Hints and tips to get a higher address match rate.

This page has been created to assist customers maximise their barcoded proportion of their mail lodgements. By barcoding more, you’ll reduce costs and wastage and improve your data accuracy.

To get the best possible address-matching rate it is important that you are aware of and follow the Australia Post address presentation guidelines. This is a short summary of hints and tips that will assist you to maximise your barcode match rate.

These Australia Post Address Presentation Standards should be used as a guide for correct addressing techniques and can be downloaded at https://auspost.com.au/business/marketing-and-communications/business-letter-services/barcoding-process

Creating and managing your address database

Consult the AMAS Handbook, which outlines all the address components and their recommended field length, according to Australian Standards for Exchange of Client Information. The AMAS Handbook can be downloaded at https://auspost.com.au/content/dam/auspost_corp/media/documents/amas-developers-guide.pdf

Allocate separate fields for each address element.

Pre-formatting where specific address elements are allocated to their respective fields, rather than storing all address data in one field, will further enhance the matching process and mean higher match rates.

In general, the logical order for Australian addresses is:

Name of organisation, Sub-unit and/or Level, Street Number, Street Name, Street Type or Postal Delivery Type, Postal Delivery Number (usually Address Lines 1 and 2) followed by Locality/Suburb, State and Postcode.

Consider adding an eight-digit field to accommodate the Delivery Point Identifier (DPID). A DPID should be regarded as another common address element, like a Postcode.

Determining how you format your data will depend upon how it is being collected or received and how it is going to be used or processed. Having separate fields for an individual address element is more likely to result in higher input accuracy and quality than if input as one single address line.

Verify addresses at point of data capture

You should consider what you might need to do over the longer-term to introduce continuous improvement in your address data integrity. The best way to achieve this is to implement address management software at the point of data capture. This software will allow you to verify addresses before accepting them into your system, as well as controlling standardisation and formatting.

If address data is validated at the point of collection (keyed entry or upload from another database, file or system), then most addresses are likely to be assigned a DPID and meet Australia Post requirements.

Educate customer support staff to ask for full addresses including numbers, or, better still, implement an address look up in the application that updates customer addresses.

What if all of your addresses are not matched in the first pass?

The AMAS rules work in your favour to protect addresses from unintended assignments. However, this also means that some addresses with simple errors may not be matched. Experience has shown that 20-60% of unmatched address data can be resolved by identifying and amending simple errors. Some AMAS suppliers have Batch and Rapid solutions that allow one-on-one look-up against the Postal Address File (PAF).

If you are using Batch software it is suggested that you first pass a ‘random sample’ of your data to ascertain what the major recurring errors are. It is then easier to identify modifications required for your larger runs to gain maximum match rates.

If you use a mailhouse, ask them to provide a list of unmatched addresses and explanations for non-matches. You will then need to check and amend these addresses to obtain a match for future mailings. It is also a good idea to find out which addresses were amended by the mailhouse, so that you can make the necessary changes to your source database.

Keep a large sample address file

This would contain many different types of addresses. Run this file through your AMAS software each time you receive a new version of AMAS. Comparing differences in matches will help you to identify the impact of new address matching rule changes with each yearly software upgrade.

Missing address elements

Are all elements of the address present, including the Street Number? If not, include missing elements and/or contact your customer to clarify the address.

Street spelling

Use a Rapid AMAS product to perform a PAF look-up or you can check the Street Directory to confirm Street Name and Locality spellings.

Final address line

The final Address Line should include Locality/Suburb, State and Postcode, and nothing else.

Double State Codes

Remove any double State Codes; for example Sydney NSW NSW 2000.This can occur when systems are updated to include a State field, where one was not previously used. Or, it may occur where the State Code is automatically generated but it has been included in the Locality field as well.

Incorrect or missing State abbreviation

In most cases it is possible to pre-process the target file by sorting on Postcode and applying the correct State abbreviation based on the first digit of the Postcode. For example, if the Postcode falls in the range 3000-3999 the State abbreviation will be VIC; 4000-4999 will be QLD, etc. Once the State abbreviation has been applied in this way, the file can then be processed using Batch software. Exceptions to this include ACT Postcodes and Postcodes located on State borders.

Postcode allocation

Check that the Locality and Postcode match against the Australia Post ‘Postcode’ file, which can be downloaded from www.auspost.com.au/postcodes, or use the Postcode book. Having an incorrect Locality, Postcode or misspelt Locality can prevent other amendments being made by the AMAS software to obtain a match.

Common Suburb errors affecting address matching

• Reversed directional e.g. NORTH BALWYN should be BALWYN NORTH.
• Superfluous directional e.g. LINDFIELD EAST should be LINDFIELD.
• Abbreviated element e.g. MT LAWLEY should be MOUNT LAWLEY.
• Vanity Suburb, particularly if not in the correct Postcode, e.g. BALMORAL but Street is in SPIT JUNCTION; TOORAK but Street is in SOUTH YARRA.
• Multiple Postcodes for different delivery types, e.g. SHEPPARTON 3630 for Street delivery; SHEPPARTON 3632 for PO BOX delivery; SHEPPARTON EAST 3631.

Postal delivery type

Check that the postal delivery type is correct for the address. In most cases it is not permissible to change the Postal Delivery Type, though GPO Box and PO Box are interchangeable.

Common problems

• LOCKED BAG being confused with PRIVATE BAG.
• RMB being confused with RSD.
• ‘PRIVATE BOX’ is not a valid type. Is it PO BOX, LOCKED BAG or PRIVATE BAG?
• Road names should not appear when the address is a PO BOX, LOCKED BAG or PRIVATE BAG.
• Road names may appear as additional information for the address types RMB, RSD, MS and RMS, but must appear above the Address Lines.

Non-address data in address lines

Check that ‘care of’ names, company names or job titles don’t spill over to the address lines. This information may either cause confusion and may result in no match, or may be incorrectly recognised as an address field.

Incorrect:

Australia Post
Headquarters 321 Exhibition St
MELBOURNE Vic 3000

Correct:

Australia Post Headquarters
321 Exhibition St
MELBOURNE VIC 3000

This non-address text (e.g. Headquarters) should be stored in a separate field other than an address field. For smaller batch runs, it may be more productive to have a quick view of the data prior to the Batch run.

Unusual line break points

Type the address in the usual format that you would write it on an envelope. Avoid unusual line break points, such as the example below. Refer to the Australia Post Address Presentation Standards Booklet for more information.

Incorrect:

Unit
6 10 Smith Street
NEUTRAL BAY NSW 2055

5 Wattle Gr
South
YUNDERUP WA 6208

Correct:

Unit 6/10 Smith Street
NEUTRAL BAY NSW 2055

5 Wattle Gr
YUNDERUP SOUTH WA 6208

Correct use of symbols

• The Slash ‘/ ’ : This symbol is interpreted as signifying an address that includes a Flat or Unit Number only. It cannot be used to signify a Floor or Level, e.g. 2/100 Smith St can only be used for Flat or Unit 2/100 Smith St.
• The Dash ‘-’ : This symbol is interpreted as signifying an address that includes a number range and is therefore classified as a Ranged Address. It should include the range of applicable numbers, separated by a dash with no space between numbers e.g. 3-7. The dash cannot be used for Flat, Unit, Floor or Level numbers e.g. Unit 3-7 Main Street is incorrect and will not result in a match for Unit 3, 7 Main Street. However, 3/7 Main Street would be matched.

Remove punctuation

Removing punctuation can assist in the matching process: e.g. the full stops and commas in R.M.B and P.O.

Lot numbers

Lot numbers should not be combined with a house (Street) number.

Postal delivery types that require numbers

With the exception of Care of Post Office, Community Mail Agent, Community Postal Agent, and Community Mail Bag, all Postal Delivery Types must have an associated number for a match to occur. e.g. PO Box 112.

Rural addresses

Use RMB or RSD numbers rather than rural property names. The property name and/or road name may appear as additional information before the Address Lines as this helps the delivery of the mail piece.

Road names may appear above the RMB or RSD

Incorrect:

Harry’s Place
RMB 4600 Lakes Road
EUROA VIC 3664

Correct:

Harry’s Place
Lakes Road
EUROA VIC 3664

Presentation of ‘Care Of’ addresses

‘Care Of’ is considered additional information and should not be included in the Address Lines. It may appear above the Address Lines.

Address using ‘Corner’ or ‘Via’

Do not use Corner or Via, as they are not recognised as valid address components.

Common address component abbreviations

The PAF contains a number of abbreviations for Flat/Unit Type, Floor/Level Types, Street Type and Street Type Suffix. For example CRT is not a recognised abbreviation for Court, whereas CT is a recognised abbreviation. FL is an abbreviation for  Floor/Level but not Flat. The abbreviations contained within the PAF are those that are issued by Standards Australia AS4590. According to the Australia Post Address Presentation Standards, it is recommended to spell out Flat, Unit, Floor/Level Types in full. As well as the standard abbreviations, the PAF contains common non-standard abbreviations. AMAS software is able to recognise many of these abbreviations and automatically change them to the standard abbreviation contained within PAF.

Postal Delivery Type

Often Postal Delivery Types are represented incorrectly making it difficult to match the address. Make sure the correct abbreviation is used from the list of standard abbreviations below.

Street Type Suffix

Each Street Type Suffix is unique in its own right and none are interchangeable with any other Street Type Suffix. Most Streets that have a Street Type Suffix will appear with another street of the same name without a Street Type Suffix or with a different one.

Floor/Level

Similarly, some addresses require a Floor/Level and number. The Floor Level Types of ‘Floor’ and ‘Level’ are considered interchangeable and require a number e.g. Floor 7. All other Floor Level Types such as Ground, Basement, and Mezzanine are considered as unique, and a number is optional.

Sub-unit (Flat/Unit Type)

Some addresses, such as Flat, Office, Suite, Shop, require a Sub-unit Type and Number, e.g. Suite 3 18 Jones St.
Flat, Unit, Apartment and ‘/ ’ are considered interchangeable.
All other Flat/Unit types such as Suite, Shop and Office are considered unique.