ExpressEntry

User’s Guide
Copyright
Information in this document is subject to change without notice. Companies, names, and data used in
examples herein are fictitious unless otherwise noted. No part of this document may be reproduced or
transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, for any purpose, without the
express written permission of Melissa Data Corporation. This document and the software it describes
are furnished under a license agreement, and may be used or copied only in accordance with the
terms of the license agreement.
Copyright © 2006 by Melissa Data Corporation. All rights reserved.
Information in this document is subject to change without notice. Melissa Data Corporation assumes
no responsibility or liability for any errors, omissions, or inaccuracies that may appear in this document.

Trademarks
ExpressEntry is a registered trademark of Melissa Data Corp. Windows is a registered trademark of
Microsoft Corp.
The following are registrations and trademarks of the United States Postal Service: CASS, CASS
Certified, DMM, DPV, DSF2, eLOT, First-Class Mail, LACSLink, NCOALink, PAVE, Planet Code, Post
Office, Postal Service, RDI, Standard Mail, U.S. Postal Service, United States Post Office, United
States Postal Service, USPS, ZIP, ZIP Code, and ZIP + 4.
NCOALink, LACSLink and DSF2 are provided by a nonexclusive licensee of the USPS. Melissa Data is
a nonexclusive licensee of the USPS for DPV processing and a Limited Service Provider Licensee of
the USPS for NCOALink. The prices for NCOALink and DPV services are not established, controlled, or
approved by the United States Postal Service.
All other brands and products are trademarks of their respective holder(s).
Document number: EE0506UG
Last Update: May 22, 2006
MELISSA DATA CORPORATION
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Phone: 1-800-MELISSA (1-800-635-4772)
Fax: 949-589-5211
E-mail: info@MelissaData.com
Internet: www.MelissaData.com

For the latest copy of this reference guide, visit http://www.MelissaData.com/tech/expressentry.htm

Dear Valued Customer,

Thank you for purchasing Express Entry. I am confident you will find this product valuable in
your efforts to optimize data entry and address validation. You will be able to quickly and
easily verify any U.S. address, add the ZIP + 4 Code, and transfer the data to your target
application.

Melissa Data has been helping data quality professionals such as yourself for over 21
years. We've designed our products and services to meet your most demanding data
quality concerns, while keeping them easy to use, flexible, and most of all, affordable.

Please don't hesitate to ask for help with any data quality concern you may have. We're at
your service with mailing and marketing software and databases, programmer and
developer tools, data enhancement services, mailing lists, maps, and direct marketing
agency services. I promise you will get assistance from a knowledgeable staff ready to help
you achieve the highest level of data quality to meet your business goals.

Your feedback is always important to me. Please don't hesitate to email your comments or
suggestions to ray@melissadata.com. I look forward to hearing from you.

Raymond F. Melissa

President
 User’s Guide
2006

EXPRESSEntry
Input Addresses Faster
Express Entry User’s Guide i

Table of Contents
Welcome to Express Entry...............................................................................1
Installing Express Entry ...................................................................................1
Server Installation ................................................................................................. 1
Client Installation................................................................................................... 2
Starting Express Entry .....................................................................................3
Using Express Entry ........................................................................................3
Creating or Modifying Templates .....................................................................6
Name the Template............................................................................................... 7
Adding Fields ........................................................................................................ 7
Available Fields ..................................................................................................... 8
Select Keystrokes ............................................................................................... 11
Reordering Fields and Keystrokes in a Template ............................................... 12
Removing Fields and Keystrokes from a Template ............................................ 12
Saving the Template ........................................................................................... 12
Deleting a Template ............................................................................................ 12
Creating a Keystroke........................................................................................... 13
Deleting a Keystroke ........................................................................................... 13
Options...........................................................................................................13
View Template Format ........................................................................................ 13
Switch Output Template...................................................................................... 14
Path..................................................................................................................... 14
Use Upper Case.................................................................................................. 15
Use International Names..................................................................................... 15
Information Codes..........................................................................................17
Sample Template 1: Data Entry.....................................................................18
Sample Template 2: Business Letter Header ................................................18
Express Entry User’s Guide 1

Welcome to Express Entry

Express Entry enables you to catch address errors before they get into your docu-
ments, spreadsheets and databases. Using the same technology that powers
MAILERS+4, Express Entry can check an address and verify that it falls within a
valid address range according the United States Postal Service. Then the applica-
tion will apply a customized template to transfer the data to a target application
without retyping, in the correct order with the necessary punctuation, carriage
returns and tabs.
Whether you are typing a business letter or performing data entry, Express Entry
will reduce errors caused by incorrect addresses or typing mistakes.

Installing Express Entry

Express Entry has two components that need to be installed separately. The
server installation includes the data files that Express Entry uses to verify and for-
mat addresses. The client install includes the actual Express Entry application.
It's possible to install the data files and the application to the same computer, but if
you intend to have more than one person using Express Entry, you can install the
data files on a network server. When you receive the updated data files, you only
need to install them to a single location, rather than installing them once for every
person using Express Entry.

Server Installation
1 Insert the Express Entry CD into your CD-ROM drive.
2 Click the Start Menu and select Run.
3 Type "D:\setup-server.exe" and click OK. Substitute the correct drive letter
if your CD-ROM drive is not drive letter D.
4 The installer starts. Click Next.
5 Click Next to accept the default installation directory.
6 Click Install.
7 The Installer copies the data files from the CD to the Database subdirectory of
the installation directory.
8 Click Finish.
2 Express Entry User’s Guide

Client Installation
1 Insert the Express Entry CD into your CD-ROM drive.
2 Click the Start Menu and select Run.
3 Type "D:\setup.exe" and click OK. Substitute the correct drive letter if your
CD-ROM drive is not drive letter D.
4 The installer starts. Click Next.
5 Select the button to accept the license agreement and click Next.
6 Click Next to accept the default installation directory.
7 Click Next to accept the default name for the Program Menu folder.
8 Select Program files only if you used the server installation to install the data
files on a remote computer to be accessed by multiple client computers.

9 Select Full Installation to install both the program and the data file to the
local machine. A computer with a full installation can act as a server to other
client installations of Express Entry.
10 Place a check in the checkbox if you want to create an Express Entry icon on
your desktop.
11 Click Next.
Express Entry User’s Guide 3

12 Click Install.
13 The installer will copy the files to your hard disk.
14 Click Finish.

Starting Express Entry

To Start Express Entry:
1 Click the Start Menu and select Programs and the Express Entry folder.
2 Click Express Entry.

Using Express Entry

Express Entry has a simple, three-step work flow. In addition to Express Entry,
you will need to be running the "target" application that will be receiving data from
4 Express Entry User’s Guide

Express Entry. The target application must be the one immediately below Express
Entry in the task list. In other words, when you are in Express Entry, it must be the
first application that Windows would switch to if you held down the ALT key and
pressed the TAB key.
1 Hold down the ALT key and press TAB to return to Express Entry.
2 Type the address that you want to enter into your application. At a minimum,
Express Entry requires a street address and either a city and state or a ZIP
Code. Name and Company are not required for Express Entry to check the
address but can be included if you want the program to pass this information
on to your application.

3 Click Search for Address

4 Express Entry will search the address database to verify that this address
matches a valid range in the national database. If it does, it will display the
standardized address in the list below. If it does not, or if the program has
found multiple possible matches, it will display all possible matches in the list
below.
5 If Express Entry has found multiple matches for the submitted address, select
the range that matches the entered address.
6 Click Send Data to Application.
Express Entry User’s Guide 5

7 The address data will be copied to the target application using the current
template.
6 Express Entry User’s Guide

Creating or Modifying Templates

Templates determine what information is sent to other applications and in what
order, as well as any additional keystrokes, like tab characters or the enter key,
that are needed to insert the data into the target application.
To modify or create a template, click the Action Menu and Select Manage
Templates. Express Entry displays the Template Output screen.
To create a new Template, select <NEW> from the Templates list.
Express Entry User’s Guide 7

Name the Template

In the Template Name text box, type a name for this template. You can also type a
more detailed description in the Description text box.

Adding Fields
Fields contain data derived from the address data entered. Every template needs
at least one field. Any given field can only be added once to a template.
The available fields are shown in the Address Fields box at the bottom. There are
two categories, Name and Address. Within Address, there are several other sub-
categories. If you see a "+" next to an item in this list, it is a category and not a
field. Click the "+" to see a list of fields within that category.
To add a field to the current template:
1 In the Address Format list, select the field or keystroke that is already in the
template that you want to come before the field that you are about to add. For
example, if you wish to add Zip5 after State, select the State field in the
Address Format box.
2 Select the field that you want to add to the template.
3 Click the ">>>" button.
8 Express Entry User’s Guide

4 The selected field is added to the Address Format box, right below the last
selected field.

Available Fields
Address
Carrier Route The Carrier Route represents the delivery route
of single mail carrier. Sorting by carrier route is
the basis of many postal Discounts

City

Abbreviation If the full city Name is longer than 13 letters,

this field returns the 13-letter abbreviation of
the city name.

Name Returns the full city name.

Company Returns the contents of the company text box

on the main Express Entry screen.

Congressional District Returns the two-digit Congressional district

number associated with the submitted
address's ZIP + 4 code. If a state only has one
representative, this number will be 01.

Country Returns the two-letter for the country where the

submitted address is located. The two possible
values are "US" for the United States and "CA"
for Canada.

County

FIPS Returns the FIPS Code for the county where

the submitted address is located.
The Federal Information Processing Standard
(FIPS) is a 5-digit code defined by the U.S.
Bureau of Census. The first two digits are the
state code and the last three indicate the
county within the state.

Name Returns the name of the county where the sub-

mitted address is located.
Express Entry User’s Guide 9

Delivery Point Code Returns the two-digit delivery point code asso-
ciated with the input address.
This 2-digit string makes up the 10th and 11th
positions of a 12-digit POSTNet barcode.

Delivery Point Check Digit Returns the one-digit number representing the
check digit associated with the submitted
address.
In 12-digit POSTNet barcodes, the ZIP Code is
used for positions 1 to 5, the Plus4 code for
positions 6 to 9, the delivery point code for
positions 10 and 11, and this check digit for
position 12.

GeoCode

Latitude Returns the latitude in degrees of the centroid

for the five-digit ZIP Code of the submitted
address.

Longitude Returns the longitude in degrees of the cen-

troid for the five-digit ZIP Code of the submitted
address.

LACS Returns a one-character string which indicates

if the input address has undergone a conver-
sion to city-style street addresses.
If the address has been converted to a city-
style address within the last year, this field will
return the letter "L."

Parsed

Address Range Returns the numeric portion of the street

address.

Directions

Post Returns any direction information preceding

the street name.

Pre Returns and direction information that follows

the street name.
10 Express Entry User’s Guide

Private Mailbox

Name Returns the text description portion of a CMRA

mailbox number.

Range Returns the numeric portion of a CMRA mail-

box number.

Street Name Returns the street name, minus any suffix.

Suffix Returns the standardized suffix portion of the

street name, such as “ST”, “RD”, “AVE” or
“BLVD”.

Suite

Name Returns the text descript of any secondary

address range, such as “SUITE”, “BLDG” or
“APT”.

Range Returns the numeric portion of any secondary

address range, such as a suite or apartment
number.

Private Mailbox Returns the full CMRA mail box number.

State Returns the two-character abbreviation for the

state.

Street Returns the full street address.

Street2 This field is not currently used.

Suite Returns the secondary address, such as a

suite or apartment number.

Time Zone

Code Returns a two-digit code for the time zone

where the address is located.

Name Returns the name of the time zone where the

address is located.
Express Entry User’s Guide 11

Type

Code Returns a one-character code for the type of

address.

String Returns a text description of the address type.

Urbanization Returns the urbanization code for Puerto Rican

addresses only.

Zip

Plus4 Returns the four-digit extension of the ZIP + 4

code.

Type Returns a one-digit code if this special type of

ZIP Code (used for military bases, P.O. boxes
or a unique ZIP Code assigned to a specific
facility.

Zip5 Returns the five-digit ZIP Code.

Name
First Returns the given name portion of the person’s
name.

Gender Returns a one-character code for the gender

derived from the first name.

Last Returns the family name portion of the person’s

name.

Middle Returns any middle initials or names.

Prefix Returns any titles or honorifics preceding the

person’s name, such as “Dr.” or “Ms.”

Suffix Returns any honorifics or generational suffixes,

such as “Jr”, “IV” or “MD”.

Select Keystrokes
Keystrokes are characters like tabs, carriage returns, spaces and anything else
required to properly format your data before sending it to the target application.
12 Express Entry User’s Guide

The procedure for adding a keystroke to the template is identical to that for adding
a field.
1 Select the keystroke from the Keystroke list.
2 Click the >>> button.
3 The keystroke will be added directly below the currently selected item in the
Address Format list.

Reordering Fields and Keystrokes in a Template

You can change the order of fields and keystrokes that have already been added
to a template.
1 Select the field or keystroke from the Address Format list by clicking on it.
2 Click the up arrow above the Address Format box to move the field or key-
stroke higher in the template order.
3 Click the down arrow above the Address Format box to move the field or key-
stroke lower in the template order.

Removing Fields and Keystrokes from a Template

To remove a field or keystroke from the current template:
1 Select the field or keystroke from the Address Format list by clicking on it.
2 Click the <<< button to remove it from the template.

Saving the Template

To save changes to the current template, click the Save Template button. If you do
not save, your changes will be lost when you exit the Template Output screen.

Deleting a Template
To delete a template, select the template from the Templates list and click the
Remove Template button. Click the Yes button to confirm that you want to delete
the template.
Express Entry User’s Guide 13

Creating a Keystroke
If you need to add a keystroke that is not currently listed in the Keystroke list, you
can add one.
1 Click the Create Keystroke button.
2 Express Entry displays a facsimile of a standard keyboard.
3 Click the key you wish to add to the available keystrokes.

Deleting a Keystroke
If you no longer need a keystroke, you can delete it from the list of available key-
strokes.
1 Select the item on the Keystrokes list that you want to delete.
2 Click the button with the image of a trash can.

Options
The Options menu contains several additional functions for configuring and cus-
tomizing Express Entry.

View Template Format

This option displays the contents of the currently selected template.
14 Express Entry User’s Guide

Switch Output Template

Use this option to change which template Express Entry will use when sending
data to the target application.

1 Click the Options menu and select Switch Output Template.

2 Select the template to use by clicking on it.
3 Click OK.

Path

This option tells Express Entry where to find the data files. Use this option to set
your datapath initially or if you have moved your data files to another folder.
1 Click the Options menu and select Path.
2 Click Browse and locate the directory or network share which contains the
Express Entry data files.
3 Click Open.
4 Click OK.
Express Entry User’s Guide 15

Use Upper Case

When checked, this option causes Express Entry to send its data to the target
application in all upper case. Click on the Option menu and click Use Upper
Case to toggle this option on or off.

Use International Names

When checked, this option changes the main Express Entry screen to use Cana-
dian postal terms: "Municipality" instead of "City," "Province" instead of "State"
and "Postal Code" instead of "ZIP."
Click on the Option menu and click Use International Names to toggle this
option on or off.

Allow Non-Verified Addresses

When checked, this option will permit Express Entry to send data to a target audi-
ence, even if it could not be matched to valid address range in the postal data-
base. The non-verified data will still be standardized, meaning that standard
postal punctuation and abbreviation will be applied.
Click on the Option menu and click Allow Non-Verified Addressrd to toggle this
option on or off.

Send and Close

When checked, this option will cause Express Entry to automatically minimize
itself after sending data to the target application.
Click on the Option menu and click Send and Close to toggle this option on or
off.
16 Express Entry User’s Guide

View
The View menu has two options, Standard and Reverse. Reverse flips the order
of the entry fields on the main Express Entry screen. ZIP Code is first and Name
is last.
Express Entry User’s Guide 17

Information Codes
The following section lists the codes returned by the Time Zone, Address Type
and Zip Type fields.

Time Zones
Code Time Zone Code Time Zone
0 Miltary Time 9 Alaska Time
4 Atlantic Time 10 Hawaii Time
5 Eastern Time 11 Samoa Time
6 Central Time 12 Marshall Island Time
7 Mountain Time 14 Guam Time
8 Pacific Time 15 Palau Time

Address Type
Code Address Type
F Firm or Company
G General Delivery
H Highrise or Business Complex
P PO Box
R Rural Route
S Street or Residential

ZIP Type Code

Code ZIP Type
P A ZIP Code used only for PO Boxes
U Unique: A ZIP Code assigned to an organization or government institution
such as the IRS.
M Military: A ZIP Code assigned to an APO/FPO.
Empty A standard ZIP Code.
18 Express Entry User’s Guide

Sample Template 1: Data Entry

The following example of a template could be used in conjunction with a database
application. This example doesn’t necessarily reflect any specific database appli-
cation and assumes that the application uses the TAB key to advance from field to
field.
This example simply sends the basic name and address information to the target
application, including the Delivery Point Bar Code data.
Last • TAB • First • TAB • Middle • TAB • Street • TAB • Suite • TAB •
City Name • TAB • State • TAB • Zip Zip5 • “-” (dash) • Zip Plus4 • TAB
• Country • TAB • Delivery Point Code • TAB • Delivery Point Check
Digit

Sample Template 2: Business Letter Header

Express Entry can also be used to verify and standardize an address when typing
a letter in Microsoft Word or another word processing application. The following
example would output a formatted address that be used for a business letter
heading or an envelope.
Prefix • BLANKSPACE • First • BLANKSPACE • Middle •
BLANKSPACE • Last • BLANKSPACE • Suffix • ENTER • Street •
ENTER • Suite • ENTER • City Name • “,” (comma) • State • Zip Zip5
• “-” (dash) • Zip Plus4