We just received our first results back from AddressFinder. I discovered that when it updates addresses that have PO Boxes (for instance the college students), it removed the PO Box. Our rep suggested that we put the PO Box in attributes which you can print on labels and envelopes. The problem is that attributes are not an option on quick letters which we use to export our mass mailing lists.

How do other people handle PO Box #s? Vicki P. Mayhew
Database Manager
Montgomery Bell Academy
Nashville, TN 37205
(615) 369-5369
[Email Removed]

We've used AddressFinder for three years and have never had that problem. We do run across something else, which is what you might actually be experiencing. Are the PO Boxes being replaced with an alternate address, or is the address line blank? We have found AddressFinder will mess up students, and others who change addresses often, by reverting their current address back to an older one. For example, student John Doe lives with his parents in Anytown when school's out. At school, his address is PO Box 123, Collegetown. Depending on what address John has on file with the Post Office, AddressFinder may write his parents address over the PO Box, so that it reads 134 Main St, Anycity.

It didn't replace the school address with the parents, but instead eliminate the top line of the address. For example, Dorm PO Box 123, 1500 Main Street, Anytown, IA is the address as it starts out. When it is returned, it is missing the first line: Dorm PO Box 123. We may have some of the other sort you describe that I just haven't found yet. Right now I'm trying to figure out the first problem. I've got a mass mailing coming up and need to figure out how to do this. I could go back to the way we've always had it, but it will just get overwritten the next time we update. Vicki P. Mayhew Database Manager Montgomery Bell Academy Nashville, TN 37205 (615) 369-5369 [Email Removed]

Ah, okay.. we have run into that. All of our residents have the building name in their address, such as: Heritage Oaks 1233 Main St Apt A2 I actually eliminate residents from the AddressFinder, which is fine for us, b/c we don't send them mail through the post office, and we know they're up to date since they live here. I'm not sure what the solution should be if you need them to be checked by AddressFinder.

We ran into this problem with another vendor, so I don't know if the fix for them will fix it here. We simply switched the order of the address lines. Instead of having Box 123 1500 Main Street We would use 1500 Main Street Box 123. Drew J. Drew Allen Children's Hospital of Philadelphia [Email Removed] Check out the user run RE Forum at http://www.blackbus.org/ . Check out the Crystal Reports blog "Crystal Clear" at http://www.blackbus.org/blogs/viewblog.php?userid=63

Having a PO Box and a street address in one address is usually not a proper address. A letter can either be delivered to a street address or a PO Box but not both.

Addresses are read electronically by the post office from bottom to top. So the city state zip must be in the bottom line - it reads that first. The line immediately above the csz must be a deliverable address for it to be properly read and delivered. This would usually be either a PO Box or a Street Address.

If it is a PO Box it doesn't need to read the line above because it is deliverable with just the bottom 2 lines. If it is a street address the Post Office knows that a person can not have a PO Box at their home address so it must be stripping it if you have it in that order.

You may want to invest in AddressAccelerator as it is now called to be sure you have the address in proper CASS certified format before you send it to AddressFinder. This may help. *** I can spell, I just can't type. Where is spell check?

Melissa S. Graves
Manager, Development Database & Direct Mail
Planned Parenthood of Connecticut
[Email Removed]
203-752-2804

I understand what you are saying. However, in the case that I am citing, how does the school know where to deliver their mail if their mail box number is removed? Vicki P. Mayhew Database Manager Montgomery Bell Academy Nashville, TN 37205 (615) 369-5369 [Email Removed]

It is definitely a problem if the box is removed. I think the problem is in how the address was in your record to begin with before you sent it to AddressFinder. I think that the Box number shuold be below the street address but I can't say for sure. CASS certifying the address would help you know this for sure. I might also check with the school postal services to see what the proper way to address the students is. Is the Box a real Post Office Box or just a Box number at a non-Post Office Address? If it is truly a PO Box then I think the PO Box number should always be the last line in the address above the city state zip. You will need to check to be sure. *** I can spell, I just can't type. Where is spell check? Melissa S. Graves Manager, Development Database & Direct Mail Planned Parenthood of Connecticut [Email Removed] 203-752-2804

Also, I'm hoping that you haven't actually done the download into RE yet. Did you notice this in the Pre import report or after you changed the addresses? This is a good reminder to me to really check that report before proceeding with the changes. I'm sometimes in a rush to get it done. *** I can spell, I just can't type. Where is spell check? Melissa S. Graves Manager, Development Database & Direct Mail Planned Parenthood of Connecticut [Email Removed] 203-752-2804