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Mail Forwarding Software for Virtual Office and Mailbox Operators

Send items on to the address the client chooses, and record the carrier and postage against their account.

Part of virtual office software. This page covers forwarding in detail.

  • Address held on the client record
  • Postage recorded per item
  • Full forwarding history
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Virtual office client accounts in Traizr, each row showing the client, their mailing address and the address their mail is forwarded to by default
The default forwarding address is held on each client record.

What mail forwarding software does

Mail forwarding sends an item that arrived at your address on to the client. Mail forwarding software keeps that process accurate: the destination is taken from the client record, the item is marked as forwarded, and the carrier and postage cost are recorded against the client's account.

Without software, three things commonly go wrong: an out-of-date address is used, the postage cost is never recorded, and the item leaves your records entirely once it is posted. Traizr closes all three gaps, so every forward can be traced and billed.

Traizr records the forward; it does not buy the postage. You keep whatever carrier arrangements you already have. There is no rate shopping, no label purchasing and no carrier account held on your behalf. What the software adds is that the item does not vanish from your system the moment it leaves the building.

Where responsibility ends

Once an item is handed to the carrier, delivery is the carrier's responsibility. Traizr keeps the record that the item was sent, when, to which address and at what cost, which is what you need if a client asks about it later.

Forwarding sends an item out to a client through an external carrier. Moving items between your own buildings and postrooms is a different job, covered by multi-hop mail routing.

How a forward works

Five steps, from the client's request to the recorded cost.

How an item is forwarded to a client
  1. Forward requestedThe client asks for the item to be sent on, either once or as a standing preference.
  2. Destination confirmedThe address is taken from the client record, which the client keeps up to date.
  3. Prepared for sendingThe item is packed and addressed, still linked to its record.
  4. Handed to the carrierThe carrier and the postage cost are recorded on the item.
  5. Cost attributed to the clientThe postage appears on the client's usage report, ready for billing.
The record shows what was sent, where, when and at what cost.

Keeping forwarding addresses accurate

Forwarding addresses change. Clients move house, close offices or spend time abroad, and a forward sent to an old address is expensive to put right.

Traizr holds one forwarding address on the client record, and the client can update it themselves. The person preparing a forward always uses the current address, rather than one found in an old email or sign-up form.

Each client has a default address, and a one-off destination can be set for an individual item, for example when a client is travelling or wants a document sent straight to their accountant. The address used is stored on each item, so the record shows where that particular item went.

A member of reception staff handing a labelled parcel across the counter to a courier, with shelving behind holding boxes marked outgoing and scans

Why postage is recorded per item

Postage varies by client and adds up. Recording it per item is what makes forwarding billable.

  • Recorded when it is sent

    The carrier and cost are entered as the item is dispatched.

  • Attributed to the client

    Each cost sits on the account of the client it was for.

  • Totalled over any period

    Per-client totals for any date range, ready for a monthly bill.

  • Heavy users become visible

    Reporting shows which clients generate the most forwarding cost.

  • International costs included

    Overseas forwards are recorded the same way, where costs are highest.

  • Batches still itemised

    Consolidated weekly or monthly forwards record every item they contain.

Work out what the manual process costs

Reporting and billing

Traizr reports items forwarded and postage per client, over any date range, and the data can be exported. That gives you the figures a forwarding service is billed on, without anyone reconstructing them at the end of the month.

How you charge is a commercial decision: rebill at cost, add a handling fee, or include an allowance in a monthly plan. The reporting supports any of them.

Traizr does not raise invoices. It records and exports the figures your invoices are based on. For guidance on pricing a virtual office service, see the operations guide.

Frequently asked questions

Everything you need to know before getting in touch.

What is mail forwarding software?

Mail forwarding software manages sending clients' post on to them. It checks the destination against the client record, records the item as forwarded, and captures the carrier and postage cost against the client's account.

Does Traizr buy postage or print carrier labels?

No. You use your existing carriers and postage arrangements. Traizr records what was sent, where, by whom and at what cost.

Where does our responsibility end?

At handover to the carrier. Traizr records that the item was sent, the date, the destination and the cost. Delivery from that point is the carrier's responsibility.

How is the forwarding address kept current?

It is held on the client record, and clients can update it themselves. The person preparing a forward always uses the current address, rather than one from an old email or sign-up form.

Can a client forward to a different address just once?

Yes. Each client has a default forwarding address, and a one-off destination can be set for an individual item. The address used is stored on the item.

Why does capturing postage matter so much?

Postage varies by client and adds up. Recording it per item lets you attribute the cost to the client who caused it and include it in their billing, rather than absorbing it as an overhead.

Can we forward internationally?

Yes, using whichever carriers you already work with. The destination, carrier and cost are recorded in the same way as for domestic forwards.

Can items be batched rather than forwarded one at a time?

Yes. Many operators consolidate forwards weekly or monthly, which is usually cheaper for the client. Each item in the batch is still recorded individually, so the client can see what was sent and you can see what it cost.

What if the forwarding address turns out to be wrong?

The record shows exactly which address was used and when the client last updated it, which usually settles the question. Delivery problems after handover are pursued with the carrier.

Does forwarding work alongside scanning?

Yes. A client can ask for an item to be scanned and then have the original forwarded. Both instructions are recorded on the same item. See mail scanning software.

How is this different from multi-hop mail routing?

Forwarding sends an item out to a client through an external carrier. Multi-hop routing moves items between your own postrooms, buildings and sites, with a named person responsible for each leg.

Can we bill clients for forwarding automatically?

Traizr reports items forwarded and postage per client over any date range, and the data can be exported for billing. Traizr does not raise invoices itself. The operations guide covers pricing approaches.

The rest of the virtual office cluster

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