CDS and Solutran Enable Health and Wellness Publisher Rodale to Leverage Electronic Clearing through Seamless Check 21 and ARC Check Conversion Service.

DES MOINES, Iowa -- Communications Data Services (CDS) and Solutran are enabling Rodale Inc., the authoritative source for trusted content in health and wellness worldwide, to seamlessly integrate Check 21 and ARC check conversion processes and technology into Rodale's existing receivables processing, it was announced today by CDS and Solutran. CDS is helping Rodale increase its operations efficiency, streamline exceptions handling, improve quality and extend deposit timeframes. CDS is Rodale's lockbox provider, and Solutran is Rodale's third-party payment processor.

Rodale, CDS and Solutran will present a case study on combining Check 21 and ARC check conversion in a lockbox environment, Wednesday, June 14th, at The Association for Work Process Improvement's 36th Annual Conference & Forum, at the Navy Pier in Chicago.

With electronic clearing capabilities enabled by Check 21 and ARC check conversion, billers can achieve significant business benefits, whether they process their receivables in-house or through a lockbox. These benefits include: consolidated depository relationships; lower bank fees; reduced or eliminated courier costs; fewer delays in getting checks to the bank; later deposit deadlines; improved funds availability; and streamlined handling of returned items.

In its electronic clearing proof-of-concept, Rodale received no ARC check conversion opt-outs, saw no negative impact to its customer service volumes or costs (they were flat), and had no issues with cash reconciliation or reporting.

During the three-month proof-of-concept, as expected by Rodale's payment mix, an average of 94.4 percent of checks were converted to automated clearinghouse transactions (ACH), while 5.6 percent of its volume was presented as image replacement documents (IRDs).

CDS and Solutran deliver Rodale the underlying processes and technology. CDS generates and transmits to Solutran an X9.37 file with Rodale's lockbox transactions. Solutran processes the file through a decisioning engine, which includes its MICRefine(R) and opt-out management solutions and presents the items via ACH, IRD or image exchange. All returned items are electronically routed to Solutran and processed though its returns system for handling.

"Electronic clearing through Check 21 and ARC check conversion represents a great business opportunity for lockbox users such as Rodale," said Carl Egger, director, input systems, CDS. "We believe the key to success is making electronic deposits as easy for billers as paper deposits are today. The technology and processes from CDS and Solutran do just that."

"This proof-of-concept marks a significant step in our electronic clearing deployment by delivering business and operations improvements with the same functionality, convenience and customer service levels as traditional paper clearing," said Jane Morris, director, outside fulfillment, Rodale. "We look forward to expanding this project with CDS and Solutran."

"Rodale is an innovative organization that is demonstrating the most cost-effective, most strategic clearing solution by integrating Check 21 and ARC check conversion into its receivables processing," said Michelle Kocur, manager of product development, Solutran. "By ensuring seamless integration of electronic clearing mechanisms with CDS' existing lockbox environment, Solutran offers cost savings and operations improvements to billers."

About Rodale, Inc.

Rodale Inc. is the authoritative source for expert content in health, fitness and wellness around the world, reaching nearly 40 million people each month. The company publishes some of the best-known health and wellness lifestyle magazines, including Men's Health, Prevention, Women's Health, Runner's World, Best Life, Bicycling, Backpacker, Mountain Bike and Organic Gardening, and is also the largest independent book publisher in America with a collection of international titles, including The South Beach Diet and The Abs Diet franchises. Rodale's broad range of media platforms includes magazines, books, video and extensive Web sites. The company is also a leader in direct-response marketing and has more than 25 million active customers in its database. www.rodale.com.

About Solutran, Inc.

For more than 20 years, Solutran has provided a full range of treasury management solutions to corporations and financial institutions. Solutran's customized solutions span the payment spectrum, from paper check processing and conversion to fully electronic payment processing. Services offered include depository processing, accounts receivable truncation, controlled disbursement services, and returned check management and conversion services. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Solutran maintains relationships with 10 affiliate-processing centers across the United States and Canada. Visit Solutran online at www.solutran.com.

About Communications Data Services, Inc.

In the business of providing outsourced services since 1972, CDS has earned a reputation for service and value in the industry. Backed by the stability and experience of The Hearst Corporation, CDS provides a complete outsourced solution for clients to manage and execute all the critical business processes that impact their customers: information and order capture, data imaging and management, letter shop, printing, mailing, and product fulfillment.

CDS counts among its customers an elite group of the world's leading magazine publishers, direct marketing firms, financial institutions, non-profit organizations and corporate billers. CDS brings the right mix of people, processes, technology and tools to every job we do, making CDS a trusted partner for complex, mission-critical applications. CDS is headquartered in Des Moines, IA, with facilities in Arizona, New York, Pennsylvania, Canada, and England. Learn more at www.cdsfulfillment.com or by calling 866-897-7987.