SmartyKey®

What is SmartyKey?

SmartyKey is a persistent, unique identifier that remains constant, even if parts of an address change. It's available for all US addresses, both USPS and non-USPS, in Smarty's US address geocoding database and US Address Verification, comprising over 210,000 address records.

I'm a US Rooftop Geocoding customer. Do I need to do anything to start using SmartyKey?

No! If you're a US Rooftop Geocoding customer, you already have access to the "smarty_key" field and its value pair in the response from the US Address API.

What will the new US Street Address API response look like?

Here’s an example of what you’ll see. Notice the only thing that changed is the addition of "smarty_key".

[
	{
		"input_index": 0,
		"candidate_index": 0,
		"delivery_line_1": "9713 NW 45th Ln",
		"last_line": "Doral FL 33178-3370",
		"delivery_point_barcode": "331783370131",
		"smarty_key": "2141466547",
		"components": {
			"primary_number": "9713",
			"street_predirection": "NW",
			"street_name": "45th",
			"street_suffix": "Ln",
			"city_name": "Doral",
			"default_city_name": "Miami",
			"state_abbreviation": "FL",
			"zipcode": "33178",
			"plus4_code": "3370",
			"delivery_point": "13",
			"delivery_point_check_digit": "1"
		},
		"metadata": {
			"record_type": "S",
			"zip_type": "Standard",
			"county_fips": "12086",
			"county_name": "Miami-Dade",
			"carrier_route": "C085",
			"congressional_district": "26",
			"rdi": "Residential",
			"elot_sequence": "0011",
			"elot_sort": "A",
			"latitude": 25.814995,
			"longitude": -80.354012,
			"coordinate_license": 1,
			"precision": "Rooftop",
			"time_zone": "Eastern",
			"utc_offset": -5,
			"dst": true
		},
		"analysis": {
			"dpv_match_code": "Y",
			"dpv_footnotes": "AABB",
			"dpv_cmra": "N",
			"dpv_vacant": "N",
			"dpv_no_stat": "N",
			"active": "Y",
			"footnotes": "N#",
			"enhanced_match": "postal-match"
		}	
	}
]

Why is SmartyKey being included in the API response?

SmartyKey seamlessly links Smarty enrichment datasets to your geocodes and addresses. Additionally, SmartyKey supports data management by identifying duplicate records and protecting Personally Identifiable Information (PII).

Will I have to pay more for this feature?

Not at all. The addition of SmartyKey won’t affect your current US Rooftop Geocoding subscription cost.

Can I obtain SmartyKey with other Smarty products apart from US Rooftop Geocoding?

Yes, SmartyKey is also included as standard with our US Address Verification, US Property Data, US Secondary Data, US Reverse Geocoding, US Parcel Boundary Data, US Census Block and Tract Data, and the US Master Address List.

Is SmartyKey included with US Address Autocomplete plans or international plans?

No, SmartyKey is currently only available with US Address Verification, US Property Data, US Secondary Data, US Reverse Geocoding, US Parcel Boundary Data, US Census Block and Tract Data, and the US Master Address List.

What are the primary uses of SmartyKey?

SmartyKey has many applications. For data blending, it makes matching up records faster, easier, and more accurate, mitigating the challenges associated with address errors, typos, parsing address fields wrongly, and the length of addresses. For data enhancement, SmartyKey will streamline the process of appending future Smarty property attributes to addresses with remarkable ease.

How does SmartyKey streamline data blending?

SmartyKey replaces complex, lengthy addresses with a unique, consistent 10-digit integer (for the technical people: a 32-bit unsigned integer) that makes it easier to match, blend, and process large datasets. For example, any business can run its in-house and third-party datasets through Smarty's geocoding product. The datasets will then get SmartyKeys assigned to the records by address, enabling an easier and more efficient blending of the two datasets.

How does SmartyKey protect personally identifiable information (PII)?

When sharing data, you can replace the actual address with its SmartyKey, thereby helping to secure your customers' PII.

Why is SmartyKey better than blending data by an address barcode?

Unlike address barcodes that change over time, SmartyKey is persistent. It remains constant from one release to the next, which means that even if parts of an address change, the SmartyKey identifier remains the same. This persistence makes it a more reliable option for data blending.

How much time can be saved with SmartyKey?

Using SmartyKey can save significant time, potentially up to 15-40+ hours per month for an individual who is blending multiple data sets. The simplicity of a 10-digit integer over complex address data can greatly streamline and expedite data blending processes.

How does SmartyKey increase confidence in data?

SmartyKey improves data blending accuracy by reducing the complications arising from address format errors, typos, and parsing. Providing a consistent identifier ensures the blended data is reliable and accurate.

How does SmartyKey deal with location aliases?

SmartyKey simplifies handling alias locations by assigning the same SmartyKey to all aliases of an address. This removes any potential confusion and facilitates easier address deduplication.
For example, 168 Fantasticks Ln, New York, NY 10010, is an alias location of 168 Sullivan St, New York, NY 10012. Both addresses are for the same location. Both addresses share the same SmartyKey, which makes blending and deduplicating a piece of cake.

Can SmartyKey help in saving costs?

Yes. By facilitating address deduplication, SmartyKey helps customers avoid mailing the same items to the same address repeatedly. This can lead to significant savings in postage and material costs.

How can I get more information about SmartyKey?

For further details, you can contact our support team. We're always here to help!