Contacts Database

What Happens When You Import a Contact?

When you add a new contact to the Open Letter Connect database, several important processes take place to ensure the integrity and reliability of the information you’ve provided. Here's a deeper look into what happens behind the scenes:

1. Duplicate Record Check: First, we check if the contact you are adding already exists in our database to avoid duplicates.

2. Mailing Address Validation & Standardization: We validate the mailing address provided to make sure it's in a recognized format and correct.

3. Address Status Assignment: After validating the address, we assign an "Address Status" to your contact which indicates the verification status of the address.

4. Running NCOA (National Change of Address): We run the contact’s address through the NCOA database to ensure we have the most up-to-date address information. This process helps in updating the address of contacts who have recently moved.

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Duplicate Check in OLC

Upon importing contacts into OLC, the system runs a duplicate check to maintain the integrity of your contact list. A record is considered a duplicate if it shares the same:

• Email address

• Phone number

OR

• The combination of First Name, Last Name, Address Line 1, Address Line 2, City, State, and Zip Code

This ensures that each contact in your list is unique, preventing multiple records for the same individual or organization.

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Address Validation & Standardization

Ensuring addresses are not only standardized but also validated is crucial for maintaining accurate and reliable contact information. Address validation checks if an address exists and is deliverable, avoiding issues such as undeliverable mail.

Address Validation & Standardization Process

1. Standardization: The address is formatted according to postal standards.

2. Validation: The standardized address is checked against a postal database to confirm its existence and deliverability.

By incorporating both standardization and validation, you can enhance data quality, improve delivery rates, and reduce costs associated with incorrect or undeliverable addresses.

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Address Status

Address Status Definitions

• Failed: The address likely cannot be delivered to. This status usually indicates that the address either does not exist within the postal database or fails to meet postal standards even after attempted standardization.

• Corrected: This status indicates that the address was either updated via the NCOA database or standardized to match postal standards, making it likely deliverable.

• Verified: A verified status means that the address has been both validated against a postal database and standardized according to postal guidelines, ensuring it is deliverable.

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NCOA (National Change of Address)

(National Change of Address) NCOA is a database managed by the United States Postal Service (USPS) designed to assist in keeping track of residents' change of address. This crucial tool is employed to ensure mail and packages are not sent to previous addresses but instead directed to the new, updated locations. By using NCOA, businesses and individuals can significantly improve the accuracy of mail delivery, reduce the risk of lost or returned mail, and maintain current contact information for their mailing lists. The database is updated regularly with information received from change of address forms submitted by relocating individuals, making it an invaluable resource for accurate and efficient mail delivery.