Address directory
The address directory stores addresses that have already been checked, so the same address is not sent to the validation service again.
Purpose
Every address that 365 business Address Validation checks for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, or that it takes over through address prediction, is stored as an entry in the Address Data table (the address directory). If the same address occurs again later, for example on a different record, 365 business Address Validation recognizes it by a hash value and does not need to send it to the service again.
Status
Every entry in the address directory carries an Address Validation Status:
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Not Validated | The address is stored in the directory but has not been checked yet. |
| Manually Checked | A user has marked the address as correct using the Set Validated action. |
| Validated | The address was checked by the validation service, or taken over through address prediction. |
Only entries with the status Manually Checked or Validated count as known addresses (see below). An entry with the status Not Validated still triggers a service call the next time it is checked.
Why known addresses do not trigger a service call
Before 365 business Address Validation calls the validation service, the app compares the address to be checked against the address directory using a hash value. If a match with the status Manually Checked or Validated is found, 365 business Address Validation applies its values unchanged as the result, without calling the validation service. This applies to automatic validation as well as to the manual Validate Address action. For more information on the process, see How address validation works.
Load address data in advance
Use Initialize address data to read the existing addresses of your company into the address directory once. Loading addresses does not check them, but it reduces the number of later service calls once individual addresses are checked.
Usage
The Usage field shows which records currently use an address in the directory, for example one or more contacts, customers, or vendors with the same address. This lets you see at a glance whether an address applies to only a single record or to several at once.
Prediction results count as checked
When you accept a suggestion from address prediction, 365 business Address Validation stores the selected address directly with the status Validated in the address directory, without calling the address validation service separately. For more information, see Address validation and address prediction.