An automated hybrid mail system/method (10) which sends a graphic image file (17a) from a sender's terminal (14) into a postal network (26) via a remote printing facility (24). The system/method can concatenate or consolidate a plurality of application documents into a virtual print stream for printing by producing a plurality of graphic image files (17a), each graphic image file obtained from a different application document, consolidating at least some of the plurality of graphic image files (17a) into a virtual print stream, and producing an electronic document (17), the electronic document (17) including at least the virtual print stream. The electronic document (17) is transmitted to a processing system (24) for subsequent automated printing of each graphic image file (17a) as a hardcopy document (25) by a printer (24).