What is EST?

EST is a secure shipping application that you can use to prepare all of the paperwork required for your mailings and shipments, and to automate your shipping and mailing processes. Whether you are a large or small business, we have a solution for you.

Choose the solution that best suits your needs

We offer EST in a Desktop version, Business Desktop 2.0, an Online version, and Express Order Entry. Discover the features of each below.

EST Online

Who is it for?
EST Online is for customers requiring simple, quick solutions for non-frequent, low to medium volume shipments and mailings. It's perfect for small to mid-sized businesses including VentureOne™ customers.

What you can do with EST Online

• Easily handle the entire shipping/mailing process online.
• Complete shipping labels online and print using a laser printer.
• Store and manage names in the address book.
• Compare rates and delivery times for available services.
• Set customized preferences to automatically populate fields with frequently used values.
• Send email notifications with the tracking number to let customers know the delivery status.
• Track your orders.

What you need

• a Canada Post customer number
• an Online Business Centre (OBC) user ID and password
• a computer with Internet access
• a laser printer

EST Desktop

Who is it for?
EST Desktop is perfect for commercial customers with larger volumes and more complex shipping and mailing requirements including multi-user environments. The EST Desktop is being replaced by the new Business Desktop 2.0.

What you can do with EST Desktop

• Save your shipping history.
• Access reporting capabilities.
• Complete labels and documents and print using a laser or thermal printer.
• Set customized preferences to automatically populate fields with frequently used values.
• Store and manage names in the address book.
• Transfer addresses easily by importing and exporting to address books stored in other applications.
• Send email notifications with the tracking number to let customers know the delivery status.
• Track your orders.
• Send return labels by email for your customers to print and use.
• Print labels immediately or save until later.

What you need

• a Canada Post customer number and contract number
• a computer with Internet access
• a laser printer or thermal printer

New! Business Desktop 2.0

The Business Desktop 2.0 is the new release of our EST Desktop (VCD) application with more features and improved design.
View more information.

Express Order Entry

Express Order Entry is a fast, free and convenient way to prepare and pay for your shipments. It provides the benefits of EST from the security of your corporate website or the Canada Post website. Choose from:

Express Order Entry – Ship in Canada
Prepare and pay for your shipments in Canada. No software download required.

Express Order Entry – Unaddressed Admail
Target, prepare and pay for your Unaddressed Admail™ orders in 4 easy steps (for orders that target 1 specific delivery area).

How to access Express Order Entry from your corporate website

We can provide you with a link to Express Order Entry that you add to your company's intranet site or secure Internet site.

If you are interested in a corporate link to Express Order Entry – Ship in Canada, email us at: sic.eac@canadapost.ca

If you are interested in a corporate link to Express Order Entry – Unaddressed Admail, email us at: uam.msa@canadapost.ca. Please note that you must have an Unaddressed Admail agreement with multiple users at a minimum of 20 discrete physical locations, such as branches, franchises or subsidiaries whose combined Unaddressed Admail volumes total a minimum 100,000 Items annually.

For more information, please contact us 1-866-757-5480.

eLink Program at Canada Post

Choose the solution that best suits your needs

Third-party shipping solutions

If you have more complex business processes or use multiple carriers, consider working with one of our approved Third Party Shipping System Vendors. Depending on the scope of your project and available resources, developing a shipping solution in-house can prove to be time-consuming. Often times, companies looking to enhance their operations by automating with Canada Post find it cost-effective to work with one of our approved Third Party Shipping System Vendors. Our Vendors are required to go through an extensive approval process to ensure they meet the requirements of Canada Post’s shipping and billing business rules.

The following software vendors have been approved for Third Party Shipping Solutions:

Company Name	Website Address
Abol Software	www.abolsoft.com
Apptius	www.apptius.com
CanLogix (Evcor)	www.canlogix.ca
ConnectShip	www.connectship.com
Escalate Retail	www.escalateretail.com
Go Logix Technologies	www.go-logix.com
Imagine	www.imaginewms.com
Integrated Systems Associates Inc.	www.integratedsys.net
Logicor Inc.	www.logicor.com
Logistics Solutions Intl Inc.	www.lsi-intl.com
Manhattan Associates	www.manhattanassociates.com
Pitney Bowes	www.pb.com
Scancode	www.scancode.com
Tecsys	www.tecsys.com
UFMS	www.ufmsinc.com

Contact the vendor of your choice and identify your unique situation, business process and requirements. Transactions processed electronically may qualify for a 3% automation discount.

For more information, contact one of our Canada Post sales representatives.

Customer Developed Shipping Solution (CDSS)

This solution is ideal if you are a medium to high volume shipper with unique shipment processing requirements. Building your own shipping system provides the flexibility to manage development time and effort. This option also provides you the flexibility and functionality based on your user requirements.

You can create domestic, U.S. and International shipping labels and manifest from your own system and transmit daily manifest data to Canada Post. Upon approval, you may qualify for a 3% automation discount for shipments electronically transmitted.

You will be required to have an agreement with us in order to ship using Canada Post’s services. For more information, contact one of our Canada Post sales representatives.

If you already have an agreement with us, you may forward a request to cenauto@canadapost.ca in order to begin the approval process.

eLink Approval Process

Whether you want to develop your own shipping solution or develop a solution to market to third party users, the eLink Approval Process ensures compliance with Canada Post’s latest automated shipping specifications.

The approval process is designed to ensure shipping systems conform to our specification, to allow for efficient mail handling, traceability and accurate billing. In order to facilitate efficient delivery and traceability, the label produced by a shipping system must have the appropriate addressing, service required, delivery options and a barcode. A paper manifest must be prepared to accompany all mailings in order to meet transportation regulation as well as initiate tracking capabilities. We also offer an electronic data option to ensure that the customer benefits from accurate electronic billing.

Refer to our eLink approval requirements document for further details.

In order to engage Canada Post’s approval process, please download and complete our customer profile form and email to cenauto@canadapost.ca

Getting started with EST

Small business customers

1. If you are a small business, join our VentureOne™ program to access the Online Business Centre and our Electronic Shipping Tools. Sign up now.
2. Once you have your VentureOne customer number, you need access to the Online Business Centre. Get an Online Business Centre user ID and password.
3. Log in to our Online Business Centre (OBC).
4. Select Electronic Shipping Tools. Follow the prompts to use the Online version of EST or Express Order Entry. Please note that you'll need Adobe Reader version 4+ to use EST Online.

Business customers

1. Have the following information available:
   • your Canada Post customer number
   • your contract number
   If you do not have these numbers, or if you don't remember them, call 1-866-757-5480. If you are a new customer, you'll be asked to fill out a credit application.
2. Log in to our Online Business Centre (OBC). If you're a new user, sign up to get a user ID and password.
3. Select Electronic Shipping Tools. Follow the prompts to use the EST Online version or Express Order Entry, or to download the Business Desktop 2.0.
   You will be guided through the installation process. Upon successful installation you will be able to open the Business Desktop 2.0 from the EST Desktop 2.0 icon on your computer’s desktop.
   

Note: Customers with the EST Desktop (VCD) currently installed will be able to migrate information to the Business Desktop 2.0 during the installation. If you decline during installation you have the option to migrate information at a later time. After installing the Business Deskotp 2.0 you will still have access to the EST Desktop (VCD) for a limited time.

Note: If you're using EST Online, you'll need Adobe Reader version 4+.

For technical assistance, please call our Technical Helpdesk at 1-866-511-0546.

System requirements

To effectively use EST, your equipment should meet the following minimum requirements:

Equipment	Recommended
Internet connection	Mandatory, high-speed preferred
Processor	Pentium III processor (recommended Pentium IV 1.2 GHz or better)
RAM	256 MB of RAM or better
Hard-drive space	300 MB of available space
Monitor resolution	1024 x 768
Operating system	Windows 2000/XP
Scale (Desktop version only)*	Serial connected
Bar code scanner	Optional
Browser (Online version only)	Firefox version 1.5, Internet Explorer version 5.5+, and Netscape Navigator version 4.7+ (128-bit encryption recommended)
SOM/Manifest/Report Printer	Windows 2000/XP supported laser
Unaddressed Admail Delivery Slip	Windows 2000/XP supported laser
Label Printer**	Windows 2000/XP supported laser, or thermal printer

*Currently EST supports Pitney Bowes, Weightronixs, and Mettler scales that can be connected to a computer through a serial port. If you ship fewer than 50 items per day or items that are of a uniform weight, you can use a standard digital scale and manually enter the parcel weight into EST.

** The type of printer to use for label production is determined by the desired output. EST can only capture a printer port and paper type once. If you select a tractor-fed labelling option, 2 printers and 2 printer ports are required—one set for manifests and reports, and the second set for labels. For more detailed information, call the Canada Post Technical Helpdesk at 1-800-277-4799.

Labels & forms

For Mailings

With EST, you can print the following on 8½ X 11 inch regular bond paper:

• Unaddressed Admail delivery slips
• Statements of Mailing
• Distribution plan

Order adhesive labels for tie-on-bags from the OBC under Order Products and Supplies. Stock number for ordering: 33-086-691.

For Shipments
With EST, you can select bar-coded label options to ship your parcels. The label option you select will dictate the type of printer you need. Order shipping labels from the OBC under Order Products and Supplies.

Choose from 2 types of labels:

Plain paper address labels
Plain paper labels provide the most flexibility, do not require any specialized impact printers, and are the easiest to load and configure. Use these if you imported an address database into EST, and if you use a different service for each shipment.

• The label is printed on standard letter-size paper. You then fold the label in half and put it into a self-adhesive pouch (labelope), which you then apply to the parcel.
• You can print the 14 cm x 21 cm label on any supported laser printer.
• In addition to meeting our system requirements you'll need a scale and bar code scanner.
• Stock number for ordering the self-adhesive pouch: 33-086-593.

Thermal labels
Use thermal labels if you ship significant daily volumes, continuously switch services, or ship using large group shipping lists. Supported thermal printers include:

• Eltron 2742
• Zebra TLP 2742, TLP 2746 and TLP 2844

For more information on supported thermal printers, please contact the Canada Post Technical Helpdesk at 1-800-277-4799.

Support

Need help? Check out our detailed user guides.

User guides

Creating your order with EST Online

• Communications Services
• Unaddressed Admail - SOM Only
• Unaddressed Admail - Fully Featured
• Parcel Services - Canada
• Parcel Services – U.S.A./International
• Import File Specifications
• Export File Specifications

Creating your order online with Express Order Entry (EOE)

• Ship in Canada - Generic Solution
• Ship in Canada - Secure Solution
• Unaddressed Admail - Generic solution
• Unaddressed Admail - Secure solution

Creating your order with EST Desktop (VCD)

• Installation & Setup User Guide
• Features & Functionalities
• Import File Specifications
• Export File Specifications
• Lettermail™ Service
• Addressed Admail™ Service
• Publications Mail™ Service
• Unaddressed Admail - SOM Only
• Unaddressed Admail - Fully Featured
• Parcel Services

Help with Express Order Entry
Express Order Entry - Unaddressed Admail email us at uam.msa@canadapost.ca
Express Order Entry - Ship in Canada email us at sic.eac@canadapost.ca

Help with Business Desktop 2.0
Get help specfiic to the area you are working in by clicking on the Help icon or by pressing F1 when you are logged into the Business Desktop 2.0.