Abstract: A method of accounting for postage charges in respect of batches of mail items is disclosed. The method includes storing an accumulated aggregate value of postage dispensed in applying postage charges to mail items and storing an accumulated pending value of postage dispensed in applying postage charges to mail items of a batch of mail items which has not been completed. In response to completion of the batch of mail items, the accumulated pending value is decremented by a value of postage relating to the completed batch of mail items.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a mail preparation system.

Abstract: A mail transport for a franking machine is disclosed in which mail is fed toward a printing head by input rollers, is fed past the printing head by an impression roller and is ejected from the franking machine by ejection rollers. Drive to the input rollers is controlled to initially feed the mail at a transit speed toward the print head, to feed the mail item at a printing speed, during a printing period, lower than the transit speed and initially in an ejection period after the printing period to feed the mail item at the transit speed. When the mail item is released from the input rollers, the ejection rollers are driven to feed the mail item at a higher speed than the transit speed.