Lists, Priorities & Suppression

A list is how Match IQ keeps track of where records come from. Every input file (or database table) is automatically a list, and you can also carve lists out of a single file - by a value in a field, or by criteria you define. Lists let you understand and control matching across sources: which records matched, which lists they came from, and how each source contributed to the result.

• Treat an entire input file as one list.
• Define lists by the value in a field (for example, a source or campaign code).
• Define lists by filter criteria that select the records you want.

A suppression list is a list of records you want to screen out - a bad-account file, a do-not-mail or opt-out list, or government and industry suppression files. When a record matches an entry on a suppression list, Match IQ can remove it from your output, preventing wasted mailings and helping you respect customer preferences and regulations.

A super list groups several lists together so you can track and report on results across a whole set of sources at once. This is the foundation for classic marketing strategies:

• Multi-buyer - find the people who appear on two or more lists. When you combine purchased or partner lists, multi-buyers are often your most receptive prospects.
• Source analysis - see how much each list overlaps with the others and what unique contribution each one makes.

When a match group contains several records, Match IQ ranks them to decide which becomes the master - the record kept or used as the basis for consolidation. You control that ranking, and rules are applied in the order you choose so you can express exactly what "best" means:

• List priority - prefer records from more trusted or more valuable lists.
• Field priority - rank on the contents of a field, ascending or descending (for example, most recent date, or highest lifetime value).
• Completeness - favor records that have more fields populated.
• Random - when you simply need a single winner and the others are equivalent.

A record that's missing key fields usually makes a poor master. With blank-field priority, Match IQ can penalize records that have empty fields so that the most complete record in a group rises to the top - a simple, powerful way to keep the richest data and discard the sparse duplicates.