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Redpoint Data Management™ Documentation
Redpoint Data Management™ Documentation
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Address/Spatial

Overview

The Address/Spatial group includes tools for performing address hygiene operations, spatial processing, and geocoding.

Address matching

Real-world address data tends to be non-standard and "dirty," and attempts to match the raw address text often produce poor results:

  • Some components of the address are more critical than others and should have a tighter match criteria. For example, the house number is almost always more critical than the street suffix or directionals.

  • Common variants in address entry tend to turn similar addresses into very different strings, for example E HWY 20 and US HIGHWAY 20 EAST.

  • Most address matching software first standardizes the addresses, then matches on the standardized address. This process is flawed for several reasons:

  • Some street addresses (especially rural addresses) are not USPS deliverable, and standardization software fails.

  • Some addresses are so "dirty" that standardization cannot correct the errors.

  • Address standardization tools are generally more expensive and slower than Data Management.

Data Management takes a different approach. Instead of trying to create a single standardized address, it recognizes the inherent ambiguity in dirty address data, and generates multiple candidates for each address. Each candidate represents a slightly different interpretation of the address. The Parse Address tool applies standardization to basic address elements such as street suffixes and unit designators to improve matching. And it breaks the address down into components such as house number, predirectional, and street name, so that you can apply different weights and matching functions to each component.

Using the Parse Address tool, you expand each input address into one or more candidate parsed addresses, and then match the sets of parsed addresses against each other. Because each candidate is matched independently, you greatly improve your odds of finding matches in dirty data.

About RPDM address-quality modules

This section provides a brief description and functional overview of each address-quality module available in Redpoint Data Management (RPDM). Each is licensed and installed separately and used through the corresponding RPDM tool or macro.

CASS

CASS (Coding Accuracy Support System) is a United States Postal Service (USPS) certification program that verifies address-validation software correctly standardizes U.S. addresses and assigns ZIP, ZIP+4, and delivery-point codes. In RPDM, the CASS module powers the Standardize Address tool, which checks each address for compliance with the USPS preferred format, corrects erroneous or missing elements, and appends data such as ZIP+4, carrier route, county, and FIPS codes. When DPV, LACSLink, and SuiteLink are enabled, the tool can generate a CASS certification form (PS Form 3553) reporting the percentage of the list that conforms to the USPS standard — required to qualify for USPS postal discounts.

EWS

EWS (Early Warning System) is a USPS data file, refreshed weekly, that identifies legitimate new and recently changed addresses, such as new subdivisions or apartment complexes, that have been assigned delivery codes but do not yet appear in the monthly CASS/ZIP+4 database. Because the main USPS database updates only once a month, EWS closes the gap so that valid new addresses are not incorrectly flagged as undeliverable. In RPDM, EWS data supplements the address-standardization modules; when an address matches an EWS record it is returned with an Early Warning System status (a "W" status code) indicating it should be included in the next national database update.

Geocoder

The Geocoder module associates geographic coordinates with input addresses so locations can be pinpointed and used in geography-based analysis. In RPDM, the Geocoder tool converts a free-form address (first line and last line) into a normalized form and outputs latitude and longitude, state and county FIPS codes, and census tract and block numbers, along with a match score indicating confidence in the result.

While the Geocoder performs a form of address standardization, its results are not CASS certified; the Standardize Address (CASS) tool should be used where certification is required.

Loqate

Loqate is a global address-verification service that validates and cleanses mailing addresses for 240+ countries and territories. In RPDM, the Loqate tool interfaces with Loqate's AddressVerify system to parse unstructured text into labeled components, validate data against the Loqate Global Knowledge Repository, standardize addresses to the correct local format (per OASIS and UPU standards), correct common misspellings, and append missing components such as postal codes and regions. It supports any UTF-8 language and can also geocode addresses, making it the module of choice for international address quality.

SERP

SERP (Software Evaluation and Recognition Program) is Canada Post's certification program for address-accuracy software, the Canadian counterpart to USPS CASS. In RPDM, the SERP module powers the Standardize Canadian Address tool, which checks each address for compliance with Canada Post requirements and converts address elements to the SERP-approved format. The tool parses the address into standardized components (street name, suffix, directionals, unit, city, province, and postal code), appends latitude and longitude, and returns status and error codes that indicate whether the address was fully coded or why it failed.

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