPS even has an address repeat key to help with that,
too. For international orders, you just tell CPS how many boxes are in a
shipment. CPS also handles the Hundredweight service from UPS and the
FedEx Multi-Weight service.
How much can I streamline the shipping process with CPS?
The shipping process can be streamlined a great deal in CPS. CPS
can automate data importing, stop for data at just the fields
you want, set a screen that is not used often to be optional, or
make the shipping process as simple as scanning an order or box
ID and the label is printed. There is even a complete
"hands-off" processing mode available. With CPS, the shipping
process can be as fast and easy as you want it to be.
How do the carriers receive information about my packages?
Every CPS has built-in, approved communication to UPS, FedEx and
the US Postal Service. CPS connects to UPS and the USPS at the
end of the day. CPS connects to FedEx and Endicia for Internet
postage for each package you ship. The communication is fast, so
it's just a few seconds to ship any package with CPS.
Can CPS handle third party and other billing options?
CPS handles a wide variety of carrier billing options. For UPS,
CPS handles the bill shipper, bill recipient, bill third party
and Consignee billing options. For FedEx, CPS handles bill
shipper, bill recipient, bill third-party, bill a credit card
(FedEx Express only), cash/check payments (FedEx Express only),
and Collect (FedEx Ground only).
Can I use CPS to ship for multiple companies?
CPS can ship for multiple companies in two ways. One way is to
set up a carrier account for each company. The other way is to
use one account but print labels with different return addresses
for each company. CPS gives you easy ways to handle multiple
companies either of these ways.
Can CPS store customer information?
CPS has a customer file to store customer shipping information,
which can include their carrier and service preference and even
their COD preference. Customer data can be easily imported into
CPS or you can even type in an address, then save it or update
an existing entry.
Where is my shipping data stored?
All of your valuable shipping data, customer data, etc., is
stored directly on your shipping PC so you can control its
privacy and safety.
Can I print
a different return addresses on my labels?
CPS lets you
easily print a different return address on your shipping labels.
You can set up as many return addresses as you need.
Can I use stealth postage when using Endicia Internet Postage?
Yes, and there is even a setting to automatically use stealth
postage any time it's available.
Can I add notes to my shipping labels?
CPS lets you add optional information to your shipping label,
and you control the additional information printed on the label.
What happens if I need technical support for my CPS?
All support
for CPS is provided directly from our offices, not any other
place. CPS has great on-line support available that covers
setting up and using CPS. If you still have questions or get
stuck with something, Harvey Software's telephone support for
CPS is outstanding. Finally, our technicians can even remotely
access your computer, so you can always count on us to help. All
of these support options are included with your CPS package.
How is CPS kept up-to-date?
All CPS updates are done on-line and install automatically. Use
the automatic CPS Update (recommended) that checks for updates
whenever CPS starts, or apply the update when you choose.
Will you notify me in advance when CPS is changed or updated?
We send a special e-mailing just to let CPS users know in
advance when there is an update or change coming. It's a double
opt-in list for the best security. Just sign up and you will
have early notice about any CPS update. When updates are
available, CPS also displays a notice with information about the
update. With shipping software, updates are important and we
want you to know when they occur.
Is there a private web site to help me with support and industry
changes?
There is a
private web site for CPS users just for CPS support. Harvey
Software also maintains other sites such as our Parcel Shipping
Blog that provides solid shipping information and our Business
Shipper site with other industry information. The Internet is
great for sharing this timely information.
Does CPS print any reports and can custom reports be made?
CPS provides shipping reports from daily shipping and from
shipping history. A sample of these: Daily Shipping Detail
Report, which also provides carrier service summaries; Cost
Center/Department reports (daily, history and summaries); the
reports needed when Alternate insurance companies are used; the Flat Rate
Calculator report to determine how much to charge for shipping;
and the RateBot Savings Report that shows the savings potential
when RateBots are used. For custom reports, CPS data is easily
available so that if a CPS report does not give you the
information you need, you can use your favorite reporting tool
to get what's needed.
If I temporarily lose my Internet connection can I still ship
with CPS?
UPS and the US Postal service do not require any on-line
connection until the end of the day, and even the end-of-day
transmission can be done the next day if there is a problem. So
if an Internet connection is lost, you can always ship with UPS
and the US Postal Service. CPS does use the Internet to connect
to FedEx and Endicia for each package you ship. Internet
connections are very reliable today, but CPS gives you options
if you run into an Internet problem that goes on for too long.
Installing
How quickly can I get started using CPS?
You can get
started right now. When you order CPS you receive an e-mail with
your CPS registration information and everything you need to get
started. After you download the CPS program installation file,
you are ready to go.
Can we install and setup CPS ourselves?
Yes. CPS has
been designed since its inception to be easily installed by its
user. For those seeking specialized assistance or that require a
comprehensive, integrated business solution, Harvey Software
business partners can help. They provide expertise for the most
sophisticated situations, for advanced integration with ERP and
other host systems, or with high quality custom programming to
help CPS users get the most out of CPS.
Do you offer training for CPS?
Training is available for CPS. There are some who think there is
no substitute for hands-on training to ensure the success of
automating a shipping department. CPS training is done right on
your computer, using secure webcast technology. This private
training is both instructional and "hands-on" as you work
interactively with a Harvey Software training specialist to
learn what you want and need to know about CPS. The cost of this
training is very affordable. One or several can attend the
training session, all at the same price.
Integrating
Can CPS get shipping information from my order system?
CPS pioneered a number of ways for shipping systems to use
existing data. Special data translation tools, ODBC read/write,
special features for SQL data, transparent data importing and
even a “hands-off” processing mode. Situations can be different,
so we are glad to work with you and your technical group to mesh
CPS with your existing system. Every CPS data integration tool
is included with every CPS.
Which CPS data integration tools cost extra?
Every CPS data integration tool is included with every CPS.
There is nothing extra to buy.
Options for
What options are available for CPS?
What is
included with every CPS is a long list: UPS, FedEx and US Postal
Service (via Internet Postage)
shipping; a data connectivity toolbox; emailed shipping notices;
and automatic rate comparisons, just to start. The option list
for CPS is as short as the included feature list is long. The
current cost saving options include additions to CPS like the Address Verification Module
and the
UPS Mail Innovations Module. But it does not stop there.
If you have special needs make sure you let us know, there are
other options available for those shippers with special carrier
contract services. Everything else you are
reading about is included. CPS is ready to do the job right
"out-of-the-box".
Can CPS check and verify addresses?
CPS has
outstanding address checking abilities. Every CPS cross checks
ZIP codes with city and state to make sure these basics match
up. The CPS Address Verification Module (AVM) adds more: 1)
Tells you when an address doesn't exist; 2) Lets you know that
the address exists but is missing some key information such as
suite number apt #, etc.; 3) Notifies you if the
residential/commercial choice is incorrect; and 4) Standardizes
addresses to match the USPS CASS certified database.
Does CPS work with alternate package insurance companies?
CPS works with the two best known alternate package insurance
companies, Parcel Insurance Plan (PIP) and U-PIC, to provide the
reports they need so you can take advantage of their money
saving package insurance rates.
Ways to Buy
How do I purchase CPS?
Click any "Get a Free Quote" link at our web site to purchase CPS and
options. We use Google Checkout so your purchase by credit card
is protected and secure. And your data is NEVER sold or shared.
Is there a contract or time commitment required?
There are no contracts and no time commitments. Just choose a
monthly, quarterly or yearly plan - whatever fits your needs the
best. It's easy to change plans, too, as you see how CPS works
for your company.
Is there a cancellation fee?
There is no cancellation fee with CPS.
How will I be billed?
For the CPS Monthly plan we charge your credit card each month.
For the CPS Quarterly and Annual Plans, you are billed in
advance for each billing period.
Can I purchase CPS on a quarterly or yearly basis?
You can start with a CPS quarterly or yearly plan, or you can
start with the CPS Monthly plan, then upgrade to a quarterly or
yearly plan for additional savings.
Can I use CPS on more than one computer?
You need a CPS license for each computer where you use CPS. You
can purchase individual licenses and there is also a CPS
Enterprise Edition. With multiple CPS shipping stations, you can
network them together so that one "master" station contains all
of the data and is the only station that needs to close out with
the carriers. For the CPS Enterprise Edition, using one master
station is a requirement.
System
Requirements
What are system
requirements for using CPS?
Want to know more?
(800)231-0296
(For other ways to contact us
click here)
Contact Us for a Free Shipping
Software Consultation Today!
Let us show you just how much we can help your business grow
while saving money as you ship and manage your business today!
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