An apparatus is provided for generating formulaic rates. The apparatus may include at least one memory and a processor(s) configured to define a first formula(s) in a row(s) of a database to calculate a first shipping rate value for a first type of shipping rate, among plural types of shipping rates, associated with a first rate identifier. The processor is further configured to define content in the row to analyze a predecessor rate identifier(s) of a previously generated source. The processor is also configured to detect a second shipping rate value corresponding to the predecessor rate identifier. The second shipping rate value is associated with a second type of shipping rate. The processor is further configured to determine the first shipping rate value for the first type of shipping rate based on calculating the formula using the second shipping rate value. Corresponding computer program products and methods are also provided.

In order to prevent stamps or indicia from being forged and in order to bill a logistics service between different postal service providers correctly to the user, a computer-implemented method for franking postal articles is implemented. The article's progress is recorded by readers and, together with the accompanying franking identification, is stored in blocks of a blockchain as a transaction. In doing so, the assignment of the readers to a postal service provider is recorded. The logistics service provided is billed correctly to the user by analyzing the transactions stored in the blockchain that are to be allocated to at least one postal service provider.