What is Event address validation...?
Address validation in Event is the process of checking a business address as received in orders from customers, against an authoritative address store to see if the address is valid. ... Addresses that do not find a match in the Event location store are marked as "invalid". They are then put through our validation service to find the closet matches and presented to the user to select.
Thats address validation in 4 lines...!
What is included out of the box...?
Address validation is a configurable option.
It is by default OFF.
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GROUPAGE, FTL, LTL traffic
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You get validation of each address you send before it is processed into Event.
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You can LIVE test the address before accepting / correcting it.
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You get access to the Event Global location store*
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You get your own Event Account location store*
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In this current iteration of Address Validation, you are required to make a selection from the validation results, as depending on your initial address there may be a few suggestions
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You get a new validation screen where you can view and correct the results
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You have the option to override the validation and stick or edit the your original address.
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You can choose to always use the corrected address going forward
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You get a configurable notification of an address validation failure
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You get a configurable notification of a new address saved (it tells you what was received and what you actually selected to use)
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You get the ability to change the address in ROUTE for a pre-validated address.
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PARCEL traffic
For our parcel customers, the address is validated during the carrier selection process directly with the carrier, so you know the address is pre-validated when you print the label.
Any failures are highlighted to you and can be corrected through the Address Correction process.
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* please checkout 'How does it work' section
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What is an address?
In Event this is quite simply the address and the geo-coordinates. It does not include contact details, booking windows, equipment preferences, delivery restrictions etc
These restrictions are all added per customer, so when we say your address was matched with an address in the Event Global Location store, don't worry, its just the address.
Why do we do the match anyway?
There is only one address for each business. A spelling mistake, appreviation etc will always happen.
We need to provide you just 'one source of truth'. A bad address could be an extra delivery charge, late delivery or worse a failed delivery.
Can i switch it off if i don't want to use it?
By default, address validation is switched off.
You can switch it on in Account VITALS
Do i have to download anything?
Address validation is offered as a service addition to ROUTE. Simply read how to use it and activate it in Account VITALS.
How does it work..?
As part of our address validation service we provide:
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The Event Global Location store
This is a store of global, validated addresses, added by all our different customers. Validation is approved by suggestion acceptance 1st and then delivery confirmation.
An address is only added to this store once it has passed these rules.
So a manual address added in Create Order will have no offical validation to start with but can be added to this store if it passes these rules.
Once in the Global store, the address is available for everyone, so everyone benifits.
2. The Account Location store
This is your own private store of non-validated addresses. Addresses that could not be validated or where you decided to ignore the suggestions and use the original address.
They are added to your private store until they get a confirmed delivery and geo-cordinate, then added to the Global Store
3. Validation Google
When we cannot get an exact match from the above stores will will request suggestions from our external validation provider.
Depending on the quality of the original address they will provide suggestions.
We present these to you for you to select one.
We validate based on Address Line 1 and the Country to provide options.
Address line 1 has a similarity rating, Country is exact.
The original postcode / zip code may be wrong, if we validate on that there would never be any suggestions.
We will only show you suggestions that have valid longitude and latitude, so validated addresses.
There are 3 current phases to our address validation service.
Phase 1
Phase 2
Phase 3
= Event Global Location store check for match
= Account Location store check for match
= Validation service to provide suggestions
How do these phases fit into our address validation stages?
The matching stage...
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An order is received by Event from a customer
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The order passes through phase 1 validation and we look for it in the Event Global Location store.
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If we cannot find a match we then move to the Account Location store.
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If we find a match in either of these, it is automatically processed and will show in ROUTE
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If we find a address match here but different business name we will ask you to validate it and provide the correct address and all linked business names and vice versa.
...the suggestion stage...
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An order is received by Event from a customer
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The order passes through phase 1 validation and we look for it in the Event Global Location store.
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If we cannot find an exact match we then move to the Account Location store.
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If we connot find a match again we ask our external validation to provide suggestions
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A notification is sent and the order moved to the Import errors folder waiting for validation
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In ROUTE2 we place this order in ERROR with an address validation comment.​
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The error is a link and will link you to the address suggestions to correct it.
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...the decision stage...
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The user will action the notification or ERROR link in ROUTE2 and Import errors will open
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They will be offered validated suggestions and either select from the suggestions or select the original.
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If they select to stay with the original address the match is saved.
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The order added to thier own Account Store as no validaton occured
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The order is reprocessed to Route.
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If they select an Event suggestion the order match is saved.
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They have the ability to 'bind' the 2 addresses togther so stop the validation being requred again if we receive the same original address.
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The order is added to the Event Global store
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The order is reprocessed to Route and auto routed.
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If they decide to edit the original address manually they make the required changes
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They select the location on a map to provide geo-coordinates
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They have the ability to 'bind' the 2 addresses togther so stop the validation being requred again if we receive the original address.
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The order is added to the Account store as no validation occured
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The order is reprocessed to Route.
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For those that prefer pictures...
Common questions...
What is actually validated?
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​Address 1
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Town / City
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Zip code (if US)
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Postcode (if UK etc)
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State (if US)
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County (if UK)
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Country
What about Business name and Address line 2 i hear you ask?
A business name is separate to an address. Why, well because different customers can have slighly different names for the same address. The address determines if a delivery fails.
So we will use the business name that you provide.
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We advise you to not add peoples names (i.e. FAO etc) in the business name or address line 1.
It is best to add special text in address line 2
So what happens if i send you a typo business name but a valid address?
If we find a match to the address in the Global location store but not to the business name, you will need to validate the address by either accepting the new business suggested or staying with your original.
Do i have to keep validating this address each day?
If you send us an address and business name that is invalid and you select to use a suggested address, if you select to store the association between we will automatically replace the address each time, so next time we receive the exact address we will automaically replace with your preference.
We will send you an email to advise on the validation you completed so you can update the address in your system for next time!
But the address i sent to you is correct! I don't need to change it!
All addresses must be in the Address store.
We do pre-validate may thousands of addresses due to the historical delivery data we already have.
If the address is valid and we already have it in the Global or your Account store then you will not be required to validate it.
If we donot have the address in one of the stores already, then it will need to be validated to be added.
Why can you not auto validate them for us? Why are we doing it?
The address you add is your Account address. Once you have agreed the address is good we can auto validate on receipt in future.
In phase 1 Event will not make the final decision if an address is right or wrong but offer you refined suggestions.
Where an address is an exact match to Events Location store or our address validation partner we will automatically validate it for you.
Only where we cannot match exactly to your address will be look for manual validation.
So i have orders for the same address 15 times aday. Do i have to validate each one?
When you validate an address we will check for any other address failures for the address match (original address) and update them all for you, so you only need validate the 1st one.
If i can overide an address suggestion, you will get duplicate addresses?
Thats why you have an Account Location store. If you disagree with the addresses we offer, we still allow you to use your imported address BUT we save it to your own Account store, not the Global store.
So only you see this 'duplicate', other customers will not see it.
My address has no Address line 1. Can i still use it?
You will need a valide entry in Address line 1, Town / City, Postcode / Zip code, State (if US) and country before you can select the UPDATE button. So you cannot push through an address missing this information. We will tell you this if you try.
I am not sure which is correct or better from the suggestions you offer!
We onlyprovide either addresses that have already been delivered to or validated Google addresses.
How will it affect me..?
Where an invalid address fails to find a match on receipt into Event, you will be required to validate it. Either by selecting from the suggestions we offer or self validating the original.
For example, if you do not include a STATE the address will fail validation as a State is required for the US, it will not fail for the UK.
For any new delivery point, unless the address is already in the Event Global Location store or we cannot validate through Google you will need to do this.
Once validated we store the choice you made against the original address.
Next time we receive the original or the choice you choose from the suggestions we will automatically validate for you, bypassing the manual validation check.
For 'how to use address validation?' click here
So how do i know if i need to validate an address?
We know you are already busy with just your day jobs, so to help we provide you with a notification.
The notification will tell you their is a validation error to correct and provide a link to the error.
Validation error notifications will need to be activated by user. So pop to your Profile page, notifications tab and activate
Select to receive notifications from your profile
Errors will come to you. Click notification to validate.
Update your address file based on the selection you made.
Select to receive notifications from your profile
What do i need to do?
In this section we will learn how to navigate around Import Errors and more specifically Address Validation
How to validate an address error...
The order is refused by Event due to an invalid address, to proceed it needs to be fixed...
click image to expand
You can access import errors at anytime from the MENU, selecting 'Import errors'.
In ROUTE2, when an address validation is identified, AMI will put the order into ERROR. Click on the error to correct it.
When you have made your choice, select update and AMI will do the rest. The order will be in ROUTE and removed from the error list.
You can access import errors at anytime from the MENU, selecting 'Import errors'.
How to manually edit an invalid address
Original address invalid, no suggestions or not to your liking, then you can manually edit
click image to expand
From clicking the notification link, you will see this screen. The error requiring validation. You can see the error reason. the address as received and the suggestions. You can also see an UPDATE button...
The UPDATE button provides the ability to edit the original address. You may already know its wrong, the suggestions are not exactly right but you know how to correct it. Click the update and edit the address...
Once you select UPDATE, the address is saved, the order updated and moved to ROUTE.
From clicking the notification link, you will see this screen. The error requiring validation. You can see the error reason. the address as received and the suggestions. You can also see an UPDATE button...
Why do i have import errors for POSTCODE that i cannot correct?
Order import message file validation is run pre address validation.
During the integration process you agree to a format, a base requirement. For example, a specific postcode format.
If that base validation fails the order is not imported to be able to be corrected.
It requires the OMF to be corrected at source and resent.