The spatial layer types can include point locations and linear features. Address geocoding is accomplished by first matching an address to a linear or point feature in a GIS layer. In the case of street data the location of the address is estimated by reading the left and right address ranges assigned to a given street segment. An offset away from the street can also be specified, typically 30 feet. Assign spatial attributes involves first geocoding a matched address then comparing its location to another GIS spatial layer.
Address standardization is the process that parses a given address into standard parts.
These parts include the house number, street name, direction prefix, direction suffix, and the street type. Some software packages also check various databases from the USPS to check for spelling and correct other address inconsistencies. Exact Match is intended to represent addresses that match a given street segment using the street name, address range, and zip code information. This of course does not account for data input errors, in both the address and the street data. These matches are the most accurate possible and would be required for the most sensitive uses.