Letter to All Service Committees in he USA and Bermuda, 1996-02-26: Explanation of packing-list that accompanies literature
25 COLUMBIA HEIGHTS, BROOKLYN, NEW YORK 11201-2483, U.S.A. PHONE (718)625-3600
FLH February 26,1996
TO: ALL CONGREGATION SERVICE COMMITTEES IN THE UNITED STATES AND BERMUDA
Dear Brothers:
This letter is an explanation of the packing list that accompanies shipments of literature you receive from the Society. Please pay particular attention to Section 17, a new feature we are adding to future packing lists. For your reference, we enclose a sample packing list with the sections numbered, and will explain each in turn.
Section 1
ASSIGNMENT NUMBER. This is a packing list number that is assigned when the Society processes a literature request submitted by your congregation. (See the section of this letter "Reporting Discrepancies to the Society.")
Section 2
PACKING LIST DATE and CONGREGATION NUMBER. The "Packing List Date" is the date the Society prints the packing list. The "Congregation Number" refers to the number the Society has assigned to your congregation. (See the section of this letter "Reporting Discrepancies to the Society.")
Section 3
SHIPPING SECTION. This area of the packing list indicates the section of the country your congregation is assigned. Each congregation is assigned to one of four "Shipping Sections." As explained on page 4 of the Watchtower Publications List, a specific date is assigned to each section for mailing Literature Request Forms to the Society. You should actually mail your Literature Request Form, using the special envelope for this purpose, on the date indicated. If you mail the form later than the date stipulated, the Society may choose to hold your literature until the next shipment scheduled for your section of the country.
Section 4
YOUR REQUEST NO., YOUR REQUEST DATE, and SELECTION NO. To facilitate record keeping, you may choose to assign numbers to the Literature Request Forms you submit. We will acknowledge the numbers you assign in the area designated: "Your Request No." (See paragraph 18 of the Watchtower Publications List.) "Your Request Date" refers to the date you filled out the form. The "Selection No." is a number the Society uses for internal reference. You will not need to use or refer to this number in correspondence you send to the Society about literature shipments. (See the section of this letter "Reporting Discrepancies to the Society.") Section 5
REQUEST NUMBER. This is a number the Society assigns literature requests submitted by your congregation.
Section 6
SHIPPING ADDRESS. This is the shipping address for literature the Society currently has on file for your congregation. If the shipping address is incorrect, please telephone the Society right away and provide a new shipping address for literature, following up with a completed S-36 form. You should correct this address even if your congregation normally receives its shipments of literature at an Assembly Hall or a Literature Distribution Center. (Please see paragraph 14 of the Watchtower Publications List.)
Section 7
ROUTING INFORMATION. If your congregation normally receives its literature through an Assembly Hall or a Literature Distribution Center, this section will list the name(s) and telephone number(s) of those the distribution center will notify when a shipment is ready to be picked up. Please regularly check this information, and telephone the Society when it is inaccurate, following up with a completed F-239 form. (Please see paragraphs 14 and 39 of the Watchtower Publications List.)
Section 8
SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS. This section is for internal office use of the Society. Normally it contains the name of the carrier and the level of rush service your congregation requests. (See paragraphs 11 and 12 of the Watchtower Publications List.)
Section 9
QUANTITY SHIPPED. This area of the packing list shows the number of items actually shipped.
Section 10
ITEM DESCRIPTION. This area of the packing list shows the titles of the items you requested.
Section 11
LANGUAGE. "Language" refers to a particular language in which you specified that we fill the item. In most cases, the language is the primary language of your congregation. (See paragraph 21 of the Watchtower Publications List.)
Section 12
NOTES. A number, such as "1,""2,""3," or an asterisk () will appear in this column. The numbers refer to coded messages that appear at the end of the list of shipped items, and indicate the action taken on the noted item (Example: "Quantity was cut. See Watchtower Publications List, par. 25."). An asterisk () designates all special-request items (see paragraph 24 of the Watchtower Publications List for a complete list of all special-request items). Individuals that requested special-request items should be notified when they arrive.
Section 13
REQUEST RECEIVED. "Request Received" refers to the date the Society receives your congregation's Literature Request Form.
Section 14
QUANTITY REQUESTED. "Quantity Requested" is the quantity of a particular item you requested on the Literature Request Form.
Section 15
QUANTITY PENDING. If the Society's stock is limited and we cannot ship the full quantity of an item you requested, we will show the portion not shipped as "Quantity Pending" on the packing list. When we restock the item, we will ship the remainder to your congregation in a later shipment. (Please see paragraph 27 (1) of the Watchtower Publications List for more information on our pending procedure.)
Section 16
SPECIALTY CODE. This code specifies a particular part of an item being shipped (in the case of an item that has multiple parts). (Example: Sing Praises... (8 CD-Audio) with the number 2 in the "Specialty Code" column indicates that disc number two of the set is being shipped, not the entire set.)
Section 17
LISTED BELOW IS A SUMMARY OF ALL PENDING ITEMS. Unless the packing list is for a special shipment, it will show all "Pending Items" your congregation requested. If the indicated SUMMARY OF ALL PENDING ITEMS does not correspond to your records, please indicate the discrepancy and return a photocopy of the packing list to the Society, Attn.: Desk FLH. You should follow the same procedure to adjust or cancel the quantities of "Pending Items." Perhaps a publisher requests an item, and then moves to another congregation. When this happens, the secretary should write the quantity he wants us to cancel in the "Qty To Cancel" brackets, sign it, photocopy the packing list and return it to the Society, Attn.: Desk FLH.
Reporting Discrepancies to the Society
To report discrepancies to the Society, please include your "Congregation Number" and the "Assignment Number" on the correspondence, as explained in paragraph 32 of the Watchtower Publications List. You should indicate in your letter, signed by the secretary and presiding overseer, whether we should reship any missing items, or whether we should adjust our records and you will request the missing items again. If the discrepancy involves items shipped to you in error, please report this in writing and wait for the Society's direction before actually returning the items (see paragraph 37 of the Watchtower Publications List). For additional details on reporting discrepancies see paragraphs 32-36,40 of the Watchtower Publications List.
We are providing four copies of this letter, one for each member of the service committee and the literature servant. You brothers should read this carefully. Then, the secretary and service overseer should take the time to discuss it with the literature servant and his assistants. Thereafter, the secretary should place a copy of this letter in the congregation file. The literature servant should keep his copy available for future reference so that the brothers working with the literature will have a proper understanding of the Society's procedures.
Thank you for taking the time to review this information. We feel it will help you brothers to understand how the Society handles your requests for literature. With this letter, please accept an expression of our warm Christian love and good wishes.
Your brothers,
Watchtower B. D. J. Society
OF NEW YORK, INC.
Enclosure WATCHTOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY
OF NEW YORK, INC.
Packing List Date 2/26/96 Congregation Number 108761 Request Number 2126500
2345678
Shipping Address:
LAURELTON CONG
EUGENE OR
JOHN OVERSEER
123 MAIN ST
EUGENE OR 97123
25 COLUMBIA HTS BROOKLYN, NEW YORK 11201-2483 "THIS GOOD NEWS OF THE KINGDOM WILL BE PREACHED"
Shipping Section 2-Central
Your Request No. 296
Your Request Date 2/16/96
Selection No. 2238
Routing Information:
JWAH WOODBURN OR
JOE PICKUP (503) 555-4444
HENRY CONTACT (503) 655-5666
Shipping Address correct? Use form S-36 to update
Special Instructions
<tr><th>QUANTITY SHIPPED
ITEM DESCRIPTION
LANGUAGE
NOTES
REQUEST RECEIVED
QUANTITY REQUESTED
QUANTITY PENDING
SPECIALTY CODE
Album of Hebrew Scriptures -3
English
(1)
12/10/95
Jehovah's Witnesses...Purpose
English
12/10/95
NW Trans Deluxe Leather-Black
English
*(2)
12/10/95
The Bible--Modern Book
English
*(3)
12/10/95
WT Publications Index 1986-88
English
·
12/10/95
Watchtower Bound Volume 1951
English
·
12/10/95
Watchtower Bound Volume 1952
English
·
12/10/95
Watchtower Bound Volume 1953
English
·
12/10/95
Watchtower Bound Volume 1954
English
·
12/10/95
Watchtower Bound Volume 1955
English
·
12/10/95
Watchtower Bound Volume 1956
English
·
12/10/95
Watchtower Bound Volume 1957
English
·
12/10/95
Watchtower Bound Volume 1958
English
·
12/10/95
Watchtower Bound Volume 1959
English
·
12/10/95
You Can Live Forever...Earth
English
12/10/95
Sing Praises to Jehovah CD
English
·
12/10/95
Enjoy Life on Earth
Chinese
12/10/95
JW Proclaimers
Japanese
·
12/10/95
You Can Live Forever...Earth
Spanish
12/10/95
You Can Live Forever...Earth
Russian
12/10/95
(1) It is more convenient to obtain a complete set.
(2) Please do not write in the shaded areas of the S-14 form.
(3) Quantity was cut. See Watchtower Publications List, par. 25.
Report discrepancies prompt writing, giving Assignment Number.
Qty
LISTED BELOW IS A SUMMARY OF ALL PENDING ITEMS
Qty To Cancel
NW Trans Deluxe Leather-Black
English
[ ]
WT Publications Index 1986-88
English
[ ]
Watchtower Bound Volume 1951
English
[ ]
Watchtower Bound Volume 1952
English
[ ]
Watchtower Bound Volume 1953
English
[ ]
Watchtower Bound Volume 1954
English
[ ]
Watchtower Bound Volume 1955
English
[ ]
Watchtower Bound Volume 1956
English
[ ]
Watchtower Bound Volume 1957
English
[ ]
Watchtower Bound Volume 1958
English
[ ]
Watchtower Bound Volume 1959
English
[ ]
Pending items correct? To cancel, indicate quantity in box, and send a copy to the above address, "Attn: Desk FLH."