You can validate/geocode addresses. Geocoding is a process of converting addresses into geographic coordinates. Users are able to validate and re-validate previously validated addresses using the 'Bulk Address Validation' tool.

If an address cannot be validated, the distance calculation will be based of the center of the zip code provided.

What Does Bulk Address Validation Do?

Finds the geographic coordinates of the address points (e.g. Lat and Lon)
Standardizes the address (e.g. avenue becomes ave., etc)
Standardizes capitalization. (e.g. st becomes St)

When to Use Bulk Address Validation

Lat1/Lon1 to Lat2/Lon2 is used when establishing the distance between two address points. Without a valid latitude and longitude pair, distance calculation between two address points is not possible.
Re-validate previously validated addresses is a good idea because geocoding databases continually updates their data. An address may have been previously validated and at some point, geocoding databases could have improved their geocoding processes returning even more accurate data that would require the address to be re-validated.

Running the Bulk Address Validation tool can affect rate charts that are set to rate by mileage. See When Not to Use Bulk Address Validation.

When Not to Use Bulk Address Validation

Address points that have been manually overridden. Re-validating these addresses will remove the manual override and could cause changes to the distance calculation.

Do not check the box to include previously validated addresses before processing if you do not want price calculations to possibly change any time an address is re-validated.

Once a change to an address has been made through the Address Validation tool, it cannot be undone and the change will overwrite anything that is currently saved in the Database.

How to use Bulk Address Validation

Go to Tools > Validate Addresses
The Bulk Address Validation form is displayed, choose a type of address to update from the dropdown.
To further limit which addresses are validated, use the Where name begins with field.
To include previously validated addresses to be re-validated, check Include previously validated addresses.
Click the Process button once the desired options have been set.

Bulk Validation Results

Addresses that are processed and validated are immediately updated in the database. Once the tool has completed validating the addresses, you can see which addresses were successfully validated and if any failed. The bottom of the form shows the total number of records processed and number of successful and failed address.