General

This section provides a quick overview of the information you'll need to navigate through the Electronic Shipping Tool (EST) Business Desktop 2.0.

Because the EST Business Desktop 2.0 is a dynamic application the appearance may differ depending on the display settings in your operating system.

Navigation

Navigate the windows and menus using either a mouse or the keyboard.

  • Use the mouse to point and click on the desired option.

  • use hot keys as defined by an UNDERLINED LETTER or indicated with a BRACKET SYMBOL < >

Move from FIELD TO FIELD:

  • use <TAB> or your mouse to point and click the option

  • use the left and right ARROW KEYS to move between choices for a single field (e.g. radio buttons). Click on your selection to activate it.

Note: As you move from field to field the application validates the data; you must acknowledge any message and make necessary corrections to the field in order to continue with the data entry.

Display a selection/drop-down list:

  • click on the drop-down box; all drop down lists have the same functionality: if the user types a character, the drop down list automatically scrolls to the first item in the list that begins with the entered character.

Mandatory Fields:

  • Fields highlighted in yellow are mandatory

  • Enter required information, blank fields are not permitted.

Closing and switching Windows:

  • Click "X" in the top right corner to close any open windows or the EST Business Desktop 2.0. If any updates have not been saved a message will warn you that there are unsaved changes before closing.

  • Click Close (when available) also closes the window.

Note: The main menu window is used to navigate between all windows currently open on the application. Windows cannot cross categories, which means when a change of category is done, all windows for that category must be closed first.

Help is available by clicking on:

  • the Help icon,

  • clicking F1

  • clicking Help in the top toolbar and selecting Help Content.

Mouse-over tips are available throughout the application.

  • move your mouse over an area to display any available information.

Introduction

This is the first step in accessing the Electronic Shipping Tool (EST) Business Desktop 2.0. From here you are able to login with your User ID and Password, view important EST News and enter Proxy Server information when required.

Login:

1. Enter your User Id

  • minimum of 5 characters and a maximum of 10 as assigned by your system administrator or set-up through Canada Post Business website.

  • Up to 5 of the last User Id's entered will be available for selection from the drop-down menu.

2. Enter Password

  • minimum of 5 characters and a maximum of 8 characters as assigned by your system administrator or set-up through the Canada Post Business website.

Note: If you have been given a temporary password you will be able to use it to access the EST desktop 2.0. It is recommended you sign in to the Canada Post Business website > My Profile to change this as soon as possible as the temporary password is only available for 24 hours.

3. Click Login

  • Login opens the EST Business Desktop 2.0 when the User ID and Password are entered and authenticated.

Need a User ID? Sign up at the Canada Post website. You can also change your password and update your personal information online once you are signed in.

English / French allows you to select the language in which EST Desktop 2.0 will open.

Proxy Setting

You can configure EST Business Desktop 2.0 to use a proxy server to connect to the Internet. A proxy server acts as a security barrier between your internal network and the Internet, keeping others on the Internet from being able to obtain access to information that is located on your internal network.

Important: You may require information about your proxy server that can only be provided by your system administrator. Because of this, you may need to contact your system administrator before proceeding.

1. Check Use a Proxy Server to connect to Internet. Once checked the Proxy Server and Test Settings will enable.

2. Enter Proxy Server Setting

  • SSL Proxy indicates the IP Address or Host Name of the Proxy Server. (i.e. http://proxy.example.canadapost.ca )

  • Port identifies the port number for the Security Proxy. (5 digits)

  • User ID: if required for authentication purposes of your Security Proxy enter User ID (maximum length 20 characters)

  • Password: if required for authentication purposes of the Security Proxy enter password (maximum 20 characters). After the third failed attempt, the Login screen closes without further warning. You will need to contact your system administrator to proceed.

3. Test Settings

  • Click Check Connection to test the connection before continuing. A connection to the EST Business Desktop 2.0 server is attempted. If connection is successful you may save and close this screen and continue to login. If unsuccessful an error message will display, you will need to ensure you have entered the correct information or contact your system administrator.

4. Save or Cancel

  • Save will save the Proxy Server data even if nothing was changed, and leave the screen open.

  • Cancel closes the screen, if any changes were made but not saved you will be asked "Do you want to save changes?" before closing.

  1. Close by clicking <X> in the top right corner.

EST News

This section displays important information about the EST Business Desktop 2.0 including any enhancements or changes that may affect you.

Hide / Show

  • Click Hide to collapse the News area and resize the screen. The next time you login this area will be hidden.

  • Click Show to expand and show the News area.

Note: News automatically Shows anytime there is new content.

News is also available once logged in by:

  • Clicking Help in the main window toolbar and selecting News.

Customer and Workgroup selection

The first time you login with a User Id you must complete the Set-up wizard.

Here you will select a customer number and a Workgroup for each customer number under one User Id.

  • A Workgroup allows users to share data including Shipment Groups, Predefined Items, Cost Centres, Containers, Contract Alias, Favourite Outlets, Behalf of Customers, History, Address Books, and more.
  • The ability to share data is beneficial to customers with multiple work stations who share data.
  • Workgroups are also beneficial to growing customers who may wish to leverage shared data in the future.
  • All members of a workgroup will be able to share folders. This is important as the End of Day process to create a manifest draws in all shipments contributed by all members of a workgroup.

Step 1: Choose the Customer number.

The customer number will be your “Mailed by” customer number on your shipment and mail.

Step 2: Choose the Workgroup for your Customer number.

Based on the customer and contract number associated with your User ID, existing workgroups may be available for you to join. If you have received your User Id and Password from your system administrator please ensure they have provided you with the workgroup name you will join. This is important as the workgroup allows you to share data.

You have two options:

Create New Workgroup.

You must create a new workgroup if there are no existing workgroups or if you do not wish to join an existing workgroup. Data within a workgroup is not shared with any other workgroup.

1. Enter a Workgroup name (alphanumeric maximum 20 characters)

2. Click Finish and the set-up is complete.

Use Existing Workgroup (if available)

If any workgroups have previously been set-up for the customer and contract number associated with your User Id they will be available from the drop-down menu. It is important to select the appropriate workgroup

1. Select a workgroup from the drop-down list.

2. Click Finish and the set-up is complete.

Important:

You may only be part of one workgroup. If existing workgroups are available and you are unsure please contact your system administrator before proceeding. If you require changes to your workgroup you will need to contact the Canada Post Help Desk.

Workgroup examples:

  1. Company ABC processes phone orders. They have three employees all working at the same location in different areas. All three belong to the workgroup “North Plant shipments”
    • Employee 1 works at the order desk and inputs new shipments
    • Employee 2 assembles the shipments in the mailroom and processes the End of Day
    • Employee 3 works in the accounting department and accesses History
  2. Company XYZ is a large company with locations in the East and West side of town. They share a customer number but do not share address books. They have separate reports, shipments and separate End of Day manifests.
    • Employee 1 works at the East plant and belongs to the “East side” workgroup. She uses Cost Centre “East” for reporting purposes.
    • Employee 2 works at the West plant and belongs to the “West side” workgroup. He uses Cost Centre “West” for reporting purposes.
    • Employee 3 works at the head office and needs to view all shipment data. He has two user ID’s: one to access the “East Side” workgroup, one to access the “West Side” workgroup. Employee 3 can view consolidated reporting through the online reporting tool.

* Multiple workgroups are also used in companies with multiple departments, each with their own budgets.

Next Step:

  • Device Configuration: Printers. If required you will automatically be prompted to set your printer configuration before continuing
  • Create/Edit Shipment

Address Book Location

The first time you login with a User Id you must complete the Address Book Location Set-up wizard.

  1. Click Next
    You will be prompted to select the location for storing and accessing your Address Book.
  2. Choose the location for your Address Book
    The location you choose is where your Address Book will be stored and accessed from.

    You have 3 options:

    • Please store my address information on the Canada Post server
      Select this option if you wish to share your Address Book with others in your workgroup. The Address Book remains secure while allowing others within your workgroup to edit (or “to access”) the addresses.
      1. Select this option
      2. Click Finish and the set-up is complete.

    • Please store my address information locally on my desktop (internal database).
      Storing the Address Book locally on your desktop prohibits sharing with others. If stored locally it is recommended you back-up your address book periodically.
      1. Select this option
      2. Click Finish and the set-up is complete.

    • Please connect to an alternate database (external)


      If you have a separate Address Book database you may select this option in order to access it. The Business Desktop 2.0 supports Oracle at this time
      1. Select this option
      2. Select Database type: Oracle will automatically be selected
      3. Enter the required information:
        Host: This is the IP Address or Host Name of the database
        Port: This is the Port number for the database
        User Id: This is the User Id used to access the database (not a Canada Post User ID)
        Password: This is the database password (not a Canada Post password)
        Service Name: This is the Service Id or Service Name of the database.
        Driver: display only. This is the driver that the selected database type uses. It populates when the database type is selected.
        Protocol: display only. This is the driver that the selected database type uses. It populates when the database type is selected.
      4. Click Test Connection: if the connection is unsuccessful with the information provided an error message will display. You will need to confirm the information entered and try again.
      5. Click Finish and the set-up is complete.

Next Step: Workgroup Selection: If required you will automatically be prompted to complete the Set-Up Wizard before continuing.

Main Navigation

Menu Bar

The top header information in the EST Business Desktop 2.0 displays:

  • your User ID and Customer number.

  • Menus relevant to the currently selected category, mode and /or folder. Menus not relevant will not be shown and only applicable menus will be available.

  • On Behalf of Customer selection, if applicable - if you mail on behalf of customers you will select the appropriate customer number you are mailing on behalf of from the drop-down list.

  • Service Type selection, if applicable - this is where you will select the service you are using for this order - i.e. Shipping or Foodmail; other services will become available in later releases of the EST Business Desktop 2.0

Toolbar

The toolbar contains navigation tools, icons and menus relevant to the currently selected category, mode and /or folder. Actions not relevant to the screen you are working in will not be shown and only ones applicable will be available.

This helps to minimize keystrokes and maximize speed of processing your shipments.

Navigation Pane

Here you can access and view your Shipments, Shipment History, Address Books, Background Tasks and Messages.

Shipments are the open shipments that have not been transmitted to Canada post. This is where any new shipment will be available as well as all open, incomplete, printed or not shipments.

You can sort the information displayed in many tables in the Business Desktop 2.0 application simply by clicking on the field header. If the information in the column can be sorted, an arrow will appear when you click on it. Click the header to sort the data in ascending or descending order.

You are able to manage your workload with the use of folders. This section is specific to the service type. (i.e. Shipping, Foodmail, Neighbourhood Mail, etc.)

Service Type

The Service Type selected determines what appears in the Toolbar, Navigation Pane and Work Area as these vary allowing only valid options.

1. Select Service Type from the drop-down.

Note: only the service types available to you, based on the your customer and contract number (or mailed on behalf of if applicable), will be shown in the drop-down. For the first release of the Business Desktop 2.0 only two service types are available: Shipping and Foodmail. Other service types will be available in a later release (Neighbourhood Mail, Personalized Mail, Lettermail, Publications Mail and International Incentive letter-post).

You may configure the Service Type list from the EST Business Desktop 2.0 toolbar by clicking Configuration > Preferences.

Mail On Behalf Of (MOBO) Selection

If you Mail on Behalf Of customers ( i.e. If you are a Mail Service Provider) you may select the appropriate customer number from the drop-down.

You may add or delete Behalf of Customers from the EST Business Desktop 2.0 toolbar by clicking Configuration > Data Maintenance > Behalf Of.

Keyboard Shortcuts

You can navigate the windows and menus using either a mouse or the keyboard.

To select from any menu or button use the mouse to point and click on the desired option.

Use hot keys as defined by an UNDERLINED LETTER or indicated with a BRACKET SYMBOL <>.

To move from FIELD TO FIELD use <TAB> or your mouse to point and click.

Use the left and right ARROW KEYS to move between choices for a single field (e.g. radio buttons). Click on your selection to activate it.

Help

Selecting Help in the toolbar opens the following menu:

  • About
  • Contents
  • Information and Resources
  • News
  • Delivery area Counts and Maps
  • Online SOM Cancellation Requests (available only to Mailing customers)
  • Online Profile
  • Pickup Availability (available only to shipping customers)
  • Business Desktop Feedback (available only to shipping customers)

About displays application information under three tabs:

  • About lists various desktop and server properties.
  • Licence reproduces the End User Licence Agreement for reference purposes.
  • CASL displays the confidentiality agreement for Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation
  • System displays the desktop system properties that are standard for Java-based applications and used by system developers.

Contents opens the Table of Contents for EST Business Desktop 2.0 Help. Select and expand the topics in the left pane to display Help content in the right pane. You can also get context-sensitive help by clicking F1 or the Help icon when you are working within the application.

Information and Resources takes you to the web page for EST Business Desktop 2.0 on the Canada Post website.

News provides important information and updates affecting EST Business Desktop 2.0. The latest News items are also displayed during login.

Delivery area Counts and Maps takes you to the web page for Residential and Business Counts and Maps on the Canada Post website. This tool allows you to access information on the counts of apartments, houses, farms and businesses throughout Canada.

Online SOM Cancellation Requests(available only to shipping customers) takes you to a web page on the Canada Post website where you can submit a form to cancel a Statement of Mailing.

Online Profile takes you to a web page on Canada Post website where you can update your profile.

Pickup Availability (available only to shipping customers) takes you to a Canada Post web page where you can enter your Postal Code and find out if scheduled and on-demand pickup is available as well as nearby Post Offices where you can drop off your shipment.

Business Desktop Feedback (available only to shipping customers) opens a simple form that allows you provide feedback, ratings and comments on your experience with EST Business Desktop 2.0.

Concepts

Required Fields

  • Fields highlighted in yellow are mandatory. Once entered the highlight will disappear.

  • Enter required information, blank fields are not permitted.

Note: Some fields become mandatory following the entry of another field. You must enter information into the mandatory fields to continue. (see field error for more information)

Field Error

If you have missing or invalid information the EST Business Desktop 2.0 will help you to correct the information by:

  • displaying message telling you what is required. The message will display in the bottom left corner in the message area briefly and can be accessed later from the messages folder in the navigation pane.

  • highlighting the invalid field in the work area

  • displaying a red "x" in the corner of the invalid field. You can mouse-over the red "x" to view the error message.

Connectivity

EST 2.0 requires a connection to the Canada Post server to transmit manifests and create and transmit statements of mailing.

When you log in, you will be automatically connected to our server. The bottom right-hand corner of EST will display Online. If there is a server outage or you have connectivity issues on your end, Offline will display in the bottom right-hand corner of your screen.

When EST 2.0 is Offline, limited operations are still available if you select Local Mode ON and if you have your address book stored locally. See Change Address Book Location to find out how to store it locally so you can use it when creating shipments during an outage.

If you are working in Local Mode OFF and there is a server outage, switch to Local Mode ON so that you can continue to work offline during the outage.

Local Modes

Local Mode ON - When local mode is on, all new shipments you create are stored locally on your workstation until you print them. The primary purpose of local mode is to allow you to print shipping labels when EST 2.0 is offline. There are also advantages to using local mode even when EST 2.0 is online: performance is optimized for creating shipments on your local workstation.

Local mode ON is ideal if you create shipments and print labels on the same workstation.

Note: Local mode is only available for Shipping services (not Mailing services).

To turn on local mode:
In shipping mode, select File > Turn Local mode ON

To turn off local mode:
Select File > Turn Local mode OFF

When local mode is turned ON, the Local indicator displays in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen.

Printing Labels in Local Mode ON
Printing labels triggers the shipment to be uploaded to the Canada Post server, and therefore visible to others in your workgroup. If the Canada Post server is offline, or you are not connected to the Internet, the printed shipments will be automatically uploaded to the Canada Post server when the connection is restored.

Searches for Shipments
By default, in Local Mode ON when EST 2.0 is online, searches for shipments are performed locally on your workstation. You can extend the search to include shipments on our server: in the right pane, under Local Mode Searches, select the checkbox to extend your search to all shipments.

Share shipments
By default, in local mode when EST 2.0 is online, other users in your workgroup cannot see the shipments you create until you print them and the shipment information is uploaded to the Canada Post server.

However, to allow other users in your group to view or access your shipments as soon as you create them, select one or more shipments and then select Share Shipments.

Local Mode OFF – When local mode is off, all shipments created, regardless of status (i.e. accepted, incomplete, etc.) are stored on the Canada Post server. Other members in your workgroup can view, edit and print them.

Local Mode OFF can be useful if you create shipments on one workstation and print the labels on another. Please note that performance when creating and searching shipments could be slower when working in local mode off than local mode on.

When local mode is OFF, there is no Local indicator in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen.

Local Modes Summary

Local Mode ON Local Mode OFF
EST 2.0 Online
  • All shipments you create are stored on the Canada Post server, allowing others in your workgroup to view, edit and print them.
  • Ideal if you create shipments on one workstation and print the labels on another.

Note: Performance when creating and searching shipments could be slower in this mode.

EST 2.0 Offline Create shipments and print labels using a cache of barcodes stored locally, greatly reducing the impact of an interrupted connection to the Canada Post server. -
Unavailable
Features
EST 2.0
Offline

You cannot search and retrieve shipments stored on Canada Post servers, which includes the following:

    • Incomplete and Accepted shipments created in Local mode OFF
    • Printed shipments
    • History
  • You cannot perform rating or price comparison functions
  • You cannot reprint a label
  • You cannot access an address book stored on the Canada Post server
  • You cannot print the following types of labels (because they need rates):
    • COD, if you elected to include shipping costs in COD amount
    • US/Intl, if you elected to print Postage Rate on the label
  • You cannot create multiple identical labels in one operation 
  • You cannot change the Contract or Paid By to a customer number that you have not recently used (i.e. approximately 1 week)
  • You cannot change Preferences or Data Maintenance
  • You cannot delete or rename shipment folders
  • You cannot perform End of Day

Configuration

Screen resize

You are able to resize the EST Business Desktop 2.0 by positioning your cursor at the edge of the application and right-clicking, holding, and dragging you cursor to resize.

Scroll bars and scroll panes are used when you reduce the application’s size.

Show/Hide

There are a few instances where you are able to Show or Hide information. This is information that generally remains unchanged.

  • Click Hide to collapse the area and resize the screen. The next time you login this area will be hidden.
  • Click Show to expand and show the area.

Note: On login, News automatically shows anytime there is new content.

Security

How does the EST Business Desktop 2.0 connect to Canada Post?

The application will communicate with the Canada Post Server over a secure (HTTPS) connection using the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol.

How does the Electronic Shipping Tool transmit data to Canada Post?

Data is transmitted to Canada Post via an HTTPS connection which is established using a SSL connection on port 443.

Which Ports are used by the EST Business Desktop 2.0?

The Desktop application uses SSL Port 443 for its HTTPS connection to Canada Post.

What type of encryption is used by the EST Desktop 2.0?

The EST Business Desktop 2.0 uses HTTPS, 256 – 256 bit SSL encryption