Sun Match Engine Standardization and Matching Process

The Sun Match Engine matching algorithm uses a proven methodology to process and weight records in the master index database. By providing both standardization and matching capabilities, the match engine allows you to condition data prior to matching. You can also use these capabilities to review legacy data prior to loading it into the database. This review helps you determine data anomalies, invalid or default values, and missing fields.

Both matching and standardization occur when two records are analyzed for the probability of a match. Before matching, certain fields are normalized, parsed, or converted into their phonetic values if necessary. The match fields are then analyzed and weighted according to the rules defined in a match configuration file. The weights for each field are combined to determine the overall matching weight for the two records. After the match engine has performed these steps, survivorship is determined by the master index application, based on how the overall matching weight compares to the duplicate and match thresholds of the master index application. These thresholds are configured for the Manager Service in the Threshold file.