Unless your data is captured using software that processes the address against PAF, or that you acquire a mailing list that has been batch processed against the PAF database, then it is virtually certain that your address data will not be 100% complete, accurate or in the recommended format of Royal Mail.

Now that's not to say that the addresses in your list are not good enough to reach the intended address, but simply reaching your required destination should not be your only consideration.   The following factors should be considered when deciding on whether it is necessary to PAF your data.

if incorrectly (or not) postcoded, then this can increase postage costs on potentially machineable mailing campaigns.

if incorrectly (or not) postcoded, then this may mean that your mailing list does not fall within the qualifying criteria for Mailsort and increase your postage costs significantly.

if incorrectly addressed, then this may make your mail piece undeliverable, wasting both marketing and postage costs.

if incorrectly addressed, then this may increase the delivery time of your mail piece, potentially missing key dates for time specific marketing campaigns.

if incorrectly addressed, can adversely affect your organisation's reputation and brand.

the solution 

Provide us your mailing list and we will process this using our PAF software that will update the addresses against the most up to date PAF database*.

We can then use this updated list as part of a mailing campaign, or return for your own use. 

Either way, once your data has been updated, it is important to consider what you intend to do with your updated list.   Unless you also update your source database with the new data, then you will be in the same position the next time you need to use your list.  

Your IT provider should be able assist with this, but if not our IT department will be able to advise and assist with both the export and the import from and back to your database.

other considerations 

PAF software can only correct addresses were the original address is remotely correct i.e. it can't do the impossible.

If you would like to understand the quality of your data, then get in touch as we are able to provide an audit of your data, enabling you to assess just how accurate the data is.

* Royal Mail updates the PAF database every quarter to ensure that new houses and businesses are included within the database.