Address Collection - How to Make Sense of Your Data
Address collection can be a challenging task. It is essential to collect clean information, regardless of whether you're collecting data for weddings, holiday cards or even for parties.
Businesses can save time and money by using correct addresses. Incorrect addresses can result in delays in delivery of mail, additional fees, and missed opportunities. Address verification tools reduce these costs by ensuring that addresses are correct.
ArcGIS Solutions for State and Local Government
Address collection is crucial for local governments. It is also a key component in geospatial management. However, many governments face challenges with managing authoritative address repositories. They require simple workflows to allow for the capture of the physical location of an address early in the development process, standard map products to inform decision makers and the general public about the quality of their addresses, as well as tools for sharing authoritative addresses with other agencies.
Local government staff use Esri solutions to meet these needs. These pre-built maps and applications are designed to work with specific workflows, making it simple for local governments of all sizes and levels of geospatial knowledge to adopt them for increased efficiency and understanding.
According to Scott Oppmann, State and Local Government Solutions Team Director, Esri, solutions are organized into categories that represent "the most frequently-asked for needs in state and local government." To view the complete list of capabilities available go here.
For instance, a solution known as Maintaining an Authoritative Address Repository comprises a set of tasks to help you create a layer of address from an inventory of verified sites that you have collected via an online form or captured in the field using Address Field Inventory. This feature layers can then be used to generate USNG coordinates and a mailing address. The solution allows you to divide a street at a specific point, calculate a municipal boundaries, and then update address attributes in the master road table.
Managing Address Field Operations is another Esri solution that can be used to help address authority staff gather inaccurate or missing information from both internal and external stakeholders. It lets office staff assign tasks to their field staff to make use of the address crowdsourcing app on their mobile devices. They then can verify the addresses they submit and take note of any new addresses they find while in the field. The data is automatically added into appropriate databases tables to be processed and published.
The solution also enables office personnel to assign tasks with the option to validate an existing set of address data using an established accuracy threshold which allows them to identify errors such as duplicates and mismatched addresses in the database. This information can be incorporated into the master database to improve the quality of data and improve its accuracy.
Reverse Geocode Geoprocessing tool
Reverse geocoding can be used to understand data, whether you're trying to find the location of a company or just want to find out which areas are most profitable. Numerous mobile apps like Uber and Lyft use reverse geocoding to transform raw GPS coordinates into information drivers can comprehend. Retail chains employ reverse geocoding to better understand their customers' habits of shopping. Urban planners can connect address data with population density to determine where to build public infrastructure.
Reverse Geocode is a tool that converts points within a feature class into addresses. It does this by searching for the closest intersection or address based on distance. It can be used to reverse-geocode single or multiple points. The output is well-structured and ready to be integrated into other tools or systems.
It supports standard formats and custom formats for address data. This includes the standard attributes X andY from a Point Address feature as well as the identifiers of POIs (Points of Interest). You can also specify which kind of geometries the location is. It could be a routing location (a street-side location that can be used to route) or the parcel centroid or rooftop of an address.
You can also make use of the tool to create composite locators by connecting two or more locators. The resultant locator will fall back on the ArcGIS World Geocoding service if it fails to find an address with your own personal information.
Reverse geocoding is expensive, especially when you're working on large amounts of coordinates. Esri offers a free usage limit of around 200 million requests per month. If you exceed this limit, you will incur charges. You can also purchase a service to convert coordinates into addresses en masse.
It's crucial to lastly to confirm the accuracy and completeness of any address data you receive from customers using reverse geocoding. This can be done by using an address verification API that's CASS certified, such as PostGrid. This will ensure that the addresses you use in your direct mail campaigns are delirable and can be delivered to your customers.
Data Assistant Add-in
The Data Assistant addin contains a collection of tools to aid you in moving data between different datasets that have different data structures. These tools allow you to complete various tasks, like concatenating several source fields into one target field or splitting strings into multiple fields of target.
The installation of the Data Assistant is required before you can use it. Click Start and select Control Panel, then Add or Remove programs. Uninstall Microsoft Data Assistant 1.0 by following the instructions on screen.
After the Data Assistant addin is installed It can be configured to create a source/target configuration file. You can then load or change data with that file. The Data Mapping tool also includes an array of methods you can use to transform data between different formats and handle special characters.
Learn about the Data Assistant Add-in to learn more about how it can help you with your requirements for address collection. This solution provides information on how to use the Data Assistant add-in and how to create workflows that collect and update parcel information and read more populate layers of community.
Data Validation Tool
A reliable address validation tool is a potent tool that can help businesses maintain the integrity of their data and increase operational efficiency. It ensures that the correct address is used for mail and invoices are sent to the right person and marketing campaigns are delivered to the right target audience. When choosing a validation software pick one that provides seamless integration into business processes and comprehensive country coverage. Also, you should consider pricing structures and opt for tools that have a high ROI.
Whether taking addresses from handwritten forms at a retail store, through digital inputs during an online checkout or through integrated data that is flowing into CRM systems, precise initial data entry is essential in reducing shipping errors and returns and ultimately increasing customer satisfaction and loyalty. This involves more than just the simple postal code or ZIP lookup. It requires a thorough process of address collection and validation.
The process begins with an advanced tool for data parsing that breaks down an address into its individual components, such as the street name, city, and postal code. Next, the tool matches these pieces against commercial databases to validate their accuracy. It then standardizes an address to conform with global postal norms. For instance, it converts extended forms into standardized abbreviations or capitalization.
The address is then geocoded in order to verify its location. This step is particularly important for businesses that operate globally. It helps them calculate shipping costs accurately and also to provide transparency to their customers. This reduces the risk of costly delays caused by inaccurate or incomplete information. A robust geocoding API will aid businesses in complying with international shipping laws and avoid issues with customs.
After the address is verified, it's updated automatically in CRM systems and enterprise resource planning systems, ensuring that every customer interaction or shipment delivery is based on accurate data. Precise address data can also streamline the logistical side of operations by simplifying logistics and procurement processes, thus saving time and money.