ADDRESS DATA INTERCHANGE SPECIFICATION (ADIS)

NEED FOR AN ADDRESSING STANDARD

U.S. Addresses

n     Storing addresses in block format means information loss

n     Addresses are parsed repeatedly and redundantly

n     Differences persist in parsing and coding

n     Coding can occur with incomplete addresses

n     Some data may not appear on actual mailpiece

NEED FOR AN ADDRESSING STANDARD

International Addresses

n     International address formats differ significantly

n     Address elements vary from country to country

n     Mailers lack expertise for all countries

n     Lack of address standardization lowers delivery rates

n     More expensive postage intensifies these problems

RESPONSE TO THE NEED

Efforts are underway to identify address elements in various regions

CEN TC 331 has developed list of European address elements

ECCMA has developed International Address Element Codes (IAEC)

IAEC includes majority of the CEN elements

UN/PROLST EDI message in development supports IAEC

GCA ADIS supports IAEC codes

GCA ADIS supports address management and mail production

UPU Standards Board resolutions support standards development

BUSINESS BENEFITS OF NEW STANDARD

Improved domestic and international coding rates

Better identification of potential undeliverables

Better identification of duplicate addresses

Extend benefits of U.S. Delivery Sequence File

Ability to manage acquisition and exchange of missing elements

Ability to determine completeness of addresses

Ability to create firm packages and composite mailpieces

Ability to inject records into a completed presort

Late kills, early adds, move updates up to time of production

 

FURTHER BUSINESS BENEFITS OF NEW STANDARD

Manage constant and variable message inserts

Add variable content into a publication

Manage correlation of graphics files with text messages

Link multiple addresses for same entity

Can support future hybrid distribution systems

EDI version supports management of file updates

XML version with UNICODE support handles all alphabets

GCA ADIS supports mail piece messages

USPS BENEFITS FROM NEW STANDARD

Method for proliferation of secondary identifiers

Method for identification of missing secondary identifiers

Improved DPS sorting

Reduced carrier hand sorting

Reduced mail forwarding

Reduced residual mail in presorting

USPS BENEFITS FROM NEW STANDARD

Reduced UAA mail

Improved control of address quality

First ever control of address rendition quality

Improved economics for International mail

Maximize benefits from UPU POST*Code project

BASIC APPROACH OF NEW STANDARD

The address must not be confused with the address label

The address is a structure of elements

The label is merely one rendition of the address

Addresses are permanently parsed

Templates used to define formats by country

Rendition instructions fit addresses and messages into available area

KEY ADVANCES OF NEW STANDARD

Full implementation of address element technology

Supports address management and mail production

Supports delivery point databases where available

Completeness and incompleteness indicators

Address elements processed through country based templates

Graceful degradation of content to fit available space

Measurement of rendition quality

Quality thresholds can be specified by the Posts

RENDITION INSTRUCTIONS

A set of operations in a defined sequence

Must unequivocally determine an outcome

Must maintain deliverability

Should support abbreviation, noise elimination

Should support expansion and contraction of lines

Address renditions differ from message renditions

RENDITION INSTRUCTIONS:  EXAMPLE

101 NORTH NEW HAVEN AVENUE APT 4

APT 4

101 NORTH NEW HAVEN AVENUE

APT 4

101 NORTH NEW HAVEN AVE

APT 4

101 N NEW HAVEN AVE

APT 4

101 N NEW HAVEN

APT 4

101 N NEW HAVN

THREE EXAMPLES OF INTELLIGENT ABBREVIATION

 

       TRUNCATION

122 Avenida Mira Del

       Mar

122 Mira Del Mar

       Avenue

Avenida Mira Del Mar

       122

 

        RENDITION

122 Ave Mira Del Mar

122 Mira Del Mar Ave

Ave Mira Del Mar 122

CHOICE OF TECHNICAL PROTOCOLS

EDI using ASC/X12 Transaction Set 101 for U.S. addresses

UN/EDIFACT PROLST for International addresses

UN/EDIFACT may be moving toward ebXML

ADIS/XML DTD for data collection

GCA ADIS flat files

GCA ADIS supports relational DB implementation

All of the above are examples of address element technology

CURRENT STATUS

ADIS Version 01-1 has now been published

ASC/EDI X12 Transaction Set 101 used by some large institutions

UN/EDIFACT PROLST is a Message In Development

Two proposals have reached Status P in UPU Standards Board

n     One for collection of elements

n     One for data transmission and final presentation on mail piece

NEXT STEPS

Strengthen input validation through XML Schemas, template extensions

Work with suppliers on ADIS parsers and output generators

ADIS input processing for printers and ink jet manufacturers

Expand ECCMA code list

Work with CEN on European address printing rules

Pursue UPU standardization process

Develop templates for more countries using UPU POST*Code information