A method for providing a mailing system, includes the step of receiving, through a computer system, a mail item from a sender. The mail item is printed in visible ink in a paper document and coded data is also printed thereon in an ink which is substantially invisible in the visible spectrum. The coded data includes an indication of the identity of the mail item and of the location of a plurality of reference points on the document. The method further includes receiving, in the computer system, indicating data from an optical sensing device, the indicating data including information regarding the identity of the mail item and at least one action of the sensing device in relation to the document generated by the sensing device optically reading at least some of the coded data, the coded data identifying a unique location of each of the reference points relative to the mail item. The at least one action of the sensing device in relation to the document generated by the sensing device includes the formation of handwritten text and/or markings on the document.