A common problem with data we receive is the content often varies in standardization. Data feeds are sourced from other systems or could be the result of someone “keying” the data into your database. All scenarios result in inconsistent data. QDS offers the ability to “clean” data before any search actions are performed.
QDS uses a two-step strategy to clean and generate name variations: Parse and Permutate.
The ability to parse data ensures the highest level of accuracy. Along with parsing data, name variations can be generated to ensure all possible searches are performed, resulting in the highest level of due diligence and compliance. The goal is to find additional hits, identify active SCRA, MLA or Bankruptcy when it’s absolutely critical and avoid the need to rescind a Forclosure Sale or some other legal action.
Parsing ensures all name parts are accurate and any additional subjects are extracted from the original subject. If a name provided is mostly normalized but contains a suffix within the last name, parsing will detect. If the name is 100% standardized the name parsing will bypass the name. Parsing ensures that provided subject names are stored and represented as discrete data elements.
Ideally, orders adhere to this format:
However, in practice we see:
Or even:
Parsing the latter example generates six parsed contacts called “aliases”:
| Alias 1 | Alias 2 | Alias 3 | Alias 4 | Alias 5 | Alias 6 |
| John A Doe Jr | Jane Smith | Janice Smith | Shiela Smith | Sheila Ann Smith | Mike Smith |
Parsing offers the following features:
| Feature | Description |
| Known Word Removal | Removes known string patterns from last name such as Estate, AKA, deceased, etc. Additional words can be added to removal list. |
| Prefix Removal | Removes known names prefixes from first name. |
| Space Normalization | Reduces multiple spacing between name parts to a single space. Removes any leading and trailing spaces next to hyphens. |
| Word Scrubbing | Removes and/or substitutes all non-word characters from names including numbers and any type of whitespace with the exception of Non Removed Characters. |
| Segment Parsing | Splits last name based on presence of Segment Delimiter and creates name aliases. Used when multiple full names are passed in last name. For example, last name Smith AKA John A. Doe Jr will generate two name segments: 1) last name Smith 2) John A. Doe Jr where the left most name is the primary segment and the subsequent names are aliases. Segments are evaluated to ensure that no duplicate alias are produced by redundant segments. |
Upon completion, the name is either ready to be searched or permutated.
Name Permutations offers the ability to generate name variations on a given subject. If a contact needs to be cleaned, it will be parsed before reaching any of the designated permutation features. This allows multiple searches to be performed when a name contains a multi-part name or suffixes. The ability to leverage name permutations along with name parsing ensures the highest level of Accuracy and Compliance.
Permutation offers the following features:
| Feature | Description | Option | Example |
| Transpose | Transposes name parts to generate all unique variations. Transposing occurs on any number of name parts provided. | True | False | Original Name: Smith Doe Generates: Doe Smith |
| Merge Names | Merges compound name parts into a single name. Merging occurs on any number of name parts provided. | True | False | Original Name: Smith Doe Generates: SmithDoe |
| Force Hyphen | Generates additional name variations only on two part last names delimited by a spaces replacing the space with a hyphen. | True | False | Original Name: Smith Doe Generates: Smith-Doe |
| Search Original | Allows original name to be searched even in case of name containing known words along with any name variations generated. | True | False | Original Name: (Deceased) Jones (Deceased) would be flagged as a known word and the original name would be disqualified. |
| Toggle Middle Name | Ability to generate name variations with/without middle name when middle name is provided. Middle name toggle generates variations after transposing of name parts. | True | False | Original Name: John A Doe Generates: John Doe John A Doe |
| Toggle Primary Name | Ability to generate name variations with/without first and middle names. | True | False | Original Name: John A Doe Generates: John A Doe Doe |
| Middle Name Parse | Will apply middle name and/or initial to alias or permutated names. | ||
| Option turned off. | None | ||
| Inserts new contact for every unique middle name. Always uses the original alias middle name (even if initial). Shares all middle names across all original aliases and primary | Share | Original Name: John Bailey Doe AKA James Michael Doe Generates: John Bailey Doe James Michael Doe John Michael Doe James Bailey Does | |
| If a middle name is a middle initial and it matches first letter of alias contact’s middle name, then the full middle name is shared with the original contact. | Share Merge | Original Name: John B Doe AKA James Bailey Doe Generates:John B Doe John Bailey Doe James Bailey Doe | |
| Inserts new contact with middle initial when middle name is provided. | Append Middle Initial | Original Name: John Bailey Doe AKA James Michael Doe Generates: John Bailey Doe John B Doe James Michael Doe James M Doe | |
| Inserts new contact with middle initial on ALL permutations/aliases when middle name is provided. | Append Middle Initial All | Original Name: John Bailey Doe AKA James Michael Doe Generates: John Bailey Doe John B Doe John M Doe James Michael Doe James M Doe James B Doe | |
| Include Suffix | Ability to generate name variations using name suffix at given levels: | ||
| Omits name suffix from any searches | None | Original Name: John Doe, Jr. Generates: John Doe | |
| Search with and without and without name suffix for the original names | Original Only | Original Last Name: John Doe Jr AKA James Smith Jr Generates: John Doe John Doe Jr James Smith James Smith Jr ± There are no compound names. | |
| All name variations will be searched with and without suffix when a compound name | All | Original Last Name: John Doe Jr a.k.a. James A Smith Doe Jr Generates: James Smith Doe Jr James Smith Doe James Smith James Smith Jr James Doe James Doe Jr ± John Doe searches are the same ±± Depending on permutation model each name will be generated with and without suffix | |
| Mixed Case Parse | Splits single names with mixed case names into compound name parts | True | False | Original Last Name: LaVerne Generates: La Verne |
| Middle Name Parse | Will apply middle name and/or initial to alias or permutated names. | ||
| Option turned off. | None | ||
| Inserts new contact for every unique middle name. Always uses the original alias middle name (even if initial). Shares all middle names across all original aliases and primary | Share | Original Name: John Bailey Doe AKA James Michael DoeGenerates: John Bailey Doe James Michael Doe John Michael Doe James Bailey Does | |
| If a middle name is a middle initial and it matches first letter of alias contact’s middle name, then the full middle name is shared with the original contact. | Share Merge | Original Name: John B Doe AKA James Bailey Doe Generates: John B Doe John Bailey Doe James Bailey Doe | |
| Inserts new contact with middle initial when middle name is provided. | Append Middle Initial | Original Name: John Bailey Doe AKA James Michael Doe Generates: John Bailey Doe John B Doe James Michael Doe James M Doe | |
| Inserts new contact with middle initial on ALL permutations/aliases when middle name is provided. | Append Middle Initial All | Original Name: John Bailey Doe AKA James Michael Doe Generates: John Bailey Doe John B Doe John M Doe James Michael Doe James M Doe James B Doe | |
| Suppress Hyphen Parse | Allows for granular control over handling of hyphens in last names: | ||
| Defaults to standard hyphen-parse behavior | Never | Original Name: John Doe-Smith Generates: John Doe-Smith John Doe Smith John Smith John Doe | |
| Always suppress hyphen-parse behavior | Always | Original Name: John Doe-Smith Generates: John Doe-Smith | |
| Suppress hyphen parsing only when there is a hyphen in a multi-part last name. | MultipleOnly | Original Name: John Doe-Smith Bailey Generates: John Doe-Smith Bailey John Doe-Smith John Bailey ± John Doe-Smith would be parsed using default hyphen parsing |
± Permutation options can be used in combination or interchangeably.
Quandis can also implement custom Parsing and Permutation functionality to match your specific needs.
| Name | Transpose Option | Contacts Searched |
| John Bailey Doe Smith | False | John Bailey Doe John Bailey Smith |
| True | John Bailey Doe John Bailey Smith John Bailey Smith Doe |
| Name | Merge Names Option | Contacts Searched |
| Sarah O Connor | False | Sarah Connor Sarah O |
| True | Sarah OConnor Sarah Connor Sarah O |
| Name | Force Hyphen Option | Contacts Searched |
| John Doe Smith | False | John Doe Smith John Smith John Doe |
| True | John Doe Smith John Smith John Doe John Doe-Smith |
| Name | Search Original Option | Contacts Searched |
| John A Doe (DECEASED) | False | John A Doe |
| True | John A Doe (DECEASED) John A Doe |
| Name | Toggle Middle Name Option | Contacts Searched |
| John Bailey Doe | False | John Bailey Doe |
| True | John Bailey Doe John Doe |
| Name | Middle Name Parse Option | Contacts Searched |
| John Bailey Doe | None | John Bailey Doe |
| John Bailey Doe AKA Joe Michael Doe | Share | John Bailey Doe John Michael Doe Joe Michael Doe Joe Bailey Doe |
| John B Doe AKA Joe Bailey Doe | Share Merge | John B Doe John Bailey Doe Joe Bailey Doe ± Joe B Doe is not created. |
| John Bailey Doe AKA Joe Michael Doe | Append Middle Initial | John Bailey Doe John B Doe Joe Michael Doe Joe M Doe |
| John Bailey Doe AKA Joe Michael Doe | Append Middle Initial All | John Bailey Doe John B Doe Joe Michael Doe Joe M Doe John Michael Doe John M Doe Joe Bailey Doe Joe B Doe |
| Name | Include Suffix Option | Contacts Searched |
| John Doe Sr. | None | John Doe |
| John Doe Sr. AKA John Smith | Original Only | John Doe John Doe Sr. John Smith |
| John Doe Sr. AKA John Smith | All | John Doe Sr. John Doe John Smith Sr. John Smith |
| Name | Mixed Case Parse Option | Contacts Searched |
| John DeCosta | False | John DeCosta |
| True | John De Costa John Costa John De |
Permutation features can be used in combination, allowing for the highest level of due diligence in your searches.
| Name | Active Options | Contacts Searched |
| John A Doe AKA Joe Doe AKA John Andrew Doe | Middle Name Parse: Share Toggle Middle Name: True | John A Doe John Doe Joe Doe Joe A Doe Joe Andrew Doe John Andrew Doe |
| John Doe Smith | Transpose: True Force Hyphen: True Search Original: True | John Doe Smith John Smith Doe John Smith John Doe John Doe-Smith John Smith-Doe |