SSA-NAME3 uses population files that contain rules specific to the particular population of data. The rules define how to build keys and how the search and match strategies function for the specified population. SSA-NAME3 builds keys, generates an array of search key ranges, and uses the key ranges to identify records for matching.
SSA-NAME3 uses match purposes to match different types of data. A match purpose is a predefined algorithm that is optimized for a specific type of data, such as name or address. The algorithms include numerous rules that handle initials, aliases, common variations, prefixes, suffixes, transpositions, and word order. Each match purpose contains a group of SSA-NAME3 fields, and each field adds weight to the matching score.
To configure the SSA-NAME3 parameters, perform the following tasks: