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Match Process Syntax Rules

Lauren Wheeler
  • Updated

The syntax for a set of match rules is as follows:

<MatchRule>|<MatchRule>|…

The syntax for a match rule (<MatchRule>) is:

<Label>:<RuleDefinition>

Where <Label> is a free-text description to be associated with the particular rule. The syntax for the rule definition (<RuleDefinition>) is made up of a set of field searches which have the syntax:

<FieldName>,<SearchType>

Where <FieldName> is the relevant field from the reference data and <SearchType> is one of:

  • LE – Like Exact match, the input component must exactly match the reference data
  • LC – Like Complete match, the input component must exactly match the initial substring from the reference data
  • LA – Like Approx match, the input component must approximately (phonetically or textually) match the reference data
  • CE – Contains Exact match, at least one word from the input component must exactly at least one word from the reference data
  • CA – Contains Approx match, at least one word from the input component must approximately (phonetically or textually) match at least one word from the reference data
Field Searches may be combined using the following syntax:
[] means an optional component – it must match if it exists both in the input data and the reference data
() encapsulates ‘OR’ component combinations
/ separates ‘OR’ component combinations
e.g.

2:(PostalCodePrimary,LE/[AdministrativeArea,LE];Locality,LE/[AdministrativeArea,LE];DependentLocality,LE);Thoroughfare,CE;[PremiseNumber,LE]

which expanding the ‘OR’ components becomes:

2:PostalCodePrimary,LE;Thoroughfare,CE;[PremiseNumber,LE]

2:[AdministrativeArea,LE];Locality,LE;Thoroughfare,CE;[PremiseNumber,LE]

2:[AdministrativeArea,LE];DependentLocality,LE;Thoroughfare,CE;[PremiseNumber,LE]