Postal Explorer > Publication 28 - Postal Addressing Standards > 3 Business Addressing Standards > 33 Defining Business-to-Business Data Elements

33 Defining Business-to-Business Data Elements

To understand the complexity of business-to-business addressing, a strong effort has been made to identify and define the many individual data elements that can be included in a business-to-business address. Input from the business-to-business field (users and suppliers) - gathered from several industry surveys - aided in the development of the following list. The first nine data elements relate to the marketing intentions of the mailer and do not actually affect Postal Service deliverability of a piece.

The following are data elements that could be included in a business-to-business address:

Address data elements 10 through 27 are Postal Service standardization issues for purposes of distribution and deliverability:

The following business address format is recommended when outputting to a mailpiece. Except as noted below, the use of a specific address line or address data element within a line is optional based on marketing intent, data availability, label size, or mailer preference. When a business address data element is not used on a mailpiece, the address data element above is positioned downward into the vacant area, thereby maintaining overall relative address data element placement on the mailpiece.

Address Data Element	Example
Optional Endorsement Line	#BXNHJVF *********C002
Key Line Data	#ABCDEFGHIJKLMNO3# /12345678
POSTNET Address Block Barcode
Mailstop Code	MSC4567ABCD
Attention Line	MS MILDRED DOE
Individual Title	PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER
Functional Title	DESIGN ENGINEERING MANAGER
Group, Department, Division Name	BRAKE CONTROL DIVISION
Business/Firm Name	BIG BUSINESS INCORPORATED
Delivery Address Line	12 E BUSINESS LN STE 209
City, State, ZIP+4 Line	KRYTON TN 38188-0002

It is unlikely that any one business address contains all 11 of the business address data elements detailed above. The example above defines the business address data elements and their relative placement on a mailpiece. Generally, only five lines of address information are suitable for automated processing when not barcoding.

The use of a standardized business address format, standard business word abbreviations, line removal, and business address line compression logic is intended to improve the quality of matches between Postal Service and industry address improvement, hygiene, and matching services. This would include computer-based change of address and merge/purge programs and would facilitate Postal Service and commercial MLOCR recognition.

When outputting business address data elements to a mailpiece, the complete address data element, including the complete and correct spelling of each word, is preferred. In those instances where certain constraints limit the number of words or characters that can be placed on the mailpiece, the most preferred method is to replace fully spelled words with standard address and business word abbreviations. If additional reduction in lines or address data elements is necessary for application on the mailpiece, then apply the guidelines in logical order as presented in subchapter 34.

It is important to note that the application of these logical steps is the option of the mailer and is provided as a standardized approach for use when the mailer has a business need to alter the address format. It is recommended that each logical step be applied only if the additional compression offered by that step is required or desired by the mailer. The application of some logical steps could produce an output that may be unacceptable to the mailer.