Introduction to IBM InfoSphere QualityStage Module for SERP

IBM® InfoSphere™ QualityStage™ Module for SERP corrects and validates Canadian address data to help you meet the accuracy requirements of Canada Post. SERP stands for Software Evaluation and Recognition Program.

To use certain services of the Canada Post, such as Incentive Lettermail, your mail must meet certain requirements. One of these requirements is mandatory participation in the Address Accuracy Program of Canada Post. For the program, you must demonstrate at least 95% accuracy in your address data. IBM InfoSphere QualityStage Module for SERP can help you reach that standard. The module has been evaluated and recognized by SERP, which is part of the Address Accuracy Program of Canada Post. SERP recognition means that the module achieves the standard for validation and correction of Canadian address data that is set by the Address Accuracy Program.

The SERP stage corrects your address data by referencing the latest address data from Canada Post. Canada Post publishes updated postal validation reference files on a regular basis (typically monthly). You must regularly update your reference files to align with the most recent data from Canada Post.

After you install IBM InfoSphere QualityStage Module for SERP, a SERP stage is available to use in IBM InfoSphere DataStage® and QualityStage Designer.

Use the SERP stage to run the following process on Canadian address data:

Analyze, validate, and correct

Analyzes address input data against the most recent reference files
Checks each address element for accuracy against postal validation reference files
Corrects address elements, if necessary and possible

In addition to correcting your data, the SERP stage produces a Statement of Accuracy (SOA). You are required to submit an SOA to Canada Post as part of the Address Accuracy Program. The SOA includes the following information:

The name and address of your company
Your eight-digit Canada Post Corporation (CPC) number, which you can find on your contract with Canada Post
The total number of records that were processed for the evaluation, which must be greater than or equal to the number of items in the mailing
The total number of urban records
The accuracy level of your address data, measured as a percentage (rounded to two decimal places) of the total number of records that were processed
The processing date
The expiration date of the SOA, which is always one year from the date that the SOA was generated
The effective date of the postal validation reference data that was used to process the address data
The name of the SERP-recognized software that processed the address data
The percentage of questionable rural addresses and the percentage of questionable apartment addresses