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360 Perspective ofAddress Element Correction(AEC) / AEC II®

National Postal ForumMay 17th – 20th, 2015

Angela Lawson, Manager Address Quality Programs, USPS®

Dan O’Brien, Director – Postal Strategy, TD Ameritrade

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Agenda What are some examples of “bad” addresses

What is a standardized address?

What are the root causes of “bad” addresses

How do you fix them?

• DPV®, LACSLINK®, SuiteLINK® Products

• AEC / AEC II®

Summary

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Can You Recognize A Bad Address?

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Barbara L. Wilson512 King Ridge Cv.Collierville TN 38017-1714

Can You Recognize A Bad Address?

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Defining A Quality AddressAs defined by USPS®:

“A quality address contains complete and correct elements that comply with USPS Address Management System standards and allows automated sortation to the intended delivery point for delivery to the specified recipient (current) without requiring the use of Delivery Force Knowledge™ to complete.”

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What Is A Standardized Address?A standardized address is defined as:

All necessary elements correct and complete…

Pre-directional

Primary address number

Street name

Street suffix

Post-directional

Secondary identifier

Secondary number

City

State

ZIP + 4® code

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CASS Certified SoftwareCASS Certified SoftwareTMTM

LACSLink® DPV®LACSLink® DPV®

SuiteLink®SuiteLink®

AEC / AEC II®AEC / AEC II®

NCOALink®NCOALink®

ANKLink®ANKLink®

ACSACSTMTM

Standardize

Validate

Update

Address QualityFoundation

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Average Mailing List Address Quality

Total Addresses Processed: 1.294 Trillion

Total Addresses ZIP + 4® Coded: 1.239 Trillion 95.72%

Total Addresses ZIP + 4 Coded that DPV® Confirmed:

1.235 Trillion 95.40%

Total Addresses Processed that DPV Confirmed (Y):

1.181 Trillion 91.26%

Total Building Addresses with a Bad or Missing Apt/Ste Number (S&D):

53.65 Billion 4.14%

Data derived from analysis of mailer files in FY 2014

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Address Quality Study of a National Mailing

When

the address was . .

.

Delivered Returned Forwarded

ZIP + 4® Coded: 91.71% 5.94% 2.35%

ZIP + 4 Coded and DPV® Confirmed: 92.11% 5.48% 2.41%

Improvement (Reduction): 0.44% ( 7.74% ) 2.55%

Overall Address Quality and UAA results

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Address Quality Study of a National Mailing

When

the address was . .

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Delivered Returned Forwarded

ZIP + 4® Coded but missing Apt/Ste number:

60.34% 31.43% 8.23%

ZIP + 4 Coded containing valid Apt/Ste number:

83.00% 11.98% 5.02%

Improvement (Reduction) 37.55% ( 61.88% ) ( 39.00% )

Overall Address Quality and UAA results

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Address Quality Study of a National Mailing

When

the Address Was . .

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Delivered Returned Forwarded

Not ZIP + 4® Coded Due to Multiple Possible Matches (Main St or Main Ave?):

66.11% 29.71% 4.18%

Not ZIP + 4 Coded Because Address Information Could Not Be Determined:

67.79% 27.93% 4.28%

Increase (Reduction)Vs. ZIP + 4 Coded Only: ( 27.91% ) 400.17% 77.87%

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Can You Recognize A Bad Address?

Barbara L. Wilson512 King Ridge Cv.Collierville TN 38017-1714

NIXIE 4910 1 02 04/20/15

RETURN TO SENDER

NO SUCH STREET

UNABLE TO FORWARD

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USPS® Internet Address Matching System

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100 MAIN STANYTOWN TN 38138-6038 Confirmed

104 MAIN STANYTOWN TN 38138-6038 Not Confirmed

DPV® Product

Extension of CASS Certified™ Address Matching software

Extra step to attempt validation of each specific address in the file allows a user to confirm the validity of address information - right down to apartment and suite number

DPV provides a “YES / NO” response to aninquiry such as:

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DPV® / DSF2® Footnote Codes

AA Input Address Matched to the ZIP+4 file P1 Input Address RR or HC Box number invalid

A1 Input Address Not Matched to the ZIP+4 file P3 Input Address PO, RR, or HC Box number invalid

BB Input Address Matched to DPV (all components) RRInput Address Matched to CMRA and PMB designator

present (PMB 123 or #123)

CCInput Address Primary Number Matched to DPV but

Secondary Number not Matched (present but invalid)

R1Input Address Matched to CMRA but PMB designator

not present (PMB 123 or #123)

N1Input Address Primary Number Matched to DPV™ but

Address Missing Secondary NumberF1 Input Address Matched to a Military Address

M1 Input Address Primary Number Missing G1 Input Address Matched to a General Delivery Address

M3 Input Address Primary Number Invalid U1 Input Address Matched to a Unique ZIP Code

On footnotes of F1, G1 and U1 move “Y” to the DPV return code and spaces to all other flags.

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LACSLink®

LACSLink is a process that converts addresses that are changed by local governments

Rural route to street style conversion Renumbering changes Street name changes

Delivery point remains the same and the residents have not moved, but the address has been changed.

Old Style New Style

RR 5 Box 234 5471 Apple Drive

471 Main St 1471 Main St

987 Edgewater Dr 987 Waterways Blvd

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SuiteLink®

Improves address assignments to business addresses by adding known secondary (suite) numbers

Provided a business name and an associated ZIP + 4® coded address matches to a high-rise default, the SuiteLink process will return the appropriate suite number when available

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AEC Service

What can AEC do for addresses that commercially-available CASS Certified™ software doesn’t do? Expands standard and non-standard abbreviations to their full

spelling Corrects a full spelling to abbreviations or initials Corrects misspellings, fractional primary number variations and

road designator spellings Connects two components to form one or separates one

component into two

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AEC Service

What is AEC and how can it help me?

Address Element Correction (AEC) is a service offered by USPS® that attempts to assign a ZIP + 4® code to addresses that fail standardization using traditional CASS Certified™ address matching software

AEC uses sophisticated address hygiene algorithms developed by USPS that go beyond typical capability of commercial address-matching software

Processing with AEC logic typically improves the ZIP + 4 coding of uncoded addresses by an average of 38%

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AEC Service

AEC focuses on the following addressing issues Incomplete address

• Incorrect street name • Missing or incorrect directional • Missing or incorrect suffix • Rural-style address conversion to city-style address

Incorrect city name or ZIP® Code

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AEC Service — Examples

4546 B-10 EL CAMINO REAL PMB #375LOS ALTOS CA 94022

4546 EL CAMINO REAL STE B10 PMB #375LOS ALTOS CA 94022-1069

INPUT

OUTPUT

Return Code = SS (Exact Match)How Code = v (moved secondary to right of address)

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AEC Service — Examples

ROPE FERRY RD/RT.155 MILLSTONE POWER STAWATERFORD CT 06385

155 ROPE FERRY RDWATERFORD CT 06385-2625

INPUT

OUTPUT

Return Code = SS (Exact Match)How Code = BX (parsed each element of street name

to match street file)

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AEC II® Service

AEC II is an enhancement to the AEC program

Addresses that remain uncoded after AEC processing are compared against the AEC II historical file that looks for previous resolutions of the same name and address

Addresses that remain uncoded after AEC and AEC historical file comparison are sent to the responsible delivery unit for resolution

• Average: 85% resolution rate

• Average: 51% correction rate

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AEC II® Service

How does the local delivery unit fix the address?

AEC II leverages Delivery Force Knowledge™ to correct “bad” addresses in mailer files

Carriers typically know their customer’s address and can identify correction necessary

Address corrected to a valid delivery point with ZIP + 4® code appended

Indicator provided to identify when the address cannot be corrected

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AEC II® Service

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AEC II® Service

What if the address I have is actually a correct address but it still doesn’t match the USPS® data?

Address will be returned marked “correct-as-shown” without charge

Where the mailing address is a PO Box instead of a street address, record returned marked with “PO Box Indicator” without charge• PO Box address not provided due to privacy

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AEC II® Service — Examples

JONES PET SHOP3770 VIA CAMPENA SOCEANSIDE CA 92057

JONES PET SHOP3770 VISTA CAMPANA S UNIT 2OCEANSIDE CA 92057-8237

INPUT

OUTPUT

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AEC II® Service — Examples

BROOKLYN’S SCHOOL OF DANCE13421ARRIER AVE APT 204 ONEIDA TOWERS 1ONEIDA NY 13421

BROOKLYN’S SCHOOL OF DANCE226 FARRIER AVE APT 204ONEIDA NY 13421-1665

INPUT

OUTPUT

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AEC II® Service — Examples

PRUITT FINANCIAL27185 SOUTH 2500 EASTVERNAL UT 84078

PRUITT FINANCIAL2718 S 2500 EVERNAL UT 84078-9107

INPUT

OUTPUT

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AEC II® Service — Examples

MILTON FLORIST3258 HIDEWAY LANEMIDDLEBURG FL 32068

MILTON FLORIST3852 HIDEAWAY LNMIDDLEBURG FL 32068-3867

INPUT

OUTPUT

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AEC II® Service — Examples

MEAD LAWN AND GARDEN5814 SR6WJASPER FL 32052

MEAD LAWN AND GARDEN5814 STATE ROAD 6 WJASPER FL 32052-4684

INPUT

OUTPUT

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AEC II® Service — Examples

DIAMOND CONSULTING105 PARKER DRCHALESTON WV 25309

DIAMOND CONSULTINGRR 8 BOX 330CHARLESTON WV 25309-9766

INPUT

OUTPUT

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AEC Confidence Option Included in AEC/AEC II® file processing to assist in minimizing

the analysis of AEC returned corrections Used to return only AEC corrections where AEC enhanced

computer logic indicates a high confidence in the returned correction

Records usually result in a DPV® confirmation at a primary address level (dependent on the CASS™ software used and the frequency of its USPS® data source)

All records that do not have the highest level of confidence, as determined through our logic, will be sent through AEC II® service (at customer’s request) for resolution based on Delivery Force Knowledge™.

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AEC Processing Results The returned address will contain:

• The standardized delivery address if resolved; if unresolved the data fields will be blank.

• Delivery addresses are parsed into individual address elements.

• For Rural Routes addresses, the term “RR #” will appear in the Street Name field, the word “Box” will appear in the Suffix field, and the box number will appear in the Primary Number field.

• For PO Box addresses, the words “PO Box” will appear in the Street Name field, and the box number will be listed in the Primary Number field.

The original, unaltered record as submitted.

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AEC II® Service

What are the Costs for AEC and AEC II Processing?

AEC processing costs $21 per thousand records (required for AEC II processing)

AEC II processing costs 32¢ per resolution

• Nothing if resolved using historical file

• Nothing if submitted address is correct

• Nothing if address is returned indicated as PO Box mailing address

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AEC II® ServiceHow can I estimate my return on investment using USPS®

AEC/AEC II® services?

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Requesting AEC/AEC II® Processing Request form and payment can be submitted in one of two ways:

• AEC/AEC II Processing Request Form — accompanies each file submitted for processing. Payment is accepted by credit card or USPS® CAPS account.

• AEC/AEC II Processing Request for Vendors Form — submitted once and is applicable for each file submitted thereafter.

• Vendors are required to have a CAPS account and to include a header record as the first record in their file (discussed later).

CAPS allows mailers to conduct business with CAPS Service Center Reps electronically. To obtain a CAPS account visit caps.usps.gov or call (650) 377-1334.

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AEC Return Codes

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Electronic File Transmission Procedures

File Submission The EPF Upload Manager allows AEC users to upload their

address list files for processing.

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Electronic File Transmission Procedures

AEC Return File Processed files will be available for download via the

Electronic Product Fulfillment (EPF) website. As files are processed and loaded to EPF, an email notification

will be sent informing users of available file(s).

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Electronic File Transmission Procedures

AEC Web ACCESS An AEC web access account is needed in order to access the

EPF web site.

To obtain an AEC Web Access Request Form, visit https://ribbs.usps.gov/forms/documents/tech_guides/ps5116.pdf

Complete the form and return via the contact information provided at the bottom of the form.

Upon receipt of your request, a representative from the AEC Department will contact you via phone with an ID and password for your files.

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Tools and Resources AEC and AEC II® Calculator

http://ribbs.usps.gov/aec/documents/tech/guides/AEC_calculator.xls

AEC and AEC II User Guide

https://ribbs.usps.gov/aec/documents/tech_guides/AEC_AECII_UG.PDF

For everything you wanted to know about AEC and AEC II, but were afraid to ask in public . . .

http://ribbs.usps.gov/index.cfm?page=aec

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AEC Header Record Layout

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AEC Input File Layout

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Summary

USPS® provides an extensive suite of existing address quality products and services.

The quality of your address data directly affects the deliverability of your mail!

It’s important to continuously monitor and validate the quality and accuracy of your address information.

The USPS is committed to ongoing address hygiene improvements to enhance the value of mail.

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Questions??

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For More Informationribbs.usps.gov

National Customer Support Center

1-800-238-3150

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MondayColleges and University Addressing: Issues and Opportunities

Jim Wilson / Richard Boudrero – Beginner – Period 7, 11 am

Keeping It Simple: ACS™ Services – It’s All in the Service Type IDKai Fisher – Intermediate – Period 7, 11 am

Growing a Great Address Quality FoundationEd Wanta / Wanda Senne –Beginner – Period 9, 2:45 pm

Your Software is Talking, Are You Listening?Angela Lawson / Chris Lien – Intermediate – Period 10, 4 pm

SundayDemystifying UAA – Where did it come from? How can we fix it?

Jim Wilson / Gary Seitz – Beginner – Period 6, 4 pm

USPS® Co-Presentations Schedule

TuesdayLeveraging the NCSC RIBBS Site – Understanding What’s Available to You

Ed Wanta – Delivery Solutions Theater, 1:30 pm

Wednesday360o Perspective of Address Element Correction (AEC)/AEC II®

Angela Lawson / Dan O’Brien – All Levels – Period 16, 8 am