Matching Levels

With matching levels, you can select the matching logic to be used during the duplicate identification process. Plainly speaking, matching level determines what records are considered duplicates and removed. Usually, matching level corresponds to the "one per" selection used in the search, but you can select another level if your mailing purpose requires different definition of a duplicate.

Available levels vary depending on the list, and may have customized logic; however, the concept of matching levels is basically the same.

Typical examples of matching levels for consumer information include:

•         Household (may be referred to as "family residence", "one per household", and so on). This is an industry standard level because the most common idea is to mail only one piece to a family. In this scenario, John Smith is considered a duplicate to Susie Smith at the same address, and only one person from the household remains in the final result.

•         Individual (may be referred to as "all per household", "multiple per household", and so on). In this case, only records with the same first name, last name, and address are considered duplicates, so both John and Susie Smith remain in the final result.

•         Address (may be referred to as "location"). In this case, all records with the same address are considered duplicates, regardless of their names. On Address level, not only street address is taken into account, but also unit number if it is available, for example, apartment number, suite number, room number, and so on.

For business type of lists, Company level is frequently used, for which duplicates are records with the same business name and address. Duplicates can also be eliminated on Contact ("multiple per company") level, and in this case all the unique contact phone numbers or contact persons within a company remain in the final result.