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# How Middesk matches data

> Learn how Middesk normalizes, searches, and matches business data attributes to verify information.

You can most effectively use Middesk's results if you understand how Middesk matches data. The Middesk approach to data is designed to provide accurate results, even across common permutations, while saving time.

## Data matching process

Middesk performs these three steps to process data:

#### Normalize

Middesk first normalizes the data you submit into a "cleaned version." This includes removing case sensitivity, extra white space, and punctuation. Then Middesk converts that text to a canonical version (for example, `Street` may become `ST`).

#### Search

Using the “cleaned version” data, Middesk then attempts to verify the business. To do so, Middesk searches its internal database to find the best set of records across Middesk's authoritative data sets. This includes looking for the:

* Business name
* Business address
* Tax Identification Number (TIN)
* Associated people

#### Match

Middesk then conducts an attribute-by-attribute comparison between the submitted "cleaned version" data and the retrieved records to validate matches.

## Match reporting

Depending on the attribute, Middesk returns a value indicating the match type: `Success`, `Warning`, `Failure`, or `Alternate`.

### Success

The normalized submitted attribute exactly matches at least one normalized, retrieved attribute.

| Attribute         | Submitted                               | Returned                                |
| :---------------- | :-------------------------------------- | :-------------------------------------- |
| Business name     | Middesk                                 | Middesk                                 |
| Business address  | 85 2nd St, San Francisco, CA 94105-3459 | 85 2nd St, San Francisco, CA 94105-3459 |
| TIN               | 123456789                               | 123456789                               |
| Associated people | John Roger Smith                        | John R Smith                            |

### Warning

The normalized attribute is similar to at least one normalized, retrieved attribute.

| Attribute        | Submitted                             | Returned                                      |
| :--------------- | :------------------------------------ | :-------------------------------------------- |
| Business name    | Middesk Inc                           | Middesk LLC                                   |
| Business address | 4322 N Hall St, Dallas, TX 75219-2731 | 4104 N Hall St Apt 107, Dallas, TX 75219-5627 |

### Failure

The submitted normalized attribute does not match any normalized, retrieved attributes.

| Attribute         | Submitted                             | Returned                                                      |
| :---------------- | :------------------------------------ | :------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Business name     | Middesk                               | Google                                                        |
| Business address  | 4322 N Hall St, Dallas, TX 75219-2731 | 4201 Cypress Creek Pkwy Ste 540 #1197, Houston, TX 77068-3458 |
| TIN               | 123456789                             | 987654321                                                     |
| Associated people | John Roger Smith                      | Keith Morgan                                                  |

### Alternate (TIN-only)

The submitted attribute is associated with an alternative attribute according to the IRS. Middesk returns the alternative attribute associated with the submitted TIN.

## Attribute-specific matching

Each attribute type has specific normalization and matching rules.

### Name matching

#### Normalization

Middesk normalizes business names by:

* Removing case sensitivity
* Converting entity suffixes to canonical versions
* Removing extra whitespace at the beginning and end
* Removing punctuation and extraneous characters during comparison

| Submitted                     | Normalized  |
| :---------------------------- | :---------- |
| ABC Limited Liability Company | ABC LLC     |
| ABC company llc               | ABC LLC     |
| ABC Incorporated              | ABC CORP    |
| ABC Corporation               | ABC CORP    |
| Middesk, Inc.                 | MIDDESK INC |

#### Matching rules

**Success**: All characters in the normalized submitted name match all characters in the normalized retrieved name.

**Warning**: The normalized submitted name is similar to the retrieved name. This includes:

* Entity suffix differences (for example, "Middesk Inc" matches "Middesk LLC")
* Minor character differences based on name length:

| Name length             | Allowed character difference          |
| :---------------------- | :------------------------------------ |
| Less than 10 characters | 0 (any difference results in Failure) |
| 10 to 30 characters     | 1 character                           |
| More than 30 characters | 2 characters                          |

**Failure**: The normalized submitted name does not match any normalized retrieved name, or the submitted TIN is associated with a different business name.

### Address matching

#### Normalization

Middesk normalizes and geocodes all addresses prior to matching using a third-party provider. Addresses are converted to a standard format.

| Submitted                                      | Normalized                                      |
| :--------------------------------------------- | :---------------------------------------------- |
| 85 2ND STREET SAN FRANCISCO CA                 | 85 2nd St, San Francisco, CA 94105-3459         |
| Middesk Inc 85 2ND ST ste 710 san francisco ca | 85 2nd St Ste 710, San Francisco, CA 94105-3465 |

#### Matching rules

**Success**: The normalized submitted address exactly matches at least one normalized retrieved address.

**Warning**: The normalized submitted address is similar or approximate to a retrieved address. There are two scenarios:

*Similar address*: Addresses are more than 0.2 miles apart but share the same state and city, or share the same postal code and street.

| Type                               | Submitted                                        | Retrieved                                           |
| :--------------------------------- | :----------------------------------------------- | :-------------------------------------------------- |
| Same city, different street number | 4322 N Hall St, Dallas, TX 75219-2731            | 4104 N Hall St Apt 107, Dallas, TX 75219-5627       |
| Same postal code, different city   | 3755 Redwine Rd Apt 9323, Atlanta, GA 30344-5970 | 3755 Redwine Rd Apt 9215, East Point, GA 30344-5983 |

*Approximate address*: Addresses are within 0.2 miles of each other with the same street, state, and postal code. This typically occurs due to typos or missing suite numbers.

| Type                  | Submitted                                                     | Retrieved                                               |
| :-------------------- | :------------------------------------------------------------ | :------------------------------------------------------ |
| Typo in street number | 21098 E Duncan St, Queen Creek, AZ 85142-4867                 | 21089 E Duncan St, Queen Creek, AZ 85142-4868           |
| Missing suite number  | 4201 Cypress Creek Pkwy Ste 540 #1197, Houston, TX 77068-3458 | 4201 Cypress Creek Pkwy Ste 540, Houston, TX 77068-3458 |

**Failure**: The normalized submitted address does not match any normalized retrieved address.

### TIN matching

#### Normalization

Middesk normalizes TINs by:

* Requiring exactly 9 digits
* Removing dashes and other extraneous characters

| Submitted  | Normalized |
| :--------- | :--------- |
| 12-3456789 | 123456789  |

#### Matching rules

Middesk uses the IRS TIN Matching program to verify whether the submitted TIN and business name match.

> **Note**
>
> The IRS TIN Matching program only matches on the first four characters of the submitted business name, regardless of the actual name length.

**Success**: The submitted business name is associated with the submitted TIN according to the IRS.

**Alternate**: The submitted TIN is associated with a different business name according to the IRS. Middesk returns the alternative business name associated with the submitted TIN.

**Failure**: The submitted TIN is not associated with the submitted business name according to the IRS, and is not associated with any other business name.

### Person matching

#### Normalization

Middesk normalizes person names by:

* Removing case sensitivity
* Removing punctuation
* Removing extra whitespace at the beginning and end
* Removing extraneous characters during comparison

| Submitted  | Normalized |
| :--------- | :--------- |
| Kyle Mack  | KYLE MACK  |
| John+Smith | JOHN SMITH |

#### Matching rules

**Success**: The normalized submitted person name matches at least one normalized retrieved person name. Middesk accounts for common variations:

| Variation type      | Submitted          | Retrieved         |
| :------------------ | :----------------- | :---------------- |
| Simple typo         | Keith Morgan       | Kieth Morgan      |
| Name suffix         | John Smith Jr      | John Smith Junior |
| Transposition       | John Smith         | Smith John        |
| Middle name missing | John Smith         | John Roger Smith  |
| Middle initial      | John Roger Smith   | John R Smith      |
| Maiden name         | Jane Johnson Smith | Jane Smith        |

**Failure**: The submitted normalized person name does not match any normalized retrieved person name.

> **Get a demo**
>
> Contact your account manager or [contact sales](https://www.middesk.com/contact-sales) to inquire about access.

> Learn how Middesk normalizes, searches, and matches business data attributes to verify information.