Address Collection - How to Make Sense of Your Data
Address collection may seem like an overwhelming task. It is essential to collect clean data, whether you're collecting information for weddings, holiday cards, or for parties.
Businesses can save time and money by using valid addresses. Invalid addresses lead to returned mail, fees, and missed opportunities. Address verification tools can help reduce expenses by ensuring addresses are entered correctly.
ArcGIS Solutions for State and Local Government
Address collection is vital for local governments and is a key element of geospatial data management. Many governments are struggling to manage authoritative address repositories. They require simple workflows that help capture the physical location of an address earlier in the process of developing it, standard map products to inform decision makers and the general public about the quality of their addresses, and tools to share authoritative addresses with other agencies.
Local government officials utilize Esri solutions to meet these needs. These pre-built maps and apps are designed to work with specific workflows, which makes it easy 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 Lead, Esri, solutions are divided into categories that reflect "the most common needs in local and state government." Click here to view the complete list of capabilities.
For instance, a program known as Maintaining an Authoritative Address Repository comprises a set of tasks to help you create a layer of address from a list of verified sites collected through an online form or captured in the field using Address Field Inventory. This feature layers can then be used to generate USNG coordinates as well as a mailing address. In addition to that, the solution allows you to split the road at a specific point, calculate municipal boundaries and update the address characteristics in the master road name table.
Managing Address Field Operations is another Esri solution that can be used to help address authority staff collect missing or inaccurate information from internal and outside stakeholders. It enables office personnel to assign tasks to their field workers, who use the address crowdsourcing tool on their mobile devices to verify submitted addresses and to record new ones observed while out in the field. This information is then automatically entered into the appropriate database tables for further processing and publication.
The solution allows office workers to assign tasks using the option of validating existing set of address data with a specified accuracy level. This allows them to identify errors, such as duplicate addresses or incorrectly matched addresses in the database. The data can then be imported into the master database to improve the quality of the data and make it more accurate.
Reverse Geocode Geoprocessing Tool
Reverse geocoding is a method to interpret data, whether you're trying to locate the location of a business or simply want to know which area is the most profitable. Numerous mobile apps like Uber and Lyft use reverse geocoding to transform raw GPS coordinates into information that drivers can comprehend. Retail chains use it to analyze the preferences of customers, and urban planners can connect address data with the density of people to determine which areas to build public facilities.
The Reverse Geocode tool turns point locations within a feature class into addresses by searching for the nearest intersection or address based upon the distance of search. It can be used to reverse-geocode a single or multiple points. Its output is well-structured and ready to be integrated into other tools or systems.
It allows both custom and standard formats for address data, including the standard attributes X, Y of a Point Address feature, and the identification codes for POIs (Point of Interest). You can also specify which location type the matching geometry is. It can be a routing location (a side-of street location that can be used to direct traffic) or the parcel's centroid, or the rooftop of an address.
In addition you can also make use of the tool to build a composite locator by linking two or more existing locators together. If it cannot find the address with your local information, the resulting locator will rely on ArcGIS World Geocoding.
Reverse geocoding can be a costly process. This is especially relevant if you work with a large number of coordinates. Esri offers a free usage limit of about 200 thousand requests per month. If you exceed this, you'll be charged. Another option is to buy an online service that can convert coordinates into addresses in bulk for you.
As a final note it's crucial to confirm the accuracy of any address information you get from customers via reverse geocoding. This can be done using an address verification API that's CASS certified, like PostGrid. This will ensure that the addresses you use in your direct mail campaigns are delirable and are able to be delivered to your customers.
Data Assistant Add-in
The Data Assistant addin contains a set of tools that will help you migrate data between different datasets using different data structures. These tools can be used to perform various tasks, such as concatenating multiple sources into a single target field, or splitting the string into several fields to be used as targets.
Installing the Data Assistant is required before you can use it. Click Start and select Control Panel, then Add or remove programs. After that, look for Microsoft Data Assistant 1.0 and follow the on-screen instructions to uninstall it.
Once the Data Assistant add-in is installed, you can configure it to create an source-target configuration file and then load or replace data from the file. The Data Mapping tool also includes an array of methods you can use to transform data into different formats and to handle specific characters.
Learn about the Data Assistant Add-in to learn more about how it can help you in meeting your address collection needs. This solution provides information on how to work with the Data Assistant add-in and how to create workflows that collect and update parcel information and populate community layers.
Data Validation Tool
A trusted address validation tool is a powerful tool that aids businesses in maintaining the integrity of their data and increase operational efficiency. It ensures that the correct address is used for mailing, invoices go to the correct customer, and marketing campaigns are sent to the right target audience. When choosing a validation software, choose one that offers seamless integration into business processes and comprehensive country coverage. Be aware of the pricing structure and choose tools that offer a high return on investment.
When it comes to taking addresses from handwritten forms at a retailer store, during digital inputs at checkout online or through integrated data coming in from CRM systems, accurate initial data entry is crucial in reducing shipping errors and returns, ultimately boosting customer satisfaction and loyalty. This is more than a simple postal code or ZIP lookup. It requires a thorough process of address collection and validation.
This process begins with an advanced data parsing tool that breaks down an address into its various components, including the street name, city name, and postal code. Next, the tool matches these pieces to commercial databases to verify their accuracy. It then standardizes the address in order to conform to international postal standards for example, the conversion of extended forms to standard abbreviations and capitalization.
The address is then geocoded to confirm its location. This step is particularly important for companies operating globally. It allows them to calculate shipping costs accurately, and to be transparent to customers. This reduces the risk of costly delays resulting from inaccurate or incomplete information. Additionally, a robust geocoding API can help businesses adhere to international shipping regulations and avoid customs-related issues.
Once the address is verified, it's automatically updated in CRM and enterprise resource planning software to ensure that each customer contact, shipment or delivery is based on accurate data. A precise address can also streamline the logistical side of operations by simplifying procurement and logistics processes, which saves time and money.