Contact Zone:MatchUp:Matchcodes
Component Combinations Every matchcode is composed of one or more possible combinations of components. These represent different possible situations in which this matchcode will detect a match between two records. A match found using any one of the combinations in a matchcode is considered a match. Programmers may think in terms of a series of OR conditions. Satisfying any one of them is considered a positive result. MatchUp allows up to 16 different combinations of components per matchcode. A good example of combinations would be a matchcode designed to catch last names as well as either street addresses or post office box addresses. • Condition #1: ZIP/PC, Last Name, Street Number, Street Name • Condition #2: ZIP/PC, Last Name, PO Box
Such a matchcode might look like this: Component Size 1 2 ZIP/PC 5 X X Last Name 5 X X Street # 4 X Street Name 4 X PO Box 10 X Columns 3 through 16 have been omitted for the sake of clarity. The trick to understanding this table is to look at the vertical columns of X’s. For example, looking at column 1, there are X’s in ZIP/PC, Last Name, Street #, and Street Name, indicating the goal of condition #1 exactly. In column 2 are X’s in ZIP/PC, Last Name, and PO Box, matching condition #2.
For a more advanced example: Component Size 1 2 3 4 ZIP/PC 5 X X X X Last Name 5 X X Company 10 X X Street # 4 X X Street Name 4 X X PO Box 10 X X This matchcode produced matches under the following 4 conditions: • Condition #1: ZIP/PC, Last Name, Street Number, Street Name • Condition #2: ZIP/PC, Last Name, PO Box • Condition #3: ZIP/PC, Company, Street Number, Street Name • Condition #4: ZIP/PC, Company, PO Box
This matchcode could be used on a mailing list containing a mixture of both personal and company names and either street or PO Box™ addresses.
First Component Restrictions The first component in any matchcode is special. This is the component that is used for clustering records, an essential element in efficient deduping. Thus, this component has certain restrictions placed on it. The Matchcode Editor enforces these restrictions automatically. 1. It must appear in every combination. 2. It cannot use the following types of Fuzzy matching: Containment; Frequency; Fast Near; Frequency Near; Accurate Near. All others are allowed. 3. It cannot use Initial Only matching. 4. It cannot use One Blank Field matching. 5. It cannot use Swap Matching.