Provide us your house file of names and postal addresses and we match to a database of opted-in email addresses, to add email addresses to the postal records.
A signed Email Data Services PAF (Processing Acknowledgement Form) is required prior to processing.
Unlike other providers our Industry-leading proprietary matching logic yields accurate results
No. We are a flexible company that believes in customer satisfaction.
We can often return the file the same day, depending on file size.
The following solutions are available for your campaign as well.
NCOALink® is a secure dataset of approximately 160 million change-of-addresses going back 48 months that enable mailers to update mailing lists with new addresses from individuals, families and businesses that have moved. The USPS® has introduced NCOALink® to replace NCOA and FASTforward® Mailing List Correction (MLC) services. Mailers were required by the USPS® to switch to the new NCOALink® technology instead of NCOA (National Change Of Address) on October 1st, 2004 or replace FASTforward™ MLC by October 1st, 2005. Approximately 40 million COA’s (Changes of Address) are filed annually, and the database is updated on a weekly basis. New address information is provided only when the NCOALink® and input name and address match. NCOALink® also includes other requisite USPS® processes; CASS™ & DPV®, that will standardize and grade the deliverability of each address, LACSLink® which updates your addresses as a result of 911 municipal conversions and SuiteLink®, which appends missing secondary address information to business records. USPS® estimates that at least 8% of all Standard Mail™ is undeliverable because of incorrect addresses. This means lost opportunities, lost sales, and wasted money. Mailers use NCOALink® to save thousands of dollars that would have been spent on wasted materials and postage. In addition, valuable customer names that would have been lost have been updated to receive current and future mailings.
Data processed through NCOALink® is first standardized to conform to USPS® requirements, including the ZIP + 4® code. Once the address has been standardized and the zip code plus 4 applied, a zip lookup attempt is made to match the address against the NCOALink® file, which contains approximately 160 million records or 48 months of permanent address changes. Address change information is derived from the PS Form 3575, Change-Of-Address Order, filed by relocating postal customers. If an exact match is made with the old address, the move information (new address) is provided to the mailer. NCOALink® helps reduce undeliverable-as-addressed mail by correcting input addresses prior to mailing.
NCOALink® Return Codes and the ANCHOR Change Of Address Index.
The USPS® has identified the following reasons for undeliverable mail:
The first line of the address:
The last line of the address:
Other reasons for undeliverability:
All records processed through NCOALink® receive a return code. This return code provides information about what NCOA type of match was found for each record. NCOALink® Return Codes allow ANCHOR to assist the mailer in deciding on a set of business rules that would only drop records for those who moved without providing a new address. Records that are potential un-deliverables (but were not considered a NCOALink® match) are flagged as Return Codes. The mailer then can decide whether or not to mail to these addresses. However the quantity of “Return Codes” you will receive under NCOALink® may be very much reduced as compared to previous NCOALink® processing.
NCOALink® provides mailers with the capability to receive a current address before mailings. NCOALink® provides additional benefits including Address Standardization and ZIP + 4® appending, ZIP™ Correction, Carrier Route Coding, a CASS™ report and DPV®.
NCOALink® Return Codes indicate a match was close but not good enough to meet the strict USPS® matching guidelines. The Return Codes indicate the reason a match could not be made with the NCOALink® file, and a mailer can investigate the address record and provide necessary corrections. A no-match to the NCOALink® file does NOT return the new address – the Return Codes, when provided, may give an indication why.
Nixies (or “Return Codes”) that offer information about name and address records that do not exactly match the USPS® change of address database, were previously only available with NCOA processing. With NCOALink® these “Return Codes” (no longer called Nixies) have different meanings. Testing indicates the actual number of input names coded with “Return Codes” as compared to “Nixie Option Codes” are greatly reduced with NCOALink® versus NCOA processing.
DPV® (Verifies Accuracy of Deliverable Addresses) is now included as part of NCOALink® by Full Service Providers and DPV® footnotes are part of the output. NCOALink® also includes other requisite USPS® processes; CASS™ & DPV®, LACSLink® and SuiteLink® .
NCOALink® will return the move effective date, the specific name and address utilized in the query that obtained the match, and the move type. The move type is determined by the interface based on the specific name inquiry utilized to obtain the match. Please note: The specific name utilized in the query maybe slightly different from the name supplied, i.e. Robert versus Bob. Please see the Full Service Provider Required Text Document for additional output details.
NCOALink® provides enhanced technology to protect the privacy and security of name and address information entrusted to the USPS®.
With NCOALink® the USPS® hopes to increase the utilization of change-of-address (COA) information and reduce further the costs associated with handling Undeliverable-As-Addressed (UAA) mail.
Three different NCOALink® licenses are available: Full Service Providers, Limited Service Providers and End User Mailers. Each requires a distinct certified software interface available through a USPS® certified NCOALink® Interface Software Developer/Distributor like ANCHOR Software LLC, or mailers can build and certify their own NCOALink® Software Interface.
NCOALink® 48 months of COA data replaced NCOA on October 1st, 2004, but it was available for use under license as early as March 2004.
The USPS® wants to ensure that the use of their intellectual property and privacy protected customer information is limited to its intended purpose. NCOALink® by its design is secure and cannot be used to data mine address information. It provides an enforcement mechanism with the flexibility needed to use NCOALink® in the marketplace.
Mailers using NCOALink® will save thousands of dollars that would have been spent on wasted materials and postage that results from undelivered as addressed mail. The NCOALink® System makes available current change of address information that will reduce undeliverable mail. Addressing errors are identified and corrected before the mail enters the USPS®. Mailers will also receive a quicker response to an offer since it will go directly to the new address in the case of a move. Cash flow will also improve as a direct result of reaching a customer who has moved. In addition valuable customer names that would have been lost will be updated so that communication can continue.
Use of the USPS® NCOALink® program reduces costs of labor, postage and materials. Unfortunately, this is news to some companies and senior managers who have yet to realize the ROI benefits of this worthy program. Presented herein are two reference tools you can share with clients and prospects: a Return On Investment Guide and a Case History. The USPS® ROI Guide has stated that the average NCOALink® match rate is approximately 4.1%. That translates to 41,000 move changes for a 1,000,000 record file. The match rate not only includes recognized address changes but also closed PO Boxes, foreign moves and moves with no forwarding address. When associated postage and material costs related to these factors are recognized as well as non ZIP + 4® coded addresses, one begins to conceptualize the value of this service.
Cost Saving Benefits:
Case Study
This study is presented as an example of the savings potential to small file owners that use Standard Mail™ A class mail, in this case an owner with 82,153 records.
An NCOALink® Return Code is a record that is close, but does not meet the USPS® standards for matching to the NCOALink® database and does not receive a forwarding address. It is flagged as a possible move. A new address cannot be provided, however Return Codes are appended to the record to allow the mailer to make a mail/ no mail decision. NCOALink® Return Codes typically identifies 40% to 70% additional names as possible moves over those found with the more restrictive matching rules required for providing a new address Option added to NCOALink® processing can result in additional savings and sales.
The USPS® requires this acknowledgement form. The form states “the sole purpose of the NCOALink® service is to provide a mailing list correction service for a list that will be used for the preparation of a mailing”. If you do not have a PAF on file with ANCHOR, please fax us a signed PAF at the time of placing your order. Per USPS® regulations, a mailing list owner’s PAF will remain in effect for one year from the date of signing. For each subsequent year a new form must be signed and returned to us as soon as possible.
We suggest that you download an NCOALink® PAF (Processing Acknowledgement Form), print, sign and mail/fax it to us at ANCHOR Computer, 1300 Walt Whitman Road, Melville, NY 11747-3064 USA, or fax it to us at 631-293-4113. You are under no obligation to place an order with us. However, we will have the form on file in case you decide to place an order and send us your file for processing.
To qualify for postage discounts on all classes of mail, you are required to update your files every 95 days. In addition, you also benefit from the improved deliverability that results from NCOALink® While it is generally recommended that you perform NCOALink® processing prior to each mailing, many companies update their database or mail file every 2 to 3 months. You should calculate the savings gained each time you mail to your list. This is done by multiplying the number of addresses that the NCOALink® process corrects by the cost of your mailing piece. Since the cost to process your file through NCOALink® is almost always less than the cost incurred from having undeliverable pieces (and subsequently not reaching your clients or prospects), it often makes economic sense to process your list through NCOALink® prior to each mailing.
Yes, the NCOALink® file is comprised of approximately 40% family moves, 54% individual moves and 6% business moves. It almost always makes sense to process your file through NCOALink® whether it is comprised of consumer, business, or both types of addresses. In the case of business moves, the whole company must move, not just an individual.
When possible, postal customers who move multiple times within the life of a COA in NCOALink® and have notified the USPS® are linked to ensure the latest address is furnished when an NCOALink® match is attained.
The primary and secondary input addresses are standardized to USPS® regulations.
The input city name is standardized to USPS® City – State and ZIP + 4® files.
The 5 digit ZIP + 4® is verified or corrected.
The Carrier Route is appended from the USPS® ZIP + 4® File.
Delivery Point Bar Code Data and eLOT™ (Sorts Mail by Approximate Carrier-Casing Sequence) is appended from the USPS® ZIP + 4® file.
NCOALink® is a process that matches a file of names and addresses to the USPS® licensed NCOALink® database comprised of 160+ million records of individual, family and business moves. DSF2® is a USPS® licensed database that improves delivery of your mailing by examining address data and comparing it to the DSF2® database that contains each of the 145+ million delivery points. DSF2® confirms the existence of the address, provides delivery type, business versus residential, and provides a Pseudo Sequence Number to qualify for walk sequence postal presort discounts. DSF2® detects potentially undeliverable addresses for reasons other than Change Of Address.
NCOALink® is a process that matches a file of names and addresses to the USPS® licensed NCOALink® database comprised of 160+ million records of individual, family and business moves. The LACSLink® Product is a USPS® licensed database, and according to recent USPS® statistics contains approximately 5.5 million records that enables you to update your mailing lists when addresses have been converted by local authorities, i.e. renumbering of houses or addresses converted from rural style to city style addresses, usually as a result of a 911 conversion. LACSLink® is now included in the NCOALink® process.
If you are bar-coding your mail, the requirement is every 3 months, all input addresses are standardized, CASS Certified™ and ZIP + 4® /DPC processed.
It is estimated that only 66.9% of mail is deliverable as addressed. The remaining percentage has some form of addressing deficiency, which could affect deliverability. Endorsed mail and First-Class Mail® can be forwarded or returned to the mailer. Undeliverable Standard Mail™ is normally discarded. NCOALink® will reduce the amount of undeliverable mail by Address Standardization and ZIP™ Correction as well as Move Update, but will not completely eliminate undeliverable mail. Some examples of returned mail NCOALink® not corrected are:
No, NCOALink® processing does not validate name and address information on your database. The NCOALink® database contains Change-Of-Address information only. If a person or company files a change of address with the USPS® the information is maintained on the NCOALink® database for 48 months. If a person or company does not file a change of address and the carrier does not file a “Moved – Left No Address” it does not appear on the NCOALink® database. Additional reasons a person/company would not be maintained on the NCOALink® database are:
NCOALink® will not correct spelling errors in your names or addresses. Address Standardization will standardize your addresses to postal regulations and may also correct some street name misspellings. DSF2® also has the ability to correct misspelled street names.
NCOALink® will give you change-of-address information and usually provides a ZIP + 4®. The DPV®process included in NCOALink® determines the deliverability of address records. ZIP + 4® validates addresses based on valid house number ranges but not the actual number. DPV® validates based on exact house number and apartment number.
Each licensee is tested and audited and their processing approved by the USPS® and all licensees must use USPS® CASS Certified™ address matching software in the process.
ANCHOR Computer is a non-exclusive Full Service Provider Licensee of the United States Postal Service® for NCOALink® , DSF2® and LACSLink® Pricing of these products and services is neither established, controlled, nor approved by the United States Postal Service®. The following trademarks are owned by the United States Postal Service®: ANKLink®, USPS®, United States Postal Service®, Postal Service™, Standard Mail®, ZIP™, ZIP Code™, ZIP + 4®, LACSLink™, NCOALink®, DPV®, DSF2® eLOT™, CASS™ and CASS Certified™.
You may contact us anytime using email, telephone or via fax. We will respond to you as fast as possible during the hours of operation shown.
You may return to the site to check the status of your job. Just log-in, and then click on the “Job Status” button between “Current Jobs” or “Previous Jobs” and locate your job number. There will be a Job Status Comment next to the number.
In Progress – File is still being uploaded. File is being processed.
Need File Upload – You need to reload your files due to an error. Click on this link and you return to Upload section. Proceed to re-upload your files. If there is still a problem with your upload and a subsequent re-upload, you will receive a message during your upload along with an email and/or fax to contact us.
File Ready – The job is complete, please review your final invoice. After you proceed and the payment process has been completed, you may proceed to download your files. You will receive an email and/or fax when your job has been completed.
Download – The job is complete and ready for download.
Waiting for Acknowledgement Form – Please note that the United States Postal Service® requires that we have a current Processing Acknowledgement Form (PAF) on file for you. An Acknowledgement Form signed by an authorized representative of the list owner should be transmitted to Anchor Computer, Inc.
PAF Discrepancy – The current job is on hold pending approval. NOTE: This order will automatically expire after 7 days. We can not match your company with the Processing Acknowledgement Form you indicated was on file at Anchor. An Anchor Client Services Representative is researching your account. If required, please download, sign and fax to us a new PAF.
Order Cancelled – This order will be cancelled if the Acknowledgement Form is not received and processed within 7 days.
Order on Hold –
Order is late
You may be having trouble because your browser in not set to use JavaScript. JavaScript is used if you select our Java enabled registration option. If you are using one of the browsers listed below, we have provided some instructions on how to confirm that your browser is set up to use JavaScript:
* Microsoft Internet Explorer v4.0x or later- Netscape Navigator v4.x or later If you are having JavaScript problems and your browser is not listed above, you must upgrade your browser. We have provided these links as a convenience.
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/
http://www.netscape.com/computing/download/index.html.html?cp=hom06pbro
We are working hard to make our services accessible for all of our clients. However, technology is not uniform across all Web browsers. Please email us at techsupport@anchorcomputer.com the complete details of your technical problem. We will research your problem and respond back to you .
Some browsers do not support Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) technology. This software is what we use to ensure that your personal information is secure during transmission over the Internet. Please email us at service@anchorcomputer.com, an Anchor representative will contact you. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused.
Yes, your personal information is secure. Your name, address and credit card number are encrypted using secure socket layer server software (SSL). This software ensures that your information cannot be read or accessed by anyone as it travels through our ordering system. All such transactions over the internet are secure and private. All credit card numbers are deleted from our system after your order has been retrieved from our servers.
