The present invention is directed, in a general aspect, system including a mail
sorting apparatus which generally comprises a feeder, a line scan camera, an in-line
printer, a control system which may be the microprocessor based personal computer
system, at least one addressee database and sort plan, a mailpiece transporter,
a bin module with compartments or sort bins for receiving mailpieces. This invention
overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by enabling a mail sorting apparatus
to address sort internal mailings (business to employee mail). The foregoing is
accomplished by addressing and sorting employee mailpieces in one process by using
information from one or more databases of the mail sorting apparatus, including
the addressee database and sort plan, and an in-line printer for printing employee
and/or delivery information on the employee mailpiece. Thus, the method of the
present invention provides a less costly, simplified way to prepare internal mailings.