Method and system for tracking mail items during processing

A system to process a plurality of mailpieces, the system comprising:

• a postage device configured to print postage evidence on each respective mailpiece, the printed postage evidence including an information based barcode containing a first unique identifier associated with each respective mailpiece;
• a sorter for sorting the plurality of mailpieces, the sorter including an image reading device for reading address data and the first unique identifier from the information based barcode printed on each respective mailpiece;
• a first processor associated with the postage device configured to collect first parametric data associated with each respective mailpiece;
• and
• a second processor, associated with the sorter, for receiving the collected first parametric data from the first processor, wherein:
• the second processor is configured to associate each first unique identifier obtained from reading of the information based barcode printed on each respective mailpiece with second parametric data associated with each respective mailpiece collected during sortation of the respective mailpieces on the sorter, and
• the second processor is configured to generate a delivery point barcode containing a second unique identifier for each respective mailpiece, and combine the respective first and second parametric data together with the respective first and second unique identifiers for generation of a postal authority report and/or client report.