Your mailing provider suggests running the list through NCOA and CASS. Before you agree, it helps to know what you are paying for and what you will still need to check yourself.
“Clean the list” can mean anything from fixing capital letters to finding a filed move. Ask for the actual services in the quote.
NCOALink looks for filed changes of address
USPS supplies NCOALink data to licensed companies. It contains permanent change-of-address records filed by individuals, families, and businesses, which can be used to update mailing lists. [1]
For example, a provider may match a customer’s old name and address to a filed move and return a proposed new address. Ask how that match is reported and which records could not be updated.
No match does not prove the old address is current. The move may not be represented in the data or may not match under the service’s rules. Treat the result as information about that check, not personal confirmation from the customer.
CASS evaluates address-matching software
CASS is a USPS certification program that tests address-matching software. A provider using a CASS-certified method can match and code address information as part of preparing a list. The certification concerns the software; it is not a guarantee about every person on your list. [2]
Ask the provider to name the current software or service and explain what its output means. A single column labeled “valid” is hard to act on if nobody can tell you whether it means the format is correct, the postal address matched, or a move was found.
Request a file you can understand
Keep a contact reference on every row so you can connect a correction to the right customer. Ask for the original address, proposed address, processing date, and an explanation of the result codes.
Look closely at apartment and suite numbers. Check ZIP codes that begin with zero. Ask why the number of returned rows differs from the number you supplied. A smaller file is not automatically a better file.
Discuss duplicate removal separately. Two people can share an address and still need separate cards, while one customer may appear twice with slightly different spelling. The provider needs to know which situation you want to remove.
Put accepted corrections back into your contact list
Once the changes are checked, update the system you will use for the next mailing. Otherwise you may pay to correct the same old spreadsheet again.
Preserve requests to stop receiving mail when addresses are updated. A new address does not erase that preference.
Scribble’s standard address checks cover the shape of the address, not CASS-certified deliverability verification. Arrange any additional address-quality service separately when your mailing needs it. [3]
Frequently asked questions
Are NCOA and CASS the same thing?
No. NCOALink uses filed changes of address for list updates. CASS tests address-matching software. Ask which services your provider includes. [1][2]
Will these checks guarantee delivery?
No. They can improve the information used for a mailing, but they do not guarantee that the intended person still receives mail at a particular address.
Sources and methodology
Reviewed .
- NCOALink product and licensed providers
USPS PostalPro · Accessed
- CASS certification program
USPS PostalPro · Accessed
- Scribble address requirements
Scribble · Accessed