Understanding Your New Appended File

The new contact data elements in your processed file are literally appended to the end of each line.

When you receive your new, appended file, the first thing you'll notice is that it has more new fields than just the new or verified contact data.

Before...

INSERT APPHONEPREnew6

After...

INSERT APPHONEPOSTnew6

For each new contact field there is a corresponding Match Level code in the field immediately following it. The Match Level code indicates which of your input data fields matched data associated with the new, appended contact field, and which were not a verified match.

With phone and email append, you also get additional detail like match level, and type.

The table below defines the meaning of each Match Level. For example, a Match Level of E1 is considered an exact match whereas a return of E2 reveals that the first name of the individual does not necessarily match the request fields.

Guide to Match Levels

Match Level Code	Description
BLANK	All match supported levels.
E1	Matched: first name, last name, house number, street name, city, state, zip
E2	Matched: first initial, last name, house number, street name, city, state, zip NOT Matched: first name
N1	Matched: last name, house number, street name, city, state, zip NOT Matched: first name (only first initial)
N2	Matched: first name, last name, street name, city, state, zip NOT Matched: house number
B1	Matched: first name, last name, street name, city, state, when only one individual is present in the data source.
B2	Matched: last name, street name, city, state, when only one individual is present in the data source.

Definitions

Label	Definition
Match	The appended information was retrieved by an exact match on these fields in your original file.
NOT Matched	The appended information was not based on an exact match on these fields in your original file.

For fields shown as not matched, it's important to understand that this doesn't necessarily mean these fields don't match your actual contact. It means only that your original values could not be verified. So, for example, with a Match Level of E2, which confirms only the first initial, there is the possibility that the appended information is actually associated with another family member in the same household that shares the first initial of your contact.

Real-World Examples

To help confirm your understanding of Match Level, it may help to look at a few concrete examples.