NCOA Spreadsheet Format

This topic describes the format required for the Microsoft® Excel spreadsheet used in NCOA input processing. Voter Focus is designed to read a spreadsheet containing the NCOA vendor’s findings based on the organized described in the table below.

The spreadsheet should consist of the columns described below in the order in which they are presented. The inclusion of column headings in the file is optional. The first row of the spreadsheet can contain column headings to help clarify what each column contains. The suggested column headings below align with USPS terminology; they can be changed or abbreviated if your county has different requirements.

When you complete entering the NCOA response data in the spreadsheet, save the spreadsheet in Excel (XLSX) format.

The NCOA input-processor reads each row until it comes to a blank entry in the first column (that is, the Voter ID column). At that point the processor stops and reports that processing is complete.

Spreadsheet
Column

Suggested Column Headings

Max. No. of Characters

  

Description

A

Voter ID

10

This number was included in the data given to the vendor in the NCOA export file.

This field is examined by both NCOA processes (that is, the ZIP + 4 program and the NCOA Processing program).

B

New Street Number

10

Details of the new address.

If the new address is a post office box number, set up the address like this:

New Street Number = <box number>

New Street Name = PO BOX

If the input processor inserts this information into the mailing address section of the Process NCOA Queue dialog, the data here appears in the Mailing Address 1 field.

If the New Street Name field is blank, the USPS is reporting that the voter has moved away without leaving a forwarding address.

C

New Street Pre Directional

2

D

New Street Name

30

E

New Street suffix (Type)

4

F

New Street Post Directional

2

G

Unit Designator
(Unit Type, such as APT or STE)

5

H

Unit Number
(such as the apartment number)

15

I

AddressLine2

50

Details of the new address.

If the input processor inserts this information into the mailing address section of the Process NCOA Queue dialog, the data here appears in the Mailing Address 2 field. Any data past the 50-character limit is placed in the Mailing Address 3 field.

J

City

40

Details of the new address.

The zip code should not be hyphenated.

This field is examined by both NCOA processes (that is, the ZIP + 4 program and the NCOA Processing program).

K

State

2

L

Zip Code Plus Four

12

M

Effective Date of Move

MM/DD/YYYY

Date when voter's move went into effect.

If this date is after the date of the most recent NCOA input process, the item will be ignored.

This field is examined by both NCOA processes (that is, the ZIP + 4 program and the NCOA Processing program).

N

Move Type

1

I—Individual move

F—Family move

B—Business move

Note: Changes to business addresses are not processed.

This field is examined by both NCOA processes (that is, the ZIP + 4 program and the NCOA Processing program).

O

NCOA Link Footnote

2

A—Change-of-address match (including moves without a forwarding address)

00—No match (or Zip + 4 digits added to zip code)

91—Secondary number dropped from change of address

92—Secondary number dropped from input address

Note: Only items with one of these values are processed. Items with other values are ignored.

This field is examined by both NCOA processes (that is, the Zip + 4 program and the NCOA Processing program).

P

Remarks

n/a

This column, and those beyond, can be used for county comments and memos. They are ignored during input processing.