Overview
USPS Link products overview
This appendix provides information on Delivery Point Validation (DPV), Locatable Address Conversion System process (LACSLink), SuiteLink, and Residential Delivery Indicator (RDI), available with GeoStan.
DPV overview
Delivery Point Validation (DPV™) is a United States Postal Service (USPS®) technology that validates the accuracy of address information down to the physical delivery point. DPV is only available through a CASS-certified vendor, such as Precisely.
Previous address-matching software could only validate that an address fell within the low-to-high address range for the named street. By incorporating the DPV technology, you can resolve multiple matches and determine if the actual address exists. Using DPV reduces undeliverable-as-addressed (UAA) mail that results from inaccurate addresses, reducing postage costs and other business costs associated with inaccurate address information.
DPV also provides unique address attributes to help produce more targeted mailing lists. For example, DPV can indicate if a location is vacant and can identify commercial mail receiving agencies (CMRAs) and private mail boxes.
Although DPV can validate the accuracy of an existing address, you cannot use DPV to create address lists. DPV is a secure dataset of USPS addresses. For example, you can validate that 123 Elm Street Apartment 6 exists, but you cannot ask who lives in Apartment 6 or if there is an Apartment 7 at the same street address.
With DPV, your application automatically processes every record with an output ZIP+4 against the DPV files. Using DPV may increase your ZIP+4 match rate, but may also increase processing time. Therefore, you may not wish to use DPV if you are not CASS certifying.
LACSLink overview
The Locatable Address Conversion System (LACS) converts rural addresses to city-style addressees. LACSLink is a USPS technology that provides mailers with an automated process to correct address lists for areas that have undergone LACS processing. Address list conversions occur when the LACS process modifies, changes, or replaces an address. This usually occurs due to one of the following: the conversion of rural routes and box numbers to city-style addresses, the renaming or renumbering of existing city-style addresses to avoid duplication, or the establishment of new delivery addresses.
LACSLink is a secure dataset of USPS addresses. Although LACSLink can validate the accuracy of an existing address, you cannot use LACSLink to create address lists.
False positive addresses overview
False positive addresses, also known as seed records, are addressees the USPS monitors to ensure users are not attempting to create a mailing list from the DPV or LACSLink data.
If you encounter a false positive, you will receive a message. Processing continues to the end of your job, but further DPV or LACSLink processing is disabled. DPV or LACSLink processing is not available for subsequent jobs until you have reported the false-positive address encounter to Precisely and have received a new security key.
A message similar to the following appears when you encounter a false positive address:
|
DPV |
DPV processing was terminated due to the detection of what is determined to be an artificially created address. No address beyond this point has been DPV validated. In Accordance with the License Agreement between USPS and Precisely, DPV shall be used to validate legitimately obtained addresses only, and shall not be used for the purpose of artificially creating address lists. The written Agreement between Precisely and the Precisely customer shall also include the same restriction against using DPV to artificially create address lists. Continuing use of DPV requires compliance with all terms of the License Agreement. If you believe this address was identified in error, please contact Precisely. |
LACS/Link |
LACS/Link processing was terminated due to the LACS/Link DEVELOPER LICENSEE PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS detection of what is determined to be an artificially created address. No address beyond this point has been LACS/Link processed. In accordance with the License Agreement between USPS and Precisely, LACS/Link shall be used to convert legitimately obtained addresses only, and shall not be used for the purpose of artificially creating address lists. The written Agreement between Precisely and the Precisely customer shall also include this same restriction against using LACS/Link to artificially create address lists. Continuing use of LACS/Link requires compliance with all terms of the License Agreement. If you believe this address was identified in error, please contact Precisely. |
When implementing DPV and LACSLink you need to create a false positive file that contains the Header Record and Detail Record information. You must provide this file to obtain a new security file from Precisely Technical Support.
For information purposes, the following tables contain the layout of the header and detail records of the false positive files for DPV and LACSLink. The header record contains the mailer information from the Mailer Parameter Record and statistics gathered by the application.
Position |
Length |
Description |
Format |
|---|---|---|---|
1-40 |
40 |
Company name |
alphanumeric |
41-98 |
58 |
Address line |
alphanumeric |
99-126 |
28 |
City name |
alphanumeric |
127-128 |
2 |
State abbreviation |
alphabetical |
129-137 |
9 |
9-digit ZIP Code |
numeric |
138-146 |
9 |
Total records DPV/LACSLink processed |
numeric |
147-155 |
9 |
Total records DPV/LACSLink matched |
numeric |
156-164 |
9 |
% match rate to DPV |
numeric |
165-173 |
9 |
% match rate to ZIP+4 |
numeric |
174-178 |
5 |
Number of ZIP Codes on file |
numeric |
179-180 |
2 |
Number of false-positives |
numeric |
The detail record contains false positive record information.
Position |
Length |
Description |
Format |
|---|---|---|---|
1-2 |
2 |
Street pre-directional |
alphanumeric |
3-30 |
28 |
Street name |
alphanumeric |
31-34 |
4 |
Street suffix abbreviation |
alphanumeric |
35-36 |
2 |
Street post-directional |
alphanumeric |
37-46 |
10 |
Address primary number |
alphanumeric |
47-50 |
4 |
Address secondary abbreviation |
alphanumeric |
51-58 |
8 |
Address secondary number |
numeric |
59-63 |
5 |
Matched ZIP Code |
numeric |
64-67 |
4 |
Matched ZIP+4 |
numeric |
68-180 |
113 |
Filler |
|
Data expiration
The USPS has determined that the ZIP+4 Directory data, DPV data, and LACSLink data expire in 105 days for CASS processing. The date is measured from the release of the Postal database, which is the 15th of the month indicated on the Precisely data CD. For example, the June data release is good for 105 days from the 15th of June. However, in non-CASS processing modes, ZIP+4 data expires in 135 days.
RDI overview
The Residential Delivery Indicator (RDI™) is a United States Postal Service (USPS®) data product that identifies whether a delivery type is classified as residential or business. If you are shipping to residences, you may lower costs by shipping with the Postal Service™ and avoid residential delivery surcharges typically charged by other shipping companies.
Implementing LACSLink and DPV
LACSLink and DPV processing utilizes additional data. Precisely provides this data on separate CDs from the traditional GeoStan data, and is dependent on your contract with Precisely. For more information on installing DPV and LACSLinkdata, see the DPV and LACS/Link Release Notes.
When you implement DPV and LACSLink you must first initialize GeoStan. After you have initialized GeoStan, you can initialize DPV and LACSLink.
If you initialize DPV, GeoStan automatically uses DPV to resolve match candidates. DPV will not delivery point validate unless you specifically request DPV output. If you do not specifically request DPV output DPV will never hit a false-positive address.
If you initialize LACSLink, GeoStan automatically uses LACSLink to convert addresses according to the guidelines created by the USPS.