Effective December 2, 2010, upon installation of new software for the point-of-service (POS ONE) system and for the integrated retail terminal (IRT), a system-generated receipt will be used in place of PS Form 3533, Application for Refund of Fees, Products and Withdrawal of Customer Accounts, for PVI label errors, voids, and refunds. Also, a new Account Identifier Code, AIC 509, Voided Postage Validation Imprinter (PVI) Labels, has been established to record damaged PVI label errors, voids, or refunds as well as damaged Post Office™ postage meter strips. All Post Offices and postal retail units (PRUs) will no longer use AIC 553, Refund of Postage and Fees, for PVI labels and Post Office postage meter strip errors or reimbursements. PRUs with eMOVES will continue to use PS Form 3533 for Post Office postage meter strip errors or refunds and report it into AIC 509.
Handbook F-101, Field Accounting Procedures
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21 Refunds and Exchanges
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[Revise 21-4 to read as follows:]
21-4 Postage Validation Imprinter Labels and Post Office Meter Strips
21-4.1 PVI Labels
21-4.1.1 POS ONE Offices
To account for PVI labels erroneously printed, damaged, or spoiled prior to tendering the transaction, the RA must use the system void functionality. To void the label, the RA must do the following:
1. Use the UP Arrow to access the Edit Mode function.
2. Void the PVI label(s) printed.
3. Print the POS ONE receipt for supporting documentation (do not use PS Form 3533).
4. Attach the unused, damaged, spoiled, or misprinted PVI label to the receipt.
5. Submit this receipt as supporting documentation for AIC 509, Voided Postage Validation Imprinter (PVI) Labels.
6. End customer visit.
To account for PVI labels erroneously printed, damaged, or spoiled after tendering the transaction, the RA must use the refund functionality. For a PVI refund, the RA must do the following:
1. Go to [Other Customer Services].
2. Select <Inquiries, Claims, & Refunds> <Refunds> <PVI Refund>.
3. Enter the PVI label amount.
4. Select <PVI Label — Available> or <PVI Label — Not Available>.
PVI Label — Available
A PVI label should be considered “available” as long as the amount can be determined.
a. Select the payment option, <Cash> or <No Fee Money Order>.
b. Print the POS ONE receipt for supporting documentation (do not use PS Form 3533).
c. Attach the unused, damaged, spoiled, or misprinted PVI label to the receipt.
d. Submit this receipt as supporting documentation for AIC 509, Voided Postage Validation Imprinter (PVI) Labels.
e. Press [Payment or End of Visit] and complete the transaction.
f. Print a second receipt similar to other refund receipts. This receipt is to be provided to the customer, if there is a customer involved in the refund.
PVI Label — Not Available
A PVI label should be considered “not available” if the label is blank or missing, or if the dollar amount cannot be determined.
a. A witness is required for supporting documentation.
b. Select <Witness Certification>.
c. A witness certification logon box will be displayed for witness Logon ID and Password (must be someone other than yourself).
d. The POS ONE receipt for supporting documentation is printed with the witness’s logon ID, name, and the amount.
e. Submit this receipt as supporting documentation for AIC 509, Voided Postage Validation Imprinter (PVI) Labels.
Note: If a witness is not available, select <No Witness Available>. The closeout person is notified and the transaction is recorded. If a witness was not available, the POS ONE receipt will indicate “No Witness Available”. Retain this receipt as supporting documentation for AIC 509.
21-4.1.2 IRT Offices
To account for PVI labels erroneously printed, damaged, or spoiled, the RA must void the label as follows:
1. Press the Misc AIC key.
2. Enter AIC 509, Voided Postage Validation Imprinter (PVI) Labels.
3. Enter the amount of the PVI label.
4. Print the IRT receipt for supporting documentation (do not use PS Form 3533).
5. Attach the unused, damaged, spoiled, or misprinted PVI label to the receipt. No witness is required if a PVI label is attached.
6. If a PVI label is not available or is jammed in the PVI device, or if the dollar amount cannot be determined:
a. A witness signature is required on the IRT receipt.
b. You cannot be your own witness; someone other than yourself must sign as a witness.*
c. If no witness is available:
(1) The RA must write “NWA” on the witness line.
(2) The supervisor or closeout person must be notified and must initial the receipt.
7. Submit this receipt as supporting documentation for AIC 509, Voided Postage Validation Imprinter (PVI) Label.
Note: Working postmasters in cost ascertainment group H through L offices with no witness available should write “NWA” and their initials.
21-4.2 Post Office Postage Meter Strips
To account for an erroneously printed, damaged, or spoiled Post Office meter strip, the RA must do the following:
1. Complete Part 1, Application, of PS Form 3533 by printing his/her name in the customer block.
2. Check the “Other Refunds” box in the Request Disbursement For section.
3. Enter AIC 509, Voided Postage Validation Imprinter (PVI) Labels.
4. Attach the Post Office postage meter strips to PS Form 3533.
5. Complete Part 2, Verification of Disbursements, and sign as the certifying employee.
6. Submit PS Form 3533 as supporting documentation for AIC 509.
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Appendix A Account Identifier Code/General Ledger Account Crosswalk
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[Add the following entries:]
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We will incorporate these revisions into the next online edition of Handbook F-101 on the Postal Service Intranet:
n Go to http://blue.usps.gov.
n In the left-hand column, under “Essential Links,” click PolicyNet.
n Click HBKs.
(The direct URL for Handbook F-101 is http://blue.usps.gov/cpim/ftp/hand/f101.pdf.)
— Field and International Accounting, Controller, 12-2-10
