Overview
- AtlasAddressBase is a quick and easy to use reference data build application using Ordnance Survey AddressBasePremium or AddressBasePlus.
- Used to import data, highlight potential problems and export address data plus additional information, either for use with the Hopewiser Atlas matching tools or to a simple delimited text file.
- AtlasAddressBase comes with further tools, allowing the user to create tailored Town and Locality files and Alternate Street definitions.
- Includes radius searching, and AutoComplete (‘as you type’) address capture.
- The build can be set to use either Public Sector, or Royal Mail PAF data, or both sources combined.
Importing
- Allows users to either import a single AtlasAddressBase file, multiple file sets, or merge file sets from other sources.
- In addition Change Only Update file sets can be imported to modify existing data previously loaded, saving processing time.
- During the import procedure, the integrity of the data is checked using National Land and Property Gazetteer validation rules and additional Hopewiser validation rules based upon issues previously identified within AddressBase imports.
- A log file is created specifying import problems to help identify and correct any issues.
Exporting
- The imported data can be exported to a text file, containing address records, or to a Master Address File (MAF).
- Setup options allow the specification of extra data to be output alongside each address and allow indices, based on non-addressable data items, to be included in the MAF.
- The options can also be used to configure which address types to export. For instance, only Approved data could be kept in one MAF, whilst another MAF could be created to contain all Historical and Rejected data. Alternatively, Public Sector sourced reference data versus Royal Mail PAF.
- Other options prevent the export of Street Records, or only allow Postally Addressable records to be exported.
- The MAF files are used within the Hopewiser Atlas products and can be made to include radius searching, and AutoComplete address search functionality.
- Any issues will be highlighted within an export log. These could be due to either data structure problems or conflicts with the location information.
Town and Locality Edit
- Allows users to edit a predefined set of Towns, Localities, Outcodes and Misspellings, or create a new set, based on data imported by AtlasAddressBase.
- This can highlight potential issues within the data and allow the user to add known problems and common misspellings so that future matching rates increase and problems are reduced.
Alternate Street Edit
- Allows users to create and maintain a set of Alternate Street definitions from the data imported by AtlasAddressBase.
- It can highlight potential issues within the data, and allows the user to add Alternate Street names for known problems, increasing future matching rates and allowing the Atlas matching / validation products to “learn”.
- The initial import process will create Alternate Street names where Street Descriptions exist in different languages (eg, Welsh).
- As AtlasAddressBase modifies Streets through Change Only Update files, a function is provided to check for updates and automatically amend the Alternate Street definitions.
FAQs
I get a message 'Invalid header record in import file...'. What does this mean?
The raw data provided as input is not to current Ordnance Survey AddressBase standards. This affects the import validation, so a version 2.0 or later Epoch is required.
Why don't I get the Town name I expect in my output reference data?
This is likely down to an incorrect Preferences setting in Settings>Setup Options>Miscellaneous. Here, you can select whether your build utilises TOWN_NAME (from the DTF type 15 record) or POST_TOWN (through the DTF type 24 / 28 record). The Primary town field settings dictates preferences on this score. Values can also be affected by the Data Creation setting in the same panel.
Why do I have data missing from my output MAF?
The AtlasAddressBase software performs validation checking ensuring import data integrity. This can be adapted via the Settings>Setup Options Import and Merge tab settings. Various reporting and error files are created during the course of the build which should help in defining the problem area. Settings also allow the intentional dropping of certain AddressBase data record types and classifications. Additionally, the Data Creation (source) setting in the Miscellaneous tab may also be the cause for the omission. Please refer to the associated user guide for more details.
Why am I getting authority localities dropped from the build?
Shipped with the product are locality files detailing the standard Royal Mail PAF localities and some common misspellings. You can adapt and add to these using the Town and Locality Edit sub-application, and include the likes of Outcode and Administrative Area too. This is a sub-application of AtlasAddressBase and separately documented accordingly (tledit_ugd.pdf) within the installation folder.
Can I add common thoroughfare 'also known as' references?
The AtlasAddressBase sub-application called Alternate Street Edit can provide this functionality so that the entry of a thoroughfare alternative in looking up an address (providing there are no conflicts) can match to the official version or spelling. The documentation in the installation folder called streetedit_ugd.pdf gives full details on usage and capability in this regard.
Can I add any data processing field to my output MAF reference file?
Yes, this is possible through the Extra Data tab within the Settings>Setup Options menu item. This will mean that, having matched the associated address in a processing run, you can append this extra (non address) data adding value and working towards a single customer view.
I have very similar address records in the output data resulting from my build. Why is this?
This is most likely down to drawing from both type 24 and type 28 (PAF) records on the AddressBase data. Sometimes, the records processed are deemed not to be duplicates because of slight differences in content and/or presentation. This can only be overcome by restricting the build to a single data source (NLPG or PAF) in the Setup Options Miscellaneous tab Data Creation setting.
Can I create a MAF from any address file?
As AtlasAddressBase performs extensive validation of inputs to ensure data continuity, the import data has to be in a current Ordnance Survey AddressBase format. However, if you require a reference dataset created from other sources (such as a comma separated address file), please contact us as we should be able to help.