Search Examples

Searching For A Residential Address

This type of search usually involves the following stages:

For example, to search for 17 Riches Avenue, Woodford, NSW 2778, a user should follow these steps:

  1. Select the Intuitive Search method.
  2. Select Australia from the Datamap or Country drop-down box.
  3. Type the following search string in the Search field (commas are not necessary to separate address elements):

    17 riche

  4. From this amount of information, a picklist has appeared with suggestions. If the address required is listed in the picklist, then either click it with the mouse or press the down arrow on your keyboard to select the address and press Enter.
  5. Alternatively you can keep typing to refine the search further. Typing the following:

    17 riches avenue

    will return a single picklist item, which can be selected as above.

  6. The address is returned:

    17 Riches Ave
    WOODFORD NSW 2778

Fuzzy Matching

A fuzzy match is a non-exact match, based upon the 'edit distance' between two similar text strings. An edit distance is defined as the number of changes required to change one text string to another.

For example, the words 'Monkey' and 'Money' have an edit distance of one, but the words 'Monkey' and 'Honey' have a minimum edit distance of two.

Pro API uses fuzzy matching when the address information in a user's query is incomplete or misspelled. For example, Pro API can still return the correct address data if a user is not sure how to spell part of the address.

The Intuitive Search engine uses fuzzy matching to instantly return suggested addresses as the user types into the input line, even if the address is spelled incorrectly or has missing letters. For example, if the user enters:

23 Frietsone way, windradyne

The Intuitive Search engine will correctly offer 23 Freestone Way, Windrayne as the suggested address.

Instant Updating

When using the Intuitive Search engine, any changes to the address input line instantly affect the picklist without a keystroke needed.

For example, while searching for the address 8 Greeney Street, Altona, VIC, 3018, if you enter the following into the Search box:

8 greely street

then the address 8 Reely Street, Pymble will be returned, which is not the target address. If you then select the 'I' of greely and replace it with 'ne' to spell greeney, the picklist is instantly updated with the address.

This can then be selected and confirmed as the correct address.

Classification

Classification can be used to divide an address into its elements (such as Street, Locality, State and Postcode) without the address having been captured. This can be used to standardise your address input even if it is not captured by Pro API.

Below is an example of classifying an entered address without it being captured:

  1. Type in the following address:

    17 fiction street, nowhere town, somestate

  2. The address will not be found and the picklist will be empty.
  3. Click the Format button.
  4. The address will be classified and returned without having been captured.

Retention

Using the Intuitive Search, you can retain specific unmatched pre and post street line detail in the form of leading 'care of' text and trailing sub-premise information. Retained text will be displayed in both the picklist and the final address.

Care of

The supported forms for 'care of' are: care of, C/O, C O and Attn.

For example, type in the following address: Attn Mr E White, 12 cockscr

The 'Attn' text is retained within the Intuitive match. Selecting the picklist address and clicking Format will return the retained text with the final address:

Attn Mr E White

12 Cocks Crow
Staunton IL 62088-9754

The retained 'Care Of' text is not part of the Standard Layout. Users have to configure a layout to contain the leading retained text using the Configuration Editor.

Sub-Premise

The following sub-premise forms are supported:

# pier
apt, apartment, appartment, app rear
bsmt, basement rm, room
bldg, bdg, building side
dept, department slip
fl, flr, floor spc, space, sp
frnt, front stop
hngr, hanger, hangar ste, suite
lbby, lobby trlr, trailer
lot unit
lowr, lower uppr, upper
ofc, office box, bx
ph, penthouse, penhouse pmb

For example, type in the following address: 12 Cocks Crow Apt 100

The search matches to 12 Cocks Crow, Staunton IL.

The sub-premise detail 'Apt 100' is not within the reference data but will be retained within the Intuitive search due to Extended Retention (see the USA data guide for details).