A method for automatic balancing of mail processing accounts for an
inserter system that can automatically account for discrepancies in large
quantities of gathered postage data, as well as conserving computer
processing work. Mail pieces are formed on an inserter machine including
a postage meter. The inserter control system gathers postage setting
information and register information from the postage meter while forming
mail pieces and provides it to an operating management system. It is
understood that the gathered register information is potentially
incomplete, out of chronological order, or from multiple sources, thereby
creating the need for automatic balancing. The method defines mail piece
blocks based on gathered register information and postage setting
information. The definition includes assigning individual mail pieces to
mail piece blocks based on a comparison of the starting register
information for the particular mail piece as a function of the ending
register information of a prior mail piece. If the comparison is
consistent with processing of a single mail piece, then the particular
mail piece is assigned to a same mail piece block as an immediate prior
mail piece, and otherwise assigning the particular mail piece to a new
mail piece block. Once mail piece blocks are defined, the process
identifies gaps between defined mail piece blocks and mail pieces within
the gaps. Finally, the mail pieces within the gaps are accounted for, and
corrections are made, in accordance with a predetermined algorithm.