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Over 40 million Americans change addresses annually. NCOALink matches mailing list addresses to change of address
information for families, individuals and businesses. Data processed through NCOALink is
first standardized to conform to USPS® requirements, including the ZIP + 4® code.
Once the address has been standardized and the ZIP + 4® code applied, an attempt is made
to match the address against the NCOALink file, which contains approximately 115 million records or 48
months of permanent address changes. Address change information is derived from the PS Form
3575, Change-of-Address Order, filed by relocating postal customers. If an exact match is
made with the old address, the move information (new address) is provided. NCOALink helps reduce undeliverable-as-addressed
mail by correcting input addresses prior to mailing. Since 1986, NCOALink and its predecessors have saved mailers
millions of dollars that otherwise would have been wasted in materials and postage. Return CodesReturn codes indicate a match was close but not good enough to meet the strict USPS®
matching guidelines. The Return Code indicates the reason a match could not be made with the
NCOALink file, and this can be further
investigated in the address record to provide necessary corrections. A no-match to the
NCOALink file does NOT return the new
address - the Return codes when provided may give an indication why. LACSThe Locatable Address Conversion System (LACS) service provides mailers an automated method
of obtaining new addresses when a 911 emergency system has been implemented. Typically this
results in a rural style address being updated to a city style address format. DMA SuppressionThe DMA suppression flag notifies a mailer that the input record is a consumer who has
indicated that they do not prefer to receive advertising mail at home. Members of The Direct
Marketing Association (DMA) must run all prospect lists against DMA Suppression data to comply
with membership requirements regarding privacy issues. DPVDPV indicates if an address is complete and correct. Going beyond the capabilities of
CASS, which simply assigns ZIP + 4 codes based on address block range data, DPV will
detect incomplete addresses such as missing apartment numbers. It will also flag CMRA
(Commercial Mail Receiving Agencies). DPV data is located in the last four fields on the
NCOALink layout. Acknowledgment FormA completed Processing Acknowledgment Form must be received prior to
processing. The form may be faxed to us at 636-227-6396.
| MNSISMOVE | 1 | 'Y' if new move, blank if not a move |
| MNSNOSEND | 1 | Undeliverable Code (See note 1) |
| MNSADD1 | 30 | New primary address or standardized original address |
| MNSADD2 | 30 | New secondary address or standardized original secondary address |
| MNSCITY | 28 | New city or standardized original city |
| MNSSTATE | 2 | New state or standardized original state |
| MNSZIP | 5 | New ZIP or original ZIP |
| MNSZIP4 | 4 | New ZIP + 4 or standardized ZIP + 4 |
| MNSDPBC | 2 | New DPBC or standardized DPBC |
| MNSCHKDIG | 1 | New check digit or standardized check digit |
| MNSCART | 4 | New CART or standardized CART |
| MNSLOT | 4 | New LOT code or standardized LOT |
| MNSLOTORD | 2 | New LOT order code or standardized LOT order code |
| MNSPRURB | 30 | New PR urbanization or standardized PR urbanization |
| MNSMOVTYPE | 1 | New type (See Note 2) |
| MNSMOVEDT | 6 | New date (CCYYMM i.e. 199904) |
| MNSRETCODE | 2 | Return Code (See Note 3) |
| MNSGRADE | 2 | Mail Grade (See Note 4) |
| MNSDMA | 1 | DMA suppression flag (See Note 5) |
| MNSLACS | 1 | “Y” if matched to LACS address |
| MNSDPV | 1 | DPV Return Code (See Note 6) |
| MNSCRMA | 1 | CRMA Flag (See Note 7) |
| MNSDPVFL | 1 | False Positive Flag (See Note 8) |
| MNSDPVFN | 20 | DPV Footnotes (See Note 9) |
- Note 1: Undeliverable Code
-
- F = foreign move (no new address available)
- G = box closed (no new address available)
- K = moved, left no forwarding address (no new address
available)
- P = Probable move, however no new address is returned.
The standardized address has been returned and may still
be a forwardable.
- Note 2: Move Type
-
- I = individual move
- F = family move
- B = business move
- Note 3 - Return Code
-
Primary Return Codes: Codes that indicate either a high
level of confidence of deliverability or non-deliverability.
- A - COA Match
- The Input record matched to a Business, Individual or Family Move and a New
Address is provided. The Move Type and Move Effective Date are provided.
- 00 - No Match
- The Input record did not match to the COA database. A New Address could not
be furnished. Secondary Return Codes may be present.
- 01 Match to Undeliverable: Foreign Move
- The Input record matched to Business, Individual or Family COA record but the
New Address was outside USPS delivery area. The Move Type and Move Effective
Date are provided.
- 02 Match to Undeliverable: Moved Left No Address (MLNA)
- The Input record matched to a Business, Individual or Family COA record, but
the Postal Customer did not file a Change of Address with the USPS so no New
Address is available. The Move Type and Move Effective Date are provided.
- 03 Match to Undeliverable: Box Closed No Order (BCNO)
- The Input record matched to a Business, Individual or Family COA record which
contains an old PO BOX address that has been closed without a forwarding address
provided. The Move Type and Move Effective Date are provided.
- 05 - Found COA: New 11-digit DPBC is Ambiguous
- The Input record matched to a business, individual, or family type master file
record. The New Address on the master file record could not be converted to a
deliverable address because the DPBC represents more than one delivery point. The
Move Type and Move Effective Date are provided. A near certainty that the
Individual on the Input record has actually moved.
- 14 - Found COA: New Address Would Not Convert at Run Time
- The Input record matched to a master file (business, individual, or family
type) record, but there was more than one possible New Address so none could be
provided. The Move Type and Move Effective Date are provided. A near certainty
that the Individual on the Input record has actually moved.
- 19 - Found COA: New Address Not ZIP + 4 Coded
- There is a change of address on file but the New Address cannot be ZIP + 4
coded and therefore there is no 11-digit DPBC to store or return. The Move Type
and Move Effective Date are provided. A near certainty that the Individual on
the Input record has actually moved.
Match Qualifier Return Codes: Codes indicating a match to the COA
file using some qualifying criteria. Typically records with these codes have a high
level of confidence in deliverability.
- 91 - COA Match: Secondary Number Ignored on COA
- The Input record was missing Secondary Address data and matched to a COA record
that had a Secondary Address. The records successfully matched using Individual
matching logic and COA Address information has been provided. The Move Type and
Move Effective Date are provided.
- 92 - COA Match: Secondary Number Ignored on Input Address
- The Input record contained Secondary Address data and matched to a COA record
that did not have a Secondary Address. The records successfully matched using
Individual matching logic and COA Address information has been provided. The Move
Type and Move Effective Date are provided.
Secondary Return Codes: Secondary Return Codes will be present when
there was a match on name and address, but subsequent testing failed to yield an
acceptable match, or a New Address could not be provided. The Secondary Return Codes
indicate the condition that prevented COA information from being returned. Secondary Return Codes indicate that there may have been a Change of Address for
the Input record so you may want to delete them from certain Mailings. For example,
in the case of multiple COA records matching to an Input record, the chances are
very high that one of the records is the correct match. That means that you probably
do not want to send mail to that record, unless you are paying for Forwarding and/or
are using ACS or one of the Ancillary Endorsements.
- 04 - Cannot match COA: Street Address with Secondary
- The Input record matched to a Family record type. The old address contained
Secondary information but the Input record did not. This address match situation
requires individual name matching logic to obtain a match and individual names do
not match. The Move Type and Move Effective Date are not returned. The chances
are good that the Individual on the Input record has actually moved.
- 06 - Cannot Match COA: Multiple Matches: Middle Name Related
- The Input record matched to more than one COA record and the middle names or
initials on the COAs are different. Therefore, a single match result could not be
determined. . The Move Type and Move Effective Date are not returned. A near
certainty that the Individual on the Input record has actually moved.
- 07 - Cannot Match COA: Multiple Matches: Gender Related
- The Input record matched to more than one COA record and the genders of the
names on the COAs are different. Therefore, a single match result could not be
determined. The Move Type and Move Effective Date are not returned. A near
certainty that the Individual on the Input record has actually moved.
- 08 - Cannot Match COA: Multiple Matches: Address Related
- The Input record matched to more than one COA record and the New Addresses on
the COAs are different. Since there is no way to know which New Address relates
to the Input record, no New Address can be returned. The Move Type and Move
Effective Date are not returned. A near certainty that the Individual on the
Input record has actually moved.
- 09 - Cannot Match COA: Highrise Default
- The Input record matched to a Family record type in a Highrise address ZIP +
4 coded to the building default. This address match situation requires individual
name matching logic to obtain a match and individual names do not match. The
Move Type and Move Effective Date are not returned. The chances are good that
the Individual on the Input record has actually moved.
- 10 - Cannot Match COA: Rural Default
- The Input record matched to a family record on the master file from a Rural
Route or Highway Contract Route address ZIP + 4 coded to the route default. The
address situation requires individual name matching logic to obtain a match and
individual names do not match. The Move Type and Move Effective Date are not
returned. The chances are fair that the Individual on the Input record has
actually moved.
- 11 - Cannot Match COA: Individual Match: Insufficient COA Name for Match
- There is a master file (Individual or Family type) record with the same surname
and address but there is insufficient name information on the master file record
to produce a match using individual matching logic. The Move Type and Move
Effective Date are not returned. The chances are good that the Individual on the
Input record has actually moved.
- 12 - Cannot Match COA: Middle Name Test Failed
- The Input record matched to an Individual or Family record on the master file
with the same address and surname. However, a match cannot be made because the
input name contains a conflict with the middle name or initials on the master
file record. The Move Type and Move Effective Date are not returned. The chances
are good that the Individual on the Input record has actually moved.
- 13 - Cannot Match COA: Gender Test Failed
- The Input record matched to a master file (Individual or Family type) record.
A match cannot be made because the gender of the name on the Input record
conflicts with the gender of the name on the master file record. The Move Type
and Move Effective Date are not returned. The chances are good that the
Individual on the Input record has actually moved.
- 15 - Cannot Match COA: Individual Name Insufficient
- There is a master file record with the same address and surname. A match cannot
be made because the Input record does not contain a first name or contains
initials only. The Move Type and Move Effective Date are not returned. The
chances are good that the Individual on the Input record has actually moved.
- 16 - Cannot Match COA: Secondary Number Discrepancy
- The Input record matched to a street level Individual or Family type record.
However, a match is prohibited based on one of the following reasons:
- There is conflicting secondary information on the input and master file
record;
- the Input record contained secondary information and matched to a family
record that does not contain secondary information.
In item 2, this address match situation requires individual name matching logic
to obtain a COA match and individual names do not match. The Move Type and Move
Effective Date are not returned. The chances are fair that the Individual on the
Input record has actually moved. - 17 - Cannot Match COA: Other Insufficient Name
- The Input record matched to an Individual or Family master file record. The
input name is different or not sufficient enough to produce a match. The Move
Type and Move Effective Date are not returned. The chances are fair that the
Individual on the Input record has actually moved.
- 18 - Cannot Match COA: General Delivery
- The Input record
matched to a family record on the master file from a General
Delivery address. This address situation requires individual
name matching logic to obtain a match and the individual
names do not match. . The Move Type and Move Effective
Date are not returned. The chances are fair that the Individual
on the Input record has actually moved.
- 20 - Cannot Match COA: Conflicting Directions after Re-chaining
- Multiple master file records were potential matches for the Input record. The
master file records contained different New Addresses and a single match result
could not be determined. The Move Type and Move Effective Date are not returned.
A near certainty that the Individual on the Input record has actually moved.
- 66 - Daily Delete
- The Input record matched to a Business, Individual or Family type master file
record with an old address that is present in the daily delete file. The presence
of an address in the daily delete file means that a COA with this address is
pending deletion from the master file and that no mail may be forwardable from
this address. The Move Type and Move Effective Date are not returned. The
chances are low that the Individual on the Input record has actually moved.
- Note 4 - Mailability Score (indicator of the
deliverability of a mail-piece to its intended recipient)
-
The Mail Grade ranks each record according to the accuracy of the recipient and
address data. Mailers can use the score as a guide to making decisions about
mailing or maintaining a record. The scores provide the following descriptions of the client's record:
- A = This is an accurate, mail-able address
- B = Record is probably deliverable
- C = This record may or may not be deliverable
- F = This record is undeliverable. Do not Mail
- Note 5 - DMA Suppression Flag
- The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) sponsors a Mail Preference Service (MPS)
designed to assist consumers in decreasing the amount of national non-profit or
commercial mail they receive at their homes. Consumers who contact the DMA and
request to be added to the MPS will typically not respond to direct mail advertising.
A flag of "Y" in this field indicates consumers who have contacted
the DMA and requested to be added to the MPS. A flag of "N" indicates that
a consumer is not on the MPS file.
- Note 6 - DPV Return Code
- D = valid primary (or RR) number; secondary number (or RR box) missing on
input
- M = unable to resolve multiple match condition
- N = no delivery point validation
- S = valid primary (or RR) number; secondary number (or RR box) present but not
confirmed
- Y = delivery point validated; primary number valid and secondary number (if
present) valid
- Blank = address not presented to DPV table
- Note 7 - CRMA Flag
- N = address is not for a CMRA
- Y = address is for a CMRA
- blank = address not presented for CMRA lookup (only those with a return code
of D, S, or Y will do a CMRA lookup)
- Note 8 - DPV False Positive
- N = no false
- Y = false
- blank = address not presented for f/p lookup (only those with a return code
of N will do a false/positive lookup)
- Note 9 - DPV Footnotes
- AA - input address matched to the ZIP + 4 file
- A1 - input address not matched to the ZIP + 4 file
- BB - input address matched to DPV (all components)
- CC - input address primary number matched to DPV but secondary number present
but not valid
- N1 - input address primary number matched to DPV but highrise address missing
secondary number
- M1 - input address primary number missing
- M3 - input address primary number invalid
- P1 - input address missing PO, RR or HC box number
- RR - input address matched to CMRA
- R1 - input address matched to CMRA but secondary number not present
NCOALink is a mailing list correction service provided by non-exclusive licensees of the United States Postal Service on lists to be used in the preparation of mailing. The USPS neither establishes, approves or controls rates at which NCOALink is offered. |