QAS Glossary of Commonly Used Terms

  A

AMS Commercial

The Address Matching System Commercial is the API that contains and developer files used by QAS Batch. It is one of three discs that accompany the USPS's Batch engine, which is incorporated into QAS Batch.

Batch

API

Definition: An API, short for application program interface, is a version of a full program broken down into a group of files that contain the core functionality of that program.

This functionality can be integrated into other programs, like your company's CRM, through function calls which are written into the program code. An API is an important part of any possible software integration for many companies. Because many CRM programs are customized to the needs of a company, other software must be fully customizable in order to integrate properly.

When a CRM or other data system is highly customized, many IT departments prefer to implement QAS's suite of API products to perform address verification and streamline data entry.

Pro, Batch, Web

ATI

Address Type Indicator adds functionality to Pro and Pro Web by indicating whether addresses are Residential, Business, or Mixed. A single character is used (e.g. R for Residential) to show the type of address under each indicator category. These indicators will help shippers choose the most cost-effective method of shipping, since private shippers (FedEx, UPS) charge a surcharge to residential addresses, but USPS does not.

This data also includes some addresses not contained in the USPS database as well as these additional indicators:
R=Residential
B=Business
M=Mixed

Cottage Indicator – indicates whether an address is a Home Office. Vacant Indicator – indicates whether an address has been vacant for 90 days or more. Record-Type Indicator – indicates the type of record (i.e. General Delivery, PO Box, Rural Route, Street).

This data is incorporated into the USA Enhanced data set.

Pro

  C

CASS

The Coding Accuracy Support System, or CASS™, is a system designed to improve the accuracy of the addresses that appear in a database or file and is used by the USPS to ensure the accuracy of data cleansing products. QAS Batch is a software program approved by the USPS as being CASS Certified™. Mailing lists that are run through a CASS certified engine are eligible for certain bulk mail postage discounts.

Batch

  D

Dataset

A dataset is address data acquired from the National Postal Administration in a country. Since they regularly visit each premise, these organizations are clearly in the best position to produce and maintain a national address file.

Prior to formatting the data for use within QAS products, QAS always secures a resale agreement with the relevant national postal body. This resale agreement gives QAS the right to incorporate the address data into QAS products and to sell the data on to end users, either directly or through QAS' partners.

Pro, Batch

DPV

Delivery Point Validation data ensures that addresses are accurate and deliverable. DPV helps reduce the amount of undeliverable as addressed mail pieces. Without DPV the USPS provided Zip +4 data is only capable of confirming whether an address falls within a valid range.

Batch

  G

Good Full

A match type used in QAS Batch to indicate that a good match was found for the address being cleaned. This match type is indicated by a solid blue circle.

Batch

  H

Hotkey

A user-defined shortcut that that maximizes the Plug & Go window and brings it to the front of a screen.

Pro: Plug & Go

  I

Interactively Rejected

A match type used in QAS Batch to indicate that a match was declined during a manual clean. This match type is indicated by a solid red circle with a white X in the middle.

Batch

Interactively Accepted

A match type used in QAS Batch to indicate that a correct match was found during a manual clean. This match type is indicated by a solid blue circle with a white check mark.

Batch

  L

LACS Link

Locatable Address Conversion System. LACSLink converts old addresses that have changed like rural route addresses which were converted to city-style addresses for use by 911 systems or street names and numbers that have been updated for various reasons.

In order to obtain CASS certification the USPS has enforced the use of LACS Link as of cycle L which began in August of 2007.

Batch

  M

Multiple Match

An address verification level used in Pro Web and Batch that indicates more than one match to a complete deliverable result in the dataset. In this case the verification engine has found two or more equally valid addresses that can only be distinguished by address information that has not been provided as part of the search.

In Batch this match type is indicated by a half red and half white circle.

Batch, Web

  P

PAF

The Postcode Address File (PAF®) is the most up-to-date and complete address database in the UK, containing over 28 million addresses. PAF is an invaluable tool for creating and maintaining mailing lists and databases, as well as reducing the number of returned or undelivered items.

Pro, Batch, Web

Picklist

A list of potential address matches based on the current query, each element of which can be expanded to reveal additional information if available.

Pro, Web

PMB

A Private Mailbox is typically operated by a commercial mail receiving agency. Although the USPS does not mail to PMB addresses, they are included in the USPS Zip +4 file.

Pro, Batch, Web

Poor Full

A match type used in QAS Batch to indicate that a match was found, however the address was changed significantly indicating that the match is likely incorrect. This match type is indicated by white circle with a little blue filling.

Batch

Premises Partial

An address verification level used in Pro Web that indicates a missing or incorrect secondary number. This result indicates that the address searched upon was not matched to a complete deliverable result in the dataset. A match to the building was found, however additional information is needed to complete the address.

Web

Primary Number

A common element within an address, the Primary Number indicates the number of a building or house. Without this number mail cannot be delivered.

Pro, Batch, Web

  Q

QUSHOWN

The QAS-supplied executable used by programmers to automatically invoke QAS Pro instead of using a hotkey. In order to replace hotkeys with this automatic process you must have access to the source code of the application with which Pro interacts.

Pro

  R

RR/HC

A Rural Route is a network of roads traveled by carriers to deliver mail to roadside mailboxes. An address for mail to a rural delivery address includes both the rural route number and the box number (e.g. RR 5, Box 10). Highway Contract routes are awarded by the USPS to the lowest bidder, who are typically independent contractors who deliver mail for the USPS. HC addresses are formatted similarly to RR addresses. Together, they form an address formatting element within QAS software.

Pro, Batch

  S

Secondary Number

A common element within an address, the Secondary Number indicates the number of an apartment or suite. Without this number mail will only be delivered to the lobby of the stated building.

Pro, Batch, Web

Session

A configuration wizard that enables you to define the name, type and format of your input addresses and specify the look of the returned addresses. It is possible to reuse a session provided the file name or database table information remains the same.

Batch

Single Line

A search mode that accepts queries starting with the most specific address information and ending with general address elements e.g. 1 River Rd, Schenectady, NY, 12345-6000). When a user has typed out all the available information they must activate the search.

Pro

Street Partial

An address verification level used in Pro Web that indicates a missing or incorrect primary number. This result indicates that the address searched upon was not matched to a complete deliverable result in the dataset. A match to the street was found, however additional information is needed to complete the address.

Web

  T

Tentative Match

A match type used in QAS Batch to indicate that a match was found, however it may be incomplete or Batch has a lower level of confidence in this match. This match type is indicated by a half blue circle.

Batch

Tiger ZIP

Tiger ZIP data provides address latitude/longitude information. This data is published by the USPS and works off of the extended zip information (typically referred to as the +4). QAS offers TigerZip in the USA DataPlus dataset.

Pro, Batch

Typedown

A search mode that accepts queries starting with the most general address element and once a match is found allows the user to find more specific parts of the address. Typedown mode does not wait for you to activate the search. In this mode Pro starts searching as soon as the first character is entered. A pick list of matches is displayed and shrinks in size as more characters are typed, narrowing the results.

Pro

  U

User Interaction Required

An address verification level used in Pro Web that indicates a lower confidence match was found. This result indicates that the address searched upon was matched to a complete deliverable result in the dataset, however, the engine is less confident about this match than a ‘Verified’ match.

QAS recommends that the user is prompted to accept the changes made to the address before moving forward.

Web

  V

Verification Engine

The verification engine is designed to verify an address once the customer has entered it in full into a web form. The engine is predominantly used by Web API customers in the United States. If an accurate match cannot be found, the engine responds with a pick list of possible matches whereas good matches are cleaned and re-formatted.

Web

Verified

An address verification level used in Pro Web that indicates a complete match. This result indicates that the address searched upon returned a single match to a complete deliverable result in the dataset.

Web

Verified Correct

A match type used in QAS Batch to indicate that the address was verified as being 100% accurate. This match type is indicated by a solid blue circle.

Batch