SOME FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT Q-NCOA Can we make a file of movers in Canada? How big is the database? What is the hit rate on a typical file? Why is the file so expensive? How detailed does the "match" have to be? Why do I need a license with Canada Post as well as from you? Do I HAVE to process NCOA to get mail discounts, as the USPS requires? I have other questions you should answer here. Can we make a file of movers in Canada? Categorically NO. Q_NCOA is designed to locate a name and address you supply, and return the moved-to address. When we talk about a "movers" file, we refer to a file containing the names on your file that have moved according to CPC records. If you cannot supply the name and address, Q_NCOA (or any competing product) cannot supply you with a file of "movers". If you supply a file of 100,000 records, Q_NCOA can produce an output file of those same 100,000 records, with changed address data, or it can produce a file of only those ON YOUR FILE that have moved. To do otherwise would be a direct violation of Canada Post rules. How big is the database? Canada Post publishes the database used by Q_NCOA. It has just over 5 million records covering the latest 3 years. The full file is not space-efficient, but our formatting of the file uses about 1 giga-byte. Updating, unlike Q_CODE and Q_MAIL, is "incremental" rather than file-replacement, so correct sequencing of monthly updates is mandatory, and monthly counts and statistics produced during updates are checked for validity to ensure integrity is retained. What is the hit rate on a typical file? A lot depends on your files, how old the names are, and so on. Typically, we see between 3% and 6% "movers", although we have seen as high as 10%. That's a lot of mail not going to the right place, and likely not being forwarded but rather going to a dump-site. Why is the file so expensive? It isn't any more. Previously, Canada Post charged $35,000 up-front, plus $35,000 per year. As of February, 2001 this has been reduced to $5,000 per year with no other up-front charges. Naturally, the cost of our software has been appropriately priced. Please visit our Pricing page for details. How detailed does the "match" have to be? Far more detailed than traditional "merge/purge" programs need to be. Canada Post has established testing standards (which of course Q_NCOA complies with), and the intent is to be absolutely sure that the match is a true one. We base ours on Soundex principles, albeit highly modified, allowing also for "nick-names" (Rick, Richard, Dick, Rich, etc.). In rural areas, even more stringent rules apply than would be the case in urban areas. The incidence of incorrect matches is extremely small. Why do I need a license with Canada Post as well as from you? The license with us is for the software. NO-ONE but Canada Post has the right to re-distribute the actual database. In the case of Q_MAIL and Q_CODE, we are able to re-distribute those files under license from Canada Post. The NCOA file is a different matter altogether. Even though we are a licensee ourselves, we can still not re-distribute the data files. You will still need to subscribe to CPC's licensing service for the data files. Do I HAVE to process NCOA to get mail discounts, as the USPS requires? No. Although there have been discussions about this eventually being the case, it is not a requirement. There may well be a number of compelling reasons why you SHOULD, but you certainly don't have to under current rules. I have other questions you should answer here. Please send your suggestions for inclusion to us. If they would be of general help, we'll post the answer here.