Data Processing Terms
ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange) - A format for storing data on disks or magnetic tapes, which can then be, read by different types of computers and software packages. It is the most common way to send data to someone with different software or computer systems.
ASCII Comma Delimited - A specific way of saving database records. It records the data with separators – delimiters. Each field starts with and ends with a quote mark and may have a comma in between. Each line is a new record.
ASCII Fixed Length - A specific way of saving database records. It records the data based on position. Example, Line 1 is the first record, 2 the second, etc. The fields are then based on position, regardless of the number of characters.
Additions ( Adds.) - New names appended to your mailing list.
All Per Select - Not limiting the mailing list to one per household or business. For example a law firm… if you want to reach each individual lawyer or just the firm? One per would be the firm only and all per would be each lawyer at the firm.
Go to TopByte - Measurable portion of consecutive binary digits. Example, an eight-bit byte.
Computer Personalization - The printing of a letter or other promotional piece by the computer, using names, addresses, special phrases or other information based on data contained in one or more computer records. The objective is to give each piece the tailor made look thus increasing the response.
Computer Service Bureau - A company, which specializes in the sale of data processing services to others, in lieu of the customer having or utilizing an in-house data processing department.
Conversion - The process of changing records from a different file format to a format, which is identical to that of a specific program.
Data Entry - Usually, the process of transferring written or printed data to processable form by keying it character by character.
De-Dupe - The process of taking a database file and eliminating duplicate records. Options include identical record deletion, name and address deletion, multiple addresses deletion, two records at same address, but different names deletion.
Delete - Remove a particular record from a mailing list.
Disk - A flat circular plate with a magnetic surface on which data may be magnetically recorded and retrieved. Example, 3 ½” x 5 ¼” floppy zip disk.
Dump - A printed sample of the contents of a data file, typically a magnetic tape for purposes of review of the data.
Duplicate - A repeated name within a list or between two or more lists. A pair of records between which a sufficient match exists to meet the requirements of any duplicator rule which is in effect.
EBCDIC (Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code) - Pronounced eb-sa-dick. This is an eight-bit configuration used to represent up to 256 separate characters, alpha, numeric and special characters. EBCDIC is used as the language of mainframe computers for storage and data processing.
Edit - Updating a record in a file.
File - A collection of records on a single storage device.
File Maintenance - The activity of keeping a file up to date by adding, changing or deleting data. Synonymous with List Maintenance.
Format/Layout - A written, field-by-field description of the data contained in a record, typically describing each field as to its length, beginning and ending positions, name editing characteristics and data format.
Galley Listing - A computer printout of data on paper. Two-line and six-line galley formats are standard. The two-line format lists names and address, plus minimal other data. The six-line format is much more comprehensive.
Import - The method for bringing data into your program. Software packages record their data using their own method. To allow outside data to be imported into your software package, they support a number of
different file formats. ASCII is the most common.
Input - (1) Information or data which must be read by a peripheral device and transferred from some external storage medium, such as cards or magnetic tape, into internal storage of the computer for processing and,
typically, subsequent output to an external storage medium. (2) The device used for transferring external data from an external storage medium into main storage (i.e., card reader, tape drive) (3) The process
of transferring data from external to internal storage.
Key Only - Data entry without verification. This is a character-by-character verification performed after the input has been keyed. A second operator re-keys the data to be verified and the machine compares the second keying to the first. Discrepancies cause the machine to stop until the operator chooses which version of a keyed character is the correct one.
List Maintenance - Any manual, mechanical or electronic system for keeping name-and-address records up-to-date.
Mag Tape - Magnetic tape or nine track tape. A method of storing data used primarily in mainframes. Requires a mag tape drive. They hold a vast amount of data per tape and come in a variety of reel sizes, densities, BPI and formats.
Mail Merge - The process of merging your mailing list with your mail piece. Instead of the generic Dear Friend letters with an address label, it is personalized on the letter. Can also include coupons, check and other direct mail pieces.
Match Code - A programmatic extract from the name and address information that is the identifier used to access a specific record on a file. The match code is also an integral part of match data used in identifying duplicates.
Merge - The process of reading two or more files that are in the same processing sequence and file format. Or writing all of the records from those files to a single file in the same sequence.
Merge/Purge - The process of identifying and eliminating duplicates among two or more mailing lists. Or the merging of two or more files in the matching process to produce one file free of duplicates.
Multibuyer - A name that appears on more than one mail file.
Nth Name Selection - A fractional unit that is repeated in sampling a mailing list. For example an “every tenth” sample, you would select the 1st, 11th, 21st, 31st, etc., records only.
OCR – (Optical Character Recognition) - A process by which data printed on paper may be transferred to processible media without keying. The process requires that characters be printed I a special type style or font typically either OCR-A or OCR-B, which are the styles expected by computer peripheral devices called optical scanners which read the characters on the paper through use of light sensitive devices and through a process of reflection and non-reflection, detect the character and transfer it to processible media for subsequent processing.
Print Image - The form of data representation from which logical print lines can be displayed on a printer with no intermediate format manipulation necessary.
Printout - A hard copy display of information or data.
Purge - The process of eliminating duplicates and/ or unwanted names and addresses from one or more lists.
Reformat - The process of reading data from one physical storage medium and writing it on another. During the process certain fields are relocated from a positional standpoint and/ or dropping fields or reorganizing the data within fields. Often, other steps are incorporated in the reformat, such as insertion of data from a second input file, or data generated by the reformat program itself, such as a sweepstakes number.
Seed Name - A unique name inserted in a mailing list for the purpose of tracking list usage.
Sequence - An ordering of records based on one or more fields contained in the File. Examples include zip code sequence, alpha by surname within zip code.
Service Bureau - A data processing company, which uses computer hardware and software to perform application functions for others.
Sort - A processing function which arranges a file in a specified sequence.
Source Code - Unique alphabetical and/ or numerical identifier, which signifies the specific origin.
Tape Dump - A small listing of the info contained on a tape that displays the data in character and/ or hexadecimal format.
Throughput - A quantitative description of the amount of final output processed in a given amount of time.
Truncate - To drop characters at the end of a data field because the info keyed is too long to fit in the record positions in which it must be stored.
Update - To post current information or transactions to a master file to reflect the current status of each record on the list. Also refers to the addition of new records.
Variable Length Record - A record with an unfixed number of fields and/ or characters. Normally a maximum size of the record is established including a maximum length for each field, regardless of whether data exists. However in variable length records individual fields, subject to established maximums, are only as long as they need to be in a given circumstance and their ending/ beginning is identified by designated
special characters or other field separators.
Zip Code Sequence - Arranging names and addresses in a list according to a numeric progression of the zip code in each record. This form of list formatting is mandatory for mailing at standard third class mail rates.
Zip Tally - A report which shows how many mail pieces there are by zip code. Depending on the mailing discounts required, it may include the number per carrier route, zip code, SCF and state.