Every business must keep customers, users, or patients informed. These communications often contain personally identifiable information (PII) or protected health information (PHI). When they do, they are transactional documents.
With this classification, the mailings must follow rules and should adhere to other best practices. Let’s review why they are unique and what you should know.
What Are Transactional Documents?
Transactional documents include any communication containing PII or PHI. When this information is present, the mailings have entirely different requirements than marketing or general information letters.
These documents must align with security, accuracy, quality, and compliance standards. Failure to produce them under these initiatives could lead to mis-mailings, data breaches, or non-compliance investigations.
Unlike general or promotional mail, these documents:
- Are legally required
- Must be delivered on time
- Must reach the correct recipient
- Are subject to multiple layers of regulation
When Does a Communication Become Transactional?
A communication becomes transactional when it contains PII or PHI and serves a service-related (not promotional) function.
Even if it looks like a regular letter, if it contains regulated data, it becomes subject to compliance and security rules. This applies across financial services, healthcare, utilities, telecom, and more.
Examples of transactional communications:
- Statements from banks, credit card companies, utilities, healthcare providers, telecom, and insurance companies
- Debt collection letters
- Policy notices
- Explanation of Benefits (EOB)
- Patient referral, medication, or procedure approvals or denials
Transactional covers a large number of communications across many industries. While they all have different purposes and information, they all require compliance, security, and accuracy.
What Accuracy Standards Should Transactional Print and Mail Follow?
Accuracy in transactional communications ensures the correct documents go into the proper envelope. It seems simple, but it’s actually a complex process with lots of factors. Transactional printers produce millions of documents weekly; even a few mis-mailings can cause trouble.
Accuracy ratings calculate how often providers get it right. Many boast that they have a 99% accuracy rating. That sounds nearly perfect, but 1% of incorrect mailings for a job of 100,000 equals 100. Can anyone beat 99%? Yes, our rating is 99.9999%.
We’ve achieved this with a concentrated strategy around accuracy, which involves Best-in-class accuracy practices:
- Intelligent insertion technology that uses cameras to scan 2D barcodes on every printed page, which triggers the inserter to fold in the correct documents
- Repeatable, consistent workflows across locations, shifts, and operators by applying Lean Manufacturing
- Constant auditing of processes to find any issues and address them
- Additional cameras to monitor documents throughout their lifecycle and verify insertion
Anything less than these best practices means there is more opportunity for mis-mailings.
What Compliance Rules Concern Transactional Communications?
Because these documents include sensitive and confidential information, those who create them are subject to regulatory oversight. In the case of healthcare communications, they must follow HIPAA rules.
Additionally, communications may be subject to the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA), PCI DSS, and state data breach notification laws. There are other nuances for specific industries, such as accounts receivable management (ARM).
When reviewing the compliance of providers, earning certifications is only the start. You need to be sure they embed this into every aspect of the process. Many have specific standard works to ensure this. Another thing to look for is companies with Compliance Officers and teams with a singular focus.
Compliance is always evolving, as should their programs and initiatives. A company not investing in compliance exposes you to more risk.
What Security Protocols Should Be Part of Transactional Document Print and Mail?
Security is the partner of compliance. When businesses follow compliance rules, they often have much to do with security controls. Gaps in data security can lead to non-compliance and degrade accuracy.
Security is a big topic with lots of components. It can seem overwhelming when evaluating this, but here are some critical considerations:
- Dig into their data encryption standards, focusing on the level and if they use it while data is in transit and at rest.
- Understand file processing architecture to learn how you’ll send them data and how they secure it.
- Learn how they manage their networks and whether they use segmentation between standard traffic and secure transmissions.
- Look for proactive cybersecurity measures, including firewalls, Intrusion Protection Systems (IPS), multi-factor authentication (MFA), vulnerability assessments, and penetration testing.
- Evaluate user-level security controls.
A secure-by-design environment will include all these things and more. Providers who invest here typically minimize your risks and safeguard this data from every angle.
What Are Quality Standards for Transactional Documents?
The quality of transactional communications focuses on two areas. First, the documents should look professional and adhere to branding guidelines. They should also have the option for dynamic printing so you can customize messaging.
Second is the idea that quality assurance supports accuracy, compliance, and security. It’s different from quality control. Quality assurance audits processes to find anomalies and correct them. Quality control assesses documents after completion and identifies issues after the fact.
Printers get quality “right” when they use Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma as their basis. In this environment, continuous improvements are the goal. Workflows always have oversight from a quality perspective with the intention of creating consistency.
Transactional Printing FAQs
Q: What is considered a transactional document?
A: Any communication that contains PII or PHI and serves a non-promotional, service-related purpose—such as bills, benefits, or approvals.
Q: What’s the difference between transactional and marketing mail?
A: Transactional mail is required and regulated; marketing mail is optional and promotional.
Q: Why is accuracy so critical in transactional communications?
A: Even one mis-mailed document can result in a data breach, legal exposure, and reputational damage.
Are Your Transactional Documents Secure, Compliant, Accurate, and High Quality?
If your current production, whether in-house or with a vendor, doesn’t check all these boxes, it’s time to change course. You should be confident in the security, compliance, accuracy, and quality of every document. Working with experts provides this and so much more.
Let’s talk about how we can handle your transactional communications today.
